Water Quality Assessment of
Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 1
A Proposal by
Donald Huggins
Niang Choo Lim
Central Plains Center for BioAssessment
Kansas Biological Survey
University of Kansas
For
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
June 2008
Introduction
The Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 1 is located five miles north of
Westmoreland in northeast Kansas. The lake surface area is 24 acres and the average
depth is 6 to 8 feet, with the maximum depth of about 17 feet. A destratification unit is
installed in the lake to help control the aquatic vegetation. Channel catfish, large mouth
bass, crappie, and bluegill are common fish species in the lake. The lake also provides
opportunity for boating and camping around the lake and the 166 acres surrounding the
lake is open to hunting during open season. Thus, this lake is an important recreation
area for residents in the Pottawatomie County.
Objectives
According to data collected intermittently between 1981 and 2001 by the Kansas
Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), chlorophyll a levels ranged from 2.1 to
33.6 g/L. However, the last survey conducted in 2005 shows a substantial increase in
the chlorophyll a level (203.4 g/L). Thus, this lake is currently listed under the draft
KDHE 2008 303(d) List as a water-quality impaired reservoir. There is a need to monitor
current water-quality conditions of this lake to examine impairment status, i.e., if
impairment persists, a total maximum daily load (TMDL) has to be developed for this
lake by KDHE, as required by the Clean Water Act.
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The objectives of this project are:
1. Assessing current trophic conditions (i.e., nutrient and chlorophyll a levels);
2. Determining incoming nutrient load via tributary baseflow water-quality
monitoring and autosampler installation at the two tributaries to collect runoff
water samples;
3. Determining limiting nutrient(s) via laboratory bioassay experiments.
Study Approach
Field sampling
The Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 1 will be sampled monthly from July to
September 2008. Water samples will be collected at three sites (Figure 1) at 0.25, 1.5, 3,
and 6 m, depending on each of the site depths. Dissolved oxygen concentration, water
temperature, specific conductance, pH, and turbidity will be measured in situ using a
Horiba U-10 Water Quality Checker. Secchi depth will be taken at each site. Concurrent
with the field measurements, one-liter grab water sample will be collected and
transported on ice in a cooler to Kansas Biological Survey (KBS) Ecotoxicology
Laboratory for water chemistry analyses. Collected water samples will be analyzed for
nutrients (total nitrogen and phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and orthophosphate),
and chlorophyll a. A summary of water-quality parameters, analytical methods, detection
limits, and sample holding time per Standard Methods (APHA et al. 2005) is listed in
Table 1.
Figure 1. The three sampling sites of the Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 1
(modified from Google Maps).
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In addition to the three sampling sites at the lake, the two tributaries of the lake will
also be sampled for nutrient and chlorophyll a analyses from July to September.
Autosamplers will be installed at the two tributaries to collect water samples during storm
events.
Nutrient Bioassay Experiments
Laboratory nutrient bioassay experiments can be useful in determining limiting
nutrient(s) of a waterbody. The last survey conducted in 2005 shows a sharp increase in
chlorophyll a level in the lake. Thus, it is necessary to determine what (i.e., limiting
nutrient(s)) could have caused the problem. Eutrophication can cause low dissolved
oxygen conditions in the lake and thus may causes fish kill.
Lake water to be used in the bioassay experiments will be collected near the dam
(site 3 – Figure 1). Algal responses will be examined using a 4 X 3 experimental design
under different nutrient conditions (Table 2). Each of the three nutrient additions and the
control (no nutrient additions) will be run in triplicate incubation bottles for nine days in
a growth chamber at 20 ± 1C on a twelve-hour light/dark cycle using a bank of
fluorescent lights. Potassium nitrate (KNO3) and monopotassium phosphate (KH2PO4)
will be added to the bottles at 800 g N L-1 and 200 g P L-1, respectively. Fluorescence
will be measured with the Turner Designs 10-AU Fluorometer each day during the
incubation period. Treatment condition that yields highest algal growth is identified as
the limiting nutrient(s) that controls algal growth in the lake. This information is
particularly useful in the reservoir management effort.
Table 2 Design of nutrient bioassay experiments to be used in this project.
Treatment
Description
Control
No nutrient additions
N (800 g N L-1)
N added as KNO3 to increase concentrations by 800 g N L-1
P (200 g P L-1)
P added as KH2PO4 to increase concentrations by 200 g P L-1
N and P
N and P added as above
The project database and the final report will be submitted by December 1, 2008
and June 30, 2009, respectively.
Literature Cited
APHA, AWWA, WEF. 2005. Standard methods for the examination of water and
wastewater, 21st Ed. American Public Health Association, American Water Works
Association, and Water Environment Federation. Washington, D.C.
Ebina, J., T. Tsutsui and T. Shirai. 1983. Simultaneous determination of total nitrogen
and total phosphorus in water using peroxodisulfate oxidation. Water Research
17:12. 1721-1726.
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Wetzel, R.G. 2001. Limnology: lake and river ecosystems. 3rd Ed. Academic Press. San
Diego, California. 1006 pp.
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Table 1 Summary of analytical methods, instrument detection limits, and sample holding time of water-quality parameters analyzed in this
project.
Detection Holding
Parameter
Container
Instrument
Method Citation
Preservation
Limit
Time
Laboratory Analyses
1L Amber
Glass
Orthophosphate-P 1L Amber
Glass
1L Amber
Total Nitrogen
Glass
1L Amber
Ammonia-N
Glass
1L Amber
Nitrate-N
Glass
1L Amber
Nitrite-N
Glass
1L Amber
Chlorophyll a
Glass
Total Phosphorus
pH
none
Specific
Conductance
none
DO
none
Turbidity
none
Water Temperature none
Secchi Disk
Transparency
none
o
Digestion @ 250 F
Lachat QuikChem 8500
Ebina et al. 1983
5 µg/L
28 days
4oC
Lachat QuikChem 8500
21st Ed. Standard Methods 4500-P
1 µg/L
48 hours
4oC
Digestion @ 250oF
Lachat QuikChem 8500
Ebina et al. 1983
0.01 mg/L
28 days
4oC
Lachat QuikChem 8500
21st Ed. Standard Methods 4500-NH3
1 µg/L
48 hours
4oC
Lachat QuikChem 8500
21st Ed. Standard Methods 4500-NO3
0.01 mg/L
48 hours
4oC
Lachat QuikChem 8500
21st Ed. Standard Methods 4500-NO2
0.01 mg/L
48 hours
4oC
1 µg/L
28 days
-20oC
0.1
-
-
0.001 mS/cm
-
-
0.1 mg/L
-
-
1 NTU
-
-
0.1oC
-
-
-
-
-
Optical Tech. Devices, Ratio-2 System 21st Ed. Standard Methods 10200-H
Filter Fluorometer
In situ Measurements
21st Ed. Standard Methods
Horiba U-10 Water Quality Checker
4500-H+
21st Ed. Standard Methods
Horiba U-10 Water Quality Checker
2510 A-B
21st Ed. Standard Methods
Horiba U-10 Water Quality Checker
4500-O G
21st Ed. Standard Methods
Horiba U-10 Water Quality Checker
2130-B
21st Ed. Standard Methods
Horiba U-10 Water Quality Checker
2550-B
Secchi Disk
Wetzel 2001
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