Upper Scioto Watershed By: Nina Zalenski Alice Beckman-Jamison Kathryn Reilly

Upper Scioto Upper Scioto WatershedWatershed

By:Nina Zalenski

Alice Beckman-JamisonKathryn Reilly

- Yellow background row crops

-Light pink urban/ recreational

grasses

- Runoff washes ammonia from grass, nitrates from farms, into water

Major ProblemsSome of the major problems of our watershed are • Agriculture• Bad nutrients• Habitat destruction• Metals• Ammonia

Farmers use about90% of the riparian landto plant crops.

HYPOTHESIS:

An increase in agriculture will have a negative effect on the riparian zone and QHEI.

Agriculture vs. riparian zone of Scioto River

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• Farmers cut the riparian zone to plant crops.• Fertilizers can run into the water polluting the water. (Surface run-off.)

• There is no shade.• The river is polluted and channelized.• The animals don’t have a home due to the lack of the riparian zone.

• Other variables that affect QHEI are:– Turbidity– Substrate– Meander – Temperature

Max. Temperature Vs. Min. DO

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DO Probe

Hypothesis My hypothesis is, in the Upper Scioto River, when the temperature of the water increases,

the DO decreases.

Analysis

• Based on the information on the graph, temperature does effect DO

• When DO drops, fish struggle to survive, and eventually die off

• This problem starts with the watershed’s main problem: agriculture

• Farming takes up about 90% of the riparian zone, which means less shade and warmer water

• Water will get warmer and cause the DO to drop• The DO dropping affects the fish, and lowers the IBI

Conclusion

Based on the Information…

My hypothesis was supported. Besides a few exceptions, when temperature increases, DO decreases.

This is because when water is cool, the molecules contract, and it is harder for the DO to escape. When the water is warm, molecules move apart, and make it easier for the DO to escape. Therefore, in the Upper Scioto River, when temperature increases, DO decreases.

HYPOTHESIS AN INCREASE IN AMMONIA AND

NITRATES WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE IBI AND ICI

• Ammonia comes from human and livestock wastes

• Nitrates come from fertilizers used in crop fields and yards

• IBI – Index of Biotic Integrity (fish)• ICI – Invertebrate Community Index

(water insects)

Ammonia vs. ICI and IBI

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Nitrates vs. IBI and ICI

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CONCLUSION

• The more nitrate and ammonia that go into the water, the lower the ICI and IBI levels will be.

• This results in a poor fish and macroinvertebrate population.

• There may be other factors which affect IBI and ICI, however my data does not show this evidence.

Upper Scioto Watershed Summary

• Agriculture is taking over our watershed

• Farmers are removing the riparian zone to plant crops

• The Upper Scioto River watershed project is a partnership trying to improve the Scioto River environment

• Effective drainage• Improving stream wildlife• Creating an “outdoor classroom” which will educate people on

the importance of keeping our environment healthy for future generations.