EPT as an Indicator

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EPT as an Indicator

• Jamie Parker
• Katie Sobolewski
• Carmen Garcia

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Determining Water Quality

• Study Area Blackwater Creek Watershed
• Establishing a link between water quality and
  land use using EPT

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Blackwater Creek Watershed
Compliments of Katie
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What is EPT?

• E- Ephemeroptera Mayfly
• P- Plecoptera Stonefly
• T- Trichoptera Caddisfly

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Sampling for EPT

• Collecting macroinvertebrates.
• Presence of 3 main species.
• Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies.

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Why EPT?

• Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies are
  indicator species.
• Bottom of the food chain
• Sensitive to pollution
• Easy to collect

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EPT in the Dynamic System
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Presence Of EPT 1/03 2/03
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Presence of EPT 3/03
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Ratings

• Excellent All 3 EPT present
• Good 2 EPT present
• Fair 1 EPT present
• Poor 0 EPT present

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Findings

• Chaffin Farm
• 1 - Good
• 2 Fair

• Jefferson Forest
• 1 Fair
• 2 Poor

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Findings (continued)

• Peaks View Park
• 1 Fair
• 2 - Fair

• Rock Castle (C.B.)
• 1 Poor
• 2 Fair

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Findings (continued)

• Dreaming Creek
• 1 Good
• 2 Good

• Hollins Mill
• 1 Good
• 2 Fair

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Explanation

• Changes in water quality according to EPT
  abundance in site assessment over the sampling
  period could have been affected by an increase in
  water flow due to heavy rains and
  macroinvertebrate drift.

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Acknowledgements

• Dr. Thomas Shahady
• Brent Wills
• Kent White

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Questions?