Jess and Nate’s Water Quality AdventureTurbidity Meter Secchi Tube In order to achieve this goal,...
Transcript of Jess and Nate’s Water Quality AdventureTurbidity Meter Secchi Tube In order to achieve this goal,...
Purdue University
Sophomore
Environmental Engineering major
Shell-sponsored intern
Texas Southern University
Senior
Environmental Health major
ExxonMobil-sponsored intern
Our main goal was to find sources of fecal
contamination in Houston’s waterways.
We made use of the data available in
HGAC’s Water Resources Information Map
to go in between the monitoring stations
and investigate bacteria-impaired
waterways.
We obtained a list of the Top 20 “Most
Wanted” stream segments as determined
by the Bacteria Implementation Group
(BIG).
YSI Professional Plus
Coliscan Easygel method for E. coli
Free & Total Chlorine Test Kit
LaMotte 2020wi Turbidity Meter
Secchi Tube
In order to achieve this goal, we used a variety of
methods and instruments.
We were given an in-depth tour of a City
of Houston Wastewater Treatment
Facility.
We learned about the different functions
of the facility and the process that
wastewater undergoes before it’s
returned back to the waterway.
1. Schramm Gully (H112)
2. Hunting Bayou at I-10 (H100)
1. Bintliff Ditch (D133)
2. Mimosa Ditch (D115)
3. Country Club Bayou (D103)
1. Little Thicket Tributary (E107)
2. Unnamed White Oak Tributary (E106)
3. Little White Oak Bayou (E101)
4. Unnamed White Oak Tributary (E110)
Sharpstown
3 sampling
sites: Romney,
Brayburn
Valley, and
Beechnut
Water quality
station 18690
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Salinity (ppt) Nitrates (mg/L) Temperature (◦C) pH DO (ppm)
Romney
Brayburn
Beechnut
DO Theoretical
Percentages
Romney -- 10.1
Brayburn -- 113.2
Beechnut -- 238
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
Romney Brayburn Beechnut
Co
lon
y F
orm
ing
Un
its
2 mL dilution
5 mL dilution
BOTH
TNTC
The City of Houston is still investigating the Romney location.
Bellaire
Took samples at Ferris, Rice, I-610, and
Newcastle.
There was a minor fish kill at the
Newcastle location.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Salinity (ppt) Nitrates (mg/L) Temperature (◦C) pH DO
Ferris
Rice
I-610
Newcastle
DO Theoretical
Percentage
Ferris -- 73.0
Rice -- 95.1
I-610 -- 86.2
Newcastle -- 161.0
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
Ferris Rice I-610 Newcastle
Co
lon
y F
orm
ing
Un
its
2 mL Dilution
5 mL Dilution
The high level of nitrates at the Ferris
location is likely due to the low flow and
fertilizer runoff from residential land use.
We reported the fish kill at Newcastle to
TCEQ. The cause is undetermined.
We contacted the City of Bellaire about
what we found at Mimosa Ditch.
Water quality
monitoring
stations 16651
and 16650
E. coli levels
320 CFU/100 mL
We accidentally
visited a waterway
that does not have a
water quality
monitoring station.
Ended up being
beneficial because
we found high levels
of E. coli
3 sampling sites: White
Oak, 27th Street, and
at a Railroad
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Salinity (ppt) Nitrates (mg/L) Temperature (◦C) pH DO (ppm)
Railroad
27th
@ White Oak
DO Theoretical
Percentage
27th -- 84.0
Railroad -- 52.2
White Oak -- 83.0
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
Railroad 27th @ White Oak
Co
lon
y F
om
ing
Un
its
2 mL Dilution
5 mL Dilution
BOTH
TNTC
5 m
L TN
TC
BOTH
TNTC
27th @ White Oak Railroad
5 mL and
2 mL
dilutions
We were able to
pick fresh Mustang
grapes at the Turtle
Crossing location in
White Oak Bayou.
They were yummy!
Genus name:
Vitis candicans
We visited E106, which is a tributary of White Oak Bayou.
We sampled at each end of an underground section.
Water quality station 16596
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Salinity (ppt) Nitrates (mg/L) Temperature (◦C) pH DO (ppm)
22nd
20th
DO
Theoretical
Percentage
22nd -- 27.5
20th -- 62.0
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
E106 at 20th E106 at 22nd
2 mL Dilution
5 mL Dilution
The City of Houston is currently investigating this area.
5 sampling
locations:
Werner, Whitney,
Stokes, Moody
Park, and
Woodland Park
Water quality
monitoring
stations 11148
and 16648
0 0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
E101 Werner E101 Whitney E101 - 08
Stokes
E101 Moody
Park
E101
Woodland Park
Co
lon
y F
orm
ing
Un
its
2 mL Dilution
5 mL Dilution
Werner -- .5 mg/L
Whitney -- .2 mg/L
Stokes -- .2 mg/L
Moody Park -- .1 mg/L
Woodland Park -- .1 mg/L
3 sample sites : 290, T. C. Jester and
Karbach
Water quality monitoring station 16595
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
E110 T.C Jester E110 290 E110 Karbach
Co
lon
y F
orm
ing
Un
its
2 mL Dilution
5 mL Dilution
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Salinity (ppt) Nitrates (mg/L) Temperature
(◦C)
pH DO (ppm)
DO Theoretical Percentage
Bolin -- 359.1
Convergence -- 154.4
E115-09 -- 233.1
E115 Peppermill -- 253.9
Bolin
Convergence
E115-09
E115-09 Peppermill
E115 at Bolin – 0 cfu average
E115 & E115-04 – 10 cfu average
E115-09 at Peppermill – 0 cfu average
E115 at Peppermill – 10 cfu average
The E. coli levels of location sites E110,
E101, and E115 were relatively low. They
are either improving or we could have
artificially low numbers from the fact that
we just did a grab sample.
On the other hand, E106 and E107 both
had elevated levels, indicating that
there is a problem in the central area of
the watershed.
Looking at station data along the main stem of White Oak revealed some problem areas.
0
5
10
15
20
25
Upstream of Beltway
(11396)
North Houston -
Rosslyn (11394)
West Tidwell
Road(15831)
West 43rd Street
(15829)
T.C. Jester (15828) North Shepherd Road
(11389)
Tim
es
ov
er
Lim
it (
Ge
om
ea
n)
Number of Times over E. Coli Limit for Stations on White Oak
(Upstream to Downstream) in 2013
4 sites:
Cavalcade,
Le Badie,
H112 and
H100
Confluence,
and Falls
Water
Quality
station 15869
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Salinity (ppt) Nitrates (mg/L) Temperature (◦C) pH DO (ppm)
Cavalcade
Le Badie
Falls at H100
H100 and H112
Confluence
DO Theoretical
Percentage
Cavalcade -- 49
Le Badie -- 74.7
Falls at H100 -- 77.7
H100 and H112
Confluence -- 101.2
The rise in temperature is
consistent with the high
amount of sunlight exposure
that the waterway receives.
Increase in DO indicates
algae blooms
Decrease in nutrients
indicates consumption by
habitat
We initially thought it was a sewage leak
due to the odor and increase in
nutrients.
We revisited the leak.
The E. coli levels were132.5 CFU/ 100 mL.
In addition, the total chlorine value was
0.7+ mg/L .
Together, these two values indicate that
there is a drinking water leak.
We visited
Hunting Bayou
upstream of I-10.
Water quality
station 16657
H124
H100
H103
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
H100 & H124 Confluence H103 Upstream H103 Downstream
Co
lon
y F
orm
ing
Un
its
2 mL Dilution
5 mL Dilution
BOTH
ZERO
The City of Houston set a by-pass pump in order to stop the leak.
Long-term repair is in engineering for design.
The project will be completed by a COH contractor.
Found leak at Romney site on Bintliff Ditch
Broke up White Oak watershed by finding relatively low levels of E. coli at E101, E110 and E115
Found sewer leak at Hunting Bayou near I-10
Area on White Oak between North
Houston-Rosslyn and West Tidwell Road
Central area of White Oak (Little Thicket
Tributary and E106)
Bayou Preservation Association › Steve Hupp
› Kathy Lord
› Marina Rossow
› Eric Ruckstuhl
› Tom Ivy
› Board
City of Houston
› Carol La Breche
› Lisa Groves
› Walid Samarneh
› Sonja Lewis
› Arturo Blanco
› Dorene Hancock
› Lisa Leija
Houston-Galveston Area Council
› Bill Hoffman
› Steven Johnston
› Jean Wright
› Todd Running
Aerial photos of waterways were accessed from the Water
Resources Information Map on the H-GAC website.
Online Image of Coliscan EasyGel and Petri Dish. n.d. Coliscan
EasyGel. Micrology Laboratories. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
Online Image of ExxonMobil Logo. 10 February 2009. exxonmobil-
logo. Chomchom Advertising. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
Online Image of Hach Free & Total Chlorine Test Kit. n.d. Chlorine
(Free and Total) Test Kit, Model CN-80. Hach. Retrieved 23
June 2014.
Online Image of LaMotte 2020wi Handheld Turbidity Meter. n.d.
All You Need. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
Online Image of Shell Logo. 6 March 2007. File: Shell Logo.png.
Uncyclomedia Commons. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
Online Image of YSI Professional Plus Meter. n.d. YSI Professional
Plus (Meter). Certified Balance & Scale. Retrieved 23 June
2014.