Evaluation of Watershed Quality in the Saginaw River Basin

摘要

The Saginaw River Basin located in eastern central Michigan has been identifiedas a region of degraded water quality conditions and uses. This research describes procedures and results obtained in evaluating existing watershed quality within the basin. Field work conducted over a four-year period from 1990 to 1993. Sampling was conducted at 87 sites. Field procedures deployed were physical (habitat related), chemical (surface and sediment pore water quality), and biological (toxicological, macroinvertebrate, and fish) assessments. The watershed assessments were divided into three geographical sectors: east coastal and west coastal subbasins and the central of Saginaw subbasin.