Evaluating Threats to the Water Quality of Little Buffalo Creek and Sarver Run through Water Quality Analysis and Backpack Electrofishing Surveys

Author

Riley WilliamsFollow

Defense Date

3-17-2022

Graduation Date

Spring 5-14-2022

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

thesis

Degree Name

MS

Department

Environmental Science and Management (ESM)

Committee Chair

Dr. Brady Porter

Committee Member

Dr. John Stolz

Committee Member

Dr. Beth Dakin

Keywords

watershed, water quality, electrofishing, eDNA, metabarcoding

Abstract

Currently, 64.8% and 52.2% of Little Buffalo Creek and Sarver Run stream kilometers are impaired, respectively. Impairment sources to Little Buffalo Creek include agriculture, riparian deforestation, on-site wastewater, and urban runoff. Impairment sources to Sarver Run are unknown. Our goal was to understand sources of impairment through water quality analysis and fish surveys. Water samples were collected monthly and analyzed for cation and anion concentrations. Mass ratio analysis comparing Br/SO₄ and Mg/Li, Ca/Mg and Ca/Sr, Mg/Na and SO₄/Cl, and SO_4/Cl and Mg/Li suggests that mine drainage and conventional oil and gas may be impacting water quality. Seven backpack electrofishing surveys, four of which were previously surveyed, were conducted. Ohio Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) scores indicate fish communities in small tributaries and headwater sites are declining. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding was conducted to optimize the methodology and for comparison to traditional surveys.

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Williams, R. (2022). Evaluating Threats to the Water Quality of Little Buffalo Creek and Sarver Run through Water Quality Analysis and Backpack Electrofishing Surveys (Master's thesis, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/2110