Date of Award
Summer 1970
Document Type
Thesis - Restricted
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
First Advisor
Zanoni, A. E.
Abstract
The Menomonee River watershed is a multi-land use watershed of 135 square miles area tributary to Lake Michigan. Approximately 370,000 people reside in the watershed which is 38% agricultural, 23% residential and the remainder divided · among the other land use categories. Fifteen sampling sites were selected to evaluate the phosphorus loading from the watershed during various times of the year. During the two year investigation period, 30 sampling surveys were conducted and the samples were analyzed for total soluble phosphorus. The river phosphate concentration in agricultural lands, above the effluent of three municipal treatment plants in the watershed were generally less than 1,0 mg/1. Below the treatment plants, the concentration increased to 3 to 6 mg/1 and even higher. A statistical investigation of the data showed that the phosphate concentration could not be correlated with precipitation amount, whereas, phosphorus pound loading could. The amount of phosphorus conveyed by runoff during precipitation periods varied considerably depending upon the amount of precipitation; varying from negligible amounts during low precipitation periods to high value of 83 pounds of phosphate per day per square mile during high precipitation periods. It was estimated that 1250 pounds per day of phosphate are discharged into Lake Michigan from the Menomonee River watershed, of which 40% is from treatment plant effluents.
Recommended Citation
Kapur, Ramesh C., "Phosphorus Loading from a Multiland Use Watershed" (1970). Master's Theses (1922-2009) Access restricted to Marquette Campus. 4916.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/theses/4916