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The Influence of Land Use on Sediment Quality in the Mill Creek Watershed

Ampomah, Shadrack, AMPOMAH
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1525362794556873

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Science in Environmental Science, Youngstown State University, Department of Physics, Astronomy, Geology and Environmental Sciences.
The aquatic ecosystem of Mill Creek Watershed (MCW) is currently susceptible to pollution from nutrients and heavy metals due to the various human activities within the watershed. Sediment quality parameters such as trace metals, organic matter (OM%), pH, total phosphorus (TP) and particle sizes were measured at 13 sampling points along Mill Creek. The overall objective of the research was to determine the immediate land use around each of the 13 sampling sites and how that impacts the sediment quality. Each of these sampling points were used as watershed outlets to delineate 13 distinctive drainage areas, with their individual land uses. The results showed most of the parameters measured were within acceptable values. TP values within the southern watershed were higher than all other sites (MacDonalds et.al, 2005). These observations were explained by the land use of the delineated drainage areas around each of these sites. Site 9 had about 30% of its drainage area covered by agricultural land row crops, site 10 had 20% and site 8 had 14%. Agricultural runoffs may have played a role in the TP concentration. A more direct impact may be the location of the Boardman Waste Water Treatment Plant at site 8, the semi buffered cattle ranch located by the creek at site 9 and the crop farm located at site 10. Geospatial statistical maps created showed the northern portions especially site 2A and 4 as well as some middle areas of the watershed which include mostly site 8, 9 and 10, to have higher levels of most of the trace metals compared to the sediment reference values. The calculated correlations among percentages of land use, trace metals, TP, pH & OM%, showed Ba to be statistically significant to agricultural land use. TP was also positively correlated with agricultural land use but not statistically significant. pH was significantly correlated residential areas. The other trace metals were not statistically significant with any land use which may be because of the dominant sandy particle sizes and flow dynamics of the river. The predominant residential land use and CSOs locations were perhaps the contributing sources. Ongoing studies would benefit from analyzing samples in both dry and wet seasons, and after precipitation events. Researchers may have to Incorporate sediment texture properties when sampling. Researchers may also combine Soil and Water Assessment Tools (SWAT) with sediment geochemistry to model trace metals and TP loadings if Mill Creek watershed establishes a gauge station on its main-stem.These will augment the understanding of the relationship between human activities, sediment and water quality and the importance to ecological health.
Colleen McLean, PhD (Advisor)
Felicia Armstrong, PhD (Committee Member)
Peter Kimosop, PhD (Committee Member)
Richard Ciatola, PhD (Committee Member)
90 p.
Environmental Science; Geographic Information Science; Land Use Planning; Soil Sciences; Water Resource Management
Mill Creek Watershed, Youngstown, Ohio; Sediment quality in Mill Creek Watershed; Youngstown, Ohio, Land use impact on Mill Creek Watershed, Youngstown, Ohio; Water quality of Mill Creek Watershed, Youngstown, Ohio

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Ampomah, AMPOMAH, S. (2018). The Influence of Land Use on Sediment Quality in the Mill Creek Watershed [Master's thesis, Youngstown State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1525362794556873

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Ampomah, AMPOMAH, Shadrack. The Influence of Land Use on Sediment Quality in the Mill Creek Watershed. 2018. Youngstown State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1525362794556873.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Ampomah, AMPOMAH, Shadrack. "The Influence of Land Use on Sediment Quality in the Mill Creek Watershed." Master's thesis, Youngstown State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1525362794556873

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ysu1525362794556873
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This open access ETD is published by Youngstown State University and OhioLINK.