1999 Sampling Results
Surface water sampling on the main stem Redwood River and two of its tributaries continued for the ninth year in 1999. Samples were collected monthly (base flow) at each station through the growing season (May through September). Samples were also collected during two year storm events on a four hour interval. Grab samples are taken from Lake Redwood at monthly intervals. Data collected at these stations is analyzed by a state-accredited lab and reviewed to identify trends. Those results are reported below. Water quality data plays an important role in assessing watershed improvements.
Three Sites
|
Redwood River near Redwood Falls, one storm event sampled |
|
Three Mile Creek near Marshall, two storm events sampled |
|
Clear Creek near Seaforth, one storm event sampled |
Annual loadings of sediment have been generally decreasing since 1991.
The following are descriptions of the nutrients that are analyzed after
each storm event or monthly grab sample:
Total Suspended Solids (TSS): The amount of soil,
organic matter, sand, etc. in a sample of water. Sources include, soil from fields, urban
areas, and stream banks, as well as, leaf litter, grass clippings, human waste, animal
waste, and crop residues.
Nitrate and Nitrite Nitrogen (N-NO2 + NO3): The form of nitrogen used by plants. It is easily dissolved in water. Increasing the quantity of this nutrient in water causes excess aquatic plant growth leading to odor problems as the plants die and break down. The decomposition process also uses oxygen that could otherwise be used by fish and other aquatic life. Sources include fertilizers, human waste, animal waste, and septic systems.
Total Phosphorus (TP): Phosphorus can be found attached to soil or dissolved in water. Elevating the amount of this nutrient causes excess plant growth leading to odor problems as the plants die and break down. This also results in less oxygen in the water that can lead to fish kills. Sources include fertilizer, human waste, animal waste, native soil, and some detergents.
Orthophosphorus (P-PO4): Orthophosphorus, or soluble reactive phosphorus, is the only phosphorus compound readily available for use by algae or other aquatic plants. It therefore provides a measure of the phosphorus immediately available for plant growth.
LAB |
N-NO2+ |
FECAL |
||||||
STATION |
DATE |
TIME |
SAMPLE |
TSS |
NO3 |
P-PO4 |
TP |
COLIFORM |
ID # |
ID # |
MG/L |
MG/L |
MG/L |
MG/L |
/100ML |
||
Non-impacted stream/Western Corn Belt Plains |
75.50 |
6.50 |
0.35 |
1200.00 |
||||
Redwood River |
||||||||
MainStem |
||||||||
Base Flow |
4/15/99 |
14:00 |
3820 |
158.50 |
7.85 |
0.24 |
0.29 |
72.00 |
Event |
5/7/99 |
6:31 |
3841 |
171.00 |
5.87 |
0.21 |
0.37 |
|
Event |
5/8/99 |
13:50 |
3854 |
99.50 |
11.92 |
0.19 |
0.25 |
|
Fecal Grab |
5/25/99 |
13:30 |
3888 |
39.00 |
||||
Base Flow |
6/23/99 |
9:10 |
3925 |
107.40 |
4.42 |
0.40 |
0.52 |
300.00 |
Base Flow |
7/30/99 |
8:46 |
3962 |
57.50 |
0.65 |
0.47 |
0.48 |
240.00 |
Base Flow |
8/27/99 |
9:30 |
3988 |
101.50 |
0.62 |
0.08 |
0.48 |
160.00 |
Base Flow |
9/23/99 |
9:40 |
4065 |
121.75 |
0.97 |
0.50 |
0.73 |
594.00 |
Three Mile Creek |
||||||||
Base Flow |
4/19/99 |
11:15 |
3824 |
49.00 |
8.95 |
0.09 |
0.11 |
31.00 |
Event |
5/6/99 |
18:03 |
3839 |
34.00 |
8.30 |
0.08 |
0.19 |
|
Event |
5/8/99 |
15:45 |
3855 |
21.75 |
12.86 |
0.09 |
0.09 |
|
Event |
5/10/99 |
13:55 |
3863 |
18.75 |
11.35 |
0.08 |
0.08 |
|
Fecal Grab |
5/25/99 |
10:50 |
3886 |
65.00 |
||||
Base Flow |
6/23/99 |
10:30 |
3926 |
107.40 |
5.78 |
0.14 |
0.18 |
2290.00 |
Base Flow |
7/30/99 |
10:10 |
3946 |
39.50 |
0.80 |
0.12 |
0.31 |
210.00 |
Base Flow |
8/27/99 |
11:15 |
3990 |
142.00 |
0.80 |
0.19 |
0.25 |
1560.00 |
Event |
8/31/99 |
11:59 |
4014 |
134.00 |
0.81 |
0.27 |
0.27 |
|
Event |
8/31/99 |
15:58 |
4015 |
272.40 |
0.79 |
0.32 |
0.56 |
|
Event |
8/31/99 |
23:58 |
4016 |
191.10 |
1.06 |
0.24 |
0.26 |
|
Base Flow |
9/23/99 |
11:30 |
4067 |
32.50 |
0.55 |
0.09 |
0.13 |
2010.00 |
Clear Creek |
||||||||
Base Flow |
4/15/99 |
10:50 |
3819 |
12.50 |
15.54 |
0.10 |
0.10 |
38.00 |
Event |
5/7/99 |
12:37 |
3844 |
31.00 |
15.43 |
0.12 |
0.13 |
|
Event |
5/8/99 |
12:45 |
3853 |
22.25 |
19.10 |
0.08 |
0.13 |
|
Event |
5/9/99 |
12:40 |
3860 |
11.50 |
19.37 |
0.08 |
0.08 |
|
Fecal Grab |
5/25/99 |
12:05 |
3887 |
13.00 |
||||
Base Flow |
6/23/99 |
11:45 |
3927 |
26.00 |
10.41 |
0.11 |
0.11 |
174.00 |
Base Flow |
7/30/99 |
9:13 |
3963 |
81.75 |
0.70 |
0.30 |
0.49 |
120.00 |
Base Flow |
8/27/99 |
10:15 |
3989 |
31.50 |
0.76 |
0.07 |
0.20 |
370.00 |
Base Flow |
9/23/99 |
10:25 |
4066 |
27.50 |
0.56 |
0.12 |
0.12 |
70.00 |
Lake Redwood |
||||||||
Base Flow |
5/25/99 |
14:05 |
3889 |
25.25 |
8.17 |
0.15 |
0.17 |
26 |
Base Flow |
6/23/99 |
13:20 |
3928 |
56.5 |
4.38 |
0.31 |
0.36 |
140.00 |
Base Flow |
7/30/99 |
8:18 |
3961 |
63 |
0.7 |
0.31 |
0.44 |
30.00 |
Base Flow |
8/27/99 |
8:50 |
3987 |
54.5 |
0.6 |
0.32 |
0.57 |
30 |
Base Flow |
9/23/99 |
9:00 |
4064 |
65 |
0.45 |
0.06 |
0.32 |
17 |