Nonpoint source pollutant monitoring and modeling in a large reservoir watershed

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5478422

Runge, I

Contamination of groundwater by anthropogenic nonpoint sources attributed to development is receiving increased attention. Nonpoint pollution is generally associated with the use or misuse of land. This study attempts to identify the effects of land use on base flow stream concentrations in a non urban setting. The study area was the Scituate Reservoir watershed located in central Rhode Island which serves as the major source of potable water for over half the population of Rhode Island. Nineteen surface stream drainage basins were delineated in the watershed. Sampling stations were established near each basin outflow point and sampled at two week intervals in 1987 for conservative inorganics, nutrients, and trace metals. To obtain accurate average water quality conditions in each subbasin, surface streams were sampled during baseflow conditions. Additional historical data were incorporated to form a comprehensive data base. Regression techniques were used to develop statistically significant models relating land use types to water quality constituents. Strong positive relationships were found to exist between sodium and chloride and roadway areas, dissolved nitrate and agricultural areas, total nickel and roadway areas, and total copper and waste disposal sites (landfills). An inverse relationship was found between dissolved orthophosphate and lake and pond area. A hydrologic budget for the Scituate Reservoir was performed. Excellent agreement between observed and calculated outflow was observed implying that all of the inflows and outflows were accurately accounted for. A numerical model (WASP4 Package) was implemented for the Scituate Reservoir. Field data as well as information from the hydrologic budget were used as input to the model.

• Research Organization: Rhode Island Univ., Kingston, RI (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5478422
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CONTAMINATION
COPPER
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION I
GROUND WATER
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LAND USE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICS
METALS
MONITORING
NICKEL
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
RHODE ISLAND
STATISTICS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WATER
WATER POLLUTION
WATER RESERVOIRS
WATERSHEDS