GEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS INFLUENCING STREAM WATER CHEMISTRY IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Stream water chemistry depends on natural geological and anthropogenic factors in watersheds. Major anion concentrations were evaluated seasonally in 20 Northern Virginia Streams to determine the degree of changes in water chemistry by comparing anion concentrations with watershed size, land use, soil mineralogy, soil pore water, upstream water, porosity, and population density, this study investigates how roadway salt application affects high chloride concentrations in Northern Virginia urban streams. The findings will help us understand the geochemical process of salt application in the US during the winter. This study also analyzed the concentration of chloride and sulfate anions in soil pore water and surface water, as well as the relationships between these anions in five watersheds in Northern Virginia. This study, in addition, analyzed chloride and sulfate anions in soil pore water and surface water and the concentration of chloride and sulfate relationships between soil pore water and surface water in five watersheds in Northern Virginia. The study discovered chloride and sulfate in twenty watersheds, with chloride detected at higher volumes in watersheds like Difficult Run, Lake Burke, and Marumsco Creek. The study detected sulfates at a negligible concentration, which influenced water bodies and aquatic life. The result also unveils variations in chloride concentrations in seven watersheds from 2019 to 2020. Summer and fall had low-to-medium levels in Difficult Run and South Four Mile Run. However, there was a significant increase in Winter due to salt application on roads in Northern Virginia, as well as snow and ice deicing. Lastly, the study also establishes chloride and sulfate anions in urban watersheds. The study reveals that Chloride ions are more concentrated than sulfate ions in all five selected watersheds, with Backlick Run and Difficult Run having significant chloride concentrations. Accotink Creek, Aquia Creek, and Bull Run have lower concentrations, while Blacklick Run and Difficult Run have similar concentrations.

Author

• Kamara, Hadijatu

• Anthropogenic
• Chlorides
• Geological
• Misenite
• Sulfates

Identifier

hdl:1920/14395

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:MARS:1920/14395