The Problems

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The Upper Sandusky Watershed
By Brittany Graves, Stephanie Burton, and
Colleen Maher
Group 1, Lead by Lisa Everingham
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The Upper Sandusky watershed is located in north
central Ohio. It drains to the north into Lake
Erie.
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The Problems

• Oil and Grease
• Habitat Alterations
• Metals
• Ammonia
• Nutrient Enrichment
• Siltation

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Oil and Grease

• Degrades water quality and habitat
• Builds up in the stream
• Kills the wildlife in the water

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Habitat Alterations

• Take place in the area surrounding the stream or
  in the stream itself
• Developing land for companies and cities
• Clearing and farming land

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Nutrient Enrichment

• Comes off of fields with runoff
• Makes algae overgrow and causes an upset in the
  aquatic food chain

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Metals

• Come from
• Erosion of natural deposits
• Corrosion of nearby homes plumbing systems
• Leaching from wood preservatives
• Examples Copper and Lead

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Ammonia

• Comes from
• Fertilizer on crop fields
• Chemical industries in the area

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Siltation

• Caused by erosion of soil and runoff carrying
  sediments
• Increases turbidity which slows the process of
  photosynthesis
• Covers substrate which destroys macroinvertebrate
  habitats

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Description of the Upper Sandusky
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Hypothesis 1

• As the land in hay pastures increased and
  deciduous forests decrease, the macroinvertebrate
  diversity will also decrease.

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Results of Hypothesis 1
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Conclusion for Hypothesis 1

• We found that our hypothesis was supported in
  every area tested.

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Hypothesis 2

• As the crop land decreases, macroinvertebrate
  diversity will increase.

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Results for Hypothesis 2
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Conclusion for Hypothesis 2

• Surprisingly, our hypothesis was not supported.
• We believe that another factor was effecting the
  macroinvertebrate diversity.

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Hypothesis 3

• As housing density increases, macroinvertebrate
  diversity will decrease.

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Results for Hypothesis 3
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Conclusion for Hypothesis 3

• When the housing density increases the ICI
  decreases.

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Summary of Studies

• The siltation of the Upper Sandusky is believed
  to be caused by pasture lands, housing density,
  and a decrease of forests along the Riparian Zone.

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Special Thanks To Everyone At YWSI and OSC!
Stephanie
Colleen
Brittany
Lisa