Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Role Of Plant Traits And Interactions In Emergent Wetland Nutrient Removal, Andrew Ryan Sample

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing wetland restoration in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley has been identified as a method to reduce nutrient loading in the Gulf of Mexico. Wetlands have historically been used to treat water through processes facilitated by wetland plants, and relatively few species and plant traits have been identified as important in carrying out these processes. This study focuses on some of those species and traits and aims to identify species differences and plant traits that may be important for wetland nutrient mitigation. Chapter I provides background information on nutrient pollution, wetland biogeochemical mechanisms for nutrient sequestration, and the focal species …

Determining The Effects Of Water Quality On Stream Metabolic Function Of Urban Stream Corridors In Columbus, Georgia, Md Abu Raihan

Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization alters streams, disrupting their natural habitat and inducing changes in nutrient dynamics and primary productivity. These human-induced interventions diminish ecological structure, homogenizing once-diverse ecosystems and posing a risk of impairment or destruction. Continuous monitoring of stream ecosystem metabolism emerges as an essential tool for a comprehensive understanding and effective intervention in response to these challenges. This study delves into the intricate dynamics of nutrient levels and productivity within the urbanized context of the Weracoba Creek watershed located in Columbus, Georgia, USA. Through a cross-sectional study, we explore spatial and temporal variations in nutrient concentrations (NH4, NO3, PO4, TP, TN) …

Evaluating Growth Rates Of The Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) And Water Quality For Oyster Restoration Sites At City Island, Bronx, Ny, Cody L. Jernigan

Theses and Dissertations

Oyster growth and water quality were monitored at four sites at City Island, Bronx, NY, to determine suitability for oyster reef restoration. Significant growth occurred at two sites and water quality was not indicated as a contributing factor. Oyster growth at all sites indicate appropriate conditions for oyster reef restoration.

Trends In Nutrients Load And Driving Factors In Illinois River Basins, Olaoluwa David Oladuji

Theses and Dissertations

The demand for clean and potable water increases as the population number grows, and surface water serves as a significant source of water supply to many municipalities. However, the quality of surface waters is altered due to excess load of nutrients in the water bodies. For example, excess nitrate and dissolved phosphorus in water may lead to eutrophication. The 2019 bi-annual Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategies reported about 13% and 35% increases in nitrate and total phosphorus, respectively, across the statewide basins compared to the previous baseline data of 1980-1996. The biannual report stated that Illinois River basin was a …

Spatial Analysis Of A Chesapeake Bay Sub-Watershed: How Land Use And Precipitation Patterns Impact Water Quality In The James River, Kristina Delia

Theses and Dissertations

As land cover throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed is modified and climate patterns alter, changes in runoff occur which can impact water quality. A study was conducted using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for the James River watershed in Virginia, the southernmost tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, for 1986 to 2018. A comparison of land cover changes throughout that time frame was included in the analysis. Land cover data was derived from satellite imagery with values extracted using Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis. The SWAT model was run within the web-based Hydrologic and Water Quality System (HAWQS). The …

Bacterial Water Quality Monitoring As Citizen Science In Congaree National Park, South Carolina, Shea Mccarthy

Theses and Dissertations

Congaree National Park aims to preserve its natural and cultural resources while protecting these benefits for current and future enjoyment. Hydrologic features make up a large portion of the park and attract visitor recreation. There are several known sources of pollution that enter these waterways, mainly from upstream sources of waste discharge. The national park and its surrounding areas hold great ecological significance, however, there are many threats to the surface water quality in this area. Water quality degradation can impact the ecosystem, wildlife, and visitor experience. This project specifically considers exposure to fecal contamination in surface waters from upstream …

Assessing The Feasibility Of Freshwater Mussel Restoration In Urban Streams., John-Reid Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to determine whether introduced freshwater mussels (Alewife floater, Utterbackiana implicata) can survive and grow in urban streams in the James River watershed. A secondary objective was to assess differences in U. implicata survival and growth of in the context of differing water quality and food resource conditions among three urban sites and three rural sites. Results from this study show large differences in growth and survivorship of mussels across sites. Higher survivorship was observed among mussels stocked into rural streams (35% and 44%) in comparison to urban streams (3%, 6% and 14%). …

A New Qpcr Assay To Detect Geosmin-Producing Cyanobacteria, Shane Brian Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Taste-and-odor (T&O) compounds are frequently produced by cyanobacterial blooms in bodies of water. Geosmin, perhaps the most common T&O compound produced by these blooms, is not effectively removed by conventional water treatment processes and frequently causes the tap water to have an off flavor. Although geosmin is not harmful when ingested, it damages the consumers' confidence in the cleanliness of their water. There are treatment options for geosmin removal, but the most common methods are often not implemented until complaints are made by consumers.There has been an increasing amount of research on the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods …

Improved Land Use And Land Cover Classification And Determination Of The Influence Of Land Use And Land Cover On The Water Quality In An Agriculture Dominated Watershed, Scott Landon Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

Classification of remotely sensed imagery for reliable land use and land cover (LULC) change information remains a challenge in areas where spectrally similar LULC features occur. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) influences the biogeochemistry of aquatic environments and its quantity and quality are due, in large part, to the surrounding LULC. Thus, objectives were to improve the accuracy of LULC classification and quantify seasonal variations of water quality in a watershed dominated by agriculture and determine the controls for the variations in water quality. Support vector machine classification scheme with post classification correction yielded highest accuracy for LULC classifications and four …

The Unintended Benefits Of Dams Should Be Considered Prior To Removal, Jacob Lloyd Jozefowski

Theses and Dissertations

Dams provide multiple benefits; however, they also degrade rivers. Many dams no longer serve their intended purpose and are nearing the end of their operational lives. The aging of dams coupled with the cost of restoration and maintenance, regulation, and the ecologic impacts of dams has resulted in removal becoming a viable management alternative. Despite increased utilization, limited research and a lack of quantitative predictive capacity results in large amounts of uncertainty associated with impacts of dam removal. Additionally, dams which no longer serve their intended purpose may still have unintended positive benefits such as the prevention of the spread …

Diurnal And Seasonal Variation In Groundwater Nitrate -N Concentration In A Saturated Buffer Zone, Joseph Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Surface water pollution by nitrate (NO3-) is identified as a critical problem in agricultural land-use areas. Excess NO3- loading causes eutrophication and hypoxia in near-shore marine waters such as the Gulf of Mexico. Diversion of agricultural runoff into saturated buffer zones reduces NO3- loading. Although the mechanisms responsible for NO3- reduction in saturated buffer zones are well characterized, little is known about how NO3- concentrations vary temporally and what factors control those changes. The objective of this study is to understand NO3- concentration and environmental factor variability in a saturated buffer zone on a diurnal scale within and among the …

Dynamics Of Nitrate, Phosphorus, And Suspended Sediment Transport In Two Agricultural Streams In Central Illinois, Luke W. Lampo

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrients such as nitrate and phosphorus are necessary for life, but excessive amounts can be detrimental. Large amounts of nutrients entering bodies of water can lead to hypoxic zones such as the one in the Gulf of Mexico. Nutrients are also problematic in drinking water reservoirs, as high concentrations of nitrate in drinking water can cause health conditions such as blue baby syndrome and high phosphorus concentrations can lead to algal blooms. Suspended sediment leads to reservoir sedimentation, habitat degradation, and is able to transport particulate nutrients. High nutrient and sediment concentrations are a recurring problem in the drinking water …

Performance Of Cormix Model For Point Source Contamination Simulations In Rivers Due To Oil Spills From Pipeline Failures, Joseph Gregory Heiden

Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on a point-source oil contamination scenario for surface flow created by a pipeline failure. In this hypothetical scenario, a pipeline crossing two different river types (wide and regulated, and narrow, slightly meandering) will begin to leak and contaminant the rivers. CORMIX, a U.S. EPA supported mixing zone model, was used to model concentration of the near-field, starting from the source of the contaminant and throughout the region of interest. CORMIX takes the fundamental behaviors of an oil spill to provide an accurate and easy-to-use fate and transport model. The severity of the oil spill is categorized into …

Effect Of Cover Crops And Nitrogen Application Timing On Nutrient Loading And Concentration Through Subsurface Tile Drainage, Michael Douglas Ruffatti

Theses and Dissertations

It has been estimated that nitrate (NO3-N) leaching from artificially drained agricultural fields in the Upper Mississippi River Basin accounts for approximately 65% of nitrogen (N) delivered annually to the Gulf of Mexico. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the impact fertilizer application timing and cover crops (CC) adoption on the load and concentration of nutrients in subsurface drainage leachate. This experiment was conducted at the Illinois State University Nitrogen Management Field Station, in Lexington, IL. Treatments include a zero control (no N fertilizer and no cover crop), fall dominated N application (70% fall, 30% spring) with …

A Gis Analysis Of Land Cover Effects On Water Systems: Nutrients And Algae In Stormwater Ponds, Nicole Lee Kappel

Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic land conversion is occurring rapidly and has the potential to impact our water quality. This study aims to explore the effect of watershed land characteristics on water quality within stormwater ponds (SWPs). Rapid land conversion is known to affect water quality of receiving water bodies, however not much is known about the effect of urbanization on SWPs. Geographic informational systems (GIS) was used to determine areas of land that drain into ponds. Water samples were collected and analyzed for total phosphorous, dissolved reactive phosphorous, nitrate, and ammonia. Algal pigment and percent cover measurements were taken in the field and …

Transport Mechanisms For Human Fecal Indicator Bacteria In An Urban Stormwater Basin In Southeastern Wisconsin, Chelsea M. Corson

Theses and Dissertations

Discharge of stormwater runoff to receiving waters is a known source of human pathogens; however the primary mechanisms by which these pathogens enter the stormwater system have yet to be quantified. This study builds upon and utilizes prior research findings in an attempt to explain the influence of the age of the pipes within stormwater and sanitary conveyance systems, rainfall and hydrogeological characteristics, and select infrastructure variables that contribute to the observed contamination of an urban stormwater basin in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Over the course of approximately two years from 2012 to 2014, a total of 260 samples from 22 stormwater …

Estimating Errors: The Politics Of Environmental Impact Assessment Along The Savannah River, Ryan Craig Covington

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation research, I investigate three interrelated conflicts which emerged as part of an environmental impact assessment along the Savannah River in the late 1990s: a controversial plan to improve water quality through supplemental oxygen injection; a lengthy struggle over federal funding policies that constrained efforts to address scientific uncertainty; and an entrenched refusal to investigate human health risks from air toxics at the Port of Savannah. In each of these conflicts, I trace the dismantling of controversy, investigating how, and with what effect, the slow and tedious work of building consensus has reshaped the governance of the lower …

Effects Of Physical Characteristics Of Urban Storm Sewersheds On Water Quality In Bloomington, Il, Alicia Terese O'Hare

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing urbanization has consequences for surface water quality. Stormwater is a large component of urban water degradation that is poorly understood. Precipitation is quickly transported via underground pipes, from the land to the stream without following water's natural flow path. Studies have correlated detention ponds with improved water quality and impervious surface cover with degraded water quality. However, other physical characteristics within a storm sewer shed including the presence of sump pumps, area and pipe miles may also affect the stormwater quality. We chose 18 storm sewer systems in Bloomington, IL. We measured pH, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chloride, nitrate, …

Causes And Consequences Of Algal Blooms In The Tidal Fresh James River, Joseph Wood

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation includes 3 chapters which focus on algal bloom of the tidal fresh James River. The first chapter describes nutrient and light limitation assays performed on algal cultures and draw conclusions about long-term patterns in nutrient limitation by comparing results with a previous study . This chapter also describes the influence of riverine discharge upon nutrient limitation in a point-source dominated estuary. This chapter was published in Estuaries and Coasts (Wood and Bukaveckas 2014). The second chapter presents the first comprehensive assessment of the occurrence of the cyanotoxin Microcystin in water and biota of the James River. Data presented …

A Water Quality Investigation Of Kimages Creek, Michael Trop

Theses and Dissertations

Analysis of continuous monitoring water quality data (temperature, specific conductivity, depth, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity) at two locations in a tidal freshwater creek (Kimages Creek) characterized seasonal variation and responses to short-term events. Supplemental water quality measurements were collected to describe longitudinal variations in the creek. There were significant differences in water quality between the two continuous monitoring stations (one tidal and unforested, the other non-tidal and forested) over varying time scales. Rain events showed increases in turbidity, depth and dissolved oxygen, and reductions in temperature, conductivity, and pH at both stations. Tides influenced the water quality at the …