Water Quality and Land Use in the Vermilion Watershed

1
Water Quality and Land Use in the Vermilion
Watershed

• Amy Samuelson
• CE 424
• May 8, 2003

2
Background

• Objective relationship between land use and
  nutrient concentrations in streams and rivers
• Data
• Nutrient data from the Illinois State Water
  Survey
• Land cover data from the Illinois Department of
  Agriculture

• Nutrients
• Ammonia treatment plant effluent ? toxic
• Nitrogen fertilizer, car emissions, power
  plants, treatment plant effluent ? algal blooms,
  toxic
• Phosphorus fertilizer ? eutrophication

3
Land use in the Vermilion watershed
4
Nutrient concentration comparisons
5
Agricultural vs. Urban Land Use
6
Nutrient Concentrations and Land Use
7
Nutrient Concentrations and Land Use
8
Nutrient Concentrations and Land Use
9
Conclusions

• Ammonia concentrations higher in urban areas
• Nitrate concentrations higher in agricultural
  areas
• Further study?