Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1973

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Abstract

The upper Big Sioux River Basin, in northeastern South Dakota, was studied to determine the origin and transport of nutrients in the Big Sioux River. The area was divided into three segments. Two of the segments, the Big Sioux River and Willow Creek Basins, were primarily agricultural drainage areas, and one segment was the city of Watertown. Sampling stations were selected to facilitate the determination of nutrient inputs to the river from each of these segments and to determine the nutrient load in the river leaving the study area. Nutrients studied included total orthophosphate and the particulate and dissolved fractions of organic carbon, organic nitrogen, and total phosphate. The upper Big Sioux Basin (Segment 1) had a drainage area of 1036 km2. This segment contributed 882,300 kg, 73,600 kg, and 61,600 kg of the total organic carbon (TOC), total organic nitrogen (TON), and total phosphate (TP), respectively. This amounted to 852, 71, and60 kg/km2 per year of TOC, TON, and TP, respectively. The city of Watertown (Segment 2) had a drainage area of 7.5 km2. This segment contributed 161,870 kg, 33,930 kg, and 57,790 kg of TOC, TON, and TP, respectively. This amounted to 21,583, 4,524, and 7,705 kg/km2 per year of TOC, TON, and TP. The Willow Creek Drainage (Segment 3), had a drainage area of 328km2 This segment contributed 358,980 kg, 37,260 kg, and 23,150 kg of TOC, TON, and TP. This amounted to 1,095, 113, and 70 kg/km2 per year of TOC, TON, and TP. The annual load leaving the study area amounted to 1,507,820 kg, 127,320 kg, and 140,310 kg of TOC, TON, and TP, respectively. Approximately 90 percent of the TOC, 87 percent of the TON, and 67 percent of the TP was attributed to the agricultural drainage areas. Eleven percent of the TOC, 27 percent of the TON, and 41 percent of the TP was attributed to the city of Watertown.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Marine ecology -- South Dakota -- South Sioux River
Big Sioux River (S.D.)

Description

Includes bibliographical references (pages 50-51)

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

78

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Rights

No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/

Share

COinS