Nutrient and Sediment Loading Nutrient and Sediment Loading in Sougahatchee Creekin Sougahatchee Creek

and the Impacts on and the Impacts on Aquatic BiotaAquatic Biota

    

Report submitted to West Point Stevens and theReport submitted to West Point Stevens and theCities of Auburn and Opelika, AlabamaCities of Auburn and Opelika, Alabama

Acknowledgments:Acknowledgments:

Funding for this project was provided by:Funding for this project was provided by:

• the City of Auburn, Alabamathe City of Auburn, Alabama

• the City of Opelika, Alabamathe City of Opelika, Alabama

• West Point StevensWest Point Stevens

WHY STUDY SOUGAHATCHEE CREEK?WHY STUDY SOUGAHATCHEE CREEK?

SougahatcheeSougahatcheeCreekCreek

YatesYatesLakeLake

Photo taken on April 13, 1999

Project Objectives:Project Objectives: 

1. Measure concentrations and estimate annual loading of plant nutrients, total suspended solids (sediments) and metals

2. Examine physical habitat conditions of the streams and conduct bioassessments utilizing benthic macroinvertebrate communities

3. Using GIS technology, examine and quantify land cover for the entire Sougahatchee Basin from 1993 and 2001 satellite

imagery and aerial photography

4. Using regression analysis, examine relationships between basin land cover, nutrient and sediment loading and biological condition of the streams

WHAT ARE PLANT NUTRIENTS ?WHAT ARE PLANT NUTRIENTS ?

• Nitrogen (NONitrogen (NO22, NO, NO33, NH, NH33, TN), TN)

• Phosphorus (SRP or POPhosphorus (SRP or PO44, TP), TP)

• Potassium (K)Potassium (K)

NONO33

POPO44

NHNH 33

KK

*EPA recommends 0.05 mg/L as the maximum concentration of total phosphorus for flowing streams entering a lake.

**0.1 mg/L = 1 ounce in 80,000 gallons of water

**

*

Dam Forebay

SougahatcheeEmbayment

EFFECT OF NUTRIENTSEFFECT OF NUTRIENTS

Figure 1 – Sougahatchee Creek at Pratt property looking upstream from mid-channel. On Wednesday, July 19, 2000, personnel from the Montgomery Branch of the Field Operations Division investigated a pollution complaint reported on the Sougahatchee Creek approximately ½ mile upstream of the Alabama State highway 49 bridge crossing in Tallapoosa County.

EUGLENOID ALGAL BLOOM IN CREEK EUGLENOID ALGAL BLOOM IN CREEK

Sougahatchee Creek Sougahatchee Creek

Sampling Locations within the Sougahatchee Creek BasinSampling Locations within the Sougahatchee Creek Basin

42.8”

42.6”

Sougahatchee at Highway 188 Gage - 2001

0

500

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1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

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2002

Measuring Stream DischargeMeasuring Stream Discharge*