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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #331719
Title: Variability of water quality across headwater catchments with distinct soils and hydrologic systems in central Missouri

Author
item TAKHACHHE, PARAMESHWOR - Lincoln University Of Missouri
item FENGING, LIU - Lincoln University Of Missouri
item Lerch, Robert
item YANG, JOHN - Lincoln University Of Missouri
item BALAKUMAR, SIVANANDAN - Lincoln University Of Missouri

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/9/2016
Publication Date: 12/12/2016
Citation: Takhachhe, P., Fenging, L., Lerch, R.N., Yang, J., Balakumar, S. 2016. Variability of water quality across headwater catchments with distinct soils and hydrologic systems in central Missouri [abstract]. 2016 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, December 12-16, 2016, San Francisco, California. Available: https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm16/meetingapp.cgi/Home/0

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Surface water and groundwater contamination by herbicides and fertilizers continues to be a major water quality problem in central Missouri. The purpose of this study was to examine spatial variability of water quality among three different headwater catchments – Goodwater Creek Experimental Watershed (GCEW) with claypan soils, Sulphur Creek Watershed (SCW) with deep loess soils, and Wet Glaize Creek Watershed (WGCW) with weathered forest soils and karst hydrology – to better understand hydrologic controls on contaminant transport. Samples were collected from February 2015 to June 2016 from streams, springs and groundwater and analyzed for major nutrients and herbicides. Mean nitrate concentrations in stream water were 3.6 (±4.0) ppm, 1.6 (±1.4) ppm and 3.4 (±0.17) ppm in GCEW, SCW and WGCW, respectively. Mean nitrate concentrations in groundwater were higher than those in stream water at GCEW and SCW, with 22.4 (±15.6) ppm in GCEW and 8.0 (±6.6) ppm in SCW. However, mean nitrate concentration in groundwater at WGCW (3.2±1.3 ppm) was similar to that in stream water, demonstrating the direct interaction of surface and ground water in karst hydrologic systems. Atrazine concentrations in stream water were higher than in groundwater at both GCEW and SCW. Mean atrazine concentrations in stream water were 2.4 (±4.6) ppb in GCEW and 1.5 ppb (±2.0) ppb in SCW. In groundwater, mean atrazine concentrations were 0.06 (±0.18) ppb in GCEW and 0.01(±0.01) ppb in SCW. The results indicated that surface water and groundwater interactions are much more important in understanding the controls on contaminant transport in the claypan and deep loess watersheds compared to a karst-dominated one. This approach provided insights to the differences in hydrologic controls on contaminant transport leading to better strategies for water quality management in central Missouri.