Evaluation of Suspended Sediment Concentration in Woodcock Creek and Tributaries

Ferguson, Austin

Evaluation of Suspended Sediment Concentration in Woodcock Creek and Tributaries

Persistent URL

https://dspace.allegheny.edu/handle/10456/56629

Author(s)

Ferguson, Austin

Date Issued

March 14, 2023

Abstract

Sediment buildup in streams can harmfully impair the quality of water by carrying pollutants such as nutrients, metals, and organic compounds, which can negatively impact water quality and the health of aquatic ecosystems. Sediment evaluations serve as an effective practice to assess stream health, and implications of upstream land use. The Watershed Conservation Research Center (WCRC) at Allegheny College has recently started to plan a potential restoration project on one of the sampled tributaries at Woodcock Creek. As a result, five different tributaries within the Woodcock Creek watershed were evaluated, recording suspended sediment concentrations and turbidity, in effort to show need of repair at one site. The purpose of this study was to 1) gather sediment concentration data for the five tributaries under different flow rates, and compare different concentrations among sites, and 2) gather land cover information and relation to sediment/turbidity levels. More specifically the study hypothesized that German Run, one of the sampled tributaries, had the largest sediment input and biggest impact to downstream areas of Woodcock Creek. This hypothesis was tested by measuring sediment concentrations and turbidity ratings. Samples were taken under both base flow and storm flow conditions, determined by United States Geological Survey (USGS) gauges placed at Price Rd, one of the main stem sample sites. Results showed that although there was too much variance in the samples to show differences in average concentrations. By testing under different flow conditions, results did show that under high flow conditions, German Run was exceptionally high. Data suggest that German Run has a large negative impact of sediment loading under storm flow conditions, increasing sediment loads downstream. The negative impact of German Run is also highlighted by its poor land cover. This suggest that restoration efforts at German Run should be considered by the WCRC.

Major

Environmental Science

First Reader(s)

Bowden, Richard D.