A TWO YEAR STUDY OF WEST GEORGIA STREAMS: VARIATIONS IN TURBIDITY, FECAL COLIFORM BACTERIA, NUTRIENTS, AND TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS, AND THEIR CORRELATIONS WITH FLOW

Turbidity, total suspended solids, fecal coliform bacteria, and nutrients are good indicators of water quality. We are conducting a two year water quality study on the Tallapoosa River, the Little Tallapoosa River, the Chattahoochee River and a small creek on the University of West Georgia (Central Campus Branch) that compares correlations between water quality parameters and flow, rainfall, basin size, and human activity. The three rivers in the study are in rapidly developing areas of west Georgia where road construction, housing development, increased water withdrawals; treated sewage discharge, septic systems, and farming are contributing to potential water quality problems.

The sample sites are tested for turbidity up to 5 days a week. Minimum, median, and maximum turbidities are Little Tallapoosa River (5.8, 8.5, 200 NTU), Tallapoosa River (5.2, 11, 180 NTU), Chattahoochee River (3.3, 9.1, 190 NTU), and Central Campus Branch (1.2, 3.5, 450 NTU). Correlations between flow and turbidity vary with each sample site, Little Tallapoosa (r2=0.12), Tallapoosa (r2=0.44), and Chattahoochee (r2=0.38). Weekly sites are tested for Nitrate-Nitrite-N and Total Phosphorus. Minimum, median, and maximum levels for N-N-N are Little Tallapoosa (0.12, 0.255, 0.49mg/l), Chattahoochee (0.24, 1.355, 3.17 mg/L), and Central Campus Branch (0.28, 1.44, 2.34 mg/L). Minimum, median, and maximum values for Total Phosphorus are Little Tallapoosa (0, 0.22, 1.33 mg/L), Chattahoochee (0, 0.25, 0.85 mg/L), and Central Campus Branch (0, 0.095, 0.85 mg/L). Fecal coliform testing started in April 2006, we sample three days a week and plan to determine the relationship between land use, turbidity, flow, rainfall, and fecal coliform colonies. Early minimum, median, and maximum results are the Little Tallapoosa (20, 800, 5200 colonies/dL), Central Campus Branch (9.0, 450, 40000 colonies/dL), Chattahoochee (27, 240, 3100 colonies/dL), and Tallapoosa (<10, 130, 23000 colonies/dL). The limited data shows low correlation between flow and fecal coliform. In October 2006 we started testing Total Suspended Solids (TSS), using turbidity and TSS we plan to estimate the sediment load being carried down stream. The results of our two year study will be used to predict the sediment load and quality of water being transported to reservoirs in Alabama.