Regional Water Quality NEWSLETTER DATE: Report for May 2018 A Tempe, Glendale, Peoria, Chandler, Phoenix, ADEQ, CAP, SRP, Epcor NSF Central

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Scarlett Thornton
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CAP, SRP, Epcor NSF Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term

1 Regional Water Quality NEWSLETTER DATE: Report for May 2018 A Tempe, Glendale, Peoria, Chandler, Phoenix, ADEQ, CAP, SRP, Epcor NSF Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research ASU Regional Water Quality Partnership 1

2 SUMMARY 1. Geosmin concentrations in Saguaro Lake Epilimnion ranged from ng/l while the hypolimnion of Saguaro Lake had 21 ng/l. SRP is trying to avoid releases from the spillway of Stewart Mountain Dam even though repairs to the hydroelectric system are still underway. The Salt River at Blue Point Ridge had 18.5 mg/l of Geosmin which is similar to the hypolimnion of Saguaro Lake. Quarterly reservoir sampling results had Geosmin levels in upstream Salt River Reservoirs ranging from 40.6 to 13.2 ng/l in the epilimnions. Geosmin levels in Canyon Lake ranged from ng/l. At the time of sampling, almost all samples were below detection limits for MIB in the canals and WTPs while Geosmin levels were below the threshold level of 10 ng/l in the canals and water treatment plants. Higher Geosmin levels in the canals and water treatment plants should be expected at the time of newsletter publication. Groundwater pumping on the South Canal will help dilute Geosmin concentrations and CAP diversion will help dilute Geosmin concentrations to a lesser extent in the Arizona Canal. 2. The DOC concentrations were mg/l in the Arizona Canal and DOC concentrations were mg/l in the South Canal. The DOC concentrations in the Canals and WTPs were lower than the concentrations observed in April and groundwater pumping in the South Canal continued to lower DOC concentrations. DOC concentrations in the Saguaro Lake ranged from 5.3 to 6.1 mg/l which is an increase as compared to April sampling. DOC concentrations in upstream Salt River reservoirs ranged from mg/l which represent elevated levels throughout the Salt River reservoirs. Of particular concern is elevated nitrogen levels with total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) levels up to 1.38 mg/l in the reservoirs. Elevated nitrogen levels could stimulate algal growth and increase algal related water quality parameters as sunlight intensity and temperatures increase. The current levels of Geosmin already provide evidence of algal related water quality issues. TDN levels were also above 2 mg/l in the South Canal as a result of groundwater pumping. 3. Reservoir releases continue to be primarily from Saguaro at the time of sampling and the levels of Geosmin in the Saguaro epilimnion are a major concern. Groundwater pumping continues to provide dilution of DOC and taste and odor compounds in the South Canal. 4. Microbial concentrations for coliforms continued to increase moderately as temperatures increase with several samples for total coliforms above 1,000 cfu/100ml. Mycobacterium samples for April were lower than the previous months with no levels exceeding 10 cfu/100ml. 1

3 Microbial Water Quality Data Over the years the regional water quality center has collected data on numerous different topics but very little data has been collected on basic microbial water quality. Therefore, we have initiated microbial sampling for E. Coli, total coliforms and mycobacterium in the canal system to determine potential impacts on both water quality and sources of possible contamination. Note that Mycobacterium samples require one month to process so they are from the previous month. Coliform Data - May 7-8 All Values are CFU/100ml Sample E. coli Coliform Blank Average 0 0 AZ Canal at Highway 87 average South Canal below CAP Cross- connect average Cap Canal at Cross-connect average AZ Canal at 56th St. average AZ Canal- Central Avenue average Pima Average AZ Canal above CAP Cross-connect average Waddell Canal average Verde Beeline average AZ Canal below CAP Cross-connect average head of the Consolidated Canal average Middle of Consolidated Canal average Head of Tempe Canal average Mycobacterium (April) colonies Blank 1 AZ Canal at Highway 87 3 South Canal below CAP Cross- connect 4 Cap Canal at Cross-connect N/A AZ Canal at 56th St. 2 AZ Canal- Central Avenue 5 AZ Canal at Pima 3 AZ Canal above CAP Cross-connect 6 Waddell Canal 3 Verde Beeline 8 AZ Canal below CAP Cross-connect 2 head of the Consolidated Canal 3 Middle of Consolidated Canal 0 Head of Tempe Canal 0 CONT Contaminated with other bacteria 2

Source Trend in supply Discharge to water supply system Salt River Verde River Reservoirs at 62% full Reservoirs At 31% full Quick Update of Water Supplies for May 7th, 2018 (during day of canal/wtp

4 Source Trend in supply Discharge to water supply system Salt River Verde River Reservoirs at 62% full Reservoirs At 31% full Quick Update of Water Supplies for May 7th, 2018 (during day of canal/wtp sampling May 7th, 2018) Flow into SRP Canal System Dissolved organic carbon Concentration (mg/l) ** 704 cfs 563 cfs into Arizona 4.1 mg/l Canal 140 cfs 346 cfs into South Canal 4.1 mg/l 122 cfs of CAP water into Arizona Canal Colorado River Lake Pleasant is 86.8% full (Lake Powell is 52.3% full) Lake Pleasant is* releasing 0 cfs Groundwater Pumping *** 392 cfs pumping by SRP *CAP is not releasing from Lake Pleasant **Concentration of DOC in the terminal reservoir ***CAP water is being delivered to the Arizona Canal. 392 cfs Groundwater Pumping into SRP Canals 3.0 mg/l 0.5 to 1 mg/l Data from the following websites:

5 The following views are from SRP website, and show which wells are operating along the various canals. 4

6 5

7 Dissolved Organic Carbon in Reservoirs and Treatment Plants DOC = Dissolved organic carbon UV254 = ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm (an indicator of aromatic carbon content) SUVA = UV254/DOC TDN = Total dissolved nitrogen (mostly nitrate from groundwater) Water Treatment Plants- May 7th-8th, 2018 Sample Description DOC (mg/l) UV254 (l/cm) SUVA (L/mg-m) TDN (mg/l Union Hills Inlet Union Hills Treated Tempe North Inlet Tempe North Plant Treated Tempe South Inlet Tempe South Plant Treated Greenway WTP Inlet Greenway WTP Treated Glendale WTP Inlet Glendale WTP Treated Anthem WTP Inlet Anthem WTP Treated th Street WTP Inlet th Street WTP Treated Chandler WTP Inlet Chandler WTP Treated Rivers and Canals- May 7th-8th, 2018 Sample Description DOC (mg/l) UV254 (l/cm) SUVA (L/mg-m) TDN (mg/l Waddell Canal Anthem WTP Inlet Union Hills Inlet CAP Salt-Gila Pumping Station (April) CAP Mesa Turnout (April) CAP Canal at Cross-connect Salt Blue pt. Bridge Verde Beeline AZ Canal above CAP Cross-connect AZ Canal below CAP Cross-connect AZ Canal at Highway AZ Canal at Pima Rd AZ Canal at 56th St AZ Canal - Central Avenue

8 AZ Canal - Inlet to Glendale WTP AZ Canal - Inlet to Greenway WTP South Canal below CAP Cross-connect Head of Tempe Canal Tempe Canal - Inlet to Tempe's South Plant Head of the Consolidated Canal Middle of Consolidated Canal Chandler WTP - Inlet Reservoir Samples - May 7th-8th, 2018 Sample Description Location DOC (mg/l) UV254 (l/cm) SUVA (L/mg-m) TDN (mg/l Havasu (April) Lake Pleasant (April) Epilimnion Verde River at Tangle Verde River at Beeline Highway Bartlett Reservoir Epilimnion Saguaro Lake Epi - Duplicate Salt River at Blue Point Bridge Salt River above Roosevelt Roosevelt Reservoir Point 1 Roosevelt Reservoir Point 2 Apache Reservoir Point 1 Apache Reservoir Point 2 Canyon Reservoir Point 1 Canyon Reservoir Point

9 Taste and Odor MIB, Geosmin and Cyclocitral are compounds naturally produced by algae in our reservoirs and canals, usually when the water is warmer and algae are growing/decaying more rapidly. They are non toxic, but detectable to consumers of water because of their earthy-musty-moldy odor. The human nose can detect these in drinking water because the compounds are semi-volatile. Since compounds are more volatile from warmer water, these tend to be more noticable in the summer and fall. The human nose can detect roughly 10 ng/l of these compounds. Our team collects samples from the water sources and raw/treated WTP samples. Table 1 - Water Treatment Plants May 7, 2018 Sample Description MIB Geosmin Union Hills Inlet <2.0 <2.0 Union Hills Treated <2.0 <2.0 Tempe North Inlet < Tempe North Plant Treated < Tempe South WTP <2.0 <2.0 Tempe South Plant Treated < Anthem Inlet <2.0 <2.0 Anthem Treated <2.0 <2.0 Chandler Inlet <2.0 <2.0 Chandler Treated < Greenway WTP Inlet <2.0 <2.0 Greenway WTP Treated <2.0 <2.0 Glendale WTP Inlet < Glendale WTP Treated <2.0 <2.0 24th St. WTP Inlet < th St. WTP Outlet <2.0 <2.0 Table 2 - Canal Sampling May 7, 2018 System Sample Description MIB Geosmin CAP Waddell Canal <2.0 <2.0 Union Hills Inlet <2.0 <2.0 CAP Canal at Cross-connect <2.0 <2.0 Salt Blue Pt Bridge Verde Beeline <2.0 <2.0 AZ AZ Canal above CAP Cross-connect < Canal AZ Canal below CAP Cross-connect <2.0 <2.0 AZ Canal at Highway 87 <2.0 <2.0 8

10 AZ Canal at Pima Rd. < AZ Canal at 56th St. < AZ Canal - Central Avenue < AZ Canal - Inlet to Glendale WTP < Head of the Consolidated Canal <2.0 <2.0 Middle of the Consolidated Canal < South South Canal below CAP Crossconnect < Tempe Head of the Tempe Canal < Canals Tempe Canal - Inlet to Tempe's South Plant <2.0 <2.0 Salt-Gila (April) Mesa Turnout (April) < Table 3 - Reservoir Samples May 8, 2018 Sample Description Location MIB Geosmin Lake Pleasant (April) Eplimnion <2.0 <2.0 Lake Pleasant (April) 2.1 <2.0 Verde Beeline <2.0 <2.0 Bartlett Reservoir Epilimnion Bartlett Reservoir Epi-near dock Bartlett Reservoir <2.0 <2.0 Salt BluePt Bridge < Saguaro Lake Epilimnion < Saguaro Lake Epi - Duplicate < Saguaro Lake Epi-near dock < Saguaro Lake < Lake Havasu (April) < Verde River at Tangle Creek (April) < Roosevelt at Salt River Inlet (April) < Table 4 - Quarterly Lake 9

11 Sampling - May 8-9, 2018 Sample Description Site Location MIB Geosmin Roosevelt Lake Site 1A Eplimnion Roosevelt Lake Site 1B < Roosevelt Lake Site 2A Eplimnion Roosevelt Lake Site 2B <2.0 <2.0 Apache Lake Site 1A Eplimnion < Apache Lake Site 1B < Apache Lake Site 2A Eplimnion < Apache Lake Site 2B < Canyon Lake Site 1A Eplimnion <2.0 <2.0 Canyon Lake Site 1B < Canyon Lake Site 2A Eplimnion < Canyon Lake Site 2B <

Regional Water Quality NEWSLETTER DATE: Report for November 2017 A Tempe, Glendale, Peoria, Chandler, Phoenix, ADEQ, CAP, SRP, Epcor NSF Central

Regional Water Quality NEWSLETTER DATE: Report for November 2017 A Tempe, Glendale, Peoria, Chandler, Phoenix, ADEQ, CAP, SRP, Epcor NSF Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research ASU Regional