Title:
Phosphorus Assimilation Below a Point Source in Big Creek
Phosphorus Assimilation Below a Point Source in Big Creek
Authors
Pollock, Jeff B.
Meyer, Judy L.
Meyer, Judy L.
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Abstract
Big Creek is a tributary of the
Chattahoochee River that has received effluent from a
poultry processing plant since 1987. Using the
elevated concentrations of phosphorus and chloride in
the effluent, we determined the stream's ability to
remove phosphorus from the water by measuring the
uptake length for soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP)
on five dates from November 1999 through August
2000. Uptake length is the average distance traveled
downstream by a molecule of phosphorus before it is removed from the water column. Shorter uptake
lengths imply higher chemical and biological
assimilation of added P. We collected water samples
above the point of effluent discharge, immediately
downstream of the discharge, and at seven sites
downstream (ca. 40 km). Samples were analyzed for
SRP and chloride, which we used as a conservative
tracer to factor out concentration changes resulting
from dilution. SRP concentrations in the effluent
ranged from 21.2 to 27.5 mg P/L and decreased to 0.2
- 0.5 mg P/L before reaching the Chattahoochee River.
Uptake lengths ranging from 15 to 138 km were not
related to discharge, but were positively related to
effluent SRP concentration. This suggests that Big
Creek has a very limited capacity to assimilate SRP,
and that SRP added to the stream by this point source
is being transported long distances and contributing to
excess nutrients downstream. Contemporary total
phosphorus concentrations in Big Creek are an order
of magnitude higher than was observed in the late
1970's when this point source of phosphorus was not
present.
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Sponsored and Organized by: U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology
Date Issued
2001-03
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