WATER QUALITY NUTRIENT ANALYSIS OF SPRUCE CREEK, PENNSYLVANIA

Spruce Creek flows through seven miles of limestone bedrock in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Being one of the premier trout fisheries in the state, Spruce Creek economically bolsters an otherwise agricultural economy. Several large farms, including the state's largest Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), are found along the banks of the stream and have caused contention between farmers and sportsmen who are concerned about the health of the fishery. In order to monitor the health of the stream, we conducted a baseline study focusing on nitrates and phosphates, total dissolved solids, pH, temperature, and discharge.

Nitrate concentrations on Spruce Creek averaged between 9.0 and 11.0 ppm NO3. Phosphate concentrations averaged between 0.0 and 0.06 ppm PO4. Phosphate concentrations showed a direct relationship with discharge, while nitrate concentrations were primarily independent of discharge. These findings suggest a different source of the two nutrients entering the stream, which contradicts our initial assumption that agricultural runoff was the primary source for nutrients. Nitrate and phosphate concentrations were higher directly below farm areas than above, and tended to decrease with increasing distance from farms. Total dissolved solids also followed a similar trend.

For comparison purposes, the same baseline was also conducted upstream and downstream of the confluence of Spruce Creek and the Little Juniata River. Total dissolved solids below the confluence were 20.0 to 50.0 ppm higher than above the confluence, and nitrate concentrations were 40 percent higher below the confluence. Phosphate concentrations did not differ considerably.