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Publication Date

4-1-2022

Document Type

Poster

Degree Type

Graduate

Department

Geography, Geology and the Environment

Mentor

Eric Peterson

Mentor Department

Geography, Geology and the Environment

Abstract

Suspended sediment and phosphorus are a threat to surface waterbodies. Excessive supply of suspended sediment to streams can alter water quality, reduce reservoir storage capacity, and degrade ecological functions including the displacement of aquatic habitats. Phosphorus is a limiting nutrient in freshwater. Excessive phosphorus in streams has led to eutrophication, the development of harmful algal blooms and hypoxic conditions that restrict the water for fisheries, recreation, industry, and drinking. For the City of Bloomington, central Illinois, high nutrient loads and sediment concentrations are a major problem in water reservoirs. The primary sources of suspended sediment and phosphorus in the area are from agriculture, which dominates local landuse. High nutrient loads and sediment concentrations are a major problem in water reservoirs in agricultural regions. To aid our understanding of the transport dynamics between suspended sediment and phosphorus over a five-year period (July 2016May2021), two hypotheses were proposed. They are: (1) the mass of total suspended sediment (TSS) will be linearly related to the mass of total phosphorus (TP) for storm events, and (2) there will be both an annual and a seasonal relationship between the mass of total suspended sediment (TSS) and the mass of total phosphorus (TP). For hypothesis 1, a linear regression analysis will be used to evaluate a potential relationship between the independent variable, TSS load and the dependent variable, TP load. For hypothesis 2, an ANOVA (σ = 0.05) will be used to identify statistical differences among TSS and TP loads throughout the four seasons and annually. If there is a significant difference, a Tukey Test will be conducted to determine which seasons, or years, the differences in TSS and TP were significant. I expect to see a linear relationship between the mass of TSS and the mass of TP for storm events. Since phosphorus is mainly transported with suspended sediment, TP export would increase with increasing TSS transport during storm events. I also expect to se e a seasonal and annual relationship between the mass of TSS and the mass of TP. This is because there are seasonal and annual variations in rainfall patterns that have control on the export of TSS. The findings from this study will add to the existing knowledge and aid decision-makers in the design of management plans for the watershed.

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