The influence of soil interstitial waters on the physicochemistry of major, minor and trace metals in stream waters of the green lakes valley, Front Range, Colorado

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Abstract
The influence of soil interstitial waters on the physicochemical characteristics of major, minor and trace metals in stream waters of an alpine watershed, Front Range, Colorado was assessed. Dissolution of Ca‐aluminosilicate minerals, ion exchange reactions and the magnitude of solute flux within the alpine soil environment account for most of the observed concentrations of major, minor and trace metals in the alpine stream waters. The rate of mineral dissolution and magnitude of solute flux during the summer of 1989 was greatly affected by anthropogenic disturbance which resulted in large amounts of colloidal material and freshly exposed mineral surfaces. The alpine ecosystem responded very quickly to this disturbance. The magnitude of solute flux in the soil environment was also highly dependent on the duration and intensity of rain events, as well as the location of the site along the slope. Transport of most trace metals in the stream waters was achieved by adsorption onto colloidal surfaces of Al–Si hydroxides smaller than 0·45 μm.