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East Tennessee State University

The Use of Selected Water Quality Parameters to Identify Fecal Coliform Sources in Support of the Sinking Creek Total Maximum Daily Load.

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Sinking Creek, located in upper east Tennessee, is on the 303(d) list for not meeting minimum water quality standards for recreation. A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for fecal coliforms was developed. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of water quality parameters to identify areas that contribute to the fecal coliform loading. Concentrations of nitrate-N, orthophosphates, BOD, alkalinity, hardness, and optical brighteners (OB) were monitored at fourteen stations monthly for one year. Site 3 (agricultural region) exhibited the highest average nitrate-N loadings (627.34 mg/sec) and orthophosphate (as PO<sub>4</sub><sup>3-</sup>) loadings (84.83 mg/sec). Alkalinity loadings ranged from 10.00 mg as CaCO<sub>3</sub>/sec to 163,500.00 mgCaCO<sub>3</sub>/sec. Hardness loadings ranged from 2.00 mg as CaCO<sub>3</sub>/sec to 96,200.00 mgCaCO<sub>3</sub>/sec. The agricultural sites exhibited higher loadings for all water quality parameters measured (except OB) than the urban and forest areas. Nutrient loadings appeared to be related to agricultural land use patterns.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
MSEH (Master of Science in Environmental Health)
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis - unrestricted
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Environmental Health
Year dc:date.issued
2003

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Floresguerra, Susana Maria

Subjects

dc:subject × 12

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • Copyright by the authors.

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/807
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-1964

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
East Tennessee State University
Base URL
dc.etsu.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Floresguerra, Susana Maria. The Use of Selected Water Quality Parameters to Identify Fecal Coliform Sources in Support of the Sinking Creek Total Maximum Daily Load.. Thesis - unrestricted thesis, 2003. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/807