Fresh Water Studies Commons^™

Database Analysis To Support Nutrient Criteria Development (Phase I), B. E. Haggard, J.T. Scott, M.A. Evans-White

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The intent of this publication of the Arkansas Water Resources Center is to provide a location whereby a final report on water research to a funding agency can be archived. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) contracted with University of Arkansas researchers for a multiple year project titled “Database Analysis to Support Nutrient Criteria Development”. This publication covers the first of three phases of that project and has maintained the original format of the report as submitted to TCEQ. This report can be cited either as an AWRC publication (see below) or directly as the final report to TCEQ.

Assessing Aquatic System Metabolism Response To Disturbance, Traci Carmen Hudson

Student Theses and Dissertations

Until recently, agricultural drainage ditches and urban stream systems have been underrepresented within aquatic research studies. This underrepresentation has led to gaps in knowledge within the area of ecosystem structure and function, characteristics of agriculture and urban stream stressors, and management strategies for those streams. Many of the factors (increased nutrients, changes to the quantity and composition of organic carbon inputs, light alterations, and sedimentation) that impair water bodies associated with agricultural drainage and urbanization also influence stream processes. Stream organic matter production and consumption measured as ecosystem metabolism, is a fundamental process comprised of gross primary production (GPP) and …

Optical Water Quality And Human Perceptions Of Rivers, Amie West

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding water quality dynamics in recreational rivers is integral in shaping management strategies that maintain ecosystem health, perceived value and appeal, and regional economic significance in a changing environment. Optical water quality describes the behavior of light in water as governed by its physical and chemical composition, and is among the strongest influences on human perceptions of water quality. Ethnohydrology is the study of culturally constructed knowledge and understanding of water. This work is the culmination of an interdisciplinary approach to water resources research—integrating optical water quality and ethnohydrology methods to recognize the intersection between measured water quality and visible …

Trend Analysis Of Water Quality In Northwest Arkansas Streams Reflects Changes In The Watershed, Zachary Paul Simpson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Watershed export of nutrients, sediments, and chemicals impacts receiving waters. Changes within the watershed (e.g., anthropogenic or climatic) can alter the transport of constituents in streams. Stream monitoring is crucial for understanding these effects. This study developed a potential improvement to flow-adjusting constituent concentrations in streams, an important step of analyzing monitoring data in lotic systems for trends. The method incorporates a K-fold cross-validation procedure to optimize a model explaining the relationship between the concentration and streamflow, thus providing a valuable tool to researchers in water quality. Additionally, two case studies were conducted on watersheds located in northwest Arkansas using …

Bella Vista Lakes Project: Fertility Management, J. Thad Scott

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

A Step In The Right Direction: Streambank Restoration Efforts At The Botanical Garden Of The Ozarks, Dylan S. Milholen, Madison Brown, Steven Thao, Lisa S. Wood

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks (BGO) is a unique destination in Northwest Arkansas that draws more than 80,000 visitors a year. While the BGO manages low-input practices, run-off from pesticide application and synthetic fertilizers containing phosphorus and nitrogen are of concern to water quality, habitat, and overall ecological interactions of the BGO streambanks and adjacent Hilton Creek, which flows directly into Lake Fayetteville. One way to reduce pollution to waterbodies is through the use of riparian buffers. This project sought to establish a riparian buffer immediately adjacent to a portion of Hilton Creek in an effort to improve ecological …

Swat Model Simulation Of Bioenergy Crop Impacts On Water Quality In Cache River Watershed, Eeshan Kumar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Energy security through increased biofuel production is one of the components of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) 2007. As per EISA 2007 mandate, appropriate independent research institutes are required to assess concerns to natural biodiversity due to biofuel production and report it to the Congress through the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). Planners, researchers, and agencies concerned with environmental regulations, ideally, would like to have location-specific information about the impacts for developing appropriate management interventions. This study examines long-term impacts on water quality in response to targeted (i.e. marginal lands) production of biofuel crops by setting up two SWAT …

Urban Stream Syndrome In A Small Town: A Comparative Study Of Sager And Flint Creeks, T. S. Wakefield

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Utilizing rapid bioassessment procedures and aquatic physiochemical techniques, a three-year investigation of Sager and Flint creeks was completed. Bioassessment indices and physiochemical parameters of the 2 streams were compared and the effects of urbanization on both watersheds were assessed. Correlating data concerning land usage in both watersheds and alterations of both streams' geomorphology were also utilized to conclude that Sager Creek shows a higher degree of urban stream syndrome than Flint Creek.

The Potential Release Of Phosphorus In Floodplains, Maria S. Rossetti, Nicole K. Ownby, Erin Scott, Brian E. Haggard

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

In the Illinois River Watershed, there has been growing concern over elevated phosphorus concentrations in the water column. This study evaluated how much phosphorus is contributed from floodplain soils into surface waters, examining the relationship between the flux of phosphorus released and the amount of phosphorus stored in the soil. This was investigated by artificially inundating soil cores from four sites and determining the soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations of the overlying water and the levels of Water and Mehlich-3 extractable phosphorus in the soil. The flux of phosphorus to the overlying water ranged from 0.43 to 6.61 mg m-2 hr-1 …

Reducing Water Extractable Phosphorus In Poultry Litter Using Chitosan Treatment, Zachary Simpson, Brina Smith, David A. Zaharoff, Brian E. Haggard

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Phosphorus (P) is an important factor in the eutrophication of freshwater, and watershed sources include effluent discharges and the landscape. Poultry litter applied to the landscape can be a potential source of P, which is dependent on rainfall, runoff and dissolution. Chitosan, the deacetylated form of the biopolymer chitin, has been shown to have an effect on reducing water extractable phosphorus (WEP) in poultry litter when applied as a powder. The intent of this study was to measure the effect that poultry litter treatment (PLT), acetic acid and incubation time have on chitosan’s ability to reduce WEP in poultry litter. …

Understanding Basin Specific Life History Characteristics Of Lake Mead Quagga Mussels (Dreissena Bugensis) And A Potential Treatment Using Uv Radiation In Laboratory Studies, Melissa Thaw

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) is an aquatic invasive species that is spreading throughout Lake Mead and other western waterways. Unlike their native waters in Eurasia, Lake Mead exhibits year round warm temperatures, high calcium levels and a lack of natural predators, all of which are very favorable conditions for their growth and spread. Dreissena bugensis reproduce and colonize hard surfaces rapidly, where they filter large amounts of water. They disrupt the aquatic food chain and interfere with infrastructure that is exposed to lake water. There is an urgent need to understand Dreissena bugensis life history characteristics within this new …

A Watershed Scale Evaluation Of Selected Second Generation Biofeedstocks On Water Quality, Gurdeep Singh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study compares a novel simulation approach to the conventional Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) modeler's approach for targeting biofuel crop production on marginal lands. In conventional SWAT modeling approach, non-spatial definition of hydrological response units (HRUs) results in the simulation of biofuel crops on both marginal and non-marginal land. This study provides an alternative approach in which a marginal-land raster was integrated into the land use and land cover (LULC) raster in such a way that the land uses were divided into marginal and non-marginal components. This modified LULC was used for model setup which resulted in marginal …

Fecal Indicator Bacteria In Knitting Mill Creek With A Comparison Of Methods Used To Enumerate E. Coli, Manju Nagarajan

OES Theses and Dissertations

This research seeks to evaluate the impact of an urban, multi-use neighborhood on the bacteriological quality of water in Knitting Mill Creek, a blind arm of the Lafayette River, a sub-estuary of the lower Chesapeake Bay. A principal objective was to determine the effects of rainfall, a surrogate for run-off, on water-column concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria (FIB). I collected water samples weekly (September 2009-December 2010) and biweekly (January 2010-December 2011) at a storm-sewer outfall and a nearby marina and quantified their E. coli and enterococci concentrations using Colilert-18 and Enterolert, most-probable-number assays. In addition, I took monthly samples for these …

The Effects Of Biochar Age And Concentration On Soil Retention Of Phosphorus And Infiltration Rate, Emilie Schneider

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

Changes in land use and land management practices are regarded as one of the main factors in altering the hydrogeological system, causing changes in runoff, surface supply yields, and the quality of receiving water (Tong and Chen, 2002). Phosphorus is a significant contributor to accelerated eutrophication of fresh water and is largely sourced from agricultural runoff (Sharpley et al., 1994). The dominant processes controlling solution composition in agricultural soils are primarily ‘chemical’ for P (i.e. adsorption/desorption and dissolution/precipitation) (Edwards and Withers, 1998). Biochar has chemical characteristics that have the potential to adsorb P or influence precipitation of P insoluble pools …

Nutrient Dynamics In Stormwater Runoff From Green Roofs With Varying Substrate, John Michael Fohner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One major concern with urban development is the increasing amount of stormwater runoff from large expanses of impervious surfaces. These impervious surfaces reduce the ability of stormwater to infiltrate into the soil and eventually groundwater, which leads to greater amounts of surface runoff. Green technology serves as a viable solution to many of the environmental problems presented by modern development. Fifteen mock, extensive green roofs were built in the fall of 2008 at the Watershed Research and Education Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The goals of this project were to (1) measure the amount of stormwater runoff from varying treatments and …

Surface Water Characteristics Of The Weaber Plain And Lower Keep River Catchments: Data Review And Preliminary Results, D L. Bennett, Richard J. George Dr

Resource management technical reports

In 2008, the Ord Irrigation Expansion Project was approved by the Western Australian Government to develop irrigated agriculture on the Weaber Plain.

An important concern is the effect the Weaber Plain agricultural development may have on the water quality of the downstream Border Creek and Keep River

This report assembles and reviews all available physico-chemical water quality data for the lower Keep River and Border Creek systems and presents data from the initial year of a targeted baseline monitoring program (June 2010 – June 2013).

Minimum Riparian Buffer Width For Maintaining Water Quality And Habitat Along Stevens Creek, Sammi Bray

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

ABSTRACT Riparian buffer zones are important sites of biodiversity, sediment trapping, pollutant removal, and hydrologic regulation that have significant implications for both people and wildlife. Urbanization’s influence on and need for adequate water quality increases the need for careful planning in regards to riparian areas. Wildlife are key components in the ecosystem functions of riparian zones and require consideration in peri-urban planning as well. This study reviews relevant literature to determine the recommended minimum riparian buffer width for maintaining water quality and habitat along Stevens Creek in Lincoln, Nebraska. Only sources that listed a specific purpose related to water quality …

Water Management Plan For The Town Of Pingelly, Mark Pridham

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Sediment Phosphorus Flux In Beaver Lake In Northwest Arkansas, Taraf Abu Hamdan, Thad Scott, Duane Wolf, Brian E. Haggard

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Internal phosphorus (P) loading may influence primary production in lakes, but the influence of sediment-derived P has not been well studied in Beaver Lake of Northwest Arkansas. Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), dissolved organic P (DOP), and total dissolved P (TDP) sediment-water fluxes were determined using intact sediment cores collected from deepwater environments in the riverine, transition zone, and lacustrine zones of Beaver Lake. The SRP, DOP, and TDP fluxes were also estimated from cores collected from shallow locations in the transition zone. There was a net positive SRP (0.001 – 0.005 µg P cm-2 h-1), DOP (0.005 – 0.01 µg …

White River Forum Ii: Second Annual Meeting Of The White River Forum, John Havel, Kenneth Steele

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

This second annual meeting of the White River Forum is proof of widespread interest in the water quality of the Upper White River watershed. The participation of numerous elected officials, state and federal agencies, universities, businesses, and local citizens indicates that interest in understanding policy issues crosses political boundaries and occupations.

Frequency Distributions Of Median Nutrient And Chlorophyll Concentrations Across The Red River Basin, 1996-2006, S.D. Longing, B.E. Haggard

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Acquisition and compilation of water quality data for a ten year time period (1996 – 2006) from 589 stream and river stations was conducted to support nutrient criteria development for the multi–state Red River Basin shared by Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, USA. Twenty–three water quality parameters were collected from five data sources (USGS, ADEQ, LDEQ, OCC, OWRB, and TCEQ) and an additional 13 parameters were acquired from at least one source. Data for the primary biological parameter of interest, chlorophyll a, was sparse and available from only two sources. Following compilation of data, medians were calculated for …

Options For Achieving And Maintaining Low Salinity In Agricultural Dams, Tilwin Westrup

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Water Quality Sampling, Analysis And Annual Load Determinations For Nutrients And Solids On The Ballard Creek, 2008, L.B. Massey, L.W. Cash, B.E. Haggard

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The Arkansas Water Resources Center monitored water quality at Ballard Creek at the Washington County Road 76 Bridge in northwest Arkansas during base flow and storm events from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. Water samples were collected manually or with an auto-sampler and analyzed for nitrate-nitrogen, ammonia-nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus, sulfate, chloride and total suspended solids. Instantaneous stage and discharge were recorded at the site; total annual discharge was 55,800,000 m³ , with 27% attributed to base flow and 73% attributed to storm flow. Loads were estimated using the mid-interval integration approach using continuous …

Water Quality Sampling, Analysis And Annual Load Determinations For The Illinois River At Arkansas Highway 59 Bridge, 2008, L.B. Massey, L.W. Cash, B.E. Haggard

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The Arkansas Water Resources Center monitored water quality at the Illinois River at the Arkansas Highway 59 Bridge, just upstream from the Arkansas-Oklahoma state border during base flow and storm events from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. Water samples were collected manually or with an auto-sampler and analyzed for nitrate-nitrogen, ammonia-nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus, sulfate, chloride and total suspended solids. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded instantaneous stage and discharge at the site, total annual discharge was 1,010,000,000 m³ , with 37% attributed to base flow and 63% attributed to storm flow. Loads were estimated …

Monitoring Water Quality On Tributary Inflows To Lake Mead And On A Transect Of The Overton Arm, Jorge Arufe, Robert Burrows

Lake Mead Science Symposium

The USGS, in cooperation with the NPS and BOR (Bureau of Reclamation), is collecting water quality data to determine the temporal changes and spatial distributions of natural and anthropogenic compounds entering the Overton Arm of Lake Mead. These efforts and others already underway on the lake by BOR, USGS, and SNWA will aid in the development of a reservoir model of the lake. The effects of the flood flows on the water quality of the Overton Arm are largely unknown and necessary for model development and verification.

Water quality physical parameters are continuously monitored near the mouth of the Virgin …

History Of Contaminant Inputs Into Lake Mead Derived From Sediment Cores, Michael R. Rosen, Peter C. Van Metre, David Alvarez, Kathy R. Echols, Steven L. Goodbred

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Assessing the changes in contaminant inputs (both organic and inorganic) over time is important in determining sources and sinks of these inputs. Variations in contaminant input were assessed in four sediment cores taken in 1998 from three different parts of Lake Mead (two from Las Vegas Bay and one from Overton Arm and Virgin Basin). Sediments were analyzed for major and trace elements, radionuclides, and organic compounds. Anthropogenic contaminant concentrations are greatest in Las Vegas Bay reflecting inputs from the Las Vegas urban area, although concentrations are low compared to sediment quality guidelines and to other USA lakes. One exception …

Setting Targets For Resource Condition In Doradine Catchment, Leon Van Wyk, Gregory Paul Raper

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Using Combined Prediction Models To Quantify And Visualize Stormwater Runoff In An Urban Watershed, Keshia Koehn, Cristina Scarlat, Kristofor Brye

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Stormwater runoff can transport nutrients, sediments, chemicals, and pathogens to surface waterbodies. Managing runoff is crucial to preserving water quality in rapidly developing urban watersheds like those in Northwest Arkansas. A watershed containing the majority of the University of Arkansas campus was designated as the study area because stormwater from it drains into the West Fork of the White River, designated as an impaired waterbody due to siltation. The project objective was to develop methodology to test existing stormwater drainage infrastructure, identify potential areas of improvement, and estimate potentially contaminated runoff by combining two widely used prediction models. The U.S. …

2005 Nutrient And Sediment Monitoring Report Ballard Creek Near Arkansas/Oklahoma Line, Marc Nelson, L. Wade Cash, Keith Trost, Jennifer Purtle, Marty Matlock

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

The Illinois River Basin has experienced water quality impairment from non-point source pollution for many years. This fact was well documented in the State of Arkansas' Water Quality Assessment report, the Soil Conservation Service River Basin Study, and several University of Arkansas studies. Thirty-seven sub-watersheds have been identified by the SCS in the Arkansas portion of the Illinois River basin. In the Arkansas portion of the Basin, the Illinois River, Evansville Creek, Baron Fork, Cincinnati Creek, Muddy Fork, Moores Creek, Clear Creek, Osage Creek and Flint Creek were all classified as not supporting their designated use as primary contact recreation …

Illinois River 2005 Pollutant Loads At Arkansas Highway 59 Bridge, Marc Nelson, Wade Cash, Keith Trost, Jennifer Purtle

Arkansas Water Resources Center Technical Reports

Automatic water sampler and a U. S. Geological Survey gauging station were established in 1995 on the main stem of the Illinois River at the Arkansas Highway 59 Bridge. Since that time, continuous stage and discharge measurements and water quality sampling have been used to determine pollutant concentrations and loads in the Arkansas portion of the Illinois River. This report represents the results from the measurement and sampling by the Arkansas Water Resources Center -Water Quality Lab for January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005.