Kansas Water Science Center
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Effects of Wastewater Discharge and Treatment Facility Upgrades on Environmental and Biological Conditions of Indian Creek, Johnson County, KansasThis project is conducted in 
Period of Project: May 2011 to September 2014 Study Overview The purpose of the study is to assess the effects of wastewater discharge and treatment facility upgrades on the environmental and biological conditions of Indian Creek, downstream from the Middle Basin wastewater treatment facility (WWTF). Streamflow, discrete and continuously measured stream-water chemistry, streambed-sediment chemistry, and habitat data will be used to: evaluate differences in environmental conditions upstream and downstream from the wastewater discharge before and after WWTF upgrades; develop relations between continuously measured water-quality variables and discrete water-quality samples to define average annual concentrations and loads of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in Indian Creek; and determine the percent contribution of nutrients in wastewater discharge to total annual nutrient loads in Indian Creek. Periphyton, macroinvertebrate, and stream metabolism (primary productivity and respiration of biological communities) data will be used to evaluate differences in biological conditions upstream and downstream of the WWTF. Evaluation of both environmental and biological data allow assessment of the physical, chemical, and resulting ecological impacts of the Middle Basin discharge into Indian Creek. Objectives The specific objective of this study is to assess the effects of the Middle Basin wastewater discharge and treatment facility upgrades (completed summer 2010) on the environmental and biological conditions of Indian Creek. This objective will be accomplished with the following general approaches:
Photos of Interest: Both photos taken by Jennifer Graham
Real-time sites |
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: /studies/qw/joco/IndianCreek.html
Page Contact Information: GS-W-KS_info@usgs.gov
Page Last Modified:Wednesday, 02-May-2012 12:42:54 CDT
The USGS has collected hydrologic information in Kansas since 1895 with the first USGS Cooperative
Water Program funding agreement for 6 streamflow gages with the Kansas Water Board. USGS collects streamflow
and gage-height data; reservoir content; water-quality and water-quantity data; suspended-sediment data;
and groundwater levels. Hydrologic studies are conducted on national, regional, statewide, and local levels.
The USGS in Kansas works cooperatively with 31 Federal, State, and local agencies, such as the Kansas Water Office, the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, and the City of Wichita 
