The Effects of Urban Land Use Type on Low Order Stream Geochemistry, Columbus, Ohio
type: CreativeWork
description: The influence of urban land use on water quality in areas of high population density can be significant. Particular urban land use types each contributes its own suite of chemical constituents. Some previous studies on urban impacts to streams have primarily examined the bulk chemical contributions to high order rivers and streams, while not focusing so strongly on the tributaries that control their chemistry. Small scale analysis of solute concentrations in urban tributaries is necessary to understand the influence of urban land use types on stream chemistry because many sources of chemical constituents are non-point sources. The present study focuses on a storm flow outfall pipe and a set of tributaries to the Olentangy River in Columbus, Ohio that represent the lowest order streams in the Olentangy watershed. These tributaries were selected based on their diverse urban land use types and geographic extent and were sampled at four different times through the spring, summer, and autumn. The waters of these tributaries were analyzed for major ions (Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, F-, Cl-, SO42-), nutrients (NO3-, PO43-, NH4+, Si, TN, TP), and trace metals (Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pt, V, Zn). Major ion concentrations for some elements were noticeably higher than typical natural waters with F- concentrations ranging from 9.7 to 36.0µM, Cl- from 1380 to 7280µM, Na+ from 1240 to 5840µM, and SO42- from 1020 to 5920µM. However, few significant relationships were discovered between major ions concentrations and urban land use type. Nutrients such as NO3-, NH4+, and PO43- varied in concentrations from 6.39 to 229µM, 0.37 to 8.96µM, and 0.03 to 10.6µM respectively. Significant correlations were found between nitorgen containing constituents and both residential and green space land uses. Dissolved Si concentrations (63.2 to 383µM) were highest in streams with high percentages of concrete and less vegetation, which is likely a combination of a lack of Si inclusion in biomass coupled wi…
abstract: The influence of urban land use on water quality in areas of high population density can be significant. Particular urban land use types each contributes its own suite of chemical constituents. Some previous studies on urban impacts to streams have primarily examined the bulk chemical contributions to high order rivers and streams, while not focusing so strongly on the tributaries that control their chemistry. Small scale analysis of solute concentrations in urban tributaries is necessary to understand the influence of urban land use types on stream chemistry because many sources of chemical constituents are non-point sources. The present study focuses on a storm flow outfall pipe and a set of tributaries to the Olentangy River in Columbus, Ohio that represent the lowest order streams in the Olentangy watershed. These tributaries were selected based on their diverse urban land use types and geographic extent and were sampled at four different times through the spring, summer, and autumn. The waters of these tributaries were analyzed for major ions (Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, F-, Cl-, SO42-), nutrients (NO3-, PO43-, NH4+, Si, TN, TP), and trace metals (Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Pt, V, Zn). Major ion concentrations for some elements were noticeably higher than typical natural waters with F- concentrations ranging from 9.7 to 36.0µM, Cl- from 1380 to 7280µM, Na+ from 1240 to 5840µM, and SO42- from 1020 to 5920µM. However, few significant relationships were discovered between major ions concentrations and urban land use type. Nutrients such as NO3-, NH4+, and PO43- varied in concentrations from 6.39 to 229µM, 0.37 to 8.96µM, and 0.03 to 10.6µM respectively. Significant correlations were found between nitorgen containing constituents and both residential and green space land uses. Dissolved Si concentrations (63.2 to 383µM) were highest in streams with high percentages of concrete and less vegetation, which is likely a combination of a lack of Si inclusion in biomass coupled wi…
author: Stucker, James Douglas
language: English
keywords: Geochemistry
date published: 2013-07-24
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:37:46Z
provider: OhioLINK
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The Ohio State University