 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTE: The interactive map features are currently under revision.
Click the button below to load an interactive map for nutrients in streams in the Spring Creek Watershed. After you click the button, a small window will appear and then a second larger window. Be sure to wait until all the maps have been loaded into this second window. If you get an error message when you try to load the map or if the maps are not in color, close both map windows and try again.
This GIS only contains two locations where significant water quality monitoring (more a few scattered samples) has been done. Even worse than sediment monitoring, overall water quality sampling needs to be improved for the Spring Creek Watershed. The following tables list water quality standards. The water quality constituents are split between nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), metals, and other commonly measured water quality constituents.
| Constituents | Units | Background | Max. Allow. | |
| Nutrients | ||||
| NO2-N | mg/l | 0.001 | ----- | |
| NO3-N | mg/l | 0.1 | 10 | |
| NH3+NH4-N | mg/l | 0.1 | ----- | |
| Tot. Phos. | mg/l | 0.02 | ----- | |
| Metals | ||||
| Arsenic | ug/l | ----- | 50 | |
| Cadmium | ug/l | ----- | 10 | |
| Chromium | ug/l | ----- | 50 | |
| Copper | ug/l | ----- | 1000 | |
| Iron | ug/l | ----- | 300 | |
| Lead | ug/l | ----- | 50 | |
| Manganese | ug/l | ----- | 50 | |
| Mercury | ug/l | ----- | 2 | |
| Zinc | ug/l | ----- | 5000 | |
| Others | ||||
| PH | ----- | ----- | 6.5 - 8.5 | |
| Turbidity | NTU | ----- | 1 - 5 | |
| Chloride | mg/l | 10 | 250 | |
| Fluoride | mg/l | 0.1 | 2 | |
| Sulfate | mg/l | 80 | 250 | |
| BOD | mg/l | 2 | ----- | |
| Tot. Org. C | mg/l | 10 | ----- | |
The background levels give an indication of what the water quality levels would be for a stream not affected by human activities. Also, notice that among the nutrients, only nitrate (NO3), has a drinking water standard.
Listed below are the water quality samples from the two locations shown in the nutrient GIS.
| Constituents | Units | Mean | Max. | Min | Samples |
| Nutrients | |||||
| NO2-N | mg/l | 0.1 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 281 |
| NO3-N | mg/l | 4.0 | 8.3 | 0.0 | 280 |
| NH3+NH4-N | mg/l | 0.2 | 10.1 | 0.0 | 281 |
| Tot. Phos. | mg/l | 0.2 | 4.4 | 0.0 | 281 |
| Metals | |||||
| Arsenic | ug/l | 6.5 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Cadmium | ug/l | 2.3 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 17 |
| Chromium | ug/l | 16.9 | 70.0 | 4.0 | 18 |
| Copper | ug/l | 16.5 | 216.0 | 10.0 | 135 |
| Iron | ug/l | 335.2 | 7500.0 | 0.0 | 358 |
| Lead | ug/l | 7.2 | 50.0 | 1.0 | 135 |
| Manganese | ug/l | 49.7 | 4520.0 | 10.0 | 137 |
| Mercury | ug/l | 3.4 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 11 |
| Nickel | ug/l | 28.3 | 140.0 | 0.0 | 135 |
| Zinc | ug/l | 25.6 | 398.0 | 10.0 | 135 |
| Others | |||||
| PH | ----- | 8.0 | 8.9 | 6.2 | 359 |
| Temp. | F | 52.1 | 87.8 | 32.0 | 305 |
| Turbidity | NTU | 6.5 | 92.0 | 1.0 | 68 |
| Hardness | mg/l | 202.7 | 384.0 | 41.0 | 320 |
| Chloride | mg/l | 22.0 | 54.0 | 6.0 | 204 |
| Fluoride | mg/l | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 11 |
| Sulfate | mg/l | 27.9 | 235.0 | 3.0 | 358 |
| BOD | mg/l | 5.0 | 102.5 | 0.9 | 42 |
| Tot. Org. C | mg/l | 2.8 | 31.0 | 1.0 | 149 |
| DO | mg/l | 10.9 | 16.6 | 4.0 | 293 |
| Constituents | Units | Mean | Max. | Min | Samples |
| Nutrients | |||||
| NO2-N | mg/l | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 166 |
| NO3-N | mg/l | 3.4 | 37.7 | 0.1 | 166 |
| NH3+NH4-N | mg/l | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 166 |
| Tot. Phos. | mg/l | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 183 |
| Metals | |||||
| Arsenic | ug/l | 6.1 | 10.0 | 4.0 | 7 |
| Cadmium | ug/l | 2.3 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 19 |
| Chromium | ug/l | 18.8 | 70.0 | 4.0 | 21 |
| Copper | ug/l | 59.1 | 570.0 | 0.0 | 43 |
| Iron | ug/l | 258.8 | 3400.0 | 0.0 | 211 |
| Lead | ug/l | 35.7 | 50.0 | 4.0 | 19 |
| Manganese | ug/l | 20.5 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 21 |
| Mercury | ug/l | 2.8 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 12 |
| Nickel | ug/l | 37.9 | 140.0 | 10.0 | 19 |
| Zinc | ug/l | 68.4 | 230.0 | 20.0 | 19 |
| Others | |||||
| PH | ----- | 7.8 | 8.4 | 5.2 | 210 |
| Temp. | F | 51.8 | 82.4 | 33.8 | 193 |
| Turbidity | NTU | 3.2 | 23.0 | 1.0 | 70 |
| Hardness | mg/l | 174.7 | 360.0 | 20.0 | 211 |
| Chloride | mg/l | 12.0 | 47.0 | 2.0 | 206 |
| Fluoride | mg/l | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 18 |
| Sulfate | mg/l | 28.4 | 200.0 | 0.0 | 210 |
| BOD | mg/l | 2.0 | 7.5 | 0.0 | 44 |
| Tot. Org. C | mg/l | 3.1 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 30 |
| DO | mg/l | 10.8 | 14.0 | 4.0 | 178 |
Notice for both locations, the nutrient levels were higher than the background levels. The nitrate levels were significantly higher, but the mean did not exceed the drinking water standard, although certain measurements for Logan Branch did exceed the standard. Also notice that total phosphorus, primarily sediment-bound phosphorus, was low for both locations. Among the metals, both locations had problems with iron and mercury. For the other constituents, these were problems with turbidity. Turbidity relates to the clarity of the water and can be used to predict the sediment load, when data is gathered relating total suspended sediment levels to turbidity values.
Once again, the data that is available shows the need for more water quality data for all streams in the watershed.
About this web page and InterWET:
Check out the on-line dissertation on InterWET for more information behind the theory and techniques used to make this web page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Questions or Problems? Let me know at parson@andassoc.com.