EVALUATION OF NATURAL TRACERS IN AN ACIDIC AND METAL-RICH STREAM

In natural waters, a variety of solutes would be appropriate for use as tracers in different situations. Comparisons were made of natural tracers at the confluence of an acidic stream (Snake River) with a pristine stream (Deer Creek) near Montezuma, Colorado. Three comparisons were made during late summer at low-flow conditions to identify the naturally occurring conservative solutes in the stream system. On the basis of the results of these comparisons, manganese and sulfate were used as conservative solutes to demonstrate computation of: (1) the reactive losses of other solutes within the confluence and (2) the ratio of chemical inflows from Deer Creek and the Snake River. The approach used in this evaluation can be applied in the study of chemically similar acidic systems.