Aquatic macroinvertebrates and water quality in Sandia Canyon
In 1990, field studies of water quality and stream macroinvertebrate communities were initiated in Sandia Canyon at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The studies were designed to establish baseline data and to determine the effects of routine discharges of industrial and sanitary waste. Water quality measurements were taken and aquatic macroinvertebrates sampled at three permanent stations within the canyon. Two of the three sample stations are located where the stream regularly receives industrial and sanitary waste effluents. These stations exhibited a low diversity of macroinvertebrates and slightly degraded water quality. The last sample station, located approximately 0.4 km (0.25 mi) downstream from the nearest wastewater outfall, appears to be in a zone of recovery where water quality parameters more closely resemble those found in natural streams in the Los Alamos area. A large increase in macroinvertebrate diversity was also observed at the third station. These results indicate that effluents discharged into Sandia Canyon have a marked effect on water quality and aquatic macroinvertebrate communities.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 10159780
- Report Number(s):
- LA-12738-MS; ON: DE94013644; TRN: 94:012977
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: May 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Aquatic macroinvertebrates and water quality of Sandia Canyon, Los Alamos National Laboratory, 1995
Aquatic macroinvertebrates and water quality of Sandia Canyon, Los Alamos National Laboratory, December 1992--October 1993. Status report
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LANL
WATER QUALITY
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
GEOGRAPHY
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
WATER
SAMPLING
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
PH VALUE
CATTAILS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ENVIRONMENT
WETLANDS
SULFURIC ACID
053000
054000
540320
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
HEALTH AND SAFETY
CHEMICALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT