Expected Effects of Wooded Riparian Cover and Soil Conditions on Water Quality in Southeastern Minnesota 59th Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference-- Managing Natural Resources: Integrating Ecology and Society, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
By Lee, K.E., Stauffer, J.C., Hanson, P.E., and Goldstein, R.M.
Abstract
The importance of wooded riparian cover and soil-runoff potential on nutrient and sediment delivery, and chlorophyll concentrations in streams in the Minnesota River Basin, Southeastern Minnesota, is not well understood. The removal of wooded riparian cover can affect water quality and biological conditions in streams through nutrient and organic enrichment and accelerated erosion. Sedimentation may increase turbidity and change light penetration and water temperature. Relations between the degree of wooded riparian cover and soil-runoff potential on nutrient and sediment delivery, and chlorophyll concentrations in 24 streams in the Minnesota River Basin, are being investigated as part of the National Water Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Based on results of previous studies, it is expected that streams with dense wooded riparian cover will have lesser nutrient, suspended sediment, and chlorophyll concentrations than streams in basins with sparse wooded
riparian cover. Streams in basins with soils having high runoff potential are expected to have greater suspended sediment loads that those in basins with soils having low soil-runoff potential.
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
