| The Walker River originates in the Eastern Sierra Mountains upstream of Bridgeport and Antelope Valleys in California and terminates at Walker Lake, Nevada. Water management practices along the river, most notably damming and diversions for agricultural use, have reduced inflows to Walker Lake. The combination of reduced river inflows, lake surface evaporation and salt loading to the lake has dramatically increased the total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration in Walker Lake. The TDS concentration in Walker Lake increased from 2,500 mg/L in 1882 to 13,300 mg/L in July 1994. Declining lake levels and increasing salinity threaten the survival of the ecosystem. Research activities have included the development and implementation of a water quality sampling program and water quality modeling for the Walker River. Water sampling included measuring conductivity, temperature and dissolved oxygen at sixteen locations along the river. Results of the water quality sampling were used for a general analysis of water quality conditions in the basin.;A planning model was developed to predict TDS concentrations at six locations along Walker River and at Walker Lake using historical streamflow, diversion and water quality data. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
