Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-2009

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Geography

Major Professor

Carol Harden

Abstract

Two frequent water quality problems for streams on state 303(d) lists are sedimentation and bacteria. Escherichia coli (E.coli) is monitored as a widely distributed, easily cultured species that can indicate pathogenic bacterial contamination in waters designated for recreational uses. Suspended solids are also an indicator of stream health because they stress aquatic ecosystems. I investigated the relationships between concentrations and loads of suspended solids and E. coli over different flows in two tributary streams of the Little River (HUC 06010201) in east Tennessee. One stream, Nails Creek, flows through a rural, agricultural area, while the second, Pistol Creek, drains a dominantly urban and residential watershed. I hypothesized that relationships between E. coli and suspended solid concentrations would differ between the two streams.From August 2007 through February 2008, I collected 20 water samples and suspended solids from each stream to be analyzed to determine bacterial and suspended sediment concentrations and loads, over a range of flows. I processed the samples for E. coli, total suspended solids (TSS), and loss-on-ignition, and used DNA analyses of Bacteroides to determine the percentage of bovine or human bacteria per sample. To determine relationships between the variables, I used non-parametric correlation analyses for in-stream relationships and Mann-Whitney-U tests for relationships between streams. No relationship was found between concentrations or loads of suspended solids and E.coli in either Nails Creek, or Pistol Creek. However, Nails Creek had significantly higher median concentrations of E.coli and TSS than Pistol Creek. Patterns of discharge, suspended solids, and E.coli concentrations and loads differed between the two streams, with Nails Creek samples having higher loads of TSS and E.coli. Pistol Creek had significantly higher TSS loads and E.coli loads at higher discharges than at lower discharges while there was no significant difference with discharge in Nails Creek. Nails Creek samples contained more bovine-associated fecal bacteria than human-associated fecal bacteria; Pistol Creek contained very little fecal bacteria. This study takes a step toward understanding relationships among suspended solids, bacteria, and discharge in Little River tributaries and provides a foundation for future investigations and water quality remediation efforts in the watershed.

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