Assessing use and impairment associated with urbanization of lotic environments in northeast Kansas.

摘要

A Use Attainability Analyses (UAA) was conducted on Turkey Creek, an urban perennial stream located in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, Kansas. Field work was conducted in August of 1996. Designated uses assessed in Turkey Creek were noncontact recreation and expected aquatic life uses. The main goals of the study were to determine use attainability, use attainment and potential causes of nonattainment (if any). A comparative study of three adjacent, headwater watersheds of similar size was used to examine and evaluate stream quality in Turkey Creek. Two Johnson County streams, Mill Creek and Cedar Creek, draining less urbanized watersheds were monitored to determine reference conditions for the aquatic life assessment of Turkey Creek.; Contact recreation is an attainable use for Turkey Creek. Recreational use attainability variables assessed included nearstream population density, ease of stream access, existence of perennial flow and stream depths. Turkey Creek is not in attainment for it's designated noncontact recreational use. Fecal coliform, hazards and aesthetics were quantified and contribute to non-attainment of the recreational use.; Habitat, hydrologic conditions, geologic similarities and geographic similarities between Turkey Creek and adjacent reference streams of Mill and Cedar Creeks, suggest that expected aquatic life use, observed in the reference streams, is attainable in Turkey Creek. Reductions in contaminant occurrence and concentrations would potentially yield aquatic life communities similar to those found in Mill and Cedar Creeks based on habitat similarities. Turkey Creek is not in attainment with regard to expected aquatic life uses. Phytoplankton concentrations, macroinvertebrate and fish richness and diversity values were significantly (statistically and observed) lower for Turkey Creek in comparison to the reference streams. Reduction in phytoplankton concentrations and loss of taxa richness and reductions in the diversity of aquatic life communities in Turkey Creek appeared to be the result of nonpoint pollution associated with urbanization and point source pollution, wastewater treatment discharge, entering the stream.