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Abstract

 

Ozbay, G. and C. Cawley. 2008. Highway Retention Pond Effects on Water Quality at DSU Outreach and Research Farm in Smyrna, Delaware. JEMREST 5:00-00

 

A study was undertaken to determine the impact of effluent from a DELDOT retention pond on the water quality of a stream at the DSU Outreach and Research Farm in Smyrna (SORC). The new DSU Aquaculture Research Facility will be built at the farm raising the question of whether the stream water would be suitable for farm use. Water quality was tested every two weeks for 9 months at sampling sites including the outflow from the retention pond, the farm ditch above the outflow, between the ditch and stream, and at the confluence of the ditch and stream. The study shows that pH decreased from 9 to below 5 in winter and late summer, and more than 90% of the water tested at all sites had alkalinity levels below 20mg/L. Dissolved oxygen levels were about 4.0mg/L during the summer months between the ditch and stream, and at the confluence of the ditch and stream.  More than 50% of the samples collected at the confluence of the ditch and stream site had total phosphorus concentrations higher than the total maximum daily loads for streams, 0.05mg/L. The study concludes that water quality will not be ideal for freshwater species because of stress due to low pH, alkalinity and eutrophication during low flow events. It is therefore recommended that long term water quality monitoring should continue to ensure proper environmental conditions for fish and farm animal production.

 

 

 

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