SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN, NUTRIENTS, TURBIDITY, AND FECAL COLIFORM BACTERIA FROM 2004 TO 2006 OF THREE SMALL WATERSHED LAKES IN THE LITTLE TALLAPOOSA WATERSHED CARROLL COUNTY, GEORGIA

High levels of fecal coliform bacteria and total suspended solids (TSS) can be a potential threat to fresh-water ecosystems. Fecal coliform and TSS enter the watershed via groundwater flow, run-off, and erosion. The Center for Water Resources at UWG is responsible for gathering and testing water samples from three Carroll County drinking reservoirs. Lake Carroll, Lake Buckhorn, and Sharpe's Creek Reservoir were sampled monthly for three years. Additional fecal sampling occurred if it was needed to determine if a site is in violation of Georgia fecal water quality standards. This research examines the lake sampling and testing procedures for field parameters, fecal coliform, nutrients, and TSS, the results produced from the tests, and their environmental impact. At each site, both surface-water and bottom-water (~1.5 feet above lake bottom) samples were taken from a johnboat at designated points near the dam on each lake. The three lakes ranged in depths and surrounding land usage. Sharpe's Creek Reservoir, the deepest (bottom sample at a depth of 21 ft) and best protected lake, showed little degradation of water quality parameters with rainfall. The other two lakes (bottom sample at depths of 6 and 10 ft) had more developed shorelines and were affected by rainfall events that would increase turbidity and bacteria levels. Relative to dry sampling events these lakes experienced increases in turbidity during wet sampling events from less than 5 NTU to more than 35 NTU, whereas maximum turbidity levels at Sharpe's Creek Reservoir were 5.2 and 11 NTU for the surface and bottom samples. Levels of fecal coliform bacteria in the two lakes were over 1,000 col./100ml, except for the surface of Sharpe's Creek Reservoir which never exceeded 100 col./100ml. Sharpe's Creek Reservoir developed the strongest natural seasonal water stratification with bottom samples of low DO (<1.3 mg/L), and high TKN, nitrite-nitrate-N, and ammonia-N.