IMPACT OF CHANGING LAND-USE ON WATER QUALITY IN EAGLE CREEK WATERSHED, INDIANA

The impact of land-use on water quality at the watershed scale has received considerable attention in the past; however, little information is available on the impact of Residential Construction Areas (RCA) on nutrient and sediment exports at the watershed scale. In this work, the impact of changing land-use from agricultural, urban and residential construction areas on water quality in Eagle Creek watershed, IN is investigated. Average nitrate levels are high at 7.5 mg N.L^-1 with maximum values between 14-35 mg N.L^-1 during storm runoff events. Average baseflow phosphate levels of 0.007 mg.L^-1 increase by 2 orders of magnitude during storms. Average baseflow suspended sediment concentrations are 22.5 mg.L^-1 and increase to 60-144 mg.L^-1 during events. Preliminary data do not indicate significant differences between RCA and established residential areas and stream water quality remains mainly influenced by agricultural land-use in the watershed. These data suggest that urban development in this watershed (10.5 % urban) only has a limited impact on water quality. Further analysis of slope and riparian buffer distribution throughout the watershed will also bring some insight into the role of landscape on stream water quality. Further analysis of stream sections affected by RCAs is underway to allow us to better assess their impact on overall stream water quality.