Complementary lines of evidence were used to understand distribution and effects of metal contaminants above and below Ridgway Reservoir on the Uncompahgre River in Colorado. Water chemistry identified sites that were contaminated by Zn, while analysis of bryophyte tissue identified sites which had statistically significant differences in metal uptakes, including metals which were not detected in water samples (i.e., Hg and Se). Macroinvertebrate metric values also detected environmental degradation at some sites and generally supported results of water and tissue analyses. In general, water quality improved longitudinally from upstream to downstream. The two stations above Ridgway Reservoir had relatively inferior water quality and higher metal concentrations compared to the station below the reservoir. The exception was in Se concentrations which were enriched in bryophyte tissue at the downstream station.