Investigation of recent decadal-scale cyclical fluctuations in salinity in the lower Colorado River

Tillman, Fred D.; Coes, Alissa L.; Anning, David W.; Mason, Jon P.; Coplen, Tyler B.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.01.072

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…3 a). This cyclical pattern has also been observed in other regions in the Western U.S. 44 , 45 and is likely related to the Pacific quasi-decadal oscillation (QDO) 46 . The QDO describes cyclic, coupled evolutions of sea surface temperature and atmospheric circulation anomalies at 10–20-year time scales 47 .…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 61%

Recent and projected precipitation and temperature changes in the Grand Canyon area with implications for groundwater resources

Tillman

Gangopadhyay

Pruitt

2020

Sci Rep

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Groundwater is a critical resource in the Grand Canyon region, supplying nearly all water needs for residents and millions of visitors. Additionally, groundwater discharging at hundreds of spring locations in and near Grand Canyon supports important ecosystems in this mostly arid environment. The security of groundwater supplies is of critical importance for both people and ecosystems in the region and the potential for changes to groundwater systems from projected climate change is a cause for concern. In this study, we analyze recent historical and projected precipitation and temperature data for the Grand Canyon region. Projected climate scenarios are then used in Soil Water Balance groundwater infiltration simulations to understand the state-of-the-science on projected changes to groundwater resources in the area. Historical climate data from 1896 through 2019 indicate multi-decadal cyclical patterns in both precipitation and temperature for most of the time period. Since the 1970s, however, a significant rising trend in temperature is observed in the area. All 10-year periods since 1993 are characterized by both below average precipitation and above average temperature. Downscaled and bias-corrected precipitation and temperature output from 97 CMIP5 global climate models for the water-year 2020–2099 time period indicate projected precipitation patterns similar to recent historical (water-year 1951–2015) data. Projected temperature for the Grand Canyon area, however, is expected to rise by as much as 3.4 °C by the end of the century, relative to the recent historical average. Integrating the effects of projected precipitation and temperature changes on groundwater infiltration, simulation results indicate that > 76% of future decades will experience average potential groundwater infiltration less than that of the recent historical period.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 61%

Recent and projected precipitation and temperature changes in the Grand Canyon area with implications for groundwater resources

Tillman

Gangopadhyay

Pruitt

2020

Sci Rep

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“…Comparison among the long-term river salinity data of the present study with Kaushal et al (2018) indicates that similar to the Shapour River, a large proportion of streams and rivers in the USA have increasing trends in salinity. Meanwhile, the impact of post-1985 salinity control measures in the Colorado River basin resulted in graduate decline in long-term salinity trend of lower Colorado River (Bureau of Reclamation, 2017;Tillman et al, 2019). In the long-term seasonal scale, using salt as the deicing agent resulted in salinity rising in the Alpine rivers over the late winter to the early spring period (Niedrist et al, 2021).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The comparison among measured long-term salinity data in the monitoring stations along the Colorado River, published by Tillman et al (2019), indicates that river salinity below the Hoover and Imperial dams is greater than those inflow salinities. For some cases, such as the Gotvand dam reservoir in southern Iran, dissolution of submerged evaporite formations by stored water in the dam reservoir amplified the Karun River salinity below the dam (Gutiérrez & Lizaga, 2016;Jahangiry Fard et al, 2019;Jalali et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of natural salinity sources and human actions on the Shapour River salinity during the recent streamflow reduction period

Mohammadzadeh‐Habili

Khalili

Zand‐Parsa

et al. 2021

Environ Monit Assess

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and industrial purposes, the ratio of saline-outflow of Shekastian tributary and Boushigan spring to freshoutflow of upper Shapour River increased by ~ 3 times; consequently, river salinity fluctuation domain at the Khesht plain inlet dramatically increased from 2.1-4.0 dS m −1 to 3.7-26.0 dS m −1 . It resulted in major economic damages to the agricultural sector of middle Shapour River. On the seasonal timescale, consecutive processes of salt accumulation during irrigation season of the Khesht plain date orchards and then salt drainage during the rainy season have adjusted salinity fluctuation domain from 3.7-26.0 dS m −1 at the plain inlet to 5.2-8.9 dS m −1 at the plain outlet. In the lower Shapour River, storage/mixing of fresh/saline inflow waters in the Raeisali-Delvari reservoir has adjusted strong river salinity fluctuation domain from 0.9-10.7 dS m −1 at the reservoir inlet to 3.6-5.5 dS m −1 at the reservoir outlet. The success of the Raeisali-Delvari reservoir for salinity adjustment is due to its suitable location on the Shapour River, by being situated downstream of all main river tributaries with natural saline/fresh sources of water.

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“…During hydrological drought periods, salinity of rivers in southern USA increases compared to non-drought periods (Jones and van Vliet, 2018). In the Colorado river catchment, periods of greater than normal precipitation corresponded with decreasing river salinity and periods of less than normal precipitation corresponded with increasing river salinity (Tillman et al 2019). In hot and dry regions, evaporation from reservoir water surface area can increase river salinity at downstream of dam.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Reservoir, located at the Texas-Mexico border, has been averaging 10% larger than the in ow salinity (Miyamoto et al 2006). Comparison between measured long-term salinity data in the monitoring stations along the Colorado river, published by Tillman et al (2019), indicates that river salinity below the Hoover and Imperial dams are greater than those in ow salinities. For some cases such as Gotvand dam reservoir in southern Iran, dissolution of submerged evaporite formations by stored water in dam reservoir ampli ed the river salinity at downstream of dam (Gutiérrez and Lizaga 2016;Jalali et al 2019;Jahangiry Fard et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Problems of Shapour River Salinity Rising Over Recent Prolonged Streamflow Reduction Period and Solutions of River Salinity Management: An Originally Freshwater River Intensively Salinized by Natural Salinity Sources

Mohammadzadeh‐Habili¹,

Khalili²,

Zand‐Parsa³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The Shapour river with catchment area of 4254 km2 is a major river system in southern Iran. While the upstream river flow (the upper Shapour river) is fresh, it becomes extremely salinized at the downstream confluence of Shekastian salty tributary and the entering nearby Boushigan brine spring. The river then passes through the Khesht plain and finally discharges into the Raeisali-Delvari storage dam, which went into operation in 2009. Over the 2006–2019 period, reduced precipitation and over-utilization of freshwater resources resulted in ~ 72% streamflow reduction in the Shapour river. Consequently, the ratios of unused salty/brine water of Shekastian tributary and Boushigan spring to fresh-outflow of the upper Shapour river increased by ~ 3 times and river salinity fluctuation domain at the Khesht plain inlet dramatically increased from 2.1-4.0 dS m− 1 to 3.7–26.0 dS m− 1. It also resulted in disappearance of most river aquatic species and caused major economic damages in the middle Shapour river. On the seasonal time-scale, consecutive processes of salt accumulation during irrigation season of the Khesht plain date orchards and then salt drainage during rainy season have adjusted salinity fluctuation domain from 3.7–26.0 dS m− 1 at the plain inlet to 5.2–8.9 dS m− 1 at the plain outlet. In the lower Shapour river, storage/mixing of fresh/salty inflow waters in the Raeisali-Delvari reservoir has adjusted strong salinity fluctuation domain from 0.9–10.7 dS m− 1 at the reservoir inlet to 3.6–5.5 dS m− 1 at the reservoir outlet. Success of the Raeisali-Delvari reservoir for salinity adjustment is due to its suitable location on the Shapour river, by being situated on downstream of all of the main river tributaries with natural saline/fresh sources of water. Therefore, construction of storage dam on proper site in conjunction with controlled freshwater utilization are viewed as effective measures for salinity management of subjected rivers to natural salinity sources.

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Investigation of recent decadal-scale cyclical fluctuations in salinity in the lower Colorado River

Cited by 10 publications

References 7 publications

Recent and projected precipitation and temperature changes in the Grand Canyon area with implications for groundwater resources

Recent and projected precipitation and temperature changes in the Grand Canyon area with implications for groundwater resources

Influences of natural salinity sources and human actions on the Shapour River salinity during the recent streamflow reduction period

Problems of Shapour River Salinity Rising Over Recent Prolonged Streamflow Reduction Period and Solutions of River Salinity Management: An Originally Freshwater River Intensively Salinized by Natural Salinity Sources

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