Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

CS33 Lotic Habitats: Nutrients to Landscapes

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001, Time: 3:45:00 PM

Location: Cimmarron

Libes, S, M, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, USA, susan@coastal.edu

IMPACT OF NONPOINT SOURCES OF BACTERIA, BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND AND NUTRIENTS ON A SOUTHEASTERN COASTAL PLAIN BLACKWATER RIVER

The Waccamaw River Watershed is located in one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. More than half the surface area of this county is covered by wetlands, most of which are associated with the watershed. The city of Conway (population 30,000) is the sole urban center in this watershed. Along with the river, several tributary creeks that drain the area around Conway have documented water quality problems including low dissolved oxygen and high fecal coliform bacteria concentrations. Concentration and discharge data are being used to assess the relative importance of each tributary to the five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and fecal coliform bacteria levels observed in the river. Sampling sites are designed to discriminate inputs from urban, suburban, and rural/agricultural settings. Limited sampling is being done at ground water wells located in a bottomland hardwood swamp adjacent to the river to provide an estimate of natural loading from shallow aquifers. Several methods are being used to identify sources of microbial contamination including multiple antibiotic resistance which distinguishes E. coli derived from wildlife, humans, pets and livestock.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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