Streamflow and Water-Quality Conditions, Wilsons Creek and James River, Springfield Area, Missouri

摘要

A network of water-quality-monitoring stations was established upstream and downstream from the Southwest Wastewater-Treatment Plant on Wilsons Creek to monitor the effects of sewage effluent on water quality. Data indicate that 82 percent of the time the flow in Wilsons Creek upstream from the wastewater-treatment plant was less than the effluent discharged from the plant. On October 15, 1977, an advanced wastewater-treatment facility was put into operation. Of the four water-quality indicators measured at the monitoring stations (specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and water temperature), only dissolved oxygen showed improvement downstream from the plant. During urban runoff, the specific conductance momentarily increased and dissolved-oxygen concentration momentarily decreased in Wilsons Creek upstream from the plant.