Document: ALE-3-84-15
Water quality studies on the Big Sunflower River and the Yazoo River, Mississippi.
ACHOLONU, A.D.W.*, G.CULLEY, K.SHUMAKER, Y.GRANT and K.MORRIS
Alcorn State University, Alcorn State, MS 39096 USA 1
Abstract:
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality has set regulations to protect water quality. Water quality standards were adopted by the State in 1995 for interstate, intrastate, and coastal waters. The policy was adopted to protect and upgrade lotic water quality within the State. This study was therefore conducted to find out if the Big Sunflower River and the Lower Yazoo River meet the standard of freshwater bodies in Mississippi. Adverse water quality is usually indicated by such conditions as increased concentrations of metals and nutrients, decreased dissolved oxygen, and diverse changes in physical characteristics. During the period, September to December 1999, water samples were collected at different locations in three replicates from the Big Sunflower River in the area near the Delta National Forest in Sharkey County and the Lower Yazoo River in Redwood, MS. The samples were collected, taken to the laboratory, and analyzed according to standard methods. For the Big Sunflower River, the parameters tested and the averages readings recorded were: hardness (189 ppm), alkalinity (61.3 ppm), pH (6.9), dissolved oxygen (6.8 ppm), chromate (0.6 ppm), chloride (48.0 ppm), and fluoride (0.3 ppm). The average surface water temperature was 24.30 C. For the Yazoo River, the average readings recorded were: alkalinity (110.6 ppm), pH (7.8), dissolved oxygen (9.1 ppm), chromate (0 ppm), chloride (23.4 ppm), fluoride (0.1 ppm), and sulfate (0 ppm). The average surface water temperature was 15.90 C. Based on the water quality parameters measured, both the Big Sunflower River and the Lower Yazoo River meet the Mississippi water quality standards for ephemeral water bodies.
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This abstract is being presented at: 10:30 AM in session:
Poster Session #9: Fish, Lakes, Streams and Wetlands.