The E.B. Watersheds Project:

1. The E.B. Watersheds Project: An Analysis of the Satucket River

2. “The Muckrakers” • Matt Tobolski • Reilly White • Michelle O’Loughlin • Ryan Hardy • Austin Reno (With help from Rud Platt and Rita Crowell)

3. Why We Did It • To gain experience in field-based scientific inquiry. • To learn computer skills such as the use of Excel, Arc View, PowerPoint. • To determine how human activities have impacted the “health” of the Satucket -- but what is a healthy river???.

4. How Do We Measure the “Health” of a River? • Physical • depth, velocity, temperature • Chemical • pH, dissolved oxygen, nutrients (nitrate nitrogen and reactive phosphorous) • Biological • bacteria, algae, benthic macroinvertebrates

5. Project Overview • Part 1: Land use and GIS • Part 2: Stream Profiles and Flow • Part 3:Minisonde (Measuring pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Temperature) • Part 4: Sigma (Measuring Reactive P, Nitrates from Nitrogen) • Part 5: Conclusions

6. Part 1: Land Use and GIS

9. Robbins Pond Site

10. Bridge Street Site

11. Important Findings:Land Use and GIS • Potential Sources of Pollution • Residential • Crop Lands • Roads • Potentially Beneficial Land Use • Forests • Wetlands

12. Part 2: Stream Cross Sections and Flow

13. Stream Cross Sections Robbins Pond Bridge Street

14. Flow Data for the Satucket

15. Important Findings: Stream Cross Sections and Flow • Physical Traits • Bridge Street site is deeper & wider than Robbins Pond site • Two tributaries between the two sites • Flow Data • Total Discharge • Robbins Pond - 2.73 cfs • Bridge St.- 24.69 cfs • The fastest flow is in the middle and on top

16. Part 3: Minisonde (Measuring pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Temp.)

17. Temperature Over Time

18. Dissolved Oxygen Over Time

19. pH Over Time

20. Important Findings: Minisonde • Temperature • Robbins Pond is fairly constant over time • Dissolved Oxygen • Bridge Street has a higher D.O. than Robbins Pond • D.O. rises during the day due to an increase in photosynthesis • pH • Both sites remain fairly constant over time • Robbins Pond is more acidic than Bridge St

21. Part 4: Sigma (Measuring Reactive P, Nitrates from Nitrogen)

22. Reactive P Over Time

23. Nitrates From Nitrogen Over Time

24. Important Findings: Sigma • Reactive P Over Time • Fairly uniform at .005-.01 (mg/L). • Nitrates From Nitrogen Over Time • Both sites are fairly constant over time • Bridge Street is approximately .2 mg/L higher than Robbins Pond

25. Part 5: Conclusions

26. Conclusions to the E.B. Watersheds Project • Land use is primarily residential, crop land, wetlands and forest. • Downstream we find... • Increased flow from tributaries • Higher pH levels • Lower D.O. possibly due to increased biological activity • Increased nitrates from nitrogen, possibly from fertilizer and animal waste

27. Future Research • Follow-up study to investigate the shift in pH and D.O. between the sites. • Other sites along the Satucket • Tributaries of the Satucket • Macroinvertebrates of the Satucket • Same sites during or after weather events

28. The E.B. Watersheds Crew