Limnological Monitoring on the Upper Mississippi River System, 1993-1996: Long Term Resource Monitoring Program Pool 26 Field Station
Abstract
Since 1988, the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program (LTRMP) staff have performed basic limnological field measurements in the Upper Mississippi River System. The period of this report (1993-96) includes a major revision of the LTRMP sampling design in 1993 that added randomization, broader spatial coverage, and increased monitoring of tributaries and locations that allow monitoring of material transport. The 1993-1996 water quality data for the Pool 26 area show long-term declines in the concentrations of total nitrogen, nitrate-nitrite nitrogen, and soluble reactive phosphorus after the large flood in 1993. The data also indicate that contiguous backwaters have unique water quality among the sampling strata. characterized by higher turbidity, volatile suspended solids, and fluorometric chlorophyll-alpha, and lower total nitrogen and nitrate-nitrite nitrogen. The Missouri and Illinois Rivers significantly alter the Mississippi River main stem in the Pool 26 study area. The Missouri River contributes high turbidity, silicate silica, and total suspended solids, whereas the Illinois River contributes elevated concentrations of total nitrogen, nitrate, total phosphorus, and soluble reactive phosphorus. Dissolved oxygen concentrations (>5 mg/L) were good in the Mississippi River main stem but were somewhat lower in the Missouri and Illinois Rivers. In the Illinois River. concentrations fell to or below the Illinois general use water quality standard of 5 mg/L every summer during 1993-1996.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA408531
Entities
People
- Brad Kerans
- David M. Soballe
- Eric Ratcliff
- Tim Mihuc