Contaminants from cretaceous black shale: II. Effect of geology, weathering, climate, and land use on salinity and selenium cycling, Mancos Shale landscapes, southwestern United States

Tuttle, Michele L.; Fahy, Juli W.; Elliott, John G.; Grauch, Richard I.; Stillings, Lisa L.

doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2013.12.011

Cited by 40 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Water samples were promptly filtered and analyzed for standard cations, anions, silica, and selected metals including strontium, iron, aluminum, manganese, and selenium. Metals were chosen to assist in the delineation of flow paths through the underlying Mesozoic sedimentary units since the Mancos Shale is a known source of selenium [ Mast et al , ; Tuttle et al , , ].…”

Section: Site Description and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is there a geomorphic expression of interbasin groundwater flow in watersheds? Interactions between interbasin groundwater flow, springs, streams, and geomorphology

Frisbee

Tysor

Stewart-Maddox

et al. 2016

Geophysical Research Letters

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Interbasin groundwater flow (IGF) can play a significant role in the generation and geochemical evolution of streamflow. However, it is exceedingly difficult to identify IGF and to determine the location and quantity of water that is exchanged between watersheds. How does IGF affect landscape/watershed geomorphic evolution? Can geomorphic metrics be used to identify the presence of IGF? We examine these questions in two adjacent sedimentary watersheds in northern New Mexico using a combination of geomorphic/landscape metrics, springflow residence times, and spatial geochemical patterns. IGF is expressed geomorphically in the landscape placement of springs and flow direction and shape of stream channels. Springs emerge preferentially on one side of stream valleys where landscape incision has intercepted IGF flow paths. Stream channels grow toward the IGF source and show little bifurcation. In addition, radiocarbon residence times of springs decrease and the geochemical composition of springs changes as the connection to IGF is lost.

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Section: Site Description and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is there a geomorphic expression of interbasin groundwater flow in watersheds? Interactions between interbasin groundwater flow, springs, streams, and geomorphology

Frisbee

Tysor

Stewart-Maddox

et al. 2016

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…United States and releases elevated concentrations of major ions, trace elements, and potential contaminants during weathering (Morrison et al, 2012;Tuttle et al, 2014aTuttle et al, , 2014b.…”

Section: Water Resources Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Depth‐ and Time‐Resolved Distributions of Snowmelt‐Driven Hillslope Subsurface Flow and Transport and Their Contributions to Surface Waters

Tokunaga

Wan

Williams

et al. 2019

Water Resources Research

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Major components of hydrologic and elemental cycles reside underground, where their complex dynamics and linkages to surface waters are obscure. We delineated seasonal subsurface flow and transport dynamics along a hillslope in the Rocky Mountains (USA), where precipitation occurs primarily as winter snow and drainage discharges into the East River, a tributary of the Gunnison River. Hydraulic and geochemical measurements down to 10 m below ground surface supported application of transmissivity feedback of snowmelt to describe subsurface flow and transport through three zones: soil, weathering shale, and saturated fractured shale. Groundwater flow is predicted to depths of at least 176 m, although a shallower limit exists if hillslope‐scale hydraulic conductivities are higher than our local measurements. Snowmelt during the high snowpack water year 2017 sustained flow along the weathering zone and downslope within the soil, while negligible downslope flow occurred along the soil during the low snowpack water year 2018. We introduce subsurface concentration‐discharge (C‐Q) relations for explaining hillslope contributions to C‐Q observed in rivers and demonstrate their calculations based on transmissivity fluxes and measured pore water specific conductance and dissolved organic carbon. The specific conductance data show that major ions in the hillslope pore waters, primarily from the weathering and fractured shale, are about six times more concentrated than in the river, indicating hillslope solute loads are disproportionately high, while flow from this site and similar regions are relatively smaller. This methodology is applicable in different representative environments within snow‐dominated watersheds for linking their subsurface exports to surface waters.

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“…U content is usually positively correlated with organic matter abundance (Fisher and Wignall, 2001;Mapel, 1956). Se is also known to be enriched in black shales (Mitchell et al, 2012;Park et al, 2010;Stillings and Amacher, 2010;Tuttle et al, 2014aTuttle et al, ,2014bincluding the Manning Canyon shale (Brimhall, 1963).Thus, this unit may serve as a natural source of Se and U to the Provo River, with enhanced releases coming from quarrying near the mouth of Provo Canyon (i.e., below site 8).…”

Section: Natural and Anthropogenic Sources Of Trace Elements To The Pmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Trace element concentrations (e.g., As, Cr, Mo, Pb, Sb, Se, Sr, Tl, and U)combined with 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios provide powerful discriminatory leverage for distinguishing among the variety of natural and anthropogenic solute sources to a river, including inputs from weathering, soil erosion, groundwater, mining, agriculture, and urban runoff (Barats et al, 2014;Christofaro and Leao, 2009;Fitzpatrick et al, 2007;Le Pape et al, 2012Luo et al, 2014;Ollivier et al, 2011;Potot et al, 2012;Xu and Han, 2009).For example, Sr is an important trace element for evaluating natural weathering processes in a watershed, and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios can be used to distinguish between silicate and carbonate weathering (Bickle et al, 2005;Brennan et al, 2014;Chetelat et al, 2008;Jacobson et al, 2002;Voss et al, 2014;Wei et al, 2013). Furthermore, weathering of specific types of bedrock such as black shales may contribute other elements, including Se and U (Bates, 1957;Galindo et al, 2007;Lavergren et al, 2009a;Rawat et al, 2010;Stillings and Amacher, 2010;Tuttle et al, 2014aTuttle et al, , 2014bWen and Carignan, 2011).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating natural and anthropogenic trace element inputs along an alpine to urban gradient in the Provo River, Utah, USA

Carling

Tingey

Fernández

et al. 2015

Applied Geochemistry

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Numerous natural and anthropogenic processes in a watershed produce the geochemical composition of a river, which can be altered over time by snowmelt and rainfall events and by built infrastructure (i.e., dams and diversions).Trace element concentrations coupled with isotopic ratios offer valuable insights to disentangle the effects of these processes on water quality. In this study, we measured a suite of 40+ trace and major elements (including As,

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Contaminants from cretaceous black shale: II. Effect of geology, weathering, climate, and land use on salinity and selenium cycling, Mancos Shale landscapes, southwestern United States

Cited by 40 publications

References 12 publications

Is there a geomorphic expression of interbasin groundwater flow in watersheds? Interactions between interbasin groundwater flow, springs, streams, and geomorphology

Is there a geomorphic expression of interbasin groundwater flow in watersheds? Interactions between interbasin groundwater flow, springs, streams, and geomorphology

Depth‐ and Time‐Resolved Distributions of Snowmelt‐Driven Hillslope Subsurface Flow and Transport and Their Contributions to Surface Waters

Evaluating natural and anthropogenic trace element inputs along an alpine to urban gradient in the Provo River, Utah, USA

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