Construction and Application of a Water Quality Model for the Upper Blackfoot River Basin in the Caribou National Forest, Idaho

摘要

A steady state, deterministic and one-dimensional water quality model was developed as a management tool for future phosphate mining and processing operations in the Upper Blackfoot River basin. As the demand for phosphate continues to increase and old currently mined areas are depleted it is auticipated that phosphate mining operations in the Upper Blackfoot River basin will increase. Careful management of these mining operations will be needed to minimize or avoid the expected deterioration of water quality in streams of the area. The Boise River water quality model was modified to make it suitable for the Blackfoot River.