Urban stream syndrome in a small, lightly developed watershed: a statistical analysis of water chemistry parameters, land use patterns, and natural sources

Abstract

The relationships among land use patterns, geology, soil, and major solute concentrations in stream water for eight tributaries of the Kayaderosseras Creek watershed in Saratoga County, NY, were investigated using Pearson correlation coefficients and multivariate regression analysis. Sub-watersheds corresponding to each sampling site were delineated, and land use patterns were determined for each of the eight sub-watersheds using GIS. Four land use categories (urban development, agriculture, forests, and wetlands) constituted more than 99 % of the land in the sub-watersheds. Eleven water chemistry parameters were highly and positively correlated with each other and urban development. Multivariate regression models indicated urban development was the most powerful predictor for the same eleven parameters (conductivity, TN, TP, NO[Formula: see text], Cl(-), HCO(-)3, SO9(2-)4, Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+), and Mg(2+)). Adjusted R(2) values, ranging from 19 to 91 %, indicated that these models explained an average of 64 % of the variance in these 11 parameters across the samples and 70 % when Mg(2+) was omitted. The more common R (2), ranging from 29 to 92 %, averaged 68 % for these 11 parameters and 72 % when Mg(2+) was omitted. Water quality improved most with forest coverage in stream watersheds. The strong associations between water quality variables and urban development indicated an urban source for these 11 water quality parameters at all eight sampling sites was likely, suggesting that urban stream syndrome can be detected even on a relatively small scale in a lightly developed area. Possible urban sources of Ca(2+) and HCO(-)3 are suggested.

The Distribution of Road Salt in Private Drinking Water Wells in a Southeastern New York Suburban Township

“…This suggests that, for this area, the impact of large state‐maintained highways is not necessarily different from that of smaller, locally managed roads, although the opposite was found in the Adirondacks of New York (Kelting et al, 2012). Overall, our results corroborate other studies that indicate a connection between urbanization and its resultant increase in impervious surface area and increased road salt concentration in fresh water bodies (Cunningham et al, 2009; Medalie 2012; Cassanelli and Robbins, 2013; Eyles et al, 2013; Dailey et al, 2014; Halstead et al, 2014; Corsi et al, 2015). …”

Urban stream Osówka in Szczecin – how efficiently as possible should the variability of the stream water quality be studied along the road of runoff in time?

“…Toor 2016). as well as studies on the concentrations of ion macronutrients in water (Halstead 2014). The case determines the value of classification criterion as above may also be a matter of judgment.…”

Land Use Change at Sub-Watershed Level

“…We witnessed direct sewage discharge from houses and solid waste dumping in river banks mainly in the downstream settlement areas. Halstead et al [29] concluded that anthropogenic sources of pollution such as synthetic fertilizers and discharge from septic systems and sewers significantly contributed to 'urban stream syndrome' Common effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems have been referred to as the "urban stream syndrome" (Walsh et al [30]), and there is a strong association between water quality and increased settlement area.…”