Water quality snapshot of Whitemans Creek during winter baseflow conditions

Abstract

Stream sampling was conducted in the Whitemans Creek watershed in February 2012 to assess water quality during winter baseflow conditions. In addition to conventional water quality parameters, stable isotopes of nitrate and sulfate were analyzed to provide insights into the sources of these compounds in the streams. Select artificial sweeteners and anionic herbicides were also measured as novel tracers of certain anthropogenic activities that potentially impact water quality. The major ion chemistry of streams in the Whitemans Creek watershed appears to be largely controlled by local geology, with calcium and bicarbonate being the dominant ions. Almost all samples had nitrate concentrations above guidelines for the protection of aquatic life, an issue that has been previously documented in this watershed and attributed to agricultural fertilizer use. Low or non-detectable concentrations of artificial sweeteners indicate that domestic wastewater from septic systems did not have a significant influence on stream chemistry. A degradant of the common herbicide, glyphosate, was detected in stream samples but at extremely low concentrations.