Forest Sciences Commons^™

Using Physical, Chemical And Biological Indicators To Assess Water Quality On The Ouachita National Forest Utilizing Basin Area Stream Survey Methods, J. Alan Clingenpeel, Betty G. Cochran

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Ouachita National Forest (ONF) has developed a series of Best Management Practices (BMP's) designed to protect water quality and associated beneficial uses (fisheries, municipal water supplies, etc.). A monitoring program is necessary to document the effectiveness of that protection. The Basin Area Stream Survey (BASS) methodology provides a monitoring link from BMP's to the aquatic ecosystems. The goal of BASS is to identify the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of a stream in a format that will allow comparisons with other streams, and indicate when a stream is being impacted. Six index streams within two ecoregions were selected and …