Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Stream Recovery Post Channelization: A Case Study Of Low-Gradient Streams In Central Illinois, Usa, Joseph P. Becker, Eric W. Peterson

Faculty Publications-- Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Stream channelization, which entails reducing the sinuosity of a stream, widening, and in some cases deepening the stream channel, is a widespread practice in agricultural regions. Channelization efforts in central Illinois have significant impacts on the geomorphology, flow regime, and sediment transport both in and adjacent to modified reaches. The goal of this study was to characterize the changes in stream channels by comparing three streams that are at various stages of recovery post channelization, 5 years (1900N), 7 years (Frog), and 35 years (Bray), to an unmodified stream reach (Crooked) and estimate a recovery rate. Measured channel slopes within …

Supporting Data – Floating Gardens, Chicago River, April 29, 2018 To November 19, 2019, Eric Wade Peterson, Phil Nicodemus, Emmett Andrew Spooner

Faculty Publications-- Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Between April 29, 2018 to November 19, 2019, water samples were collected upstream and downstream of a floating garden installed along the Chicago River. At each location, samples were collected at the surface and at 0.3 m below the surface. In-situ measurements of Dissolved Oxygen, Specific Conductance, and Temperature were recorded with a YSI 85. Anion samples were analyzed using a Ion Chromatograph for fluoride (F^-), chloride (Cl^-), nitrate as nitrogen (NO₃-N), phosphate (PO₄^-3), and sulfate (SO₄^-2). The available dataset provides the recorded field parameters and the analyzed …

Supporting Data - Recycling Of Nitrate And Organic Matter By Plants In The Vadose Zone Of A Saturated Riparian Buffer, Patience Bosompemaa, Eric Wade Peterson, William Perry, Wondwosen M. Seyoum

Faculty Publications-- Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Data from the analysis of nitrate as nitrogen in the soil and soil pore water within the vadose zone of a saturated riparian buffer (SRB). Additional properties measured include: Organic matter (as %), bulk density, moisture content, and porosity. Soil samples were collected pre-growing season (n=57) and post-growing season from two plots (n=29): vegetated plots and barren plots. Statistical comparison of among the treatments, Pre-growing season, plot with plants, and barren plot, and among the different depths, 30 cm, 60 cm, and 90 cm identified significantly different soil NO₃^--N concentrations. Plots with plants experienced a reduction in …

The Effectiveness Of An Artificial Floating Wetland To Remove Nutrients In An Urban Stream: A Pilot-Study In The Chicago River, Chicago, Il Usa, Eric W. Peterson, Phil Nicodemus, Emmett Spooner, Abigail Heath

Faculty Publications-- Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Ever expanding urbanized landscapes are increasingly impacting streams that run through them. Among other stressors, urban streams often are host to elevated concentrations of nutrients, salts, and heavy metals. The pollutants, coupled with high temperatures, are drivers of ecosystem degradation in urban streams. The installation of artificial floating wetlands (AFWs) has been successful in mitigating the effects of urbanization in lakes and wastewater treatment ponds, but rarely have they been tested in streams. This pilot-study examined the ability of an AFW to improve water quality in an urban stream. The small, 90 m2 AFW was installed to improve the aquatic …

Impacts Of Land-Use Change On The Menominee River In Jo Daviess County, Illinois, Preston J. Konop

Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses land-use changes in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, and their effects on the Menominee River. The Menominee River flows north to south through Jo Daviess County, and southern Grant County, Wisconsin. Many of the surrounding properties are agricultural and have undergone developmental and land-use changes that may affect the flood flashiness of the Menominee River. The concern with increasing flood flashiness of the Menominee River include more frequent flooding events, undercutting of riverbanks, and increased amounts of sediment transport from upstream locations into the Mississippi River. Increases in impermeable surfaces have led to greater amounts of runoff during …

Nitrate Transport In The Unsaturated Zone, Patience Bosompemaa

Theses and Dissertations

Abundance of nitrate in the soil is a basic issue in agricultural land-use regions, causing eutrophication and pollution of water bodies. The study focuses on the role of a saturated buffer zone (SBZ) to remove nitrate from the groundwater resulting from agricultural activities. The study area is herbaceous SBZ located in central Illinois (40.614382ºN, -89.023542ºW), which lies between a stream and a farm located upgradient. The SBZ has been outfitted with an agricultural runoff treatment system that diverts tile drainage into the subsurface of the SBZ rather than discharging into the stream. Within the SBZ three experimental areas composed of …

The Role Of Floating Gardens To Alter The Water Quality Of The Chicago River: Chicago, Il, Emmett Andrew Spooner

Theses and Dissertations

The pollution of heavy metals within surface water is a rising global concern. As heavy metals are transported through rivers, they can bioaccumulate through the food web, leading to harmful concentrations within waterways. In urban areas such as the city of Chicago, Illinois, the use of road salts is a concern as elevated concentrations of chloride (Cl–) can reduce surface water quality. Since surface waters can carry heavy metals and Cl– salts over a large distance, methods of in-situ phytoremediation are of growing importance. Through a pilot project, a floating garden system has been installed along a portion of the …

Geology And Aquifer Sensitivity Of Quaternary Glacial Deposits Overlying A Portion Of The Mahomet Buried Bedrock Valley Aquifer System, Andrew Watson, Eric W. Peterson, David Malone, Lisa M. Tranel

Faculty Publications-- Geography, Geology, and the Environment

To characterize the distribution of Holocene and Late Quaternary deposits and to assess the contamination potential of the Mahomet Aquifer, surficial geologic and aquifer sensitivity maps of the Gibson City East 7.5-Minute Quadrangle were created. Geologic data, extent, and thickness of the geologic materials were coupled with LiDAR topographic data and analyzed using ESRI’s ArcGIS 10.6.1. Aquifer sensitivity to contamination was calculated based on the depth to the first aquifer unit, aquifer thickness, and the lithology of the aquifer materials. The surficial geologic mapping identified five lithostratigraphic units: the Cahokia Formation, the Equality Formation, the Henry Formation, and the Yorkville …

Spatiotemporal Analysis Of Lake Water Quality Indicators On Small Lakes, Lake Bloomington And Evergreen Lake In Central Illinois, Using Satellite Remote Sensing, Gare Ambrose-Igho

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the use of Sentinel-2 satellite to determine the spatiotemporal patterns of lake water quality indicators (e.g. chlorophyll a) in Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake. Lake water quality issues related to algal blooms is a serious problem in basins with abundant agricultural lands causing harmful effects to freshwater ecosystems such as pollution of beaches, taste and odor problems in drinking water, depletion of oxygen levels causing fish kills and the issue of water exceeding safe drinking water standards. Developing monitoring techniques using various water quality indicators of algal blooms is crucial. In this project, remote sensing and field …

Supporting Dataset For Chloride Source Delineation In An Urban-Agricultural Watershed, Deicing Agents Versus Agricultural Contributions, Eric Wade Peterson, Andrew Oberhelman

Faculty Publications-- Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Analyses (n = 535) of chloride (Cl^-), bromide (Br^-), nitrate as nitrogen (NO₃-N), sodium (Na⁺), calcium (Ca²⁺), and potassium (K⁺) in stream water, tile-drain water, and groundwater were conducted in an urban-agricultural watershed (10% urban/impervious, 87% agriculture) to explore potential differences in the signature of Cl^- originating from an urban source as compared to an agricultural source. Water samples were collected on a weekly interval from February 2018 to February 2019 at three station along the stream and from tile drains and wells. Nearly all surface water …

Using Satellite-Based Hydro-Climate Variables And Machine Learning For Streamflow Modeling At Various Scales In The Upper Mississippi River Basin, Dongjae Kwon

Theses and Dissertations

Streamflow data are essential to study the hydrologic cycle and to attain appropriate water resource management policies. However, the availability of gauge data is limited due to various reasons such as economic, political, instrumental malfunctioning, and poor spatial distribution. Although streamflow can be simulated by process-based and machine learning approaches, applicability is limited due to intensive modeling effort, or its black-box nature, respectively. Here, we introduce a machine learning (Boosted Regression Tree (BRT)) approach based on remote sensing data to simulate monthly streamflow for three of varying sizes watersheds in the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB). By integrating spatial land …

Chloride Signature And Transport In An Urban-Agricultural Watershed, Andrew Oberhelman

Theses and Dissertations

Manual and high frequency observations (n = 535) of chloride (Cl-), bromide (Br-), nitrate (NO3-N), sodium (Na+), calcium (Ca2+), and potassium (K+) of stream and tile-drain waters were conducted in an urban-agricultural watershed (8% urban, 87% agriculture) to investigate the importance of stormflow to Cl- transport and to explore potential differences in the signature of Cl- originating from an urban source as compared to an agricultural source. The study was conducted in Evergreen Lake Watershed (ELW) located in central Illinois. Manual samplings were conducted on a weekly interval from February 2018 to February 2019 at three station along Six Mile …

Capture Zone Analysis Of A Wellfield To Assess Contaminant Transport, Prince Kojo Oware

Theses and Dissertations

Radium is a common contaminant to the deep Cambrian- Ordovician aquifer in northern Illinois. Deep groundwater aquifers are used as fresh water resource in many parts of the world. Due to overuse, increase in salinity, natural and human-driven contamination, sustainability of these aquifer systems is uncertain. The purpose of this study is to better understand the groundwater flow system in deep bedrock aquifers in northern Illinois, and its control on the radium contamination in Rochelle’s Public Water Supply Wells (PWSW). We have tested two hypotheses: (1) the Radium (Ra) transport is driven by large pumping centers that interrupt groundwater flow …

Hydrogeologic Characteristics And Groundwater Sustainability Of A Deep Bedrock Aquifer System In Illinois, Luis Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

Population growth and climate change has made groundwater an increasingly important freshwater resource. This study uses MODFLOW to estimate sustainable yield of a deep St. Peter Aquifer in Bloomington, IL. The city of Bloomington has installed two high capacity wells into the St. Peter Sandstone to meet its growing water demands. The St. Peter Aquifer is confined, receiving almost no modern recharge and is experiencing overexploitation in parts of Northern Illinois. I hypothesize that existing fast depletion of the deep St. Peter occurs due to lower-than-expected aquifer parameters of the aquifer. Further, current pumping of groundwater from the St. Peter, …

Nitrogen And Phosphorus Uptake In An Urban Stream Ecosystem, Nicolette A. Sheffield

Theses and Dissertations

Urban stream ecosystems are faced with high input levels of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from anthropogenic activities. N and P are important to plant growth and stream health; however, high levels can lead to algal blooms and eutrophication, a harmful effect to both aquatic life and water quality. Common urban sources of N and P include fertilizer, atmospheric deposition, stormwater outfall, and leaf-litter decomposition. Common urban stream features such as a flashier hydrograph, altered channel stability and morphology, increase in nutrient output (such as N and P), and heat retention, have been shown to result in an overall decrease …

Nitrate Concentrations In Streams As A Function Of Crop Cover In Midwestern Agricultural Watersheds: Assessing The Role Of Corn And Soybeans, Jacob Tyler Piske

Theses and Dissertations

Increased availability and reduced cost of synthetic-nitrogen fertilizers have led to excess nitrogen being deposited in reservoirs. The accumulation of nitrogen (N) in reservoirs has negative effects, generating algal blooms, hypoxic zones, and poor drinking water quality. Corn and soybean utilize nitrogen at different rates, resulting in higher nitrogen fertilizer application to fields for corn than for soybean. This work examines whether the nitrate concentration in a stream may be correlated to the percentage of land devoted to growing corn or soybeans in the watershed. To investigate potential relationships, discharge (Q) and nitrate concentration data from ten USGS gauging stations …

Modeling Climate Change Impacts On Water Balance Components Of The Mackinaw River Watershed, Central Illinois, Joseph Honings

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the response of water cycle dynamics to climate change and human activity is essential for best management of water resources. This study used the USDA Soil-Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to measure and predict major water balance variables including stream discharge, potential aquifer recharge, and surface storage in a small-scale watershed (~2,930 km²) in Central Illinois. The watershed is predominantly tile-drained agricultural land, which controls the nutrient dynamics and hydrology. Two reservoirs, Evergreen Lake and Lake Bloomington, and the Mahomet Aquifer in the watershed are used for public water supply. The subject watershed has been very sensitive to recent droughts, …

Understanding 1-D Vertical Flux Dynamics In A Low-Gradient Stream: An Assessment Of Stage As A Control Of Vertical Hyporheic Exchange, Frances Claire Harris

Theses and Dissertations

Little Kickapoo Creek (LKC) is a low-gradient, third-order perennial stream with headwaters in Bloomington, IL. The objective of this study is to characterize vertical one-dimensional (1-D) flux rates in the top 150 cm of the streambed, test the viability of a heat tracing method in a low-gradient area, and determine the relationship between stage and 1-D vertical flux rates. In 2009, six wells were installed along the thalweg of the stream in a 25-meter stretch spaced at 5-meter intervals. Each well recorded temperature at five separate depths logging at 15-minute0 intervals from February 2009 to March 2010: 30, 60, 90, …

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 …

Nutrient Loading Reduction In A Tile Drained Agricultural Watershed Through Watershed-Scale Cover Cropping: A High Resolution Analysis, Benjamin Gerald Bruening

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient pollution originating from agricultural regions in the Midwest is a serious issue, leading to pollution of drinking water sources as well as large hypoxic zones in the Gulf of Mexico. The source of much of this contamination has been shown to be runoff from agricultural fields in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. One method that has been shown to reduce this pollution from the Upper Mississippi River Basin is the planting of winter cover crops. Winter cover crops such as rye and tillage radish have been shown to significantly reduce nitrate exported from agricultural fields, even in tile-drained watersheds …

Creating A Scaling Relationship Between Peak Discharge And Drainage Area To Identify Tile Drainage Inputs Into An Agricultural Stream, Ryan Plath

Theses and Dissertations

Tile drains have been shown to contribute to high levels of nitrate in agricultural streams. Locations of tile drains on a watershed scale, however, are often unknown due to tile drains being located on many separate parcels of private property. This study evaluates the ability of a methodology, using scaling relationships between discharge and drainage area, for locating areas of large tile drainage contribution to Money Creek, in McLean County, Illinois. Additionally, this study examines the difference in scaling relationships and physical stream hydrology between tileflow and no-tileflow conditions. Eight stream sites were created in the watershed, that recorded stage …

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 …

Provenance Analysis Of Granite Cobbles In The Tiskilwa Till Using U -Pb Geochronology, Paul Antone Meister

Theses and Dissertations

U-Pb isotopic ages were determined for zircons extracted from granitic and related rocks in the Tiskilwa till to determine their origin. Crystalline cobbles (n = 750) were collected at localities from each of the four of the sub-lobes of the terminal Wisconsin moraines. Two sites were chosen from the Decatur, Peoria, and Princeton sub-lobes with one sample taken from the Harvard sub-lobe. Each sample was then individually processed, the zircons handpicked (n = 301), and geochronology conducted using LA-MC-ICPMS at the University of Arizona Laserchron Center. A Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) statistical analysis show that all samples have identical zircon age spectra …

Reducing Nitrate Pollution By Redirecting Farm Runoff Into The Subsurface Of An Herbaceous Riparian Buffer Zone., Tamru Girma Taye

Theses and Dissertations

In areas dominated by agricultural land use, excess nitrate is one of the leading contributors to water pollution. Tile drains, installed to drain crop root zones for maximum yield, fast track the introduction of nitrate-laden water into a nearby stream. Due to the risks elevated levels of nitrate pose to an ecosystem and its inhabitants, the following project explores a method of reducing nitrate pollution. One that can do it as close to the source of the pollution as possible.

A tile draining a 60acre farm in central Illinois was redirected to discharge its contents through subsurface flow into an …

Stream Energy Impacting Sediment Transport Through Low-Gradient Agricultural Streams, Paula Jane Pryor

Theses and Dissertations

Water quality can be severely impacted by increased sediment transport, particularly agriculturally-dominated systems like those found in central Illinois. Many low-gradient sediment studies focus on the fine material transported in suspension. However, coarse-material transport can be equally important for understanding sediment loads to surficial reservoirs for local drinking water. To address a general gap in knowledge of coarse-sediment transport through agricultural streams, seasonal changes and watershed differences in sediment transport were examined in a low-gradient system. This was accomplished through the installation of bedload traps, scour-fill markers, and bank erosion pins at two streams, Six Mile Creek and Money Creek …

The Effects Of Tile-Drain Input On A Low-Gradient Agricultural Stream In Central Illinois: Using A Thermal End Member Mixing Model And A Statistical Analysis Approach, Zachary David Kisfalusi

Theses and Dissertations

Tile-drains remove excess water from agricultural fields and channel it directly to the nearest surface water body decoupling the system from the natural flow paths. One way to measure the effects tile drains have on streams is to monitor the thermal energy both upstream and downstream of the tile input. In the temperate climate, a stream’s thermal signature experiences large fluctuations seasonally along with small diurnal changes. In contrast, groundwater temperature does not show these small-scale changes, and the seasonal changes are often muted and lagged in comparison to surface water. This project aimed to quantify any thermal change to …

Model Of Residence Time And Analysis Of Nitrogen Removal For Two Constructed Wetlands At The Franklin Demonstration Farm In Lexington, Illinois, Emma Singh Baghel

Theses and Dissertations

Pollution from nonpoint agricultural runoff has become a major problem facing our streams and rivers today. Not only are fish and aquatic life affected, but so is the quality of our drinking and recreational water resources. Studies have shown that wetlands have proven to be the most cost-effective and low maintenance method of removing nonpoint or diffused contaminate inputs. The biological processes and removal of nutrients in wetlands depend on the total surface area available for microbial activity in the soil and a certain period of water retention time. Since chemical processes take time, the measure of residence time is …

Nitrate Uptake In Central Illinois Streams: A Comparison Along A Transient Storage Gradient, Kristen Lynn Theesfeld

Theses and Dissertations

Transient storage can be influenced by channel morphology. Anthropogenic activities can alter stream morphology by straightening channels, lining channels, or even restoration of previously altered channels. This study focused on whether relative transient storage (RTS) was related to stream type - modified lined, modified unlined, or natural. The study further sought to determine if a greater RTS is correlated to a decrease in percent nitrate-N.

Eight (8) sites, encompassing three (3) different stream types - modified lines, modified unlined, and natural - were studied. Chloride and nitrate tracers were added to streams, and samples were analyzed for tracer concentrations and …

Spatial Variability Of Erosion Patterns Along The Eastern Margin Of The Rio Grande Rift, Lauren Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations

The actively spreading Rio Grande Rift influenced uplift and erosion in Southwest North America, however the timing and progression of these processes is not well constrained in some smaller mountain ranges of the region. The Guadalupe and Sacramento Mountains located along the eastern margin of the rift in southern New Mexico were studied to improve our understanding of landscape evolution related to rifting. To address landscape evolution and the influence of tectonics I analyzed spatial distributions of erosion for each mountains range. I identified knickpoints along five longitudinal stream profiles from five canyons (4 in the Guadalupe Mountains and 1 …

Integrating Gis And Hydrology For Flood Risk Analysis, Anas B. Rabie

Theses and Dissertations

Spatial analysis using GIS was evaluated for its ability to predict the potential hazard of a flood event in the Illinois River region in the State of Illinois. The data employed in the analysis are available to the public from trusted organizations such as Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS), and the US Geological Survey (USGS). The purposes of this study are to 1) examine the applicability of GIS spatial analysis to determine flood inundation risk, and 2) to determine how to do so with the least amount of data possible, while still producing an accurate flood inundation risk map. This …