Modification of Indianas Hydrologic Cycle

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Modification of Indianas Hydrologic Cycle
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Indianas Physical Setting
Tipton Till Plain Recently Deglaciated (lt20,000
yrs)
Glacial Maximums
Older Glacial Terrain (and non-glaciated)
(Source Data USGS DEM)
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Indianas Hydrologic Cycle

• Precipitation 38
• Evaporation / Transpiration 26
• Ground Water Infiltration 3-3.6
• Surface Runoff 8.4-9
• (Values in inches of water per year)

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IndianaLand Use/Cover

• Indiana is Dominated by Agricultural Land Cover
• Glaciated Landscapes (Till and Outwash) Dominant
  in North and Central Areas
• Central and Southern Portions of State More
  Forested with Deeply Incised Valleys
• Geologic Setting and Land Use /Land Cover
  Determine Water Resources and Define Threats

US EPA 1994
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Impact of Urbanization on Stream Channels

• Stream systems are dynamic
• River channels continuously adjust to variations
  in discharge and load by changing their shape and
  orientation
• Size and shape of a channels cross-section
  reflect the river conditions prevailing at that
  point

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NRCS, 1956
Historic Land Use, Cheeney Creek Watershed 1956
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USGS,2000
Land Use, Cheeney Creek Watershed 2000
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Hamilton County GIS, March 2000
Increase in First Order Streams and Drainageways
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Headwaters of Cheeney Creek
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• Incision on Hare Creek in Ritchey Woods Nature
  Preserve

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Impervious Surfaces and Surface Runoff

• Impervious surfaces increase surface runoff and
  accompanying volumes of sediments, nutrients, and
  chemicals in streams
• An important cause of non-point source pollution

US EPA, 2001
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Idealized Hydrographs
Storm Sewers with Impervious Surfaces
Storm Sewers with Natural Cover
Natural Ground Cover
Discharge
Lag time
Lag time
Lag time
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Impact of Agricultiural Modifications on Flow
Regime

• Tile drains function much like urban storm water
  drains
• Effect is the same gt peak flows, lt base flow

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Effect of Land Use Changes on Flow Regime
5/2003
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Fishback Creek Headwaters
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Hydrograph Eagle Creek Watershed USGS Gauge
03353200
Monthly Streamflow Averages Month cfs January 115.
0 February 149.0 March 192.0 April 173.0 May 112.0
June 94.3 July 58.8 August 34.4 September
20.7 October 27.6 November
82.8 December 122.0
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Wetland Loss from time of European Settlement
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Indiana Wetland Loss
3.5 of surface area 813,000 acres
James Robb IDEM 2002
24.1 of surface area 5.6 million acres
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Loss of Indiana Wetlands

• Wetlands were converted to agricultural land uses
  during most of the 20th century
• Wetlands were drained by agricultural drainage
  tiles
• Wetland drainage and filling continues today
  largely due to urban sprawl
• Restoring wetlands in headwater areas can improve
  water quality and enhance wildlife habitat

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Cumulative Impacts
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18 HUC 11 Watersheds
Upper White River Watershed
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Mean Annual Discharge of the White River South of
Indianapolis
Centerton Gaging Station
Data from USGS, 2000
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Types of Impairments for Upper White River
Watershed
493 Total Impaired Stream Reaches Listed

• E. Coli (339)
• Fish Consumption Advisory for PCBs (110)
• Fish Consumption Advisory for Hg (109)
• Impaired Biotic Communities (98)
• Cyanide (5)
• Sulfates (2)

• Total Dissolved Solids (3)
• Nutrients (2)
• Dissolved Oxygen (3)
• Algae (4)
• Taste and Odor (3) (Reservoirs)
• pH (1)

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Pesticides and Herbicides

• Atrazine Measure Total Triazines
• Used by corn growers
• EPA regulated contaminant with maximum
  contaminant level (MCL) of 3 µg/L based on annual
  average
• Currently controlled by application of powdered
  Activated Carbon at the Water Treatment Plant
  when Present in Source Water

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Atrazine Levels - White River in Northern Marion
County
Measured at White River North Water Treatment
Plant
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Atrazine LevelsEagle Creek Reservoir
Measured at T.W. Moses Water Treatment Plant
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Protozoa - White River Northern Marion County
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E. Coli ImpairmentEagle Creek Watershed
N118
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School Branch, Eagle Creek Watershed 8/2004
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CSOs in Marion County

• Combined Storm and Sanitary Sewers
• Discharge Raw Sewage during wet weather events
• Large-scale program underway to curtail discharge

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Impaired Waters of the US (1998)
Water Threatened / Total Miles in Watershed
US EPA, 2001
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American Rivers Endangered Rivers 2007