Whole Catchment Land Cover Effects on Water Quality in the Lower Kaskaskia River Watershed

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution Vol. 221; no. 1-4; pp. 337 - 350
• Main Authors: Miller, Julia D., Schoonover, Jon E., Williard, Karl W. J., Hwang, Charnsmorn R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.10.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agricultural runoff; Agricultural watersheds; Agriculture; Analysis; Applied sciences; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Base flow; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Continental surface waters; Creeks & streams; E coli; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment; Environmental monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Fertilizers; Hydrogeology; Natural water pollution; Nitrogen; Non-point source pollution; Nonpoint source pollution; Nutrients; Phosphorus; Point source pollution; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Regression analysis; Rivers; Runoff; Sediments; Sediments (Geology); Soil Science & Conservation; Storms; Streams; Studies; Total suspended solids; Urban agriculture; Urban watersheds; Water; Water quality; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Water treatment and pollution; Watersheds; United States; North America; Illinois; America; United States > US; Nutrients; Non-point source pollution; Sediment; Watersheds; Sediments; Land use; Diffuse source; Watershed; Surface water; Water quality; Pollution source; Nutrient; Stream; Plant cover
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-011-0794-9

Agricultural runoff is a major non-point source pollutant and is the leading impairment of streams and rivers in the USA. This study examined the effects of agricultural, forest and urban land cover on water quality at the watershed level. Forty-three catchments ranging from 12 to 50 km 2 were selected based on a land cover gradient within Lower Kaskaskia River Watershed in Illinois. Grab samples were collected and analyzed for nutrients, bacteria, and total suspended solids (TSS). Forest land cover was included in six of the ten regression models produced. Four of these regression models were for base flow conditions, suggesting that forest land cover had a significant impact on base flow water quality. Urban land cover was also included in six of the regression models. However, the majority were during storm flow conditions implying urban land cover had a greater impact on storm flow conditions. Watersheds were further categorized into agriculture, village, and urban watersheds. During base flow conditions agriculture watersheds had significantly higher TSS concentrations and urban watersheds had significantly higher ortho-P concentrations. In all watersheds, ortho-P concentrations were above the statewide 95th percentile for Illinois streams. Escherichia coli levels during storm conditions exceeded the national US EPA criteria.