INFLUENCE OF URBAN AND RURAL LAND USE ON WATER QUALITY IN A KARST WATERSHED, SPRINGFIELD, MO

Karst watersheds are an important resource that can be easily contaminated. Understanding point sources of contamination can be complicated by different land uses within a watershed. The South Dry Sac Watershed near Springfield, MO presents a unique opportunity to study the combined effects of urban and agricultural runoff on a karst river system, as the system changes from rural to urban within the span of a few kilometers. Previous studies have indicated that the watershed is impaired by fecal bacteria, but sources of the bacteria were unknown. The purpose of this study is to track the sources of E. coli in the watershed over a sampling period of one year. The goal is to map the distribution of the various sources to create a watershed model for the study area. Additional water quality parameters will be collected to distinguish water signatures of the urban from the rural areas within the watershed. Preliminary results are presented on water chemistry, turbidity, and bacteria concentrations in surface water and initial bacteria source tracking tests.