Effects of wastewater effluent discharge and treatment facility upgrades on environmental and biological conditions of Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas, June 2004 through June 2013

Elevated Winter Stream Temperatures below Wastewater Treatment Plants Shift Reproductive Development of Female Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum: A Field and Histologic Approach

“…However, little is known about the impact of elevated winter water temperatures on the reproductive development, timing, and success of fishes [11]. The impact of warmer winter thermal regimes on aquatic ecology is of particular concern in urban environments where winter water temperatures have been rising due to decreased shading from deforestation [16], runoff from impervious surfaces [17], warm water releases from water storage and diversions [18], and discharges of warm wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent [19][20][21]. Of these, WWTP effluent has the greatest impact in winter months [20] increasing water temperature by 10 • C or more for up to 27 km downstream [22].…”

Preliminary evaluation of anin vivofluorometer to quantify algal periphyton biomass and community composition

“…6a-c). Overall, WWTF effluent seemed to stimulate increases in total algal biomass and change community composition in Indian Creek, which was the same conclusion of a more intensive concurrent study of the Indian Creek basin by Graham et al (2014). Similarly, a review by Walsh et al (2005) found that urban streams (including streams with wastewater effluent discharge) generally had increases in algal biomass and underwent changes in community composition when urbanization or wastewater effluent increased in the stream catchment.…”

“…In addition to samples for Chl-a analysis, samples for taxonomic identification and enumeration were collected and preserved with Lugol's iodine; these additional samples were subsamples of the homogenized sample used for Chl-a analysis. BSA Environmental Services, (Beachwood, Ohio) analyzed periphyton samples for taxonomic identification, enumeration, and biovolume of diatoms and soft algae as described in Graham et al (2014).…”

“…Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/ulrm. points (Graham et al 2014). Typically, numerous samples are required to adequately characterize algal biomass and community composition within and among sites because of the patchy nature of periphyton in streams and the rapid changes that can occur in response to runoff events and changing environmental conditions (Stevenson 1997, Steinman et al 2011).…”

Effects of wastewater effluent discharge on stream quality in Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas

“…There were no infrastructure changes at the Tomahawk Creek WWTF; however, during 2009, chemically enhanced primary treatment was added to the treatment process for better process settling before disinfection and discharge with the added effect of enhanced phosphorus removal. Data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Johnson County Wastewater, during June 2004 through June 2013 were used to evaluate stream quality in Indian Creek (Graham and others, 2014;Stone and Graham, 2014). Indian Creek study findings provide insight into the effects of wastewater effluent on stream-water and streambed sediment quality, biological community composition, and ecosystem function in urban areas.…”