Water-Quality Assessment of the Cypress Creek Watershed, Warrick Councy, Indiana

摘要

Past and present surface coal mining is the factor having the greatest impact on water quality in the watershed. The general water type of Cypress Creek and most of its tributaries is calcium and magnesium sulfate. The water type at background site 21 on Summer Pecka ditch is calcium sulfate. Specific conductance ranged from 470 to 4,370 micromhos per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius, and pH ranged from 1.2 to 8.8. Specific conductance, hardness, and concentrations of major ions and dissolved solids were highest in tributaries affected by mining. The pH was lowest in the same tributaries. Concentrations of iron, manganese, and sulfate in water samples and chlordane, DDT, and PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls) in streambed samples exceeded water-quality limits.