ESTABLISHING BASELINE WATER QUALITY DATA SETS FOR HEADWATER AREAS OF THE COOSA RIVER BASIN, ROME, GA

In Rome, Georgia two rivers, the Etowah and the Oostanaula, combine in the city center to from the Coosa River, which flows across the border and into Alabama. Little testing has been done on these rivers and the water quality is relatively unknown to the general public and even city officials. This study seeks an answer to the health of the rivers systems that contain numerous endangered species and provide recreation and food/drink to members of the Coosa River Basin. Should the results reveal a problem, action can be taken on behalf of the health of the millions within the basin in both Georgia and Alabama. The water quality index is used as the determination of river health and safety. This comprehensive index takes into account dissolved oxygen, E. Coli count, pH, biochemical oxygen demand, temperature change, nitrates, phosphates, and turbidity. These values are then weighted and put into a single entity to give the health of the river, one hundred being the highest and 0 being the worst. Watering sampling of the Etowah, Oostanaula and Coosa over the span of six months and measuring for each of the water quality index criteria has produced a index number for each river. Samples were obtained using a bridgeboard and sampling bottles once a week. The WQI describes a river of good quality to be within the range of seventy to ninety. The Oostanuala on average has a index value of 70.1, the Etowah has a 77.55 and the Coosa is rated a 71.13. All these values are considered to be in a good standing on the water quality index but can tell a different story depending on the weather. Rain events cause the water quality of each river to drop by up to fifteen points, mostly do to an increased E. Coli and turbidity reading. This data suggests that runoff from the basin are highly concentrated in bacteria, most likely from pastures belonging to local farmers.