A wildfire that scorched Los Alamos, N.M., is prompting the U.S. Geological Survey to collect water quality data from the Rio Grande River in joint effort with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
USGS has installed a stream gage upstream from Cochiti Reservoir and downstream from any tributaries draining the burned area. The gage will help determine the effects of the fire upon the water system.
Water quality samples will be collected during heavy flow from runoff in burned areas. They will be analyzed for dissolved elements, trace elements, radioactive particles and sediment, and the results will be published in the USGS New Mexico Water Resources Data Report.
