Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas 

River Basin, Kansas And Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen 

and Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low 

Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989

By LM. POPE

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4077

Prepared as part of the 

NATIONAL WATER-QUALITY 

ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

Lawrence, Kansas 

1995
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

GORDON P. EATON, Director

For additional information write to:

District Chief 

U.S. Geological Survey 

4821 Quail Crest Place 

Lawrence, Kansas 66049-3839

Copies of this report can be 

purchased from:

U.S. Geological Survey 

Earth Science Information Center 

Open-File Reports Section 

Box 25286, MS 517 

Denver Federal Center 

Denver, Colorado 80225
CONTENTS

Abstract............................................................................................................................................................................. 1

Introduction.............................................................................................._^ 2

Description of Lower Kansas River Basin........................................................................................................................ 4

Physiography and Topography................................................................................................................................ 4

Land Use................................................................................................................................................................. 4

Climate.................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Surface-Water Hydrology....................................................................................................................................... 9

Water Use....................................................................................................................._^ 9

Stream Classification and Associated Water-Quality Criteria................................................................................ 11

Livestock Production.............................................................................................................................................. 11

Point Sources of Wastewater................................................................................................................................... 18

Study Approach................................................................................................................................................................. 18

Design of Synoptic Surveys.................................................................................................................................... 18

Sampling-Site Selection.......................................................................................................................................... 20

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations................................................................................................................................... 20

Sources, Consumption, and Water-Quality Criteria................................................................................................ 20

Data Collection and Analysis.................................................................................................................................. 24

Areal Variations....................................................................................................................................................... 41

Diel Variability...................................................................................................^^ 44

Escherichia Coli Densities................................................................................................................................................ 47

Sources and Water-Quality Criteria........................................................................................................................ 47

Data Collection and Analysis.................................................................................................................................. 48

Associated Rainfall and Streamflow Characteristics.............................................................................................. 48

Quality Assurance................................................................................................................................................... 53

Areal Variations....................................................................................................................................................... 55

Regional Patterns.................................................................................................................................................... 61

Summary........................................................................................................................................................................... 65

References Cited............................................................................................................................................................... 66

Supplemental Information................................................................................................................................................. 68

FIGURES

1. Map showing major streams, surface-water impoundments, cities, and other geographic features in

and near lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska.................................................................................... 3

2. Map showing physiographic sections in lower Kansas River Basin...................................................................... 5

3. Map showing land use in lower Kansas River Basin............................................................................................. 6

4. Graph showing total irrigated acreage in Adams, Butler, and Hamilton Counties, Nebr., 1930-85 ..................... 7

5. Map and pie charts showing comparison of various land-use percentages in the Big Blue River, Little Blue

River, Kansas River, and Delaware River subbasins ............................................................................................. 8

6-11. Maps showing:

6. Location of wells permitted for irrigation withdrawal..................................................................................... 10

7. Estimated percentage of cattle in feedlots, by county, in lower Kansas River Basin, January 1, 1988......... 15

8. Estimated cattle and hog densities, by county, in lower Kansas River Basin, January 1 and

December 1, 1988 ............................................................................................................................................ 16

9. Location of municipal and industrial wastewater-treatment facilities with permitted discharges

equal to or greater than 0.1 million gallons per day, 1990............................................................................... 19

10. Location of synoptic-sampling sites................................................................................................................. 23

11. Areal distribution of predawn dissolved-oxygen concentrations, July 24-29, 1988, and location 

of municipal wastewater-treatment plants with permitted discharges of 1.0 million gallons per 

day or more....................................................................................................................................................... 42

Contents III
FIGURES Continued

12. Graphs showing diel variability of dissolved-oxygen concentrations at selected synoptic-sampling

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin for survey of July 1988............................................................................. 45

13. Graphs showing seasonal effect on the diel variability of dissolved-oxygen concentrations in the

Big Blue River at Beatrice, Nebr., and the Kansas River at Lecompton, Kans..................................................... 46

14. Map showing areal distribution of Escherichia coli densities for synoptic survey of July 24-29,1988, 

and location of municipal wastewater-treatment plants with permitted discharges of 1.0 million 

gallons per day or more.......................................................................................................................................... 56

15-18. Graphs showing:

15. Distribution of Escherichia coli densities in water from the Big Blue River and its major

tributaries for synoptic survey of July 24-29,1988......................................................................................... 58

16. Distribution of Escherichia coli densities in water from the Little Blue River and its major

tributaries for synoptic survey of July 24-29,1988......................................................................................... 59

17. Distribution of Escherichia coli densities in water from the Kansas River and its major

tributaries for synoptic survey of July 24-29,1988......................................................................................... 61

18. Comparison of the 25th, 50th (median), and 75th percentiles of Escherichia coli densities in 

the Big Blue River, Little Blue River, and Kansas River subbasins for synoptic survey of 

July 24-29,1988.............................................................................................................................................. 62

TABLES

1. Reported cattle and hog inventory and estimated inventory for the lower Kansas River Basin

by county, 1988.............................................................................»^ 13

2. Description of synoptic-sampling sites in the lower Kansas River Basin.............................................................. 21

3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling

sites, July 1988 through June 1989........................................................................................................................ 25

4. Escherichia coli densities and streamflow for synoptic surveys of July 1988 and July 1989............................... 49

5. Rainfall characteristics at selected locations for synoptic surveys of July 1988 and July 1989............................ 53

6. Streamflow-duration data at selected locations and sampling times...................................................................... 54

7. Variation of Escherichia coli counts in two-plate duplicate-volume filtrations from samples collected

during synoptic survey of July 1988...................................................................................................................... 55

8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in the

lower Kansas River Basin...................................................................................................................................... 69

IV Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coll Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
CONVERSION FACTORS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Multiply

inch (in.)

foot (ft)

yard (yd)

mile (mi)

square mile (mi2)

acre

acre-foot (acre-ft)

acre-foot per year (acre-ft/yr)

cubic foot per second (ft3/s)

gallon per minute (gal/min)

million gallons per day (Mgal/d)

pound per square inch (lb/in2)

degree Fahrenheit (°F)

By

25.4

0.3048

0.9144

1.609

2.590

4,047

1,233

1,233

0.02832

0.06309

0.04381

6.895

(')

To obtain

millimeter

meter

meter

kilometer

square kilometer

square meter

cubic meter

cubic meter per year

cubic meter per second

liter per second

cubic meter per second

kilopascal

degree Celsius (°C)

1 °C = 5/9 (°F - 32). 

°F = 9/5 (°C) + 32.

Conversion Factors and Abbreviations V
VI Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coll Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1989 Through July 1989
Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas 

River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen 

and Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low 

Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989

SyL.M. Pope

Abstract

The 15,300-square-mile lower Kansas River 

Basin in Kansas and Nebraska was investigated, 

as one of the pilot study units of the U.S. 

Geological Survey's National Water-Quality 

Assessment (NAWQA) Program, to address a 

variety of water-quality issues. This report 

describes sanitary quality of streams as defined by 

concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) and 

densities of a fecal-indicator bacterium, 

Escherichia coli (E. coli).

Sixty-rone surface-water sampling sites were 

chosen for this investigation. Synoptic surveys 

were conducted in July 1988, November 1988, 

March 1989, and May 1989 to define the concentrations and diel and seasonal variability in concentrations of DO. Synoptic surveys were 

conducted in July 1988 and July 1989 to define 

densities of E. coli. Ancillary data included 

measurements of specific conductance, pH, water 

temperature, barometric pressure, and concentrations of nutrients, total organic carbon, 

chlorophyll, and suspended sediment. Surveys 

were conducted during stable-flow, dry-weather 

conditions.

During the July 1988 synoptic survey for DO, 

emphasis was placed on the measurement of DO 

under maximum stress (high water temperature, 

low streamflow, and predawn conditions). Of 

31 sites sampled just before dawn, 5 had DO 

concentrations less than the 5.0-milligrams-perliter, 1-day minimum warmwater criterion for

early life stages as established by the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and 

4 of these 5 sites had concentrations less than the 

3.0-milligrams-per-liter criterion for all other life 

stages. For all four synoptic surveys, a total of 

392 DO determinations were made, and 9 

(2.3 percent) were less than water-quality criteria. 

Concentrations of DO less than water-quality 

criteria in the study unit are localized occurrences 

and do not reflect regional differences in DO. The 

most severe DO deficiencies are the result of 

discharges from wastewater-treatment plants into 

small tributary streams with inadequate assimilation capacity. Algal respiratory demand in combination with reduced physical reaeration associated with extreme low flow probably also 

contributes to temporary, localized deficiencies.

Densities of E. coli were determined at 

57 surface-water sampling sites during the synoptic survey in July 1988. Results indicate large 

regional differences in E. coli densities within the 

study unit. Densities of E. coli in water at 19 sites 

in the Big Blue River subbasin, exclusive of the 

Little Blue River subbasin, ranged from 120 to 

260,000 col/100 mL (colonies per 100 milliliters), 

with a median density of 2,400 col/100 mL. 

Densities at the 11 sites in the Little Blue River 

ranged from 100 to 30,000 col/100 mL, with a 

median density of 940 col/100 mL. Densities at 

the 27 sites in the Kansas River subbasin ranged 

from less than 1 to 1,000 col/100 mL, with a median density of 88 col/100 mL. Densities at

Abstract 1
84 percent of the sites in the Big Blue River subbasin exceeded the USEPA E. coli criterion of 

576 col/100 mL for infrequently used full-body 

contact recreation, and 53 percent exceeded the 

2,000 col/100 mL fecal coliform criterion for uses 

other than full-body contact established by the 

Kansas Department of Health and Environment. 

Densities at 73 percent of the sites in the Little 

Blue River subbasin exceeded the 

576 col/100 mL E. coli criterion, and 36 percent 

exceeded the 2,000 col/100 mL fecal coliform 

criterion. Densities at one of the sites in the 

Kansas River subbasin exceeded the 

576 col/100 mL E. coli criterion, and none 

exceeded the 2,000 col/100 mL fecal-coliform 

criterion.

The largest densities of E. coli in the study 

unit were the result of discharges from municipal 

wastewater-treatment plants; however, densities 

in the Big Blue and Little Blue River subbasins 

were generally larger than those in the Kansas 

River subbasin. These larger densities in the Big 

Blue and Little Blue River subbasins may have 

been the result of irrigation return flow from fields 

where manure was used as a soil amendment or 

the result of livestock production, which may 

have increased £". coli densities in ground-water 

discharge to the streams.

INTRODUCTION

In 1986, Congress appropriated funds for the 

U.S. Geological Survey to test and refine concepts for 

a National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) 

Program. The NAWQA Program is designed to 

provide information on a variety of water-quality 

issues that include chemical contamination, acidification, eutrophication, salinity, sedimentation, and 

sanitary quality. This information will provide water 

managers, policy makers, and the public with an 

improved scientific basis for evaluating the effectiveness of water-quality management programs and for 

projecting the likely effects of contemplated changes 

in land- and water-management practices.

The NAWQA Program is organized into study 

units on the basis of known hydrologic systems. The 

pilot phase of the assessment program included seven

study units (see report cover) representing a diversity 

of hydrologic environments and water-quality 

conditions. The subject of this report is the lower 

Kansas River Basin in Kansas and Nebraska (one of 

the surface-water pilot studies), which includes the 

Kansas River and its drainage area downstream from 

the confluence of the Republican and Smoky Hill 

Rivers to the confluence with the Missouri River 

(fig. 1).

Dissolved-oxygen (DO) concentrations and 

sanitary quality, as defined by the occurrence of a 

fecal-indicator bacterium, are two surface-waterquality issues addressed by the NAWQA Program. 

Adequate concentrations of DO in surface water are 

essential for the survival and propagation of most 

forms of aquatic life. Factors that affect DO in surface 

water include stream characteristics, such as turbulence of flow, depth, slope, and water temperature; 

barometric pressure; extent and composition of the 

algal community and associated rates of photosynthesis and respiration; presence of reduced forms of 

inorganic constituents (ammonia, nitrites, sulfites, and 

sulfides); and the introduction of anthropogenic 

oxygen-demanding organic-carbon compounds 

(agricultural activities, feedlot operations, and wastewater discharges).

An evaluation of the sanitary quality of water is 

necessary to assess its use as a public-water supply 

and for recreational activities, such as swimming, 

wading, boating, and fishing. Surface water can carry 

many pathogenic organisms of fecal origin that cause 

diseases, such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, and 

other related gastrointestinal disorders. The examination of water for specific pathogens can require elaborate, time-consuming procedures not suitable for 

readily assessing quality. Traditionally, assessments 

have relied on a simplier, membrane-filter procedure 

for the detection of a group of bacteria (fecal coliform 

or fecal Streptococcus) or bacterium (Escherichia coli) 

common to the intestinal tracts of humans and warmblooded animals. The presence of the measured 

"fecal-indicator bacteria," denotes contamination by 

fecal material and the possible presence of pathogenic 

microorganisms. The indicator bacteria chosen for this 

study is Escherichia coli (E. coli).

This report (1) describes the areal distribution of 

dissolved-oxygen concentrations and E. coli bacteria 

in streams of the lower Kansas River Basin based on 

synoptic-sampling surveys conducted from July 1988 

through July 1989 and (2) discusses the possible

Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coll Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
EXPLANATION

CITY Population exceeding 50,000 

® CITY Population 3,500 to 50,000 

CITY Population less than 3,500

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:2,000000, 1972 Lambert Conformal Conic projection Standard parallels 33° and 45° Boundary of study unit

40 60 KILOMETERS

Population information from U.S. Bureau of 

the Census 1980 decennial census files

Figure 1. Major streams, surface-water impoundments, cities, and other geographic features in and near lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska.
causal factors related to the observed water-quality 

conditions. Synoptic-sampling provides a view of 

water-quality conditions as they exist simultaneously 

over a broad geographical area. Synoptic sampling is 

conducted by sampling many sites within a short 

period of time to minimize variation in water-quality 

conditions from either natural (rainfall) or anthropogenic causes (point-source discharges or irrigation 

return flow).

DESCRIPTION OF LOWER KANSAS 

RIVER BASIN

The lower Kansas River Basin drains about

*j

15,300 mi and coincides with the area defined by the 

U.S. Water Resources Council as hydrologic subregion 1027 (Seaber and others, 1984). Although 

7.5 mi2 of the subregion lies within Missouri, drainage 

from this small area near the confluence of the Kansas 

and Missouri Rivers does not affect the quality of 

water used within the study unit and is not included in 

the study. The study unit does include the Big Blue 

and Little Blue River subbasins in Nebraska and 

Kansas, as well as subbasins of smaller tributaries to 

the 170-mi reach of the Kansas River from Junction 

City to Kansas City, Kans. (fig. 1).

The Kansas River is formed by the confluence of 

the Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers at Junction 

City, Kans. Three large reservoirs, Tuttle Creek Lake 

on the Big Blue River, Perry Lake on the Delaware 

River, and Clinton Lake on the Wakarusa River, lie 

within the Kansas part of the study unit (fig. 1). The 

following discussion of physiography and topography, 

land use, climate, surface-water hydrology, water use, 

and stream classification is summarized from Jordan 

and Stamer( 1991).

Physiography and Topography

Land forms in the lower Kansas River Basin are 

characterized by the four physiographic sections 

shown in figure 2 (Fenneman, 1946). The High Plains 

and Plains Border Sections are part of the Great Plains 

Province. Smooth plains with little local relief dominate the High Plains Section; fluvial and eolian deposits that consist of sand, gravel, silt, and clay underlie 

this part of the study unit. The generally flat topography of the High Plains provides gentle stream gradients that contribute to only limited stream dissection

and rather broad, poorly defined valleys. The flat 

topography also contributes to a lack of external 

drainage in some areas.

The Plains Border physiographic section is more 

dissected than the High Plains and thus has greater 

local relief. It is underlain by shale, sandstone, and 

limestone, and minor fluvial and eolian deposits. The 

drainage pattern in the Plains Border Section is more 

defined than in the High Plains Section. Stream channels are characteristically narrow, well established, 

and bounded by a perceptible series of terraces.

The Dissected Till Plains and Osage Plains 

Sections are part of the Central Lowland Province. 

The Dissected Till Plains Section is characterized by 

dissected deposits of glacial till that consist of silt, 

clay, sand, gravel, and boulders that overlie bedrock of 

primarily shale and limestone with some sandstone. 

Maximum local relief is from 300 to 500 ft in the 

downstream part of the Big Blue River subbasin and 

generally less than 300 ft elsewhere. Drainage channels are well entrenched by tributaries flowing south to 

the Kansas River. The Kansas River generally separates the Osage Plains from the Dissected Till Plains in 

a broad, flat alluvial valley bounded by rolling hills.

Land Use

Land use in the lower Kansas River Basin (fig. 3) 

is typical of the agricultural region of the midwestern 

United States. Types of agricultural uses are affected 

by the physiographic and topographic characteristics 

of the different parts of the study unit. Agriculture 

accounts for about 95 percent of the land use in the 

High Plains and Plains Border physiographic sections. 

More than 75 percent of the agricultural land in this 

part of the study unit is used for cultivated crops, and 

the balance is used principally as pasture. The principal crops in this part of the study unit, ordered by 

decreasing acreage, are corn, grain sorghum, wheat, 

and soybeans. The most intensely cultivated part of the 

study unit is the High Plains Section, in which about 

85 percent of the agricultural land is cultivated. In this 

area, soil, topography, and ground-water availability 

are well suited for cultivated and irrigated crops. 

Although the area has long been used for cultivated 

crops, the amount of irrigation has increased severalfold since 1950, as shown in figure 4 for three representative counties. In the Plains Border Section of the 

study unit, about 70 percent of the agricultural land is

Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
§ I

(033I 

CO

03 (05'

HIGH PLAINS

Grand Island

EXPLANATION 

BOUNDARY OF PHYSIOGRAPHIC SECTION

40

£^«- 7*. KANSAS

r f-j CITY

DISSECTED TILL PLAINS

Boundary of study unit

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 1:2,000,000, 1972 Lambert Conformal Conic projection Standard parallels 33° and 45°

20 40 60 KILOMETERS

Physiographic sections from Fenneman (1946)

Figure 2. Physiographic sections in lower Kansas River Basin.
EXPLANATION

Grand Island

40'

o_I

oIQ)

a

URBAN OR INDUSTRIAL AREA

HIGH-DENSITY IRRIGATED CROPLANDMore than 50 percent irrigated

MEDIUM-DENSITY IRRIGATED CROPLAND25 to 50 percent irrigatedNONIRRIGATED OR LOW-DENSITY IRRIGATED 

CROPLAND-Less than 25 percent irrigated

LAKES OR WETLANDS

WOODLAND

PASTURE OR RANGELAND

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 1:2,000,000,1972 Lambert Conformal Conic projection Standard parallels 33° and 45°

Boundary of study unit

20 40 60 KILOMETERS

Land-use data for Kansas from Williams and 

Barker, 1974; for Nebraska from data on file with University of Nebraska Conservation and Survey Division, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and Nebraska Department of Water Resources, Lincoln. Nebraska

Figure 3. Land use in lower Kansas River Basin.
700

HI

cc

8

600

500

Q

w

3 

O

I

400

z 300 

Q

O 200

HI

S 

CD

DC 100

n n i

1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990

Figure 4. Total irrigated acreage in Adams, Butler, and 

Hamilton Counties, Nebr., 1930-85 (from data on file with 

the Nebraska Department of Water Resources, Lincoln).

used for nonirrigated, cultivated crops, and the 

remainder is used for pasture.

Land use in the Dissected Till Plains and the 

Osage Plains also is predominantly agricultural. These 

sections are characterized by more topographic relief 

and less ground-water availability than the area of the 

basin that lies in the High Plains and Plains Border 

Sections; thus, the area is less suited for cultivated and 

irrigated crops. The exception is the Kansas River 

flood plain and terrace area, which has low relief and 

substantial availability of ground water. Irrigation is 

practiced along much of the Kansas River in areas too 

small to be shown in figure 3. Principal crops in the 

Dissected Till Plains and Osage Plains are grain sorghum, wheat, corn, soybeans, and hay. The Flint Hills 

area in Riley, Geary, and Wabaunsee Counties, Kans., 

is mostly rangeland, and the remaining area in the 

Dissected Till Plains and Osage Plains is mixed cropland (30-60 percent) and pasture.

Agricultural land use in the principal subbasins of 

the study unit is shown in figure 5. Most of the 

irrigated area in the study unit occurs in the Big Blue 

River and Little Blue River subbasins. Little irrigated 

land (too little to show) occurs in the Kansas River 

subbasin. Pasture and rangeland are the predominant 

land uses in the Kansas River subbasin. The 

51.8 percent of the subbasin in pasture and rangeland 

is more than twice the percentage of any of the other 

three subbasins.

Urban development represents a very small 

fraction of the total basin land use. The major urban 

and industrial areas in the basin are the Kansas part of 

the Kansas City metropolitan area, Topeka, and 

Lawrence, Kans. The industrial area near Hastings, 

Nebr. (fig. 3), is larger than the city itself, but development in the area is very low density. Although the 

Kansas City metropolitan area is at the downstream 

end of the basin and has little effect on the Kansas 

River, some of its water supplies are affected by activities in the basin. Other land uses, such as woodland 

and lakes or wetlands, also occupy a very small part of 

the total area of the basin. The population of the study 

unit was about 500,000 in 1980 (U.S. Bureau of the 

Census 1980 decennial census files).

Climate

Climate in the lower Kansas River Basin is 

characterized by hot, humid summers and cold winters 

with no particular dry season. July is normally the 

warmest month in the basin with a mean temperature 

of about 25 °C, and January is normally the coldest 

month with a mean temperature of about -4 °C. Mean 

annual temperatures range from about 11 °C in the 

northwestern part of the basin to about 12 °C in the 

southeast. (Except as noted, climatic data in this report 

are from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, 1951-80.)

Precipitation in the basin is the most significant 

climatic factor affecting agriculture and surface-water 

availability because of both temporal and spatial variability. The 1951-80 mean annual precipitation ranged 

from about 24 in. in the northwestern part of the basin 

to about 36 in. in the southeast. Extreme variability, 

however, characterizes annual precipitation patterns. 

For example, during 1951 to 1980, annual precipitation on large parts of the basin ranged from less than 

15 in. to more than 50 in. The potential for drought,

Description of Lower Kansas River Basin
BIG BLUE RIVER 

SUBBASIN

a: O sl

m

if

0> <D 3 2.(0 o II

(0

EXPLANATION

IRRIGATED ROW CROPS 

NONIRRIGATED ROW CROPS 

OTHER CROPLAND 

PASTURE OR RANGELAND 

OTHER LAND 

BASIN AND SUBBASIN BOUNDARY

DELAWARE RIVER 

SUBBASIN

LITTLE BLUE RIVER 

SUBBASIN

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data

1:2,000,000, 1972

Lambert Conformal Conic projection Standard parallels 33° and 45^

Figure 5. Comparison of various land-use percentages in the Big Blue River, Little Blue River, Kansas River, and Delaware River subbasins (data from U.S. Soil 

Conservation Service Natural Resources Inventory, 1987).
both short and long term, is always great within the 

basin. The potential for periodic flooding caused by 

excessive precipitation and runoff is equally great.

About 75 percent of the precipitation in the basin 

normally occurs during the warm season, April 

through September, which coincides for the most part 

with the growing season. Precipitation during the 

growing season, however, is not always sufficient to 

provide optimal soil-moisture conditions for most 

crops grown in the study unit. Thus, where water 

supplies are adequate, irrigation is a common practice.

Surface-Water Hydrology

The Republican and Smoky Hill Rivers, which 

join to form the Kansas River at Junction City, Kans., 

both begin in the plains of eastern Colorado and flow 

about 500 mi eastward to their confluence (fig. 1). 

Thus, the Kansas River at its beginning receives 

streamflow from a drainage area of about 45,000 mi2. 

The Republican River, although it drains more than 

one-half of the area, provides about one-third of the 

mean flow (about 2,600 ft3/s) entering the lower 

Kansas River study unit, and the Smoky Hill River 

provides the other two-thirds of the flow.

The largest tributary downstream from Junction 

City is the Big Blue River, which originates in 

Nebraska as does its principal tributary, the Little Blue 

River. The Big Blue River enters the Kansas River at 

Manhattan, Kans. Other principal tributaries that drain 

from the north to the Kansas River are Vermillion 

Creek, Soldier Creek, the Delaware River, and 

Stranger Creek. The drainage to the Kansas River 

from the south is much smaller than that from the 

north and includes Clarks and Mill Creeks and the 

Wakarusa River.

Runoff in the study unit varies areally as determined by precipitation, vegetation, topography, soil, 

and geology, and seasonally in response to precipitation and evapotranspiration. The 50-percent increase 

in mean annual precipitation from about 24 in. in the 

northwest to about 36 in. in the southeast is accompanied by a 350-percent increase in mean annual runoff from less than 2 in. in the northwestern part of the 

study unit to almost 9 in. in the southeast. Mean 

monthly runoff is large in the spring and summer and 

smallest in the late fall and early winter.

The mean flow rate of the Kansas River at its confluence with the Missouri River during 1971-86 was

T

about 8,600 ft /s, of which the Big Blue River contributed about 27 percent; the Smoky Hill River, 

19 percent; the Republican River, 12 percent; the 

Delaware River, 9 percent; and smaller tributaries, the 

remaining 33 percent.

Flow in the Big and Little Blue Rivers generally is 

well sustained during dry weather by ground-water 

contributions (Ellis, 1981, p. 44). Thus, surface-water 

quality during low flow is affected by ground-water 

quality although the effect is not quantitatively known. 

Although wells completed in sandstone, which underlies parts of the Plains Border, western Dissected Till 

Plains, and western Osage Plains physiographic 

sections, yield as much as 100 gal/min (Bayne, 1975), 

little is known about the quantity of ground water 

contributed to streams in these areas. Ground water is 

scarce in the uplands of the central and eastern parts of 

the Dissected Till Plains and Osage Plains where 

bedrock is primarily shale with thin layers of limestone and sandstone. Wells in buried-valley aquifers 

north of the Kansas River yield as much as 

500 gal/min (Bayne, 1975). The extent of hydraulic 

connection of these aquifers to streams varies considerably within the area; thus, the effect of buriedvalley aquifers on the quantity and quality of water in 

the streams ranges from negligible to appreciable.

Considerable interchange of water occurs between 

the Kansas River and its 1- to 2.5-mi wide alluvial 

aquifer. During periods of high river stage, the river 

provides recharge to the aquifer. During lengthy dryweather periods, the alluvial aquifer contributes an 

estimated 1 to 4 ft3/s of flow per river mile to the 

Kansas River (Fader, 1974). The exchange of water 

probably has a significant effect on quantity and quality of water in both the river and the aquifer; however, 

quantitative studies of those effects have not been 

conducted.

Water Use

Water use in the lower Kansas River Basin in 1985 

totaled about 2.6 million acre-ft (calculated from data 

on file with the U.S. Geological Survey, Lawrence, 

Kans., and Lincoln, Nebr.). Irrigation withdrawals 

account for about 1.2 million acre-ft of the total water 

use and are predominantly ground water from the 

High Plains aquifer and the alluvial aquifer along the 

Kansas River and partly surface water from the Big 

and Little Blue Rivers and the Kansas River (fig. 6).

Description of Lower Kansas River Basin
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Irrigation accounts for about 90 percent (about 

0.8 million acre-ft) of the consumptive use of water in 

the basin. Other major uses having significant (more 

than 25 percent) consumptive components are selfsupplied industry and thermoelectric-power generation 

(115,000 acre-ft) and public supply (142,000 acre-ft). 

Surface-water use in 1985 was about 1.3 million 

acre-ft/yr, which accounts for about 50 percent of the 

total water use. Surface water is used instream, nonconsumptively, for hydroelectric power (1.0 million 

acre-ft/yr) and offstream for self-supplied industry and 

thermoelectric-power generation (91,000 acre-ft/yr), 

irrigation (82,000 acre-ft/yr), and public supplies 

(86,000 acre-ft/yr). Surface-water withdrawals for 

offstream use are mainly from the Kansas River, and 

the water is used within counties adjoining the river.

Stream Classification and Associated 

Water-Quality Criteria

Water-quality regulatory agencies of Kansas and 

Nebraska have taken slightly different approaches to 

stream classification. Although both States in 1986 

had classified streams or stream segments for noncontact or secondary contact recreational use, Kansas 

also designated segments (defined as 200 yd long) for 

contact recreation, whereas Nebraska applied the 

criteria for contact recreation to the same stream segment (miles long) as for other uses. Kansas designated 

streams for drinking-water use if their quality was 

potentially suitable for such use after appropriate treatment, whether or not the stream was being used currently for that purpose. Nebraska designated stream 

segments for public drinking water only if that use was 

being made currently. In the following abbreviated 

summary, the only uses discussed will be recreation, 

aquatic life, and drinking-water supply. Other uses 

designated by the State classifications, such as livestock watering, will not be discussed here.

Kansas stream classifications and associated 

water-quality criteria are described in detail by the 

Kansas Department of Health and Environment 

(Fromm and Wilk, 1988). The quality criteria, in 

general, are based on the harmful effects of substances 

that originate from artificial sources, turbidity, 

nutrients, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, residual 

chlorine, toxic substances, and fecal coliform bacteria. 

The entire lengths of the Kansas and Big Blue Rivers 

are designated for noncontact recreation, aquatic life,

and drinking-water supply. On other streams in the 

lower Kansas River Basin, 16 points are designated for 

contact recreation, and 37 streams are designated for 

noncontact recreation, aquatic life, and drinking-water 

supply.

Nebraska stream classifications in effect in 1986 

and associated water-quality criteria are described by 

the Nebraska Department of Environmental Control 

(1986, p. 12, 29-33, and 55-59). The criteria considered chemical information, fecal indicator bacteria, 

toxic substances, suspended sediment, and biological 

information. Of the 415 stream mi in the lower Kansas 

River Basin within Nebraska that had been classified, 

272 mi were assigned the designation "Recreation 

Class B (secondary contact)," and none were assigned 

"Recreation Class A (primary contact)." In addition, 

360 stream mi were assigned the aquatic-life designation "Warmwater Class A," 55 mi were assigned 

"Warmwater Class B," and none were assigned a 

"Coldwater" designation. No stream miles were 

designated for "Public Drinking Water Supply."

Livestock Production

The production of livestock is a major industry in 

Kansas and Nebraska. Cash receipts from livestock 

production and associated products in 1988 exceeded 

$4.2 billion for Kansas and $5.3 billion for Nebraska, 

ranking nationally sixth and second, respectively 

(Kansas State Board of Agriculture and U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, 1988-89). The total value 

of livestock production in the two states is approximately twice the value of crop production. The 

magnitude of this fact is striking in that, in 1988, 

Kansas ranked first, nationally, in the production of 

grain sorghum and wheat and eighth in corn, while 

Nebraska ranked second, third, and ninth in the 

production of corn, grain sorghum, and wheat 

(Nebraska Department of Agriculture and U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, 1989).

The vast majority of the livestock industry in 

Kansas and Nebraska centers around the production of 

cattle and hogs. As inventoried on January 1,1988, the 

cattle and calf count was 5.9 million in Kansas (ranked 

second nationally) and 5.4 million in Nebraska 

(ranked third nationally). Hogs and pigs numbered 

1.5 million for Kansas (10th nationally) and 

4.15 million for Nebraska (fifth nationally).

Description of Lower Kansas River Basin 11
The extent and economic importance of the livestock industry in the lower Kansas River Basin mirror 

that delineated on a statewide basis. Estimates for the 

number of cattle and hogs, by county, in the study unit 

are provided in table 1. Estimates were calculated by 

multiplying the county inventory values provided in 

Kansas State Board of Agriculture and U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (1988-89) and Nebraska 

Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (1989) by the percentage of the county 

within the study unit. Overall, there were approximately 1.07 million cattle (as of January 1, 1988) and 

about 1.15 million hogs (as of December 1, 1988) in 

the study unit. The number of cattle in the Nebraska 

part of the basin (563,200) was about 12 percent larger 

than the number in Kansas (503,100). However, a 

much wider disparity existed between the two states in 

the number of hogs. The Kansas hog inventory 

(323,000) was only 39 percent of the Nebraska 

inventory (822,400). A large part of this disparity can 

be attributed to the exceptionally large inventory in 

Clay (180,000), Fillmore (98,000), Gage (105,000), 

and York (84,000) Counties in Nebraska.

Although total livestock inventory is an important 

characteristic for assessing surface-water quality, the 

extent of confined feeding operations (feedlots) and 

livestock density (head per square mile) provide more 

useful information in assessing probable or potential 

effect. Feedlot operations vary from simple open lots 

that process tens of head per year to more elaborate, 

totally enclosed, and vastly larger operations capable 

of processing hundreds to thousands of head per year. 

Most large operations are required by regulations to 

control runoff by the installation of earthen retention 

impoundments. Smaller operations may be exempt 

from the construction of retention structures if the 

operators show that the facility does not constitute a 

water-quality hazard.

The extent and intensity of feedlot operations is 

shown in figure 7. The number of cattle on feed for the 

Nebraska counties for January 1, 1988 (table 1), 

although not directly provided in Nebraska 

Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (1989), were estimated by multiplying the 

ratio of cattle on feed for the entire State on January 1, 

1988 (2,000,000), to the State total placed on feed for 

the whole year (5,320,000) by the number placed on 

feed in each of the counties in the basin for the entire 

year (J.L. Aschwege, Nebraska Agricultural Statistics 

Service, oral commun., 1991). The computed statewide ratio of 0.376 was assumed to be valid for those 

Nebraska counties within the study unit.

By far, the largest percentage of the cattle inventory contained in feedlots, by county, occurs in the 

upstream part of the basin, generally north of the 

Kansas-Nebraska border. The percentage of cattle on 

feed in Nebraska counties ranged from 8.9 to 

79.2 percent (table 1), with a county average of 

43.0 percent. Those counties with the most intense 

feeding operations are in the headwaters and middlestream reaches of the Big Blue, West Fork Big Blue, 

and Little Blue Rivers. The smallest percentages of 

cattle confined to feedlots are in the downstream part 

of the basin, south of the Kansas-Nebraska border. 

Percentage of cattle on feed in those counties in 

Kansas ranged from 0.5 to 27.9 percent, with a county 

average of 4.6 percent. This disparity between the 

upstream and downstream parts of the basin can be 

attributed mainly to physiographic and land-use 

characteristics. As shown in figure 2, much of the upstream part of the basin occurs in the High Plains 

physiographic section, which is generally flat with 

gentle stream gradients and limited stream dissection. 

Soils in the High Plains tend to be deep and fertile and 

sustain intensive crop production as indicated in figure 

3. Rangeland is scarce. The corn, grain sorghum, and 

silage produced in this area provide an excellent, 

locally available source of livestock feed. Farther 

downstream, the Dissected Till Plains and Osage 

Plains dominate. Local relief increases considerably, 

soils are thinner, irrigation water becomes scarce, and 

pasture and rangeland become abundant. Given the 

changes in local physiography and topography and the 

desire to utilize available resources, the majority of 

cattle in the downstream part of the basin are grass fed 

and not confined routinely to feedlots.

Livestock density, head per square mile, varies 

considerably throughout the basin (fig. 8). Generally, 

densities increase from the southeast (downstream) 

part of the basin to the northwest (upstream); this 

generalization is most pronounced in the distribution 

of hog densities. The largest densities for both cattle 

and hogs occur in or near the headwaters of the Big 

Blue, West Fork Big Blue, and Little Blue Rivers 

where densities of both cattle and hogs exceed 100 and 

120 head per square mile, respectively, in five 

Nebraska counties.

12 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 1. Reported cattle and hog inventory and estimated inventory for the lower Kansas River Basin, by county, 1988

[Data from Kansas State Board of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture (1988-89), and Nebraska Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture (1989)]

Estimated basin inventory

County

Kansas

AtchisonBrownClay

Douglas

Geary

Jackson

JeffersonJohnsonLeaven worthMarshall

MorrisNemaha

OsagePottawatomieRepublicRiley

Shawnee

Wabaunsee

Washington

Wyandotte

Area, in 

square 

miies

431

572632

461

377658535

478463

878

693719695

828

719

593

549

797

898

149

Percent of 

area in 

basin

67.0

29.7

8.3

80.6

55.8

100

100

50.3

76.5

96.4

16.0

52.7

13.5

100

27.9

89.4

100

75.376.964.8

Reported cattle and 

hog inventory

Cattle, 

total 1

31,000

43,50041,600

29,40023,600

45,600

34,500

20,700

32,000

52,60058,00061,400

39,500

59,500

61,50033,00020,900

51,900

61,200

4,400

Cattle on 

feed1

1,300

5,300

700

900200

400

1,000

100

400

1,300

6,600

1,200

1,2001,100

17,200

2,000

500

2,300

700

100

Hogs2

19,600

40,60041,500

16,000

30,800

14,000

12,000

3,400

15,000

41,000

10,000

75,000

10,000

33,000

19,000

30,500

5,600

13,000

80,000

900

Cattle, 

total

20,800

12,900

3,500

23,700

13,200

45,600

34,500

10,400

24,50050,700

9,400

32,400

5,300

59,500

17,200

29,50020,900

39,100

47,100

2,900

Cattle on 

feed

870

1,600

60

730

110

400

1,000

50

310

1,300

1,100

630

160

1,100

4,800

1,800

500

1,700

540

65

Cattle on 

feed, 

percent of 

total

4.2

12.4

1.7

3.1

.8.9

2.9

.5

1.3

2.6

11.7

1.9

3.0

1.8

27.9

6.1

2.4

4.3

l.l

2.2

Hogs

13,10012,100

3,400

12,90017,20014,000

12,000

1,700

11,500

39,500

1,600

39,500

1,400

33,000

5,300

27,300

5,6009,800

61,500

600

Cattle 

and hogs, 

total

33,90025,000

6,900

36,600

30,40059,600

46,500

12,100

36,00090,200

11,000

71,900

6,700

92,500

22,500

56,800

26,500

48,900

108,600

3,500

Density, head per 

square mile

Cattle

72.076.066.7

63.8

62.769.3

64.5

43.3

69.259.9

84.885.556.5

71.9

85.7

55.638.165.2

68.2

30.0

Hogs

45.4

71.2

64.834.7

81.8

21.322.4

7.1

32.5

46.7

14.4

104

14.9

39.9

26.451.5

10.216.3

89.1

6.2

Kansas totals 503,100 18,825 3.7 323,000 826,100
Table 1. Reported cattle and hog inventory and estimated inventory for the lower Kansas River Basin, by county, 1988 Continued

§. | Estimated basin inventory * 8 

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County

Nebraska

Adams

ButlerClay

FillmoreFranklin

GageHall

Hamilton

Jefferson

KearneyLancasterNuckollsPawneePolk

SalineSeward

ThayerWebster

York

Area, in

square

miles

564

584574

576

576

858

537

543 t>.575 '519

839

576433437575

575

575

575576

Percent of

area in

basin

97.348.2

100100

6.7

89.3

12.1

90.9

100

44.4

1.1

64.7

23.0

60.499.4

80.3

99.6

24.6

100

Reported cattle and 

hog inventory

Cattle,

total1

83,000

34,000

68,000

35,000

42,00045,000

72,000

40,000

36,000

59,000

31,00037,00023,00065,000

25,000

39,000

38,000

40,00040,000

Cattle on

feed1

66,000

11,000

47,000

14,000

3,800

7,100

47,000

21,000

16,000

39,000

3,400

6,800

2,300

30,000

6,400

23,00028,000

17,000

23,000

Hogs229,00051,000

180,000

98,00020,000

118,000

36,000

42,000

44,000

36,000

43,00051,00040,00056,00041,000

52,000

35,000

19,000

84,000

Nebraska totals

'January 1, 1988.

2Decemberl, 1988.

Basin totals

Cattle,

total

80,800

16,400

68,000

35,000

2,800

40,200

8,700

36,40036,000

26,200

300

24,000

5,300

39,300

24,800

31,30037,800

9,900

40,000

563,200

1,066,300

Cattle on

feed

64,000

5,300

47,000

14,000

250

6,300

5,700

19,000

16,00017,000

40

4,400

530

18,000

6,400

18,000

28,000

4,200

23,000

297,120

315,945

Cattle on 

feed,

percent of

total

79.2

32.3

69.1

40.0

8.9

15.7

65.5

52.2

44.4

64.9

13.318.310.0

45.8

25.857.574.1

42.4

57.5

52.8

29.6

Hogs

28,200

24,600

180,000

98,000

1,300

105,000

4,400

38,200

44,000

16,000

500

33,000

9,200

33,800

40,80041,800

34,900

4,700

84,000

822,400

1,145,400

Cattle

and hogs, total

109,000

41,000

248,000

133,000

4,100

145,200

13,100

74,600

80,000

42,200

800

57,000

14,500

73,10065,60073,10072,700

14,600

124,000

1,385,600

2,211,700

Density, head per 

square mile

Cattle

147

58.3

118

60.8

72.6

52.5

134

73.7

62.6

114

32.564.453.2

149

43.4

67.866.070.0

69.4

Hogs

51.4

87.4

314

170

33.7

137

67.7

77.476.569.4

54.2

88.5

92.4

128

71.4

90.560.9

33.2

146
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Grand Island

®

EXPLANATION

Percentage of cattle in feedlots, 

by county, January 1, 1988

20 or less 20.1-40.0 40.1-60.0 

60.1 -80.0

Aurora 

HAMILTON

NEBRASKA 

KANSAS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 1:2,000,000, 1972 Lambert Conformal Conic projection Standard parallels 33° and 45°

POTTAWATOMIE

TUTTLE

CREEK

LAKE

. Manhattan«il . KANSAS^ f

Boundary of study unit

20 40 60 KILOMETERS

Figure 7. Estimated percentage of cattle in feedlots, by county, in lower Kansas River Basin, January 1,1988 (data from Kansas State Board of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1988-89, and Nebraska Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1989).
A.

97°

IPS?

I!is'

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Ifto ^

09 §?

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55

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Grand Island®

99'

EXPLANATION

CATTLE DENSITY In head per square 

mile, by county, January 1, 1988

20.1 -40.0 

| | 40.1 -60.0 

60.1 -80.0 

80.1 -100 

More than 100

40

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 1:2,000,000, 1972 Lambert Conformal Conic projection Standard parallels 33° and 45° Boundary of study unit

0h0 20 20 I I 40 40 & 60 KILOMETERS

Figure 8. Estimated (A) cattle and (6) hog densities, by county, in lower Kansas River Basin, January 1 and December 1,1988 (data from Kansas State Board of 

Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1988-89, and Nebraska Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1989).
B.

FRANKLIN

40

 & 

5'o

CD Q> 

(05'

EXPLANATION

HOGS DENSITY In head per square mile, 

by county, December 1, 1988

| | 30 or fewer 

30.1 -60.0 60.1 -90.0 

90.1 -120 

More than 120

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 1:2,000,000,1972 Lambert Conformal Conic projection Standard parallels 33° and 45° Boundary of study unit

40 60 KILOMETERS

Figure 8. Estimated (A) cattle and (B) hog densities, by county, in lower Kansas River Basin, January 1 and December 1,1988 (data from Kansas State Board of 

Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1988-89, and Nebraska Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1989) Continued.
Point Sources of Wastewater

Wastewater that enters a stream at a discrete point 

is referred to as a point source and, as such, is not 

necessarily a function of geology, soils, or land use of 

a watershed basin. The U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (USEPA) issues discharge permits under the 

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 

(NPDES). These permits specify the allowed limits for 

rate of discharge and chemical composition of the 

wastewater effluent.

There are 28 municipal and industrial facilities in 

the study unit that are permitted by the USEPA to 

discharge wastewater at a rate of 1.0 or more Mgal/d. 

Of these facilities, 16 are municipal wastewatertreatment plants and 12 are industrial waste watertreatment plants. The location of these 28 facilities, 

42 municipal wastewater-treatment plants with permitted discharges of 0.1 to 0.9 Mgal/d, and a municipal 

wastewater facility located outside the study unit on 

the Republican River is shown in figure 9. In addition 

to the facilities shown in figure 9, there are approximately 130 municipal wastewater-treatment facilities 

permitted to discharge less than 0.1 Mgal/d. About 

64 percent of these facilities are located in the Big 

Blue River system, with all but one facility of the 

remaining 36 percent located in the Kansas River 

system downstream of Manhattan, Kans.

Most of the larger (5.0 Mgal/d or greater) 

wastewater-treatment facilities are located along the 

main stem of the Kansas River and coincide with the 

main population centers in the study unit. All but one 

of these large facilities discharge directly into the 

Kansas River. One facility in Johnson County discharges into Turkey Creek, a tributary of the Kansas River 

that discharges into the Kansas River about 2.2 mi 

upstream of its confluence with the Missouri River. 

One of the three largest (10 Mgal/d or more) municipal 

wastewater-treatment facilities, Kaw Point 

(28.0 Mgal/d) in Kansas City, Kansas, although 

physically located within the study unit, discharges 

into the Missouri River.

STUDY APPROACH

Design of Synoptic Surveys

The purpose of synoptic sampling is to provide 

information describing selected water-quality conditions throughout a large geographical area at many 

locations in as short a time as possible. In this study, 

each synoptic survey was completed within 6 days. 

Specifically, synoptic sampling provides (1) a means 

to increase the knowledge gained from an analysis of 

all available data; (2) a finer degree of resolution in 

describing water-quality conditions than provided by a 

small network of regularly sampled stations; (3) for an 

assessment of the spatial distribution of water-quality 

conditions in relation to such factors as physiography, 

topography, geology, land use, agricultural activities, 

and waste-management practices; and (4) a documentation of stream reaches where critical levels of DO 

and bacteria occur during hydrologic conditions most 

conducive to producing those levels (low flow and 

high water temperature).

This study was conducted to identify areas of the 

basin that may have DO deficiencies or degradation of 

sanitary quality (large E. coli densities) under 

conditions that would minimize the effects of runoff 

and maximize comparability of results throughout the 

basin. These requirements mandated that synoptic 

surveys be conducted under dry-weather, stable-flow 

conditions, or as nearly so as possible. Additionally, 

DO deficiencies are believed to be greatest during 

periods of maximum stress to the system low 

streamflow (less dilution of waste), high water 

temperature (lower oxygen solubility), and maximum 

effect of algal respiration (usually just before sunrise). 

Also, nonpoint-source contamination during runoff 

can cause bacteria densities to fluctuate by several 

orders of magnitude; therefore, criteria for densities of 

E. coli have been established only for stable-flow, dryweather conditions. In the lower Kansas River Basin, 

these conditions are most common in mid- to latesummer.

A synoptic survey to define the distribution and 

magnitude of DO and E. coli was conducted in July 

1988. Approximately 50 percent of the 61 sites were 

sampled just prior to sunrise (predawn) to assess DO 

concentrations under maximum stress conditions. 

Additionally, studies of diel variation of DO were 

conducted at 11 sites. DO data also were collected as a 

supplemental constituent during synoptic surveys of 

nutrient concentration in November 1988 and March 

and May-June 1989. During these surveys, two sites 

were sampled to define diel variation and seasonal 

changes. A followup survey for E. coli was conducted 

in July 1989 to verify results from the July 1988 

survey. Ancillary data for selected DO and E. coli

18 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
a <

> a

EXPLANATION

PERMITTED WASTEWATER DISCHARGES 

In millions of gallons per day

A 0.1-0.9 

A 1.0-4.9 

A 5.0-9.9 

10 or more

TYPE OF FACILITY 

/\ Industrial

Municipal

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 1:2,000,000,1972 Lambert Conformal Conic projection Standard parallels 33" and 45° Boundary of study unit

20 40 60 KILOMETERS

Figure 9. Location of municipal and industrial wastewater-treatment facilities with permitted discharges equal to or greater than 0.1 million gallons per day, 1990 

(data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System).
surveys included onsite observations of streamflow, 

specific conductance, pH, water temperature, and 

barometric pressure, and laboratory analyses for 

concentrations of nutrients, total organic carbon, 

chlorophyll, and suspended sediment.

Sampling-Site Selection

Synoptic-sampling sites were selected based on 

existing data, location of wastewater discharges, land 

use, and physiographic sections. Sites were selected to 

satisfy one or more of the following criteria: (1) 

include all regularly sampled stations; (2) locations 

where DO depletion or bacteria densities might be 

significant; (3) locations on streams draining areas 

with reasonably homogeneous land use; (4) sites near 

the confluence of major tributaries; and (5) additional 

sites on the main stem Kansas River and major 

tributary streams to provide a resolution of no more 

than 50 river mi between sites. A description of the 61 

synoptic-sampling sites used in this study is provided 

in table 2. Location of these sites is shown in figure 10. 

The sites chosen for this study and corresponding 

map-index numbers are a subset of all 91 downstreamordered sampling sites for the lower Kansas River 

Basin NAWQA project as listed in Fallon and 

McChesney (1993); therefore, the map-index numbers 

for the 61 sites used in this study are not numbered 

consecutively but maintain consistency between 

individual reports for the lower Kansas River Basin 

NAWQA project.

DISSOLVED-OXYGEN CONCENTRATIONS

Sources, Consumption, and Water-Quality 

Criteria

Possible sources of DO in streams are: (1) ground 

water and surface runoff, (2) photosynthesis, and (3) 

physical aeration. Typically, ground water has very 

small concentrations of DO and, unless physically 

aerated prior to entering the stream, contributes little 

to the oxygen content of the receiving stream. Photosynthesis, the biochemical process of converting 

carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, is 

driven by light energy and carried on in the cells of all 

algae and plants containing chlorophyll. The oxygen 

produced in this process either becomes concentrated

in cellular protoplasm or diffuses outward into the 

surrounding water. Factors that affect the contribution 

of photosynthesis to the DO concentration of a stream 

include light intensity, turbidity, algal population, 

nutrient concentration, and water temperature. 

Physical aeration, the process of securing oxygen 

directly from the atmosphere can be a major source of 

DO to streams, but its effect may have great variability 

from one stream to another depending upon such 

factors as streamflow velocity, turbulence, channel 

morphology, water temperature, and atmospheric pressure. The significance of water temperature and atmospheric pressure lies in the inverse relation of oxygen 

solubility to temperature and the direct relation to 

atmospheric pressure (Reid and Wood, 1976, 

p. 210-213).

Consumption of DO in streams is mainly the result 

of microbial decomposition of organic and nitrogenous organic compounds; oxidation of reduced 

compounds of sulfur, nitrogen, and iron; and cellular 

respiration. Respiration, in its simplest form, is the 

reverse of photosynthesis; glucose and oxygen are 

converted to carbon dioxide and water with a release 

of energy equivalent to that provided by sunlight in 

fueling the photosynthetic reaction (Robbins and 

others, 1964, p. 57). The introduction of large quantities of biochemical oxygen-demanding material, such 

as that discharged from a wastewater-treatment 

facility, can severely affect a stream with inadequate 

DO reserves and may produce a DO depression within 

a stream segment. These depressions often result in 

DO concentrations that are less than the acceptable 

water-quality criteria.

Water-quality criteria for DO have been established by the USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 1986). The 1-day minimum, warmwater 

criteria are 5.0 mg/L (milligrams per liter) for early 

life stages, which include all embryonic and larval 

stages and all juvenile forms to 30 days following 

hatching, and 3.0 mg/L for all other life stages. The 

daily minimums were established to prevent acute 

mortality of sensitive species resulting from a lack of 

oxygen. The criteria were designed to prevent significant episodes of continuous or regularly recurring 

exposures to DO concentrations at or near the lethal 

threshold.

20 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co/7 Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 2. Description of synoptic-sampling sites in the lower Kansas River Basin

Map-index 

number 

(fig.10)1

1

2

5

6

9

10

11

12

16

17

18

19

21

23

26

27

28

29

31

32

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

44

U.S. Geological 

Survey site 

identification 

number

06879100

390255096435000

06879820

06879900

405221097582100

405438097354800

06880000

06880500

403611098200600

404247097580600

403749097503400

404327097354600

405029097322100

06880800

06881000

403304097311400

06881200

402348096591100

401730096500200

06881500

400632096401600

06882000

06882510

402726098240500

06883000

401243097433500

06883570

401826097451100

06883940

06884000

Site name

Kansas River at Fort Riley, Kans.

Clarks Creek near Fort Riley, Kans.

Kansas River at Manhattan, Kans.

Big Blue River at Surprise, Nebr.

Lincoln Creek near Aurora, Nebr.

Lincoln Creek near York, Nebr.

Lincoln Creek near Seward, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Seward, Nebr.

West Fork Big Blue River near Hastings, Nebr.

West Fork Big Blue River near Stockham, Nebr.

School Creek near Sutton, Nebr.

West Fork Big Blue River near McCool Junction, Nebr.

Beaver Creek near York, Nebr.

West Fork Big Blue River near Dorchester, Nebr.

Big Blue River near Crete, Nebr.

Turkey Creek near Geneva, Nebr.

Turkey Creek near Wilber, Nebr.

Swan Creek near Dewitt, Nebr.

Cub Creek near Beatrice, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Beatrice, Nebr.

Big Indian Creek near Wymore, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Barneston, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Marysville, Kans.

Little Blue River near Hastings, Nebr.

Little Blue River near Deweese, Nebr.

Little Blue River near Deshler, Nebr.

Little Blue River near Alexandria (Gilead), Nebr.

Big Sandy Creek near Davenport, Nebr.

Big Sandy Creek at Alexandria, Nebr.

Little Blue River near Fairbury, Nebr.

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 21
Table 2. Description of synoptic-sampling sites in the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)1

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

71

72

73

74

76

77

78

79

83

86

87

88

90

91

U.S. Geological 

Survey site 

identification 

number

400359097101400

06884025

395513096561100

06884400

06885500

06886500

06887000

392844096093500

06888030

06888300

06888350

06888500

390820095571500

06888705

06889000

06889160

06889500

394757095434300

06890100

392823095362800

06890900

06891000

06891080

06891100

385329095353400

06891500

06891850

06892000

06892350

06892940

06892950

Site name

Rose Creek near Fairbury, Nebr.

Little Blue River at Hollenberg, Kans.

Mill Creek near Hanover, Kans.

Little Blue River near Barnes, Kans.

Black Vermillion River near Frankfort, Kans.

Fancy Creek at Winkler, Kans.

Big Blue River near Manhattan, Kans.

Vermillion Creek near Onaga, Kans.

Vermillion Creek near Louisville, Kans.

Rock Creek near Louisville, Kans.

Kansas River near Belvue, Kans.

Mill Creek near Paxico, Kans.

Cross Creek at Rossville, Kans.

Kansas River at Willard, Kans.

Kansas River at Topeka, Kans.

Soldier Creek near Circleville, Kans.

Soldier Creek near Topeka, Kans.

Delaware River near Fairview, Kans.

Delaware River near Muscotah, Kans.

Elk Creek near Larkinburg, Kans.

Delaware River below Perry Dam, Kans.

Kansas River at Lecompton, Kans.

Kansas River at Lawrence, Kans.

Kansas River at Eudora, Kans.

Wakarusa River near Berryton, Kans.

Wakarusa River near Lawrence, Kans.

Stranger Creek at Easton, Kans.

Stranger Creek near Tonganoxie, Kans.

Kansas River at DeSoto, Kans.

Turkey Creek at Kansas City, Kans.

Kansas River at Kansas City, Kans.

'Map-index numbers from Fallen and McChesney (1993).

22 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
(Q (D

40"

28

EXPLANATION

SYNOPTIC-SAMPLING SITE AND 

MAP-INDEX NUMBER

Boundary of study unit

i i i

20 40 60 KILOMETERS

w Figure 10. Location of synoptic-sampling sites.
Data Collection and Analysis

Because of the diel variability of DO and to assess 

the streams at a time of minimal DO concentration, 

efforts were made to sample sites before sunrise. 

During the 6 days of the July 1988 synoptic survey, 

31 sites were sampled under predawn conditions 

(0415 to 0635 hours). The remaining 30 sites generally 

were sampled at times that fit most efficiently into the 

sampling schedules. To define diel variability, 11 sites 

were selected to represent a range in drainage area, 

land use, and physiographic characteristics. These 

11 sites were sampled at 4- or 6-hour intervals during a 

24-hour period.

All determinations of DO were made onsite with 

portable meters equipped with DO-specific probes. 

The meters used for this investigation were Yellow 

Springs Instrument 1 (YSI), model numbers 54 or 57, 

with a YSI 5739 DO probe. These meters have a 

measurement range of 0.1 to 20.0 mg/L. Before each 

measurement, the meters were calibrated using the 

air-calibration-in-water technique described in Hines 

and others (1977).

All samples for chemical analyses were collected 

in accordance with procedures described in Brown and 

others (1970). Generally, the equal-width-increment 

(EWI) method was used for all streams requiring 

depth-integrated sampling. A DH-81 suspendedsediment sampler was used for depth integration on 

wadeable streams. A D-77 cable-suspended sediment 

sampler was used from a bridge on streams where 

excessive depth or velocity prevented wading. On 

small streams where the use of a suspended-sediment 

sampler was impractical (shallow depth or small 

velocity), a dip sample at the centroid of flow was 

collected. Discrete dip or EWI samples collected 

during the horizontal transit of the stream were 

composited into a U.S. Geological Survey churn 

splitter. Representative subsamples for chemical analysis were withdrawn from the churn, bottled, and 

appropriately preserved.

Sample preservation and analysis of water 

samples for nutrients, organic carbon, and chlorophyll 

were made in accordance with procedures described in 

Fishman and Friedman (1989), Wershaw and others 

(1983), and Britton and Greeson (1987), respectively.

'The use of brand names in this report is for identification purposes 

only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Chemical analysis of samples collected for this study 

was done by the U.S. Geological Survey laboratory in 

Arvada, Colo. Concentrations of dissolved chemical 

constituents presented in this report were determined 

for water samples that were filtered through a membrane filter with a pore size of 0.45 micrometer. Total 

concentrations of constituents were determined on 

unfiltered samples of the water-sediment mixture. 

Determinations made at the time of sample collection 

or at the U.S. Geological Survey laboratory, Lawrence, 

Kans., included streamflow discharge, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, barometric pressure, 

and concentrations of DO and suspended sediment.

Streamflow discharge for water samples collected 

at established U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations 

with a stable, well-defined stream stage-discharge 

relation was determined by referencing the observed 

stream stage to the stage-discharge relation. 

Streamflow discharge at gaging stations with a shifting 

or questionable stage-discharge relation and at 

ungaged sites was determined by measuring the 

streamflow at the time of sampling in accordance with 

procedures described in Buchanan and Somers (1976).

Onsite measurements of specific conductance and 

pH were made with portable electronic meters on an 

aliquot of the composite stream sample in accordance 

with procedures described in Fishman and Friedman 

(1989). All pH measurements were recorded to the 

nearest 0.1 standard unit. Water temperature was 

determined onsite with a mercury or alcohol thermometer and recorded to the nearest 0.5 °C. Barometric 

pressure was measured with a portable barometer calibrated to National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration weather-station readings prior to start 

of the survey. Barometric pressure was recorded to the 

nearest 1.0 millimeter of mercury. Determinations of 

suspended-sediment concentrations were made in 

accordance with procedures described in Guy (1977).

Results of water-quality determinations and DO 

concentrations at all synoptic-sampling sites are 

shown in table 3. Results of analyses of water samples 

for concentrations of nutrients, total organic carbon, 

chlorophyll, and suspended sediment are shown in 

table 8 in the "Supplemental Information" section at 

the end of this report. Included in tables 3 and 8 are 

results from synoptic surveys of July 1988, November 

1988, March 1989, and May-June 1989. Also 

included in tables 3 and 8 are quality-assurance 

measurements and analyses. These measurements and 

analyses consist of duplicate determinations at

24 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissoived Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Fiow, Juiy 1988 Through July 1989
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989

[(iS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter, 

E, estimated; , no data; >, greater than]

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

1

2

5

6

9

10

Date

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-24-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

06-02-89

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

Time 

(24-hour)

1300

1205

1000

1010

1150

1050

1140

0830

1020

0850

0930

0820

0730

1200

1015

1445

0945

2150

0550

0815

1015

0930

0900

1300

1700

2100

0100

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

353

327

395

500

.65

2.1

3.7

1.3

240

455

395

496

6.2

1.4

24

E1.5

.34

E.30

E.30

1.4

E.01

.40

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.2

Specific 

conductance 

(nS/cm)

1,830

2,600

1,730

1,250

571

613

543

586

1,290

1,940

1,580

1,090

583

656

334

657

458

-

-

1,130

452

964

570

570

574

549

552

PH 

(standard 

units)

8.4

8.3

8.5

8.0

8.3

8.3

8.4

8.2

8.1

8.7

8.6

8.6

8.2

8.0

7.8

8.2

7.6

-

-

7.8

5.9

7.5

7.9

7.7

7.8

7.8

7.9

Temperature, 

water (°C)

28.0

15.0

3.0

21.0

27.5

15.0

5.5

22.0

26.0

7.5

6.0

21.0

24.0

6.0

.5

19.5

20.5

26.0

21.5

6.5

.5

16.0

21.0

23.0

27.0

28.0

26.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

739

718

745

740

740

720

745

738

738

731

749

739

741

718

730

726

725

722

721

705

773

718

734

725

725

724

724

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

9.3

10.2

15.3

8.6

8.1

8.8

14.1

6.0

7.8

10.6

15.2

9.8

7.0

11.0

8.3

11.2

1.6

2.9

1.2

4.4

2.0

1.0

6.3

7.0

7.6

7.4

6.2

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

123

108

117

100

106

93

115

71

100

93

125

114

86

94

60

128

19

38

14

39

14

11

74

86

101

100

81

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 25
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

10

11

12

16

17

Date

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

09-06-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

Time 

(24-hour)

0500

0900

1345

1000

1330

0845

1050

1215

1600

1000

1005

1400

1800

2200

0200

0600

0845

1130

0630

1800

1215

1145

1015

1600

1145

1230

1300

1700

2100

0100

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

8.2

8.2

.88

.19

30

17

25

E17

55

55

55

55

55

55

55

29

114

6.7

E6.7

E6.7

5.8

3.0

6.4

4.4

14

E14

E14

E18

E18

Specific 

conductance 

(|iS/cm)

561

566

513

680

586

580

621

408

641

555

555

548

549

585

577

595

689

476

__

«

-

946

1,030

909

838

__

532

356

535

644

PH 

(standard 

units)

7.7

7.9

8.0

7.6

7.6

8.1

8.3

7.8

8.1

8.0

8.0

8.0

8.2

7.6

8.0

8.0

8.2

7.6

7.6

-

7.7

7.5

7.7

7.6

8.0

7.8

8.0

8.0

8.0

Temperature, 

water (°C)

23.0

22.0

7.0

0

16.5

23.0

6.0

.5

18.5

23.0

23.0

25.0

26.0

26.0

24.0

23.0

5.5

.5

21.0

25.5

20.5

20.0

14.5

11.5

21.5

26.5

24.5

27.0

27.0

25.5

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

724

725

715

735

724

742

723

739

727

741

741

741

741

740

740

741

724

740

719

721

720

714

702

717

716

726

726

725

728

723

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

5.5

6.0

10.4

~

6.1

6.7

10.9

11.5

8.3

5.8

5.8

7.4

8.4

7.4

6.7

5.5

11.4

12.2

2.1

4.8

2.1

2.5

.6

4.0

4.9

6.8

7.1

8.1

6.5

5.6

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

68

72

91

~

66

80

92

82

93

70

70

92

107

94

82

66

95

87

25

63

25

29

6

40

59

92

90

107

86

72

26 Surf ace-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

17

18

19

21

23

Date

07-27-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

07-25-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

09-06-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

08-08-88

08-31-88

10-12-88

11-07-88

11-15-88

12-06-88

01-03-89

02-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

04-04-89

05-02-89

05-31-89

Time 

(24-hour)

0500

0900

1300

1130

1300

1130

1230

1445

1445

1200

1300

1245

1100

1010

1440

1425

1145

1245

1245

1115

1400

1230

1200

1420

1000

1130

1000

1400

1345

0955

0830

1430

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

E18

E18

E16

3.5

2.6

3.8

.26

.55

.26

27

14

15

15

6.5

2.5

2.5

2.9

2.2

75

81

48

55

57

58

53

59

49

76

98

70

64

E54

Specific 

conductance 

(^iS/cm)

662

639

626

970

920

427

998

828

1,060

533

713

630

604

660

995

980

852

870

518

556

590

467

~

610

-

684

668

539

484

632

609

610

PH 

(standard 

units)

8.0

7.9

7.8

7.7

7.6

7.8

7.8

7.7

8.5

8.3

8.3

7.6

7.8

7.9

8.3

8.3

7.4

7.6

8.2

8.1

8.5

7.8

8.3

8.0

8.2

7.8

7.8

8.0

7.9

8.1

8.3

8.2

Temperature, 

water (°C)

23.5

22.5

24.5

6.5

.5

23.5

7.5

0

26.5

27.0

7.5

0

19.0

23.0

19.5

8.5

0

18.5

25.5

26.0

21.0

11.5

8.0

8.0

3.5

0

0

0

1.0

7.0

9.5

19.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

722

724

725

708

724

727

707

724

717

734

709

732

723

734

721

716

737

724

743

726

730

733

730

711

735

732

731

731

741

726

726

725

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

5.9

6.0

7.1

8.4

9.2

5.1

8.9

12.4

12.1

7.6

11.2

14.7

6.2

7.1

11.1

17.8

~

4.9

7.6

7.6

11.3

10.6

11.3

9.9

10.7

13.8

10.8

13.1

13.6

12.7

9.7

5.2

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

74

73

90

74

67

63

80

90

161

99

101

105

71

86

128

162

-

56

95

99

133

101

-

90

-

99

77

94

99

110

89

59

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 27
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

26

27

28

29

31

Date

07-25-88

09-07-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

Time 

(24-hour)

1030

0840

1530

1500

1300

1325

1110

1345

1445

0600

1445

0855

1215

0630

1200

1240

1100

1330

1335

1730

2100

0200

0510

0915

1045

0900

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

184

83

112

192

E164

2.1

.29

1.5

E.50

22

7.2

6.8

E10

13

11

30

8.0

3.6

3.6

3.6

3.6

3.6

3.6

3.6

.75

2.9

Specific 

conductance 

(jaS/cm)

526

644

715

515

628

362

476

290

860

436

862

722

695

847

1,000

739

913

441

441

439

440

402

411

462

601

518

pH 

(standard 

units)

8.6

8.4

8.2

7.9

8.3

8.0

7.8

7.8

8.6

7.0

7.7

7.5

8.0

7.5

7.8

7.8

8.0

7.6

7.6

7.9

7.6

8.0

8.1

8.1

7.2

7.6

Temperature, 

water (°C)

25.5

16.0

8.5

4.0

20.0

28.5

8.5

.5

29.5

24.5

8.0

.5

19.5

24.0

8.5

1.0

19.0

27.0

27.0

26.0

26.5

23.0

21.5

21.0

7.0

.5

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

744

720

722

741

726

734

711

730

715

734

722

736

726

734

725

736

725

760

760

740

738

734

736

734

728

739

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

8.8

8.2

13.5

11.6

7.7

6.8

10.0

-

17.5

6.6

9.1

10.3

6.9

6.3

12.6

13.4

9.2

8.4

8.4

8.2

7.4

6.6

6.1

7.0

8.4

9.3

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

110

88

122

91

89

91

92

-

246

82

81

74

79

78

114

98

105

106

106

104

95

80

72

82

73

67

31 05-30-89 1630 0.51 582 8.0 24.0 722 5.1 64

28 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

32 07-25-88

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

Time 

(24-hour)

1330

1700

2100

0115

0950

0510

0900

0905

1300

1305

1700

1705

2100

2105

0100

0105

0500

0505

0900

0905

1000

1005

1400

1405

1800

1805

2200

2205

0200

0205

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

322

318

314

299

280

247

192

192

192

192

188

188

188

188

185

185

185

185

192

192

237

237

237

237

237

237

237

237

237

237

Specific 

conductance 

(fiS/cm)

533

529

520

550

567

530

801

801

808

808

845

845

776

776

764

764

759

759

761

716

592

592

594

594

583

583

570

570

537

537

pH Temper- 

(standard ature, 

units) water (°C)

8.4

8.3

8.4

8.3

8.3

8.5

7.9

7.9

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.1

8.1

8.1

8.1

7.9

7.9

7.9

7.9

7.8

7.8

7.7

7.7

7.8

7.8

28.0

29.0

29.0

27.0

25.0

26.0

7.0

7.0

8.0

8.0

8.0

8.0

8.5

8.5

9.0

9.0

9.5

9.5

9.5

9.5

0

0

1.0

1.0

.5

.5

.5

.5

.5

.5

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

761

735

735

734

734

734

729

728

726

726

724

724

723

723

720

720

718

718

718

718

740

740

737

737

736

736

737

737

738

738

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

7.3

7.2

6.7

6.7

7.2

5.8

11.2

11.2

12.7

12.7

12.3

12.3

11.6

11.6

11.2

11.2

10.4

10.4

10.1

10.1

12.8

12.8

13.1

13.1

12.7

12.7

14.0

14.0

13.0

13.0

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

94

97

91

88

91

74

97

97

113

113

110

110

105

105

103

103

97

97

94

94

90

90

95

95

91

91

101

101

93

93

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 29
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

32

34

Date

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

Time 

(24-hour)

0600

0605

1000

1005

1000

1005

1500

1505

1800

1810

2200

2205

0200

0210

0600

0610

1000

1005

0650

0915

1045

1445

1450

1845

2230

0230

0635

1020

1520

1345

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

237

237

237

237

163

163

163

163

163

163

163

163

163

163

163

163

163

163

12

19

19

19

19

19

19

19

19

5.2

4.5

3.1

Specific 

conductance 

(jiS/cm)

548

548

574

574

740

740

735

735

708

708

720

720

725

725

731

731

735

735

448

475

476

476

490

546

517

500

1,060

811

930

PH 

(standard 

units)

7.9

7.9

7.9

7.9

8.6

8.6

8.9

8.9

8.9

8.9

8.8

8.8

8.3

8.3

8.8

8.8

8.8

8.8

8.0

8.1

7.8

8.0

8.0

8.1

8.1

7.9

8.0

7.8

8.3

8.3

Temperature, 

water (°C)

0

0

.5

.5

23.0

23.0

25.0

25.0

25.0

25.0

25.0

25.0

24.5

24.5

22.5

22.5

21.5

21.5

25.0

24.0

24.5

28.0

28.0

28.0

25.0

24.5

23.0

6.0

2.5

27.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

739

739

739

739

722

722

722

722

723

723

725

725

726

726

111

727

725

725

740

738

738

735

735

733

734

732

730

727

738

723

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

12.0

12.0

13.2

13.2

7.7

7.7

13.9

13.9

13.5

13.5

10.2

10.2

8.1

8.1

6.0

6.0

7.1

7.1

6.2

6.4

7.2

8.9

8.9

9.3

7.5

7.5

7.3

10.1

18.9

8.1

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

85

85

95

95

95

95

178

178

173

173

130

130

102

102

73

73

85

85

78

79

89

118

118

124

95

94

89

85

143

108

30 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Fiow, Juiy 1988 Through July 1989
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig- 10)

35

36

37

38

39

Date

07-25-88

08-09-88

08-30-88

10-18-88

11-08-88

11-14-88

12-06-88

01-04-89

01-31-89

03-07-89

03-28-89

04-19-89

05-24-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-30-89

07-26-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-30-89

07-26-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

Time 

(24-hour)

0540

0915

1400

1000

1200

1145

0900

1100

1100

1435

1130

1130

0940

1245

1230

1050

0940

1240

0515

1100

0800

1200

0810

0940

0920

1320

0630

0815

1100

1030

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

376

138

136

171

166

193

229

200

329

303

270

223

220

187

393

270

316

161

18

8.0

11

8.3

31

55

67

52

32

52

79

45

Specific 

conductance 

(jjS/cm)

524

654

552

554

738

755

750

809

779

593

689

699

628

665

557

792

585

661

349

380

461

476

412

370

444

477

375

370

444

495

pH 

(standard 

units)

8.2

8.6

8.6

7.8

8.8

8.2

8.7

8.8

7.4

8.2

8.3

8.9

8.6

8.4

7.8

7.6

8.4

9.0

7.8

7.6

7.6

8.5

8.0

7.5

8.1

8.3

8.3

8.0

8.1

8.7

Temperature, 

water (°C)

25.0

28.0

23.5

15.0

9.0

6.5

3.5

1.5

1.0

1.0

12.5

13.0

23.0

23.0

28.0

7.5

.5

25.0

22.5

7.5

4.0

20.0

20.0

7.5

1.5

24.0

21.0

7.5

0

19.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

740

734

739

741

740

726

734

734

718

739

726

738

715

723

737

741

741

730

727

703

722

714

738

706

726

714

738

709

730

722

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

7.4

6.6

8.3

9.3

12.3

13.0

15.6

17.5

15.9

14.4

11.0

10.0

7.8

8.6

__

12.1

14.7

10.8

7.8

10.9

11.9

11.7

7.9

10.9

13.7

8.6

7.3

10.2

12.5

7.8

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

93

88

101

95

110

111

122

130

119

105

109

98

97

106

104

105

137

95

99

96

138

90

98

103

109

85

92

89

89

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 31
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

40 07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

41 07-26-88

42 07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

44 07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

46 07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

47 07-25-88

07-27-88

08-09-88

Time 

(24-hour)

0630

1655

1345

1200

0600

0545

1730

1250

1130

0845

1320

1710

2150

0120

0545

1555

1225

1300

0615

1355

1750

2110

0100

0510

1515

1200

1330

1150

0920

1135

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

55

69

118

61

1.5

37

20

26

25

133

119

127

116

127

112

118

133

91

18

9.0

E8.5

8.0

E7.5

E7.0

8.0

13

6.8

163

119

78

Specific 

conductance 

(^iS/cm)

397

430

448

500

378

370

337

354

385

396

374

423

435

375

393

455

488

520

398

411

460

498

440

448

560

599

604

501

512

578

pH Temper- 

(standard ature, 

units) water (°C)

8.0

8.2

8.2

8.3

7.8

7.5

7.4

7.7

7.8

7.4

--

~

-

--

8.3

8.0

8.2

8.2

7.8

8.1

7.9

7.7

8.2

7.2

8.1

8.1

8.0

8.7

9.0

8.4

22.0

9.0

0

20.0

18.0

17.5

11.0

12.5

15.0

28.0

27.0

27.0

27.0

27.5

25.0

7.0

2.5

21.0

26.0

26.5

27.0

26.5

25.5

23.5

6.5

1.0

21.0

29.0

27.0

26.5

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

734

718

734

730

738

734

716

734

725

734

732

733

734

732

734

720

738

730

734

732

732

734

732

734

723

738

730

740

740

733

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

6.0

12.2

16.4

8.5

8.1

6.6

7.9

11.3

9.8

6.8

9.4

10.6

6.5

5.7

5.3

13.1

15.0

8.3

6.4

7.0

7.2

5.6

7.0

5.6

12.9

15.5

6.9

7.2

15.0

10.9

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

71

112

117

98

89

72

76

110

102

91

123

139

85

75

67

114

114

97

82

91

94

73

89

69

111

113

81

97

195

141

32 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherlchia Coll Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

47

48

49

50

Date

08-30-88

10-18-88

11-09-88

11-14-88

12-06-88

01-10-89

02-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

04-05-89

05-01-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

07-24-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

Time 

(24-hour)

1100

1300

1200

1350

1300

1050

1115

1100

1040

0955

1200

1420

1215

1400

0830

1415

1400

1130

1135

1630

1635

1715

1720

1540

1545

1550

1555

1320

1340

1350

1355

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

75

113

118

133

135

86

109

179

200

138

142

110

12

12

13

5.9

206

166

166

150

150

150

150

110

110

110

110

7.0

16

16

16

Specific 

conductance 

(jiS/cm)

610

518

520

523

564

696

643

537

524

566

593

600

763

855

652

734

454

580

580

715

715

715

715

640

640

639

639

_

572

572

572

PH 

(standard 

units)

8.6

8.0

8.3

8.1

8.3

8.2

7.4

8.1

8.1

8.3

8.4

8.4

8.3

8.1

8.2

8.3

7.9

8.5

8.5

8.3

8.3

8.3

8.3

8.8

8.8

8.8

8.8

8.1

7.9

7.9

7.9

Temperature, 

water (°C)

21.0

14.0

8.0

9.0

3.0

0

0

0

.5

9.5

12.5

21.0

24.0

7.0

1.0

23.0

31.0

5.0

5.0

4.5

4.5

4.5

4.5

24.0

24.0

24.0

24.0

26.0

8.0

8.0

8.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

739

739

737

722

733

733

747

737

740

736

738

730

734

732

738

730

737

735

735

738

738

738

738

730

730

730

730

736

740

740

740

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

10.3

9.5

10.4

12.6

14.5

13.1

~

13.4

14.1

13.3

10.7

8.7

7.0

8.5

13.7

7.3

10.6

12.4

12.4

12.0

12.0

12.0

12.0

11.8

11.8

11.8

11.8

7.9

10.8

10.8

10.8

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

119

95

91

115

112

93

--

95

101

121

104

102

87

73

100

89

148

101

101

96

96

96

96

147

147

147

147

101

94

94

94

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 33
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

50

51

52

55

56

57

58

59

Date

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-24-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-24-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-02-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-29-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-10-89

05-30-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

Time 

(24-hour)

1130

1055

1445

0940

1115

1730

1045

1445

1430

1030

0930

1330

1345

0900

1120

1115

1100

1450

0815

1645

1645

0910

1445

1110

1845

1010

1100

1310

1145

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

16

4.0

5.7

15

6.0

1.0

1,870

492

442

396

1.4

1.6

4.3

.59

4.2

3.6

6.2

1.6

2.2

2.4

1.7

2,550

1,190

897

1,040

7.8

5.7

4.6

2.7

Specific 

conductance 

(jiS/cm)

588

592

655

857

1,350

1,110

549

660

684

591

504

865

526

503

550

~

629

468

457

637

476

701

1,040

1,080

845

656

698

~

727

PH 

(standard 

units)

8.3

8.1

8.2

8.9

8.3

8.1

8.1

8.2

8.2

8.3

6.6

7.8

8.4

8.0

7.1

7.7

8.3

8.3

7.9

8.4

7.7

8.4

8.4

8.5

8.3

8.1

8.0

8.3

7.9

Temperature, 

water (°C)

3.0

21.0

29.0

8.0

6.0

25.0

26.0

12.0

4.0

21.0

23.0

12.0

1.0

23.5

27.0

10.0

3.0

22.5

20.0

8.0

18.0

25.0

17.0

8.0

28.0

26.0

13.5

8.0

21.5

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

740

732

738

737

740

730

738

719

746

738

740

720

743

733

742

725

746

742

739

742

740

730

715

742

730

730

721

750

742

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

16.8

13.5

8.6

8.6

15.4

6.3

10.0

11.2

18.3

7.9

5.4

8.4

17.2

12.2

9.0

8.6

16.8

10.4

6.8

13.6

8.5

7.7

8.4

11.0

7.0

6.8

8.7

11.8

5.7

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

129

158

116

75

128

80

128

110

143

92

65

83

124

150

116

~

128

124

77

118

93

98

93

96

94

88

88

~

67

34 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coll Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

60

61

62

63

64

Date

07-29-88

11-15-88

03-09-89

06-01-89

07-28-88

07-29-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-28-88

07-29-88

07-29-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

06-01-89

07-29-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-01-89

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-29-88

07-29-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

Time 

(24-hour)

0535

1240

1230

1310

1745

0415

1030

1030

1710

1815

0530

0535

0755

1510

1815

0910

1000

1010

1300

1230

1235

1830

0005

0435

1530

1230

1235

1330

1335

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

1.8

1.5

2.5

.98

1,910

1,910

720

909

759

2,280

2,250

2,250

809

1,020

876

.50

.58

1.2

.36

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

3.9

4.6

4.6

4.6

4.6

Specific 

conductance 

((iS/cm)

615

831

748

815

621

595

1,100

1,040

892

633

642

642

983

1,130

864

834

1,020

730

698

504

504

490

524

522

645

650

650

655

655

pH 

(standard 

units)

8.2

8.3

8.2

7.9

8.8

8.2

8.7

8.3

8.4

8.3

7.5

7.5

8.5

8.6

8.4

7.2

7.9

8.1

7.6

8.3

8.3

8.3

7.9

7.9

8.5

8.3

8.3

8.3

8.3

Temperature, 

water (°C)

25.5

14.5

6.5

21.0

29.0

26.0

16.5

1.0

27.0

30.0

26.0

26.0

15.0

3.5

22.5

25.0

7.5

3.0

19.5

30.0

30.0

30.0

26.0

25.0

17.0

6.0

6.0

7.0

7.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

740

717

751

742

741

741

720

748

734

744

742

742

723

748

740

737

111

743

732

743

743

742

740

742

734

749

749

749

749

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

6.7

8.4

14.2

4.7

10.2

6.3

11.2

13.6

7.9

9.7

6.0

6.0

11.6

14.4

8.8

5.5

8.5

13.6

6.7

8.8

8.8

7.5

6.3

5.4

17.2

18.0

18.0

>20.0

>20.0

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

85

88

117

54

137

80

122

98

103

132

76

76

122

111

105

69

75

104

76

120

120

102

80

67

185

147

147

>167

>167

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 35
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

64

71

72

73

05-31-89

05-31-89

07-27-88

11-17-88

03-09-89

06-01-89

07-27-88

08-31-88

10-05-88

11-09-88

11-17-88

12-21-88

01-25-89

02-15-89

03-09-89

03-15-89

04-19-89

05-17-89

06-02-89

07-27-88

11-17-88

11-17-88

11-17-88

11-17-88

03-09-89

03-09-89

03-09-89

03-09-89

06-02-89

Time 

(24-hour)

1430

1435

0610

1230

1100

1445

0745

1025

1000

1020

1020

1010

1220

1035

1230

1135

0925

1320

0945

0810

1300

1305

1345

1350

1400

1405

1440

1445

1100

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

3.0

3.0

1.0

2.5

2.2

3.6

2.4

1.5

1.5

2.5

22

9.6

12

E6.1

14

9.9

4.7

2.5

2.1

.60

3.5

3.5

3.5

3.5

6.5

6.5

6.5

6.5

.79

Specific 

conductance 

(|iS/cm)

543

543

1,600

1,350

1,420

-

677

694

636

860

816

__

736

963

602

569

111

917

--

697

730

730

730

730

630

630

630

630

753

pH Temper- 

(standard ature, 

units) water (°C)

7.9

7.9

7.6

7.9

8.1

7.7

7.8

8.3

8.7

8.3

8.4

8.5

8.6

8.2

8.4

8.8

8.4

8.3

7.9

7.7

8.1

8.1

8.1

8.1

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.2

7.9

28.0

28.0

23.0

6.5

4.5

20.0

20.5

20.5

10.5

8.5

5.5

0

4.0

0

9.0

9.0

10.0

19.5

19.5

20.5

6.5

6.5

6.5

6.5

6.5

6.5

6.5

6.5

22.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

734

734

738

737

747

737

739

-

~

743

~

-

749

-

_

-

732

738

740

740

740

740

747

747

747

747

735

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

10.8

10.8

4.5

11.4

14.9

7.0

6.2

10.0

9.7

8.7

12.1

10.5

11.2

13.5

15.1

9.0

10.0

7.9

9.0

5.2

12.6

12.6

12.6

12.6

13.7

13.7

13.7

13.7

8.3

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

144

144

55

96

118

79

71

-

-

-

99

__

-

~

133

~

__

-

-

60

106

106

106

106

114

114

114

114

99

06-02-89 1105 .79 753 7.9 22.0 735 8.3 99

36 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

74

76

Date

07-29-88

08-10-88

08-31-88

10-05-88

11-09-88

11-15-88

12-21-88

01-25-89

02-15-89

03-07-89

03-15-89

04-19-89

05-17-89

05-31-89

07-27-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

Time 

(24-hour)

1020

1300

1320

1300

1310

1430

1315

0845

1335

0800

0845

1235

1045

1630

1805

0025

0615

1215

1220

0600

0610

1000

1005

1400

1410

1800

1805

2200

2205

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

feet per 

second)

25

25

100

200

50

50

25

22

22

22

22

22

22

22

2,240

2,210

2,260

2,240

2,330

1,090

1,090

1,080

1,080

1,080

1,080

1,080

1,080

1,080

1,080

Specific 

conductance 

(US/cm)

401

431

384

360

396

378

~

354

394

389

390

385

419

399

628

586

634

680

680

1,010

1,010

1,120

1,120

1,010

1,010

1,030

1,030

1,050

1,050

PH 

(standard 

units)

7.6

8.0

8.2

8.6

8.6

8.4

8.8

8.8

8.1

7.8

8.3

8.5

8.1

7.8

8.4

8.5

7.7

8.6

8.6

7.7

7.7

8.1

8.1

8.3

8.3

8.4

8.4

8.3

8.3

Temperature, 

water (°C)

20.5

23.5

26.0

18.0

12.0

11.5

5.0

2.5

1.5

2.5

8.0

15.5

16.0

18.5

30.5

28.0

27.0

28.5

28.5

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

15.0

15.0

13.0

13.0

13.0

13.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

742

~

-

~

~

724

-

~

-

758

__

-

~

735

743

746

744

744

744

747

747

737

737

738

738

733

733

732

732

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

8.4

7.9

8.2

9.6

10.7

9.0

13.2

11.3

10.7

12.9

10.9

13.1

8.9

8.1

11.4

7.6

5.8

9.6

9.6

10.2

10.2

10.6

10.6

9.8

9.8

10.1

10.1

9.5

9.5

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

96

-

~

-

-

87

~

-

-

95

._

--

~

90

157

100

75

127

127

90

90

95

95

101

101

100

100

94

94

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 37
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

76 11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

05-31-89

77 07-27-88

07-28-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-03-89

78 07-28-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-01-89

79 07-29-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

Time feet per 

(24-hour) second)

0200

0205

0605

0615

1010

1015

1400

1405

1410

1800

1805

2200

2205

0200

0205

0600

0605

1845

1825

0605

1030

1345

0935

0515

1440

1030

1800

0645

1600

0930

1,080

1,080

1,060

1,010

932

932

852

852

852

892

892

964

964

1,020

1,020

1,070

1,070

852

2,940

E2,940

1,520

784

950

2,580

980

767

860

.36

.40

E.15

Specific 

conductance 

(jiS/cm)

1,070

1,070

1,060

1,180

1,190

1,190

1,170

1,170

1,170

1,240

1,240

1,190

1,190

1,180

1,180

1,310

1,310

866

625

567

1,100

1,180

913

570

966

1,170

810

409

528

507

pH Temper- 

(standard ature, 

units) water (°C)

8.3

8.3

8.5

8.2

8.4

8.4

8.3

8.3

8.3

8.4

8.4

8.5

8.5

8.7

8.7

8.7

8.7

8.2

7.9

8.3

8.5

8.5

8.5

8.3

8.6

8.3

8.4

7.6

8.0

7.6

13.0

13.0

14.5

.5

.5

.5

4.0

4.0

4.0

5.5

5.5

4.0

4.0

2.0

2.0

.5

.5

26.0

29.0

28.5

10.0

3.0

25.0

26.0

12.0

1.0

23.5

24.5

6.5

24.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

732

732

724

758

755

755

747

747

747

752

752

754

754

757

757

748

748

730

745

745

743

749

740

740

733

751

730

740

748

736

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

9.1

9.1

9.9

14.1

13.8

13.8

13.1

13.1

13.1

12.8

12.8

12.7

12.7

12.8

12.8

13.0

13.0

7.2

10.7

8.5

10.8

16.2

8.0

6.6

11.4

15.8

9.0

5.0

12.0

4.5

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

90

90

103

99

97

97

102

102

102

103

103

98

98

94

94

92

92

93

143

112

98

123

100

84

110

113

111

62

100

56

38 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

83

86

87

88

07-29-88

08-10-88

08-31-88

10-05-88

11-09-88

11-16-88

12-21-88

01-25-89

02-15-89

03-07-89

03-15-89

04-19-89

05-17-89

05-31-89

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

03-08-89

06-02-89

07-28-88

07-28-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

06-02-89

07-27-88

07-27-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

Streamflow, 

instantaneous Specific 

(cubic conductTime feet per ance 

(24-hour) second) (jiS/cm)

0530

1500

1500

1500

1555

1520

1515

1605

1535

1300

1435

1450

0755

1045

0615

0620

1200

1200

1250

0445

1500

1345

1350

1415

1530

1815

2400

0610

1220

1225

24

23

240

28

9.2

11

4.9

8.6

E6.2

4.2

4.6

24

24

22

E.05

E.05

E.40

4.5

E.30

.06

.06

2.4

2.4

6.0

9.1

2,500

2,320

2,290

2,280

2,280

320

339

313

291

-

476

375

300

386

373

376

347

358

340

529

529

515

534

557

481

474

490

490

494

304

525

628

656

709

709

pH 

(standard 

units)

7.8

8.3

8.4

8.3

8.1

7.4

8.3

7.9

8.2

8.3

8.3

8.3

8.0

7.8

7.5

7.5

7.8

8.2

7.8

7.7

8.1

7.8

7.8

8.3

7.7

8.2

7.7

8.4

8.2

8.2

Temperature, 

water (°C)

26.0

29.0

25.5

16.5

10.0

10.5

4.0

6.0

1.0

2.5

10.5

15.5

19.0

24.5

22.5

22.5

25.5

3.5

23.5

25.5

29.0

10.0

10.0

5.5

23.0

30.0

29.0

27.0

28.0

28.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

741

-

-

-

-

~

~

~

746

__

~

~

738

743

743

745

757

736

745

745

735

735

748

738

730

746

740

740

740

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

6.7

8.5

8.0

9.4

8.3

2.7

11.8

9.6

12.7

14.3

10.2

9.6

7.1

5.9

2.7

2.7

7.0

15.5

8.1

5.4

8.5

8.4

8.4

13.7

5.6

7.0

6.8

5.8

8.2

8.2

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

85

«

~

~

--

__

«

~

~

107

__

~

-

73

32

32

88

118

99

68

113

77

77

111

68

97

91

75

108

108

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 39
Table 3. Results of water-quality determinations and dissolved-oxygen concentrations at synoptic-sampling 

sites in the lower Kansas River Basin, July 1988 through June 1989 Continued

Site mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

88

90

91

11-16-88

11-16-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

07-29-88

07-29-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-02-89

07-29-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-02-89

Streamflow, 

instantaneous 

(cubic 

Time feet per 

(24-hour) second)

1510

1515

1550

1555

1630

1635

1905

1910

0510

0515

1210

1215

1315

1320

0925

1440

0615

1000

1320

1145

1,060

1,060

608

608

608

608

1,180

1,180

9.9

9.9

24

24

24

24

28

32

E2,550

1,010

1,090

1,180

Specific 

conductance 

(jiS/cm)

1,080

1,080

1,380

1,380

1,380

1,380

927

927

972

972

1,030

1,030

1,000

1,000

1,510

1,100

723

923

-

1,170

pH Temper- 

(standard ature, 

units) water (°C)

8.5

8.5

8.8

8.8

8.8

8.8

8.6

8.6

7.7

7.7

8.1

8.1

7.8

7.8

8.4

7.9

8.4

8.3

9.0

8.0

9.5

9.5

8.0

8.0

8.0

8.0

28.0

28.0

24.0

24.0

16.0

16.0

17.0

17.0

6.0

23.0

28.0

11.5

6.0

26.0

Barometric 

pressure 

(mm of 

Hg)

739

739

750

750

750

750

735

735

740

740

736

736

736

736

752

739

740

736

752

744

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

10.0

10.0

11.6

11.6

11.6

11.6

10.4

10.4

2.9

2.9

7.4

7.4

6.4

6.4

12.0

7.3

5.5

8.4

11.8

5.0

Oxygen, 

dissolved 

(percent 

saturation)

91

91

100

100

100

100

138

138

36

36

78

78

69

69

98

88

73

80

~

63

40 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
selected sites and times and are denoted by a time 

5 minutes later than the primary determination. 

Duplicate analyses reported in table 8 were performed 

on splits of single water samples.

Area! Variations

Areal variations in predawn DO concentrations for 

the July 1988 synoptic survey are shown in figure 11. 

Of the 31 sites shown in figure 11,5 had concentrations smaller than the 5.0-mg/L, 1-day minimum, 

warmwater criterion for early life stages. Concentrations at 4 of these 5 sites were less than the 3.0-mg/L 

criterion for all other life stages. These 5 sites were: 

Lincoln Creek near Aurora, Nebr. (site 9), West Fork 

Big Blue River near Hastings, Nebr. (site 16), 

Delaware River near Fairview, Kans. (site 71), 

Stranger Creek at Easton, Kans. (site 86), and Turkey 

Creek at Kansas City, Kans. (site 90). DO concentrations for these sites are listed in table 3.

The DO deficiencies at sites 9, 16, and 90 appear 

to be the result of discharge of oxygen-demanding 

material from a municipal wastewater-treatment 

facility in excess of the assimilation capacity of the 

stream. Site 9 is approximately 1.25 stream mi downstream from the Aurora, Nebr., municipal-waste water 

discharge point. The USEPA permitted discharge for 

this facility is 0.37 Mgal/d or an average discharge of 

0.57 ft3/s. Measured streamflow at site 9 on July 26, 

1988, was 0.34 ft3/s (table 3); therefore, a substantial 

part of this streamflow probably originated as wastewater discharge. Measurement of DO on subsequent 

synoptic surveys showed similar concentrations to 

those observed on July 26, with the exception of the 

November 15, 1988, measurement of 4.4 mg/L. 

Although a DO concentration of 4.4 mg/L appears 

large in relation to other DO data and nutrient concentrations, it may be the result of larger streamflow 

(1.4 ft3/s) that probably produced greater surface turbulence, greater reaeration, and cooler water temperature (6.5 °C), which contributed to greater oxygen 

solubility. However, 4.4 mg/L was only 39 percent of 

saturation, similar to the July 26, 1988 (2150 hours), 

observation.

Site 16 is about 2 mi downstream from the 

Hastings, Nebr., wastewater-treatment facility. The 

permitted discharge for this facility is 2.75 Mgal/d 

(4.26 ft /s) and, thus, conceivably accounts for a substantial part of the 6.7 ft3/s streamflow measured at

site 16 on July 26, 1988 (table 3). The 2.1-mg/L, predawn (0630 hours) DO concentration measured on 

July 26, 1988, was considerably less than the 

3.0-mg/L, 1-day minimum criteria for adult organisms. Additionally, a DO measurement was made at 

1800 hours on July 26 to estimate maximum diel variability and the result of photosynthesis. This second 

measurement (4.8 mg/L) was less than the 5.0-mg/L 

criterion. In fact, no DO measurements at site 16 for 

any of the synoptic surveys were greater than the 

5.0-mg/L criterion, and furthermore, the smallest DO 

concentration observed in water at any site during any 

synoptic survey was at site 16 on November 15, 1988 

(0.6 mg/L). The exact length of the West Fork Big 

Blue River adversely affected by wastewater discharge 

is not known; however, the predawn DO concentration at the next downstream sampling site (site 17) was 

5.9 mg/L at 0500 hours on July 27, 1988, and nutrient 

concentrations were considerably smaller. Site 17 is 

43 stream mi from site 16.

Site 90 is approximately 2 mi downstream from a 

major wastewater-treatment facility, which has a 

permitted discharge rate of 15 Mgal/d. The effect of 

this discharge during the July 1988 synoptic survey is 

evident at site 90. The predawn (0510 hours) DO 

concentration was 2.9 mg/L on July 29,1988. Concentrations of nutrients and organic carbon were 

exceptionally large at this site and were some of the 

largest observed at any site during any synoptic 

survey. However, DO concentrations less than the 

5.0-mg/L criteria were not observed at site 90 during 

any of the other surveys. This can be attributed to a 

combination of larger flow rates, cooler water 

temperatures, and the fact that predawn sampling 

(when DO concentrations would be minimal) was not 

conducted at this site during subsequent synoptic 

surveys.

The predawn DO concentration at site 71 was 

4.5 mg/L on July 27, 1988. The flow at this site 

includes discharge from the Sabetha, Kans., 

wastewater-treatment facility, which is located about 

12 mi upstream from site 71, but the effect of this 

discharge on DO concentrations at site 71 appears to 

be minimal. An examination of nutrient concentrations 

from this site indicates no unusually large concentrations that may indicate wastewater discharges; therefore, it appears that the reach of stream upstream of 

site 71 is adequate for the assimilation of the 

0.13 Mgal/d permitted discharge from this facility. The 

small DO concentration observed on July 27 is proDissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 41
w

Q, 0)

i!

3. > 0) W 5-8

2 5O 3S W

- to

c. w(O ^ Sff-I S2.

cr

3 w

g55'

ai 

I

(O (D

0)

40'

EXPLANATION

DISSOLVED-OXYGEN CONCENTRATION 

In milligrams per liter, July 24-29, 1988. Number 

is map-index number used in text and tables

86 V SMALLER THAN 3.0

71 V 3.0-5.0

12 V LARGER THAN 5.0

MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER-TREATMENT PLANTS

O Permitted discharge of 1 million 

gallons per day or more

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 1:2,000,000, 1972 Lambert Conformal Conic projection Standard parallels 33° and 45° Boundary of study unit

20 40 60 KILOMETERS

Figure 11. Areal distribution of predawn dissolved-oxygen concentrations, July 24-29,1988, and location of municipal wastewater-treatment plants with permitted 

discharges of 1.0 million gallons per day or more.
bably the result of reduced reaeration during low flow 

and of algal respiration. Although the algal biomass, 

as indicated by a chlorophyll-a concentration of 

15 jig/L (micrograms per liter) (table 8), was not 

exceptionally large compared to other sites, it probably was sufficient to create an oxygen depression 

during the night. In addition to the free-floating algae, 

large accumulations of periphyton have been observed 

at this site. Periphyton respiration also would place an 

oxygen demand on the stream. No other DO concentrations less than the criteria were observed at this site 

during subsequent surveys.

The predawn DO concentration at site 86 was 

2.7 mg/L on July 28,1988. Upstream of site 86 there 

are two wastewater-treatment facilities with a combined permitted discharge of 0.07 Mgal/d. However, 

these facilities are about 20 mi upstream of site 86 and 

are believed to have little effect at this site. The small 

predawn DO concentration observed on July 28 probably was the result of inadequate physical reaeration 

associated with extremely small streamflow 

(0.05 ft3/s) and of algal respiration. When the site was 

revisited at 1200 hours on July 28, streamflow had 

increased to 0.40 ft3/s, and the DO concentration to 

7.0 mg/L. The unusual increase in streamflow might 

have been the result of beaver activity upstream from 

site 86. Beavers have built dams on the upstream 

reaches of Stranger Creek, including site 86, for many 

years. Their nocturnal construction activities can 

substantially reduce streamflow for short periods of 

time. The increase in streamflow observed on July 28 

may be attributed to a breach in one of these upstream 

dams or may represent a reestablishment of normal 

base flow following dam construction. Another 

possible explanation may be the withdrawal of 

upstream water for irrigation purposes, ceasing 

sometime after 0615 hours, and subsequent 

resumption of normal flow. The 7.0-mg/L DO 

concentration observed at 1200 hours probably is the 

result of reaeration and photosynthesis. No other DO 

concentrations measured at site 86 during subsequent 

surveys were less than established criteria.

DO concentrations were measured as part of the 

ancillary data collected with synoptic surveys for 

nutrients in November 1988 and March and May-June 

1989. Four of those measurements were less than 

established criteria: 4.9 mg/L, Beaver Creek near 

York, Nebr. (site 21), May 31, 1989; 4.7 mg/L, Cross 

Creek at Rossville, Kans. (site 60), June 1, 1989; 4.5 

mg/L, Wakarusa River near Berryton, Kans. (site 79),

May 31, 1989; and 2.7 mg/L, Wakarusa River near 

Lawrence, Kans. (site 83), November 16, 1988.

Site 21 is located approximately 5 mi downstream 

from the 1.28-Mgal/d (permitted) municipal 

wastewater-treatment facility at York, Nebr. Although 

discharge from this facility did not seem to have an 

adverse effect on DO concentrations during the July 

1988 synoptic survey, subsequent surveys identified 

large concentrations of nutrients, particularly nitrite 

plus nitrate-nitrogen and phosphorus. Discharge from 

the facility may have caused the 4.9-mg/L DO 

concentration measured on May 31, 1989.

The DO concentrations measured at sites 60 and 

79 during the May-June 1989 synoptic survey were 

slightly less than the 5.0-mg/L criterion. This probably 

resulted from a combination of reduced physical

o

reaeration associated with low flow (0.98 ft /s at site

o

60 and 0.15 ft /s at site 79) and decomposition of 

organic material accelerated by warmer water. 

Upstream from site 60 are two municipal wastewatertreatment facilities with a combined permitteddischarge rate of 0.8 Mgal/d; however, the nearest of 

these facilities is more than 10 stream mi from site 60. 

An examination of nutrient concentrations for site 60 

shows small concentrations, which seems to indicate 

that the effects of wastewater discharge are not evident 

at this sampling site. No wastewater-treatment 

facilities are upstream from site 79; however, a beaver 

dam was located immediately upstream of the 

sampling site. Decomposition of bottom material in 

the placid water behind the dam, a reduction in 

physical reaeration associated with extremely low 

streamflow, and the relatively early-morning (0930 

hours) observation, all may contribute to the 4.5-mg/L 

DO concentration measured on May 31, 1989.

The 2.7-mg/L DO concentration measured at site 

83 on November 16, 1988, probably was the result of 

oxygen-demanding material transported into the 

stream by an isolated, short-duration rain the day of 

sampling. Observer notes for November 16 indicated 

that the stream was turbid with a very fine suspended 

material resulting from localized runoff from adjacent 

farmland. Site 83 is downstream of Clinton Lake and 

does not receive discharge from wastewater-treatment 

facilities.

Concentrations of DO in violation of water-quality 

criteria in the lower Kansas River Basin are localized 

occurrences and do not reflect regional variation in 

DO. Generally, the most severe DO deficiencies are 

the result of discharges from municipal wastewaterDissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 43
treatment facilities into small tributary streams with 

inadequate dilution or assimilation capacity. Algal 

respiration in combination with reduced physical 

reaeration associated with low streamflow also may 

cause temporary, localized deficiencies in DO 

concentrations. Oxygen demand from the decomposition of benthic material in pooled or placid streams 

may serve to compound the effect of reduced physical 

reaeration.

Concentrations of DO less than water-quality 

criteria were not observed on major tributaries or the 

main stem of the Kansas River. DO concentrations 

appear to be relatively similar throughout the basin. 

When mean predawn concentrations are compared 

between sites on the Big Blue River (sites 12, 32, 35), 

Little Blue River (sites 37, 39, 40, 44), and Kansas 

River (sites 61, 62, 76, 77, 78, 88, 91), there is little 

appreciable difference (6.23 mg/L, 6.60 mg/L, and 

6.36 mg/L, respectively). Of the 31 sites where predawn DO measurements were made, 5 sites 

(16 percent) had concentrations less than water-quality 

criteria. Of all DO concentrations measured (392) in 

conjunction with synoptic surveys (table 3), only 

9 measurements (2.3 percent) were less than waterquality criteria.

Diel Variability

Daily DO fluctuations and diel variability are 

largely dependent on temperature fluctuations and 

photosynthesis-respiration relations. In slow, shallow 

streams (typical of the lower Kansas River Basin) that 

contain an abundance of phytoplankton, periphyton, 

and rooted aquatic plants, daytime photosynthetic production exceeds physical reaeration as a source of 

oxygen and exceeds consumption from respiration. 

The result frequently is supersaturation during the day, 

followed by a decrease to less than saturation at night. 

Depending upon oxygen demand, daily minimum DO 

concentrations usually occur prior to early-morning 

water-temperature lows (Reid and Wood, 1976, 

p. 215). DO concentrations may be acutely affected by 

sunlight intensity. The considerable diel variability in 

DO indicates the importance of more than a single DO 

measurement to adequately define the oxygen regime 

in a stream.

To describe DO diel variability in the lower 

Kansas River Basin, 11 sites were sampled during July 

1988, at 4- or 6-hour intervals for approximately

24 hours. Results of DO measurements for these sites 

are shown in figure 12. Results of ancillary onsite 

measurements are listed in table 3. Results of chemical 

analysis of water samples for nutrients, organic carbon, chlorophyll, and suspended sediment collected 

during these diel studies are listed in table 8 in the 

"Supplemental Information" section of this report. At 

site 32, Big Blue River at Beatrice, Nebr., the DO 

measurement at 0500 hours on July 26, 1988, was inadvertently omitted during the survey. The DO concentration for 0500 hours shown in figure 12 for 

site 32 was assumed to be equal to the 5.8-mg/L 

concentration measured at 0510 hours on July 27.

At nearly every site, minimum DO concentrations 

occurred just before dawn (about 0600 hours), and 

maximum concentrations occurred in late afternoonearly evening (about 1800 hours). Concentrations of 

DO less than the 5.0-mg/L criterion were not 

measured at any of the diel-study sites. The largest DO 

concentrations measured were at site 44, Little Blue 

River near Fairbury, Nebr. (10.6 mg/L) and site 76, 

Kansas River at Lecompton, Kans. (11.4 mg/L). The 

largest ranges in DO concentration also occurred at 

these two sites (5.3 and 5.6 mg/L, respectively). Two 

of the three largest chlorophyll concentrations 

(chlorophyll-a plus chlorophyll-^) occurred at site 44 

and site 76 (113 and 85 |lg/L, respectively, table 8).

As a result of diel variability, DO shown in figure 

12 and table 3 was supersaturated during the day and 

less than saturation during the night except at sites 32 

and 46. Maximum DO at all sites ranged from 

94-percent saturation at site 46 to 157 percent at 

site 76, with a mean maximum of 115 percent. Minimum DO at all sites ranged from 66-percent saturation 

at site 12 to 79 percent at site 34, with a mean minimum of 72 percent. Mean DO using all measurements 

at all sites was 92-percent saturation. It appears that 

diel variability in streams not affected by localized 

problems is basically a function of the photosynthesisrespiration relation and, to a lesser extent, a function 

of the temperature-atmospheric, pressure-solubility 

relation.

Seasonal effects on diel variability were examined 

at site 32, Big Blue River at Beatrice, Nebr., and site 

76, Kansas River at Lecompton, Kans. Diel studies 

were conducted at both sites in July and November 

1988 and March 1989; and at site 32 in May 1989. 

Results of these diel studies are shown in figure 13. 

The effect of water temperature on oxygen solubility is 

evident in figure 13. Water temperatures at both sites

44 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coll Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
10.0

8.0

6.0

CC 

UJ

13 4.0

CC

UJ

Q.

12.0

10.0

8.0

6.0

4.0

SITE 10 JULY 26-27 

SITE 12 JULY 26-27 

SITE 17 JULY 26-27

\1-DAYMINIMUM

WARMWATER CRITERION 

J_____I_____I_____I____

SITE 44 JULY 26-27 

SITE 46 JULY 26-27

1-DAY MINIMUM 

WARMWATER CRITERION 

I_____I_____I____

SITE 31 JULY 25-26 

SITE 32 JULY 25-26 

SITE 34 JULY 26-27

ESTIMATED VALUE

1-DAY MINIMUM 

WARMWATER CRITERION 

I_____|_____I____

SITE 64 JULY 28-29 

SITE 76 JULY 27-28 

SITE 88 JULY 27-28

1-DAY MINIMUM 

WARMWATER CRITERION

I_____I_____I

TIME (24-HOUR)

Figure 12. Diel variability of dissolved-oxygen concentrations at selected synoptic-sampling sites in the lower Kansas River 

Basin for survey of July 1988 (criterion established by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1986).

Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations 45
14.0

10.0

LLJ

CE 

LLJ 

Q.

GO

1 6.0

CE 

O

4.0

SITE 32 BIG BLUE RIVER AT BEATRICE, NEBR.

MAR. 7-8, 1989- 

NOV. 14-15, 1988-'

/

/ 

1

/

/ 

MAY 30-31, ' 1989

JULY 25-26, 1 988

ESTIMATED VALUE

1-DAY MINIMUM WARMWATER CRITERION

LLJ 16.0 

O

O

Q 

gl4.0

8 

GO

Q

12.0

10.0

8.0

6.0

4.0

SITE 76 KANSAS RIVER AT LECOMPTON, KANS.

'' .. '"' 

JULY 27-28, 1988

MAR. 7-8, 1989

NOV. 14-15, 1988

1-DAY MINIMUM WARMWATER CRITERION 

i i i

2400 0600 1200 1800 2400

TIME (24-HOUR)

0600 1200 1800

Figure 13. Seasonal effect on the diel variability of dissolved-oxygen concentrations in the Big Blue River at Beatrice, 

Nebr., and the Kansas River at Lecompton, Kans. (criterion established by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

1986).

46 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coll Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, Juiy 1988 Through July 1989
ranged from 25.0 to 30.5 °C in July 1988,7.0 to 

15.0 °C in November 1988,0 to 5.5 °C in March 1989, 

and 21.5 to 25.0 °C in May 1989. As water temperature decreased, DO concentrations increased, and 

generally, diel variability decreased. The decreased 

diel variability was most pronounced at site 76.

During the July 1988 survey at site 76, the diel 

variability of DO concentrations was 5.6 mg/L. Variabilities for the November 1988 and March 1989 

surveys were 1.5 and 1.4 mg/L, respectively. This 

reduced diel variability can be attributed to smaller 

algal biomass and cooler water, which reduces the rate 

of biochemical reactions including photosynthesis 

and respiration. Reduction in algal biomass is shown 

by chlorophyll concentrations of March 7,1989, 

which averaged 5.9 p,g/L for three replicate samples 

(table 8). This contrasts with the 85-fO.g/L concentration on July 28, 1988, when the water was 

considerably warmer.

Generally, DO concentrations during the coldweather months are a function of the water temperature. This can be seen in the gradual reduction in DO 

concentrations during the daylight hours as the water 

warms. Maximum DO concentrations occur before 

noon when water temperature is coolest, the reverse of 

the warm-weather response. This was most evident 

during the November 1988 survey at sites 32 and 76 

and the March 1989 survey at site 76.

ESCHERICHIA COL/DENSITIES

Sources and Water-Quality Criteria

The bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) is 

indigenous solely to the intestinal tract of warmblooded animals. It is a member of the family 

Enterobacteriaceae and the predominate bacterium in 

the fecal coliform group (McKinney, 1962). 

Therefore, the presence of E. coli in the aquatic environment is an indication of fecal contamination. This 

contamination may come from municipal wastewater 

discharges; leachate from domestic septic systems, 

runoff or ground-water seepage from livestockproducing areas (pasture and confined feedlots), or 

wildlife populations.

Seyfried and others (1984) state that municipal 

wastewater discharges can have a detrimental effect on 

the water quality of receiving streams not only in 

regard to fecal bacteria but also to the introduction of

pathogenic organisms, such as reo-, adeno-, and enterovirus; coxsackievirus; and poliovirus. The studies of 

Stephenson and Street (1978), Doran and others 

(1981), and Gary and others (1983) have demonstrated 

the effect of cattle production on fecal coliform densities in runoff from grazed and pastured land and in 

streams adjacent to these areas. Kress and Gifford 

(1984) attempted to quantify release of fecal coliforms 

from cattle fecal deposits of various ages and under 

varying rainfall intensities. Hagedorn and others 

(1978) have shown that E. coli can survive lateral 

movement through soil at sites with as little as 

2-percent slope.

The survival characteristics off1, coli in aquatic 

environments of various chemical compositions were 

studied by Lim and Flint (1989). They found that in 

filtered, autoclaved lake water, E. coli survived for 12 

days without a decline in viable counts. The addition 

of synthetic sewage to unfiltered water led to an 

increase in viable counts and also to an increase in 

survival time relative to unfiltered water without synthetic sewage. The addition of a nitrogen source, likewise, increased survival times and was proportional to 

the concentration of the nitrogen source.

For many years prior to 1986, densities of fecal 

coliform and total coliform bacteria were traditional 

measures of sanitary quality. In 1986, the USEPA 

revised the ambient water-quality criteria for marine 

and freshwater (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 1986) and recommended that criteria for 

E. coli and the Enterococci organisms replace criteria 

for fecal coliform and total coliform bacteria in State 

water-quality regulations for the protection of 

primary-contact recreation. The USEPA has established several levels of human-health protection with 

regard to the single-sample maximum allowable 

density of E. coli based on frequency of use of the 

water body. The least stringent of these levels, infrequently used full-body contact recreation, has been set 

at 576 col/100 mL (colonies per 100 milliliters of 

water). Additionally, the Kansas Department of Health 

and Environment has established a criterion for fecal 

coliform of 2,000 col/100 mL for those streams available for all beneficial uses other than primary (fullbody) contact recreation (Fromm and Wilk, 1988). 

Because the fecal coliform group may contain bacteria 

other than E. coli, the 2,000-col/lOO mL criterion, if 

applied to E. coli, may result in a less-stringent criterion than that currently established (that is, 

2,000 E.-coli col/100 mL probably equates to more

Escherichia Coli Densities 47
than 2,000 fecal coliform col/100 mL). However, 

because few streams or segments of streams in the 

study unit are classified by the Kansas Department of 

Health and Environment or the Nebraska Department 

of Environmental Control for full-body contact, it is 

appropriate that some criterion for other than primary 

contact be used for evaluating E. coli densities observed during this study. Therefore, both the 

2,000-coyiOO mL criterion and the 576-coyiOO mL 

criterion will be used in this report. These criteria are 

applicable only during stable-flow, dry-weather 

conditions.

Data Collection and Analysis

Water samples for determination of E. coli 

densities were collected July 24 29, 1988, in conjunction with a synoptic survey for determination of DO 

concentrations. A followup synoptic survey of E. coli 

was conducted July 16-21, 1989, to verify results 

obtained the previous year. The location of synopticsampling sites are described in table 2 and shown in 

figure 10.

Samples at 57 sites were collected during stable, 

low-streamflow, conditions. Samples representative of 

the stream cross section were collected using the 

equal-width-increment (EWI) method and a sterile 

DH-81 depth-integrating suspended-sediment sampler 

on wadeable streams or a sterile D-77 suspendedsediment sampler where depth necessitated collection 

from a bridge (Guy and Norman, 1970). The EWI 

method has been described previously in the "Study 

Approach" section of this report; however, samples for 

E. coli analysis were not composited in a churn 

splitter. On small, shallow streams where depthintegrating samplers were inappropriate, a sample was 

collected by hand dipping a sterilized samplecollection bottle into the centroid of flow. Sampler 

nozzles, gaskets, and collection bottles were cleaned 

and autoclaved for 20 minutes at 121 °C and 15 lb/in2 

prior to use. These parts were replaced between sampling sites to prevent cross contamination of samples.

Samples were chilled after collection and transported to a centrally located site for analysis. Samples 

collected in the upper Big Blue River and Little Blue 

River subbasins were analyzed in Beatrice, Nebr. 

Samples collected along the main stem Kansas River 

and tributaries were analyzed at the U.S. Geological 

Survey laboratory in Lawrence, Kans.

The membrane filter (MF) method was used for 

the detection and enumeration of E. coli densities 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1985). The 

MF method provides a direct count of bacteria based 

on the development of colonies on the membrane filter 

after a water sample has been filtered through it. 

Subsequently, the membrane containing the bacteria 

cells is placed on a selective and differential medium, 

mTEC, incubated at 35 °C for 2 hours to resuscitate 

injured or stressed bacteria, and then incubated at 

44.5 °C for 22 hours to promote colony growth. 

Following incubation, the filter is transferred to a filter 

pad saturated with urea substrate. After 15 minutes, 

E. coli will become yellow or yellow brown and are 

counted under a lamp and magnifying lens.

Samples were filtered and the incubation process 

started as soon as possible after collection. Samples 

were chilled until processed, but no sample was held 

longer than 6 hours. Sterile, disposable, polystyrene 

filter units with 0.45-micrometer-porosity membrane 

filters were used to filter samples. One filter unit was 

used per water sample. Different membrane filters 

were used for each filtered sample volume. Sample 

volumes ranged from 0.1 to 100 mL (milliliters) in a 

series of five or six volumes. Sample volumes were 

filtered in ascending order. Plate counts were converted to densities in colonies per 100 mL of sample. 

Because of the potential for slight variations in analytical procedure between analysts, a single analyst 

processed, filtered, and counted all samples collected 

for both synoptic surveys. This was done to limit 

fluctuation in analytical precision and maintain comparability among sites. Results for determination of 

E. coli densities for synoptic surveys of July 1988 and 

July 1989 are listed in table 4.

Associated Rainfall and Streamflow 

Characteristics

The objectives of conducting a synoptic survey for 

E. coli densities were to define the spatial occurrence 

of fecal contamination, document the effect of major 

point-source discharges, and describe the relation 

between fecal contamination and factors such as land 

use, agricultural practices, and waste-management 

practices. For determinations of E. coli densities to be 

comparable between sampling sites, it was necessary 

to sample all sites under similar hydrologic conditions. 

Sampling to meet these objectives is most appro48 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 4. Escherichia coli densities and streamflow for synoptic surveys of July 1988 and July 1989

[Densities are in colonies per 100 milliliters of water; streamflow is in cubic feet per second; a, estimated concentration based on non-ideal colony count; <, les

Site

July 1988

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10) Site name

Escherichia Col

d

CD 

CO

1

2

5

6

9

10

11

12

16

18

21

23

26

28

29

31

32 

34 

35 

36

Kansas River at Fort Riley, Kans.

Clarks Creek near Fort Riley, Kans.

Kansas River at Manhattan, Kans.

Big Blue River at Surprise, Nebr.

Lincoln Creek near Aurora, Nebr.

Lincoln Creek near York, Nebr.

Lincoln Creek near Seward, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Seward, Nebr.

West Fork Big Blue River near Hastings, Nebr.

School Creek near Sutton, Nebr.

Beaver Creek near York, Nebr.

West Fork Big Blue River near Dorchester, Nebr.

Big Blue River near Crete, Nebr.

Turkey Creek near Wilber, Nebr.

Swan Creek Dewitt, Nebr.

Cub Creek near Beatrice, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Beatrice, Nebr. 

Big Indian Creek near Wymore, Nebr. 

Big Blue River at Barneston, Nebr. 

Big Blue River at Marysville, Kans.

Day

27

27

24

26

26

26

26

26

26

25

26

25

25

25

25

26

27 

25 

25 

25

EscherTime ichiacoli 

(24-hour) density

1300

1150

1020

0730

0945

0900

0845

1000

0630

1130

1010

1245

1030

0600

0630

0510

0510 

0650 

0540 

1230

a210

a9

'96

160

2,600

1,900

5,500

10,000

a260,000

6,000

2,500

2,400

1,500

^,200

4,100

1 10,000

2,000 

1 1,800 

a380 

770

Streamflow

353

.65

240

6.2

.34

8.2

30

55

6.7

3.8

6.5

75

184

15

13

3.6

163 

12 

402 

393

Day

19

~

18

~

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17

17

18

18

18

18

17

17

18

16 

18 

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50 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 4. Escherichia coli densities and streamflow for synoptic surveys of July 1988 and July 1989 Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

72

73

74

76

77

78

79

83

87

88

90

91

July 1988

Site name

Delaware River near Muscotah, Kans.

Elk Creek near Larkinburg, Kans.

Delaware River below Perry Dam, Kans.

Kansas River at Lecompton, Kans.

Kansas River at Lawrence, Kans.

Kansas River at Eudora, Kans.

Wakarusa River near Berryton, Kans.

Wakarusa River near Lawrence, Kans.

Stranger Creek near Tonganoxie, Kans.

Kansas River at De Soto, Kans.

Turkey Creek, at Kansas City, Kans.

Kansas River at Kansas City, Kans.

Day

27

27

29

28

28

28

29

29

28

28

29

29

Time 

(24-hour)

0745

0810

1020

0615

0605

0515

0645

0530

0445

0610

0510

0615

Escherichia coli 

density

*160

1,000

<1

560

a27

250

210

280

a62

ax 54

*187

390

Streamflow

2.4

.60

25

2,260

2,940

2,580

.36

24

.06

2,290

9.9

2,550

Day

21

-

21

21

20

--

20

19

20

20

20

'Average of duplicate plate counts.

2Affected by storm runoff and (or) reservoir release.

' 

§

s-
priately conducted during stable low-flow conditions 

when effects of overland runoff would be less likely to 

cause large fluctuations in E. coli densities. Therefore, 

an evaluation of rainfall before and during sampling 

periods was needed to define the potential for or 

occurrences of overland runoff. An evaluation of 

streamflow was necessary to determine whether 

baseflow conditions prevailed.

Antecedent and concurrent rainfall characteristics 

for the July 1988 and July 1989 synoptic surveys are 

listed in table 5. No rainfall was recorded at any of the 

six locations listed in table 5 for at least 4 days before 

the start of the July 1988 survey. Total rainfall during 

the 2 weeks before the July 1988 survey ranged from 

0.53 in. at Topeka, Kans., to 3.53 in. at Manhattan, 

Kans. During the 6 days of the survey, rainfall ranged 

from zero at Hastings, Nebr., and Manhattan, Kans., to 

0.22 in. at Marysville, Kans. Based on these rainfall 

characteristics plus an examination of hydrographic 

records and field observations, it was concluded that 

none of the sites sampled during the July 1988 synoptic survey were affected by nonpoint-source contributions from overland runoff as a result of rainfall. 

However, irrigation-water return flow was observed at 

one site in the upper Big Blue River subbasin. The 

effect of irrigation-water return flow on streamflow at 

base-flow conditions, both from a hydrologic and 

water-quality aspect, may be substantial in the upper 

Big Blue River and Little Blue River subbasins. As 

previously indicated in figure 4, the amount of irrigated acreage in a representative area of these subbasins has increased substantially since the 1930's. 

With this increase in irrigation has come an increase in 

return flow to area streams probably affecting both 

streamflow and water quality. Figure 6 shows that the 

majority of irrigation wells in the study unit are 

located in the upper Big Blue River and Little Blue 

River subbasins.

Rainfall characteristics before and during the July 

1989 synoptic survey were considerably wetter than 

those of the July 1988 survey. No dry days immediately preceded the start of the July 1989 survey at 

any of the six locations listed in table 5 (some rainfall 

was recorded at every location on July 15, 1989). 

Rainfall recorded during the 3 days prior to July 16, 

1989, ranged from 0.02 in. at Manhattan, Kans., to 

2.50 in. at Topeka, Kans. However, the largest rainfall 

amounts recorded during the survey were at those 

locations in the Big Blue River subbasin and ranged 

from 0.58 in. at Beatrice, Nebr., to 1.06 in. at Hastings,

Nebr. Because of the wet antecedent conditions and 

substantial rainfall during the survey, streamflows at 

most sites in the Big Blue River and Little Blue River 

subbasins were affected by overland runoff.

Occurrence of base-flow conditions during synoptic surveys in July 1988 and July 1989 can be evaluated by an examination of flow-duration data for the 

observed streamflows. Table 6 lists selected sampling 

sites, date and time of sampling, streamflow, and percentage of time streamflow is equalled or exceeded. 

Based on long-term records, the mean percentage of 

time that streamflow during the July 1988 synoptic 

survey is equalled or exceeded at main-stem sites on 

the Big Blue River (sites 6, 12, 32, 36), Little Blue 

River (sites 38, 47), and Kansas River (sites 1, 58, 62, 

76, 88) were 42 percent, 81 percent, and 70 percent, 

respectively. Streamflow on the upper Big Blue River 

during the July 1988 survey was not at extreme low 

flow; however, it was at stable conditions based on 

hydrographic record and observations made at the 

time of sampling. The relatively large flows at the Big 

Blue River sites were probably the result of groundwater discharge resulting from rainfall during the previous 2 weeks and, possibly as important, from 

irrigation-water return flow. Streamflow in the Kansas 

River downstream of Manhattan was stable but somewhat increased because of a reservoir release from 

Tuttle Creek Lake. The Big Blue River near 

Manhattan, Kans. (site 52), downstream of Tuttle 

Creek Lake, was at a flow rate equalled or exceeded 

only 29 percent of the time. The release from Tuttle 

Creek Lake kept the Kansas River downstream of 

Manhattan, Kans., at a flow rate equalled or exceeded 

an average of 63 percent (sites 58, 62, 76, 88) of the 

time compared to the upstream most Kansas River site 

at Fort Riley, Kans. (site 1), which had a flow rate 

equalled or exceeded 95 percent of the time.

Generally, streamflows in the Big Blue River and 

Little Blue River subbasins for the July 1989 synoptic 

survey were either larger than streamflows during the 

July 1988 survey or were affected by overland runoff 

from recent rains. The Big Blue River at Surprise, 

Nebr. (site 6), and near Seward, Nebr. (site 12), had 

flow rates similar to those sampled in July 1988 but 

were affected by overland runoff as determined by an 

examination of hydrographic records and field observations. Streamflows in the Big Blue River subbasin 

downstream of Seward, Nebr., and in the Little Blue 

River subbasin were affected substantially by overland 

runoff (sites 23, 28, 36, 38, 42, 47). The largest

52 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 5. Rainfall characteristics at selected locations for synoptic surveys of July 1988 and July 1989

[Data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1988-89a, b; rainfall values are in inches]

July 24-29,1994 July 16-21,1989

Location (fig. 1)

Number Antecedent rainfall Total 

of rainfall 

antece- during 

dent dry Prior 3 Prior 14 sampling 

days days days period

Number Antecedent rainfall Total 

of rainfall 

antece- during 

dent dry Prior 3 Prior 14 sampling 

days days days period

York, Nebr.

Hastings, Nebr.

Beatrice, Nebr.

Marysville, Kans.

Manhattan, Kans.

Topeka, Kans.

4

4

4

4

4

7

0

0

0

0

0

0

1.65

1.57

2.28

2.23

3.53

.53

0.09

0

.03

.22

0

.08

0

0

0

0

0

0

0.88

1.98

1.47

.80

.02

2.50

0.92

2.21

1.54

2.79

.58

2.88

0.63

1.06

.58

.25

.38

.40

streamflows were in the upper Little Blue River subbasin. The Little Blue River near Deweese, Nebr. 

(site 38), had a flow rate equalled or exceeded only 

0.4 percent of the time. Streamflow along the main 

stem Kansas River and tributary streams during the 

July 1989 survey were similar to those observed 

during the July 1988 survey. However, because of 

fluctuations in releases from Tuttle Creek Lake, 

several Kansas River sites (sites 58, 62, 76) were not 

under stable-flow conditions. No sites on the main 

stem Kansas River or tributary streams appeared to be 

affected by recent overland runoff.

Quality Assurance

Within-site variations in E. coli counts may be the 

result of variability in (1) analytical procedures, (2) 

sample-collection procedures, (3) natural microbial 

distribution, and (4) differences in techniques of multiple analysts. Procedures were developed to evaluate 

or control these sources of variation to the extent possible. Other quality-assurance procedures included 

verification of the sterility of the buffered-dilution 

water and equipment used in the filtration process.

Variation in E. coli counts caused by analytical 

procedures was evaluated by filtering duplicate 

volumes of samples collected at 10 randomly selected 

sites during the July 1988 synoptic survey. Two to four 

duplicate volumes were filtered for each site, producing a total of 28 duplicate pairs. Counts of E. coli

colonies were made for the duplicate pairs (table 7), 

and variation was evaluated with a technique used by 

Dufour and others (1981) to quantify the precision of 

the mTEC procedures. They calculated variation as a 

percentage of the mean with the equation:

variation =

s/

100, (1)

where

s is the standard deviation,

n is the number of duplicates, and

x is the mean count of the duplicate pairs.

For a sample size of two, variation can be shown to be 

expressed as:

variation =

(x,-x2 )/2

100. (2)

The variations computed by equation 2 for the 

duplicate-pair counts are listed in table 7. Average 

variation for the mTEC analytical procedure as determined from all data in table 7 is 22 percent of the 

mean. Average variation for duplicate pairs with both 

counts within the ideal counting range of 

20-80 col/100 mL is 10 percent of the mean. Average 

variation for duplicate pairs with one or both counts 

within the ideal counting range is 13 percent of the 

mean. Average variation for duplicate pairs where

Escherichia Coli Densities 53
Table 6. Streamf low-duration data at selected locations and sampling times

[Streamflow is in cubic feet per second; >, greater than; --, no data]

g- g July 1988

3, CD

-Water-Quality Asschia ColiBacteria i

3 9

i §

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2. <D

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Q.

Mapindex 

number 

(fig. 10)

1

6

11

12

23

28

32

36

38

42

47

50

52

59

58

62

64

72

74

76

83

87

88

Site name

Kansas River at Fort Riley, Kans.

Big Blue River at Surprise, Nebr.

Lincoln Creek near Seward, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Seward, Nebr.

West Fork Big Blue River near Dorchester, Nebr.

Turkey Creek near Wilber, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Beatrice, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Marysville, Kans.

Little Blue River near Deweese, Nebr.

Big Sandy Creek at Alexandria, Nebr.

Little Blue River at Hollenberg, Kans.

Black Vermillion River near Frankfort, Kans.

Big Blue River near Manhattan, Kans.

Mill Creek near Paxico, Kans.

Kansas River near Belvue, Kans.

Kansas River at Topeka, Kans.

Soldier Creek near Topeka, Kans.

Delaware River near Muscotah, Kans.

Delaware River below Perry Dam, Kans.

Kansas River at Lecompton, Kans.

Wakarusa River near Lawrence, Kans.

Stranger Creek near Tonganoxie, Kans.

Kansas River at De Soto, Kans.

Day

27

26

26

26

25

25

27

25

26

26

25

25

24

27

27

29

28

27

29

28

29

28

28

Time 

(24-hour)

1300

0730

0845

1000

1245

0600

0510

1230

0810

0545

1150

1320

1045

1010

0910

0535

1230

0745

1020

0615

0530

0445

0610

Streamflow

353

6.2

30

55

75

15

247

393

31

37

163

7.0

1,870

9.5

2,550

2,250

4.6

2.4

25

2,260

24

.06

2,290

Percentage 

of time 

flow 

equalled or 

exceeded1

95

25

31

31

55

56

52

58

94

39

68

80

29

83

51

60

80

98

80

66

62

>99

76

Day

19

18

17

17

18

17

--

18

17

17

18

19

19

19

19

20

20

21

21

21

20

19

20

T

(24

1

13

14

15

14

1

08

10

08

10

09

1

15

14

13

14

09

10

09

09

1

15

'Based on at least 7 years of data at each site.
Table 7. Variation of Escherichia co//counts in 

two-plate duplicate-volume filtrations from samples 

collected during synoptic survey of July 1988

[Variation is computed by equation 2; Escherichia coli counts are actual 

plate counts]

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

5

28

31

34

50

52

59

72

87

88

Escherichia coli counts

Plate 1

(Xl)

2

8

19

1

24

54

8

41

115

6

30

83

1

14

53

3

7

2

20

7

13

49

3

6

10

44

4

6

Plate 2

(X2)

1

10

29

5

17

50

11

41

95

9

26

55

3

8

38

2

6

1

22

4

12

32

1

8

12

31

11

11

Variation, 

in percent 

of mean

33

11

21

67

17

4

16

0

10

20

7

20

50

27

16

20

8

33

5

27

4

21

50

14

9

17

47

29

neither count was within the ideal counting range is 

26 percent. Therefore, as counts deviate from the ideal 

counting range, variation increases considerably.

Variations in E. coli counts caused by samplecollection procedures (the ability to collect a representative sample of the bacterial population) and

natural bacterial distribution were not examined in this 

study because micro-organisms are rarely distributed 

randomly and because bacteria within any habitat will 

have a clumped or patchy distribution (Britton and 

Greeson, 1987, p. 4) and will produce uncertainty in 

computed variation when viewed from a temporal perspective. Under these conditions, the ability to distinguish between variation caused by sample-collection 

procedures and that caused by distributional patterns 

may be questionable without devoting substantial 

effort to collect and process a sufficient number of 

samples to define the contribution of both potential 

sources of variability. Additionally, within-site variation may be site specific, and assumptions made 

based on computed variation at a particular site may 

not be true for other sites in the synoptic survey. A 

detailed examination of sample-collection variability 

and natural variability in distribution at individual 

synoptic sites was beyond the scope of this study.

Variations in E. coli counts caused by variability 

in analytical technique among multiple analysts were 

not of concern in this study. As previously described, a 

single analyst filtered, plated, and counted all E. coli 

samples. This same analyst performed these functions 

for both the July 1988 and July 1989 synoptic surveys.

Four equipment-blank samples using sterile, 

buffered dilution water were filtered and plated on 

mTEC medium. After incubation, none of the plates 

showed development of E. coli colonies. This lack of 

development verified the sterility of the buffered water 

used for sample dilutions and equipment used during 

the filtration process. Also, it indicated that the filtration equipment and procedure were not a source of 

contamination.

Areal Variations

The areal variations of E. coli densities for the 

July 1988 survey are shown in figure 14. Densities of 

E. coli in water at the 19 sites in the Big Blue River 

subbasin, exclusive of the Little Blue River subbasin, 

upstream of Tuttle Creek Lake (sites 6-36,50, and 51, 

table 7) ranged from 120 col/100 mL in Fancy Creek 

at Winkler, Kans. (site 51), to 260,000 col/100 mL in 

the West Fork Big Blue River near Hastings, Nebr. 

(site 16). Densities at the 11 sites in the Little Blue 

River subbasin (sites 37^4-9, table 7) ranged from 

100 col/100 mL in the Little Blue River near 

Alexandria, Nebr. (site 40), to 30,000 col/100 mL at

Escherichia Coli Densities 55
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56 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Big Sandy Creek near Davenport, Nebr. (site 41). 

Densities of E. coli at the 27 sites located in the 

Kansas River subbasin (sites 1, 2, 5, and 52-91, 

table 7) ranged from less than 1 col/100 mL in the 

Delaware River below Perry Dam, Kans. (site 74), to 

1,000 col/100 mL in Elk Creek near Larkinburg, Kans. 

(site 73).

Of the 19 sites sampled in the Big Blue River 

subbasin upstream of Tuttle Creek Lake, stream water 

at 16 of those sites (84 percent) exceeded the USEPA 

criterion for E. coli densities (576 col/100 mL) for 

infrequently used full-body contact recreation, and 10 

sites (53 percent) exceeded the 2,000-col/lOO mL fecal 

coliform criterion for uses other than full-body contact 

established by the Kansas Department of Health and 

Environment (Fromm and Wilk, 1988). A 

downstream-ordered distribution of E. coli densities 

for the Big Blue River subbasin is shown in figure 15. 

For tributary streams only the downstream-most sampling site is shown. Generally, downstream from the 

Big Blue River at Seward, Nebr. (site 12), densities of 

E. coli decreased on both the main stem and tributary 

streams probably because of a combination of dilution 

and bacterial die off.

The E. coli density (10,000 col/100 mL) at site 12 

apparently reflects not only the contribution 

(5,500 coy 100 mL) from Lincoln Creek (site 11) but 

also a significant nonpoint-source contribution. Site 12 

is upstream of the Seward municipal wastewatertreatment plant and, thus, is not affected by its discharge. Upstream of site 12, there are only two small 

wastewater-treatment plants the municipal 

wastewater-treatment plant at Staplehurst, 12 stream 

mi upstream, with a permitted discharge of 

0.01 Mgal/d and Ulysses, 28 stream mi upstream, with 

a permitted discharge of 0.04 Mgal/d. Because of the 

distances upstream of these two wastewater-treatment 

plants and their small permitted discharge rates, it is 

believed that these two point sources would have little 

effect on E. coli densities at site 12. Therefore, it 

appears that a large part of the E. coli density determined at site 12 was from nonpoint-source contributions. These contributions probably originated as irrigation return flow or ground-water discharge and were 

related to livestock production upstream of site 12. As 

previously indicated in table 1 and figures 7 and 8, 

production of cattle and hogs in this area are at some 

of the highest levels in the study unit.

The relatively large E. coli density 

(10,000 coy 100 mL) in Cub Creek (site 31) was

probably of nonpoint-source origin. The only known 

point-source discharge of E. coli is the Jensen municipal wastewater-treatment plant, which has a permitted discharge rate of 0.02 Mgal/day. This plant is 

located on a tributary to Cub Creek many miles upstream of site 31. Therefore, its effect on E. coli densities at site 31 is believed to be minimal. As is common in much of the northern part of the study unit, 

livestock production in the Cub Creek Basin is substantial (table 1, figs. 7 and 8) and probably contributes to the occurrence of E. coli in local streams.

Of the 11 sites sampled for E. coli in the Little 

Blue River subbasin, 8 (73 percent) exceeded the 

576 col/100 mL primary-contact criterion, and 

4 (36 percent) exceeded the 2,000-coyiOO mL 

criterion for other than primary contact. Figure 16 

shows a downstream-ordered distribution of E. coli 

densities in the Little Blue River subbasin as 

determined during the July 1988 synoptic survey. The 

density off. coli in the Little Blue River near Hastings 

(site 37) was the largest (3,800 coyiOO mL) 

determined at any main-stem site and may have come 

in large part from nonpoint sources. Upstream from 

site 37 are three small wastewater-treatment plants; 

however, their location (4.6 to 41 stream mi upstream) 

and combined total permitted discharge (0.08 Mgayd) 

are believed to have minimal effect on E. coli density 

at site 37. The much smaller density (940 col/100 mL) 

determined at Little Blue River near Deweese, Nebr. 

(site 38), may indicate that the 26-mi stream reach 

between sites 37 and 38 is an area of E. coli die off, 

with no exceptionally large nonpoint-source 

contribution. There are no known point sources 

between sites 37 and 38.

The increase in E. coli density (3,000 coy 100 mL) 

in the Little Blue River near Deshler, Nebr. (site 39), 

may have been the result of discharge from the 

Deshler wastewater-treatment plant 3 stream mi upstream from site 39. Permitted discharge for the 

wastewater-treatment plant is 0.10 Mgayd. The 

100-col/lOO mL E. coli density determined at the 

Little Blue River near Alexandria, Nebr. (site 40), 

represents the smallest E. coli density determined in 

the Little Blue River subbasin, in spite of the fact that 

it is downstream of the Hebron, Nebr., wastewatertreatment plant, which has a permitted discharge of 

0.16 Mgal/d. However, the 18 stream mi between the 

Hebron wastewater-treatment plant and site 40 may 

provide enough distance for self purification, may give 

some insight into E. coli die-off rates, and may indiEscherichia Coli Densities 57
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 MAIN-STEM SITES ~. 

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DISTANCE, IN RIVER MILES UPSTREAM OF MOUTH

Figure 15. Distribution of Escherichia co//densities in water from the Big Blue River and its major tributaries for synoptic 

survey of July 24-29,1988. [Number in parentheses is synoptic-sampling site number. Water-quality criteria established by 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986) and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (Fromm and Wilk, 1988).]

cate that nonpoint-source contamination is minimal in 

this part of the subbasin. The Little Blue River near 

Fairbury, Nebr. (site 44), is approximately 2 mi downstream of the Fairbury municipal wastewatertreatment plant. This plant has a permitted discharge

of 0.65 Mgal/d and is probably responsible for the 

increase in E. coli density (1,200 col/100 mL) over 

that determined at site 40. Nonpoint-source contamination may be responsible for the relatively large 

E. coli density (5,500 col/100 mL) in Rose Creek near

58 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
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 MAIN-STEM SITES 

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180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 

DISTANCE, IN RIVER MILES UPSTREAM OF MOUTH

Blue e 

20

Figure 16. Distribution of Escherichia coll densities in water from the Little Blue River and its major tributaries for synoptic 

survey of July 24-29,1988. [Number in parentheses is synoptic-sampling site number. Water-quality criteria established by 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986) and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (Fromm and Wilk, 1988).]

Fairbury (site 46). Although there are two wastewatertreatment plants upstream from site 46, the closest is 

more than 20 stream mi upstream and has a permitted 

discharge of only 0.01 Mgal/d. Therefore, the contribution of these waste water-treatment plants to the

E. coli density determined at site 46 is thought to be 

minimal.

Downstream of Fairbury, Nebr., E. coli densities 

gradually decline on both main-stem and tributary 

streams. Although not shown in figure 16, the largest

Escherichia Coli Densities 59
E. coli density (30,000 col/100 mL) in the Little Blue 

River subbasin was determined in Big Sandy Creek 

near Davenport, Nebr. (site 41). This density may be 

point-source dominated. Although three small 

wastewater-treatment plants are located upstream of 

site 41 (3 to 20 stream mi), their proximity and 

combined permitted discharge (0.13 Mgal/d) are probably insufficent to produce the density determined at 

site 41.

Of the 27 sites sampled for E. coli in the Kansas 

River subbasin, only Elk Creek near Larkinburg, 

Kans. (site 73), a tributary to the Delaware River, 

exceeded the 576-col/lOO mL criterion for primary 

contact. That 1,000-col/lOO mL density did not exceed 

the 2,000-col/lOO mL criterion for other than primary 

contact. This relatively large density may result from 

the 0.49-Mgal/d permitted discharge from the Holton, 

Kans., wastewater-treatment plant, located 

approximately 8 stream mi upstream from site 73.

A downstream-ordered distribution of E. coli densities for the main stem of the Kansas River and major 

tributaries as determined during the July 1988 synoptic survey is shown in figure 17. Densities of E. coli 

in the Kansas River generally appear to be pointsource dominated during stable base-flow conditions. 

The most upstream site, Kansas River at Fort Riley, 

Kans. (site 1), likely is affected by the Junction City, 

Kans., wastewater-treatment plant about 2 stream mi 

upstream. The Junction City wastewater-treatment 

plant has permitted discharge exceeding 1.0 Mgal/d. 

E. coli density at site 1 was 210 col/100 mL. At 

Manhattan (site 5), E. coli density was 96 col/100 mL, 

which may indicate that the distance between sites 1 

and 5 is a reach of E. coli die off; however, because of 

differences in sampling times and flow rates (table 4), 

this is difficult to confirm. Near Belvue, Kans. (site 

58), approximately 35 stream mi downstream of site 5, 

density of E. coli had decreased to 48 col/100 mL 

despite the 2.74-Mgal/d permitted discharge from the 

Manhattan wastewater-treatment plant. The smaller 

density at site 58 was probably the result of dilution by

o

a large release (1,870 fr/s) from Tuttle Creek Lake via 

the Big Blue River. Downstream of the confluence of 

the Big Blue and Kansas Rivers, Tuttle Creek Lake 

water comprised 89 percent of the flow in the Kansas 

River. Density of E. coli in the release water from 

Tuttle Creek Lake was 7 col/100 mL (site 52), which 

provided a substantial dilution effect in the Kansas 

River.

The largest densities of E. coli in the Kansas River 

occur downstream of large municipal wastewater 

treatment-plant discharge points. Site 76 and site 78 

are downstream of the 14.3 Mgal/d permitted 

discharge at Topeka, Kans., and the 5.3 Mgal/d 

permitted discharge at Lawrence, Kans., respectively. 

The 390-col/lOO mL density determined at the 

downstream-most site, Kansas River at Kansas City, 

Kans. (site 91), probably can be attributed to 

wastewater discharges from several large and small 

treatment plants in Johnson County, Kans.

Point-source discharges from municipal 

wastewater-treatment plants have a substantial effect 

on E. coli densities at several of the sites in the Big 

Blue River and Little Blue River subbasins. During the 

time of the synoptic surveys conducted for this study, 

none of the wastewater-treatment plants in the study 

unit disinfected (chlorinated) effluent before discharge 

into receiving streams. The drainage areas of all 

sampling sites in these subbasins contained one to 

several treatment plants; however, most of these plants 

serve small communities and typically have 

permitted-discharge rates of less than 0.10 Mgal/d. 

Therefore, their potential effect may be limited to sites 

within several stream miles of the discharge point and 

may have only minimal effect at sites farther downstream. The effect of larger facilities, greater than 

1.0 Mgal/d, is most evident at the West Fork Big Blue 

River near Hastings, Nebr. (site 16), where an E. coli 

density of 260,000 col/100 mL was determined. Site 

16 is approximately 2 mi downstream from the 

Hastings municipal wastewater-treatment plant, which 

has a permitted discharge of 2.75 Mgal/d. Site 16 also 

was characterized by DO concentrations in violation 

of 1-day minimum criteria (table 3) and by large 

nutrient concentrations (table 8) as previously 

explained in the "Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations" 

section of this report. Other sites in the Big Blue River 

and Little Blue River systems that appear to have 

E. coli densities affected by close proximity to pointsource discharges include Lincoln Creek near Aurora, 

Nebr. (site 9); School Creek near Sutton, Nebr. 

(site 18); Beaver Creek near York, Nebr. (site 21); Big 

Blue River near Crete, Nebr. (site 26); Big Sandy 

Creek near Davenport, Nebr. (site 41); and Little Blue 

River near Fairbury, Nebr. (site 44).

60 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
QO"

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 MAIN-STEM SITES 

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180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 

DISTANCE, IN RIVER MILES UPSTREAM OF MOUTH

3

s^S

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20

Figure 17. Distribution of Escherichia co//densities in water from the Kansas River and its major tributaries for synoptic survey 

of July 24-29,1988. [Number in parentheses is synoptic-sampling site number. Water-quality criteria established by U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (1986) and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (Fromm and Wilk, 1988).]

Regional Patterns

Previously presented information indicate regional 

patterns in E. coli densities. These regional patterns 

are most evident in a comparison of median values

(50th percentile), figure 18, of the July 1988 samples 

from the 19 sites in the Big Blue River subbasin 

(2,400 col/100 mL), the 11 sites in the Little Blue 

River subbasin (940 col/100 mL), and the 27 sites in 

the Kansas River subbasin (88 col/100 mL). The

Escherichia Coli Densities 61
10,000

1,000

S

OCLU

UjO.

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C/l

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100

10

(19) (11)

Kansas Department of 

Health and Environmental 

criterion for uses other 

than full-body contact

BIG BLUE RIVER

SUBBASIN LITTLE BLUE RIVER 

SUBBASIN

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency criterion for full-body 

contact recreation

(27)

KANSAS RIVER 

SUBBASIN

EXPLANATION

(11)

75th PERCENTILE

50th PERCENTILE 

(MEDIAN)

25th PERCENTILE

NUMBERS IN PARENTHESES 

ABOVE BOXPLOT ARE 

NUMBER OF SAMPLES

Figure 18. Comparison of the 25th, 50th (median), and 75th percentiles of Escherichia co//densities in the Big Blue River, 

Little Blue River, and Kansas River subbasins for synoptic survey of July 24-29,1988 [water-quality criteria established by 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1986, and Kansas Department of Health and Environment (Fromm and Wilk, 1988)].

median E. coli density in samples from the Big Blue 

River subbasin was 2.6 times larger than in samples 

from the Little Blue River subbasin and 27.3 times 

larger than in samples from the Kansas River subbasin.

Although point-source discharges may be responsible for large E. coli densities at specific sites during 

base-flow conditions and E. coli may be carried to 

some sites farther downstream, it appears that additional factors may be responsible for the generally 

larger E. coli densities in the Big Blue River and Little 

Blue River subbasins compared to those determined in 

the Kansas River subbasin. The Kansas River subbasin 

contains many wastewater-treatment plants with large

and small permitted discharges located on large and 

small streams, similar to the situation in the Big Blue 

River and Little Blue River subbasins. However, with 

only one exception, E. coli densities in the Kansas 

River subbasin were less than water-quality criteria 

during the July 1988 survey. The large E. coli densities 

in the Big Blue River and Little Blue River subbasins 

probably is most attributable to the production of 

domestic livestock.

Domestic livestock production may increase 

E. coli densities in streams in several ways: (1) direct 

access to streams used as a water source by the livestock, (2) overland runoff from pastures and feedlots, 

(3) ground-water discharge in areas where feedlots

62 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
may be in close proximity to streams, and (4) runoff as 

a result of rainfall or irrigation on cropland where 

manure was applied as a fertilizer or soil amendment.

Livestock may contribute fecal material and 

E. coli directly to streams when those streams are used 

as a water source. This may occur more frequently in 

areas where livestock are pastured instead of confined 

to feedlots. Direct access to streams, however, may not 

be a major cause of E. coli loading. The Kansas River 

subbasin has more than twice the percentage of pasture and rangeland than the other major subbasins 

examined in this report (fig. 5). However, it had the 

smallest median E. coli density (88 col/100 mL) of any 

subbasin.

Feedlots may contribute to the occurrence of 

E. coli in streams because of uncontrolled surface runoff or because E. coli is transported downward by 

infiltrating rain to shallow ground water and then 

laterally to nearby streams. As previously described in 

the "Livestock Production" section of this report, 

counties with the largest percentage of cattle in 

confined feeding operations and the greatest densities 

of cattle and hogs are located in the headwater or 

middle-stream reaches of the Big Blue, West Fork Big 

Blue, and Little Blue Rivers (figs. 7 and 8).

One stream that may indicate the effect of livestock feeding and production operations is Lincoln 

Creek (fig. 1) in the extreme northern part of the study 

unit. Three sampling sites (sites 9, 10, and 11, table 4) 

were located on Lincoln Creek. The upstream-most 

site, near Aurora, Nebr. (site 9), is approximately 

1.25 mi downstream of the Aurora wastewatertreatment facility, which probably is the main source 

of the 2,600 col/100 mL of E. coli measured at site 9. 

The instantaneous load of E. coli organisms at site 9 

was 250,000 organisms per second (org/s). Instantaneous load is computed by multiplying E. coli

o

density (col/100 mL) by streamflow rate (ft /s) by a 

unit conversion factor of 283.2 based on the assumption that one colony developed from one E. coli 

organism. At the site near York, Nebr. (site 10), which 

is 42 stream mi downstream of site 9, E. coli density 

had decreased to 1,900 col/100 mL. However, 

instantaneous load of E. coli had increased by a factor 

of almost 18 to 4,400,000 org/s. There are no known 

point-source discharges between site 9 and 10. At site 

11 near Seward, Nebr., 47.3 stream mi downstream of 

site 10, E. coli density had increased to 5,500 col/100 

mL, and instantaneous load had increased by more 

than an order of magnitude to 47,000,000 org/s. The

only known point-source discharge between sites 10 

and 11 is the 0.02 Mgal/d permitted discharge from the 

Gresham, Nebr., wastewater-treatment plant located 

on a tributary to Lincoln Creek many miles upstream 

of Seward.

From these results it appears that large numbers of 

bacteria are entering Lincoln Creek between sites 9 

and 11 from nonpoint sources. The intensity of feedlot 

operations and large cattle and hog densities in the 

Lincoln Creek Basin probably account for a large part 

of the E. coli load in Lincoln Creek. This load of 

E. coli may be a result of cattle and hogs wading in 

Lincoln Creek or its tributaries, E. coli entering 

streams with ground water affected by feedlot operations, or the load may be an artifact of recent rainfall 

runoff (between 5-14 days before the survey, table 5).

Gary and others (1983) found that when at least 

150 cattle were grazed in a pasture in central 

Colorado, fecal coliform densities in stream water 

bisecting the pasture were significantly larger than 

those in an adjacent, ungrazed pasture. After removal 

of cattle or when 40 head of cattle were grazing, 

bacterial counts decreased to levels similar to the ungrazed pasture. Also, they concluded that about 

5 percent of the total manure produced by cattle 

contributed to contamination of the stream. Obviously, 

this percentage depends upon factors such as soil type, 

soil porosity, topography, land cover, and rainfall 

characteristics.

Stephenson and Street (1978) determined that the 

occurrence of fecal coliforms at stream sites in a 

rangeland watershed in southwest Idaho was related 

directly to the presence of cattle on summer range and 

winter pastures. Fecal coliform counts were found to 

increase soon after cattle were pastured and remained 

large for several months after cattle were removed.

Feedlot operations may have an indirect effect on 

stream water quality. In any confined feeding operation (cattle or hogs), large quantities of manure will be 

produced creating a disposal problem. One disposal 

solution is to apply the manure to cropland as a lowgrade fertilizer or soil amendment. This application 

may be in late fall after harvest or early spring before 

planting. Subsequent rainfall or irrigation runoff may 

transport organic material and E. coli into nearby 

streams. If this practice is widespread, it may have a 

substantial effect on E. coli densities in streams in 

intensively irrigated areas.

In the Big Blue River and Little Blue River subbasins, percentages of land used for irrigated row

Escherichia Coli Densities 63
crops were 25.1 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively 

(fig. 5). These percentages generally are much larger 

for the upper part of each subbasin, where E. coli 

densities were largest, as most of the range or 

pastureland shown in figure 5 occurs in the Plains 

Border and Dissected Till Plains physiographic 

sections (fig. 2) south of the Kansas-Nebraska border. 

In contrast, irrigated row crops in the Kansas River 

subbasin accounted for much less than 1 percent (too 

small to show in fig. 5), whereas in the Delaware River 

subbasin irrigated row crops totaled only 1.5 percent 

of the total land use. This information indicates that 

the possibility of irrigation-water runoff affecting E. 

coli densities would be greatest for the Big Blue River 

and Little Blue River subbasins. Irrigation-water 

runoff was observed entering Turkey Creek 

immediately upstream of the sampling site near 

Wilber, Nebr. (site 28), during the July 1988 synoptic 

survey. Considering the extent of irrigation in the Big 

Blue River and Little Blue River subbasins, many 

other streams in these subbasins may have been 

receiving irrigation-water runoff.

Further evidence of the effect of livestock production on bacterial densities is presented in Jordan 

and Stamer (1991). In examining historical bacteriological data, they reported moderate fecal coliform and 

large fecal streptococci densities in water from 

Lincoln Creek near Seward, Nebr. (site 11). They 

indicated that, on the basis of a study done by 

Geldreich and Kenner (1969), when fecal streptococci 

were present in greater numbers than fecal coliform 

bacteria, the originating source of fecal material was 

"farm animals, dogs, cats, and various wild animals." 

When the converse situation occurs, the originating 

source is human. In addition to the potential contribution of bacteria from livestock production, 

irrigation-water runoff, as previously discussed, could 

contribute to bacteria loading along Lincoln Creek. 

With the data currently available, it is impossible to 

quantify the contribution of either source; however, 

given the extent of livestock production, it is believed 

that this activity is the source of most of the nonpointsource loading of bacteria. The situation on Lincoln 

Creek is not unique and also could apply to many 

other streams in the Big Blue River and Little Blue 

River subbasins.

In July 1989, 36 of the 57 sites sampled in July 

1988 were resampled in an attempt to verify the distributional pattern and magnitude of E. coli densities 

determined in July 1988. Sites sampled in July 1989

and E. coli densities are listed in table 4. Making this 

verification survey comparable to the data collected in

1988 required conditions similar to those during the 

July 1988 survey; however, as previously discussed, 

precipitation (table 5) and hydrologic conditions 

(table 6) during the July 1989 sampling were, in many 

instances, very dissimilar from those in July 1988. 

With the exception of Big Indian Creek near Wymore, 

Nebr. (site 34), streamflow at all sampling sites in the 

Big Blue and Little Blue River subbasins upstream of 

Tuttle Creek Lake was affected by overland runoff 

from recent rain. This is especially true in the Little 

Blue River subbasin (sites 37-49) where streamflows 

were as much as two orders of magnitude larger 

(site 38) than those observed in July 1988.

Densities of E. coli determined in July 1989 generally were larger than those in July 1988 and ranged 

from 5 col/100 mL in the Delaware River below Perry 

Dam, Kans. (site 74), to 790,000 col/100 mL in the 

West Fork Big Blue River near Hastings, Nebr. 

(site 16). These two sites also had the minimum and 

maximum densities, respectively, of all sites sampled 

in July 1988. The larger densities determined in July

1989 appear to be the result of nonpoint-source contamination from overland runoff caused by rainfall 

during the 14 days prior to survey. The largest densities in July 1989 were at sites located in the Big Blue 

and Little Blue River subbasins, a situation similar to 

that observed in July 1988.

Although the July 1989 E. coli data set is not 

adequate for verifying the results of the stable, lowflow conditions of July 1988, it does provide insight 

into the relation between runoff and bacterial densities. This relation is most evident in the Little Blue 

River subbasin, particularly at main-stem sites where 

flows were many times larger than those observed in 

July 1988. In July 1988, the median E.coli density at 

main-stem Little Blue River sites was 940 col/100 mL, 

whereas in July 1989 the median density was 

17,000 col/100 mL. The intense livestock production 

in the Little Blue and Big Blue River subbasins is a 

major contributor to fecal contamination of streams 

receiving overland runoff in these areas.

Densities of E. coli in the Kansas River subbasin 

were considerably larger in July 1989 than in July 

1988 but not at the magnitude observed in the Little 

Blue and Big Blue River subbasins. The larger densities in July 1989 were probably the result of 

nonpoint-source contribution from overland runoff 

caused by considerable rainfall during and just before

64 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
the start of sampling (table 5). The largest densities 

determined in the Kansas River subbasin were at 

main-stem sites downstream of Topeka (sites 76, 78, 

and 88), which received nearly 3 in. of rain during this 

period. The 10,000-col/lOO mL density determined at 

Kansas River at Lecompton, Kans. (site 76), probably 

represents a combination of nonpoint sources from 

overland runoff and discharge from the Topeka 

wastewater-treatment plant.

SUMMARY

In 1986, the Congress appropriated funds for the 

U.S. Geological Survey to test and refine concepts for 

a National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) 

Program. The 15,300-mi2 lower Kansas River Basin in 

Kansas and Nebraska was one of four pilot studies in 

this program. This report describes the sanitary quality 

of streams in the lower Kansas River Basin. Sanitary 

quality is evaluated on the basis of concentrations of 

dissolved oxygen (DO) and densities of a fecalindicator bacterium, Escherichia coli (E. coli).

Sixty-one surface-water sampling sites were 

chosen for this investigation. Criteria for site selection 

included long-term, fixed-station sampling locations, 

locations of potential degradation in sanitary quality, 

locations on streams representing areas with reasonably homogeneous land use, sites at the confluence of 

major tributaries, and additional sites on the main stem 

Kansas River and major tributary streams to provide a 

resolution of no more than 50 river mi between sites. 

Synoptic surveys were conducted at these sites in July 

1988, November 1988, March 1989, and May 1989, to 

define the concentrations, and diel and seasonal variability in concentrations of DO. Synoptic surveys were 

conducted in July 1988 and July 1989 to define 

densities of E. coli. Ancillary data included measurements of specific conductance, pH, water temperature, 

barometric pressure, and concentrations of nutrients, 

total organic carbon, chlorophyll, and suspended sediment. Surveys generally were conducted during 

stable-flow, dry-weather conditions.

To define the maximum potential for DO deficiencies, a synoptic survey was conducted in July 1988 

when water temperatures were expected to be near 

annual maximums and streamflows near annual minimums. Because DO fluctuates as a result of daytime 

photosynthesis (production of oxygen) and nighttime 

respiration (consumption of oxygen) by algae and

aquatic plants, 31 sites were sampled within about 

2 hours before dawn when DO concentrations were 

anticipated to be at minimum in the diel cycle. Of 

these 31 sites, 5 had DO concentrations less than the 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 

5.0-mg/L, 1-day minimum warmwater criterion for 

early life stages, and 4 of these 5 predawn concentrations were less than the USEPA 3.0-mg/L criterion 

for all other life stages. These five sites were Lincoln 

Creek near Aurora, Nebr., West Fork Big Blue River 

near Hastings, Nebr., Delaware River near Fairview, 

Kans., Stranger Creek at Easton, Kans., and Turkey 

Creek at Kansas City, Kans. The small DO concentrations at the sampling sites on Lincoln Creek, West 

Fork Big Blue River, and Turkey Creek were mainly 

the result of upstream municipal wastewater discharges. Small DO concentrations in Stranger Creek 

and the Delaware River were mainly the result of algal 

respiratory demands coupled with reduced physical 

reaeration associated with extreme low flow. 

In addition to those sites identified in the July

1988 synoptic survey with DO concentrations less 

than criteria, concentrations at four additional sites 

identified in subsequent surveys were less than 

criteria: Beaver Creek near York, Nebr., on May 31,

1989 (4.9 mg/L); Cross Creek at Rossville, Kans., on 

June 1, 1989 (4.7 mg/L); Wakarusa River near 

Berry ton, Kans., on May 31, 1989 (4.5 mg/L); and 

Wakarusa River near Lawrence, Kans., on November 

16, 1988 (2.7 mg/L). The small DO concentration at 

the site on Beaver Creek appeared to be the result of 

municipal wastewater discharge, whereas the small 

concentrations in Cross Creek and Wakarusa River 

near Berryton, Kans., probably were caused by algal 

respiratory demands coupled with reduced physical 

reaeration associated with extreme low flow. The 

small DO concentration at Wakarusa River near 

Lawrence, Kans., was possibly the result of localized 

runoff carrying oxygen-demanding material into the 

stream.

Concentrations of DO in violation of water-quality 

criteria are localized occurrences and do not reflect 

regional patterns in DO. Generally, the most severe 

DO deficiencies are the result of discharges from 

municipal wastewater-treatment plants into small 

tributary streams with inadequate dilution or assimilation capacity. Algal respiratory demand in combination with reduced physical reaeration associated with 

extreme low flow probably also contributes to temporary, localized deficiencies. Comparisons among

Summary 65
mean predawn DO concentrations at sites on the Big 

Blue River, Little Blue River, and Kansas River, 

showed little appreciable difference between the 

streams (6.23, 6.60, and 6.36 mg/L, respectively). Of 

all DO concentrations determined (392) in conjunction 

with all synoptic surveys, nine determinations 

(2.3 percent) were less than water-quality criteria.

Diel variability in DO concentrations was 

measured at 11 sites in the study unit. DO determinations were made at 4- or 6-hour intervals during an 

approximately 24-hour period. Concentrations of DO 

less than the 5.0-mg/L criterion were not observed at 

any of the diel-study sites. On the basis of these diel 

studies, it appears that diel DO fluctuations in streams 

not affected by localized problems such as pointsource discharges are basically a function of photosynthesis and respiration.

Densities of E. coli were determined at 57 surfacewater sampling sites during the synoptic survey in July 

1988. Results indicate large regional differences in 

E. coli densities within the study unit. The median 

E. coli density in the Big Blue River subbasin was 

2,400 coy 100 mL and ranged from 120 to 

260,000 col/100 mL. The median E. coli density in the 

Little Blue River subbasin was 940 col/100 mL and 

ranged from 100 to 30,000 col/100 mL. The median 

E. coli density in the Kansas River subbasin was 

88 col/100 mL and ranged from less than 1 to 

1,000 col/100 mL.

Of the 19 sites sampled in the Big Blue River 

subbasin upstream of Tuttle Creek Lake, stream water 

at 16 (84 percent) of those sites exceeded the USEPA 

criterion for E. coli densities (576 col/100 mL) for 

infrequently used full-body contact recreation, and 10 

sites (53 percent) exceeded the 2,000-col/lOO mL fecal 

coliform criterion for uses other than full-body contact 

established by the Kansas Department of Health and 

Environment. Eight (73 percent) of the 11 sites sampled in the Little Blue River subbasin exceeded the 

576-col/lOO mL full-body criterion, and 4 sites 

(36 percent) exceeded the 2,000-col/lOO mL fecal 

coliform criterion for other than full-body contact. In 

the Kansas River subbasin, the 576-col/lOO mL 

criterion was exceeded at only one site.

Point-source discharges from municipal 

wastewater-treatment plants mainly were responsible 

for the large E. coli densities measured at specific sites 

in the study unit; however, nonpoint-source contamination probably was responsible for the generally 

larger E. coli densities in the Big Blue and Little Blue

River subbasins compared to those in the Kansas 

River subbasin. This nonpoint-source contamination 

may have been the result of greater livestock production in the Big Blue River and Little Blue River subbasins compared to that in the Kansas River subbasin. 

More grazing and a greater number of confined feeding operations could increase E. coli densities in 

streams in several ways: (1) direct access to streams 

used as a water source by livestock, (2) overland runoff from pastures and confinement areas, (3) groundwater discharge from confinement areas in close proximity to streams, and (4) rainfall or irrigation runoff 

from cropland where manure was applied as fertilizer 

or soil amendment.

REFERENCES CITED

Bayne, C.K., 1975, General availability of ground water and 

normal annual precipitation in Kansas: Kansas 

Geological Survey Map Series M-4A, 1 sheet, 

scale 1:500,000.

Britton, L.J., and Greeson, RE., 1987, Methods for 

collection and analysis of aquatic biological and 

microbiological samples: U.S. Geological Survey 

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 5, 

Laboratory analysis, chap. A4, 363 p.

Brown, Eugene, Skougstad, M.W., and Fishman, M.J., 

1970, Methods for collection and analysis of water 

samples for dissolved minerals and gases: 

U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of WaterResources Investigations, book 5, chap. Al, 160 p.

Buchanan, T.J., and Somers, W.P., 1976, Discharge 

measurements at gaging stations: U.S. Geological 

Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, 

book 3, chap. A8, 65 p.

Doran, J.W, Schepers, J.S., and Swanson, N.P., 1981,

Chemical and bacteriological quality of pasture runoff: 

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, v. 36, no. 3, 

p. 166-171.

Dufour, A.P., Strickland, E.R., and Cabelli, V.J., 1981, 

Membrane filter method for enumerating Escherichia 

coli: Applied and Environmental Microbiology, v. 41, 

no. 5, p. 1152-1158.

Ellis, M.J., 1981, Analysis of stream-aquifer system

interrelationships in the Big Blue and Little Blue River 

Basins in Gage and Jefferson Counties, Nebraska: U.S. 

Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 

81-29,49 p.

Fader, S.W, 1974, Ground water in the Kansas River valley, 

Junction City to Kansas City, Kansas: Kansas 

Geological Survey Bulletin 206, part 2, 12 p.

66 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Fallen, J.D., and McChesney, J.A., 1993, Surface-waterquality assessment of the lower Kansas River Basin, 

Kansas and Nebraska Project data, November 1986 

through April 1990: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 93-51,594 p.

Fenneman, N.M., 1946, Physical divisions of the United 

States: Washington, D.C., U.S. Geological Survey 

special map, 1 sheet, scale 1:7,000,000.

Fishman, M.J., and Friedman, L.C., eds., 1989, Methods for 

determination of inorganic substances in water and 

fluvial sediments: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques 

of Water-Resources Investigations, book 5, chap. Al, 

545 p.

Fromm, Carla, and Wilk, Sally, eds., 1988, Kansas water 

quality assessment 1986-1987: Topeka, Kansas 

Department of Health and Environment 305 (b) 

Report, 144 p.

Gary, H.L., Johnson, S.R., and Ponce, S.L., 1983, Cattle 

grazing impact on surface water quality in a Colorado 

front range stream: Journal of Soil and Water 

Conservation, v. 38, no. 2, p. 124-128.

Geldreich, E.E., and Kenner, B.A., 1969, Concepts of fecal 

streptococci in stream pollution: Journal of the Water 

Pollution Control Federation, v. 41, no. 8, p. R336- 

R352.

Guy, H.P., 1977, Laboratory theory and methods for

sediment analysis: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques 

of Water-Resources Investigations, book 5, chap. Cl, 

50 p.

Guy, H.P., and Norman, V.W., 1970, Field methods for 

measurement of fluvial sediment: U.S. Geological 

Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, 

book 3, chap. C2, 59 p.

Hagedorn, C, Hansen, D.T., and Simonson, G.H., 1978, 

Survival and movement of fecal indicator bacteria in 

soil under conditions of saturated flow: Journal of 

Environmental Quality, v. 7, no. 1, p. 55-59.

Hines, W.G., McKenzie, S.W, Richert, D.A., and Rinella, 

FA., 1977, Dissolved-oxygen regimen of the 

Willamette River, Oregon, under conditions of basinwide secondary treatment: U.S. Geological Survey 

Circular 715-1, 52 p.

Jordan, P.R., and Stamer, J.K., eds., 1991, Surface-waterquality assessment of the lower Kansas River Basin, 

Kansas and Nebraska Analysis of available data 

through 1986: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 91-75, 172 p.

Kansas State Board of Agriculture and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 1988-89, Kansas farm facts: Topeka, 

Kans. (published annually).

Kress, M, and Gifford, G.F., 1984, Fecal coliform release 

from cattle fecal deposits: Water Resources Bulletin, 

v. 20, no. 1, p. 61-66.

Lim, C.H., and Flint, K.P., 1989, Effects of nutrients on the 

survival of Escherichia coli in lake water: Journal of 

Applied Bacteriology, v. 66, no. 6, p. 559-569.

McKinney, R.E., 1962, Microbiology for sanitary

engineers: New York, McGraw-Hill Inc., 153 p. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

1951-80, Climatological data, Kansas, annual

summary: Asheville, N.C., National Climatic Center

(published annually). 

__1988-89a, Climatological data, Kansas, monthly

summary: Asheville, N.C., National Climatic Center

(published monthly). 

__1988-89b, Climatological data, Nebraska, monthly

summary: Asheville, N.C., National Climatic Center

(published monthly). 

Nebraska Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department

of Agriculture, 1989, Nebraska agricultural statistics:

Lincoln, Nebr., 154 p. 

Nebraska Department of Environmental Control, 1986,

1986 Nebraska water quality report: Lincoln, Neb.,

212 p. 

Reid, G.K., and Wood, R.D., 1976, Ecology of inland

waters and estuaries: New York, D. Van Nostrand Co.,

p. 210-213, 215. 

Robbins, W.W., Weier, T.E., and Stocking, C.R., 1964,

Botany An introduction to plant science: New York,

John Wiley and Sons, Inc., p. 57. 

Seaber, PR., Kapinos, P.P., and Knapp, G.L., 1984, State

hydrologic unit maps: U.S. Geological Survey

Open-File Report 84-708, 198 p. 

Seyfried, PL., Brown, N.E., Cherwinsky, C.L., Jenkins,

G.D., and Cotter, D.A., 1984, Impact of sewage

treatment plants on surface waters: Canadian Journal

of Public Health, v. 75, no. 1, p. 25-31. 

Stephenson, G.R., and Street, L.V., 1978, Bacterial

variations in streams from a southwest Idaho rangeland

watershed: Journal of Environmental Quality, v. 7,

no. l,p. 150-157. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1985, Test methods

for Escherichia coli and Enterococci in water by the

membrane filter procedure: U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, EPA 600/4-85/076, 12 p. 

__1986, Quality criteria for water 1986: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 440/5-86-001,

unnumbered pages. 

U.S. Soil Conservation Service, 1987, National resources

inventory: Washington, D.C., U.S. Soil Conservation

Service, digital data. 

Wershaw, R.L., Fishman, M.J., Grabbe, R.R., and Lowe,

L.E., eds., 1983, Methods for the determination of

organic substances in water and fluvial sediments: U.S.

Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources

Investigations, book 5, Laboratory analysis, chap. A3,

173 p. 

Williams, D.L., and Barker, B.L., 1974, Kansas land-use

map, summer 1973: Kansas Department of Economic

Development, 1 sheet, scale 1:1,000,000.

References Cited 67
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

68 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin

[mg/L, milligrams per liter, |ig/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; , no data]

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

1

2

5

6

9

10

Date

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-24-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

06-02-89

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

Time

(24-

hour)

1300

1205"

1000

1010

1150

1050

1140

0830

1020

0850

0930

0820

0730

1200

1015

1445

0945

2150

0550

0815

1015

0930

0900

1300

1700

2100

0100

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

<0.01

<.01

.02

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

.04

<.01

.02

<.01

.05

.02

.10

.10

.19

~

~

.07

.57

.03

.05

.05

.05

.04

Nitrogen,

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

<0.01

<.10

.20

<.10

<.10

<.10

<.10

<.10

.80

<.10

<.10

<.10

.93

.94

3.1

.47

.40

~

-

.49

3.2

<.10

_

2.4

2.3

2.2

2.1

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.06

.05

.03

.04

.04

.06

.02

.02

.05

.04

.02

.02

.15

.20

1.2

.13

2.0

»

-

7.2

3.4

6.9

__

.07

.04

.08

.07

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.3

1.3

.90

.80

.40

.60

.50

.70

1.0

1.1

1.6

.70

2.0

2.3

3.6

1.1

2.8

~

--

22

.60

11

.90

.50

.30

.90

.70

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.40

.60

.50

.60

.20

.50

.50

.50

.70

.40

.40

.60

.80

1.5

3.6

.80

2.0

-

~

13

.60

6.4

1.8

1.5

1.0

.90

1.2

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.16

.20

.16

.15

.10

.09

.03

.09

.32

.17

.28

.14

.42

.43

.98

.20

.51

-

4.6

2.2

-

.31

.31

.31

.33

.32

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.05

.03

.05

.02

.08

.06

.02

.04

.16

.09

.05

<.01

.19

.19

.74

.06

.32

--

~

4.2

1.9

--

.28

.28

.27

.27

.30

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.04

.02

.04

<.01

.06

.04

<.01

.04

.14

.06

.04

<.01

.17

.07

.69

.06

.28

-

3.9

1.5

2.8

_

.26

.25

.23

.25

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 69
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

10

11

12

16

Date

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

09-06-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

Time

(24-

hour)

0500

0900

1345

1000

1330

0845

1050

1215

1600

1000

1005

1400

1800

2200

0200

0600

0845

1130

0630

1800

1215

1145

1015

1600

1145

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.04

.04

<.01

.05

.04

.01

.04

.10

.14

.05

.04

.04

.05

~

.40

.04

.03

.06

.16

~

~

-

.01

.21

.05

Nitrogen,

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

2.1

2.2

.11

1.6

.17

2.9

2.8

3.1

2.9

2.3

2.6

2.6

2.5

~

2.5

2.4

1.9

3.1

.80

~

-

~

.10

.39

.15

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.07

.09

.06

3.2

.35

.05

.05

.68

.19

.15

.14

.05

.06

~

.08

.08

.04

.58

.77

~

~

~

18

15

14

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.5

.80

1.4

5.4

1.0

1.4

.50

2.6

.40

1.9

.60

.70

.60

~

.80

.30

1.5

2.0

8.4

~

~

~

21

18

14

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

1.3

1.6

1.4

5.2

1.1

.50

.50

2.

<.50

1.0

.60

.40

.50

~

.40

.20

.40

2.0

8.2

~

~

--

18

_

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.34

.35

.38

1.0

.58

.57

.29

.65

.37

.73

.52

.53

.51

~

.43

.40

.33

.58

4.4

~

~

~

6.6

5.9

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.27

.27

.15

.77

.52

.39

.26

.46

.36

.47

.32

.34

.33

~

.31

.30

.23

.42

3.8

~

~

~

6.1

5.4

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.23

.22

.05

.71

.47

.36

.13

.42

.38

.30

.32

.34

.31

-

.34

.26

.09

.38

3.4

-

~

~

4.2

4.6

4.9

70 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

17

18

19

21

23

Date

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

07-25-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

09-06-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

08-08-88

08-31-88

10-12-88

11-07-88

Time

(24-

hour)

1230

1300

1700

2100

0100

0500

0900

1300

1130

1300

1130

1230

1445

1445

1200

1300

1245

1100

1010

1440

1425

1145

1245

1245

1115

1400

1230

1200

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.03

.06

.05

.07

.07

.07

.06

.05

.20

.01

.22

.18

.20

1.0

_

.10

.02

.57

_

.10

.18

.32

.02

.04

.01

.05

.03

Nitrogen, 

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

1.9

3.0

2.5

3.0

3.1

2.7

2.8

2.5

6.4

1.0

1.3

4.9

14

3.3

_

2.9

2.5

4.4

__

-

8.5

10

2.7

2.3

2.5

1.9

1.9

2.0

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.02

.07

.04

.05

.06

.07

.06

.06

4.9

11

.29

.23

1.5

3.3

_

.05

4.2

.47

_

~

<.01

.80

.55

.06

.04

.04

.12

.04

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.5

.80

.70

.80

.60

.50

.80

.50

6.3

11

1.1

1.2

4.5

3.8

1.7

1.0

5.3

--

2.1

~

2.1

.80

1.6

1.5

1.3

1.2

1.0

.50

Nitrogen, 

ammonia 

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.50

.50

.50

.80

.60

.40

.30

.50

5.2

11

1.0

1.2

4.5

4.3

1.2

1.1

5.3

-

1.6

1.4

.80

1.6

.50

-

~

-

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.93

1.2

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

5.2

3.3

.79

4.6

5.3

3.7

.66

1.1

1.7

1.0

1.6

-

3.6

3.9

3.6

.67

.74

.62

.55

.45

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.75

1.1

.95

1.0

1.0

1.1

1.2

1.1

4.4

3.3

.77

4.6

4.2

3.1

.58

1.0

1.6

.86

1.5

-

3.3

3.5

3.1

.52

-

~

-

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.71

1.1

.92

.98

.99

1.0

1.0

1.0

4.1

3.3

.73

4.0

4.4

2.8

_

.96

1.3

.88

--

3.1

3.5

2.5

.50

.49

.42

.50

.35

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 71
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

23

26

27

28

29

Date

11-15-88

12-06-88

01-03-89

02-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

04-04-89

05-02-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

09-07-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

Time

(24-

hour)

1420

1000

1130

1000

1400

1345

0955

0830

1430

1030

0840

1530

1500

1300

1325

1110

1345

1445

0600

1445

0855

1215

0630

1200

1240

1100

1330

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.03

.03

.03

.02

.03

.05

.02

.03

.12

.03

~

.03

.06

.06

_

.02

.05

.12

.06

<.01

.04

.03

.03

.02

.03

.06

.06

Nitrogen, 

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

2.0

2.6

2.2

2.2

2.8

2.5

1.6

1.6

2.6

1.6

--

1.6

2.7

2.2

_

.93

3.2

.41

2.0

.64

1.6

.59

1.7

1.9

2.0

1.4

1.2

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.07

.06

.53

.61

1.1

.85

.01

.04

.11

.09

~

.21

.83

.04

_

.07

.92

.24

.06

.04

.33

.06

.02

.03

.27

.04

.06

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

0.50

.60

1.1

1.0

1.6

1.7

.40

.30

1.1

2.0

~

.70

2.2

1.7

2.4

2.4

.20

1.5

.70

.70

.40

1.5

1.1

.70

.80

.60

1.6

Nitrogen, 

ammonia 

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.50

-

~

~

-

.70

-

-

.60

.50

~

<.20

2.2

.70

2.4

1.2

.20

1.2

__

.20

.30

.80

.60

.70

.40

.40

.50

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.56

.57

.74

.64

.79

.80

.47

.45

.63

.66

.54

.74

.44

1.0

.85

1.6

.74

.50

.50

.54

.34

.35

.31

.39

.40

1.5

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.44

-

--

--

~

.62

-

.54

.47

.42

.57

.35

.88

.59

1.5

.55

.35

.41

.44

.25

.22

.25

.30

.26

.55

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.41

.48

.65

.56

.73

.61

.35

.34

.52

.43

-

.37

.55

.32

__

.55

1.3

.50

.33

.39

.37

.22

.22

.22

.28

.24

.50

72 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

29

31

32

Date

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

Time

(24-

hour)

1335

1730

2100

0200

0510

0915

1045

0900

1630

1330

1700

2100

0115

0950

0510

0900

0905

1300

1305

1700

1705

2100

2105

0100

0105

0500

0505

0900

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.07

.06

.05

.05

.05

.06

.01

.06

.09

.03

.02

.03

.03

.03

.02

.08

.08

.08

.08

.08

.08

.07

.07

.07

.07

.07

.07

.07

Nitrogen, 

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

1.2

1.2

1.2

1.3

1.2

1.2

.23

1.7

.34

3.0

2.9

2.9

2.8

2.8

2.2

2.8

2.7

2.7

2.8

2.7

2.7

2.7

2.7

2.8

2.7

2.8

3.0

2.7

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.06

.06

.06

.11

.10

.09

.06

1.1

.28

.06

.05

.05

.09

.05

.06

.06

.09

.04

.04

.05

.05

.06

.07

.08

.08

.12

.13

.11

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.3

1,6

1.2

2.4

1.3

1.6

.70

3.1

.90

1.0

1.2

1.6

1.7

.70

.30

1.2

1.6

1.1

1.1

1.1

.90

1.3

1.2

1.0

1.4

1.0

1.1

1.3

Nitrogen, 

ammonia 

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.90

.90

.90

2.6

1.3

1.3

1.2

3.1

1.0

1.0

.70

1.2

1.2

.90

.30

.70

1.0

.60

.50

.70

.70

1.1

.50

.90

.80

1.0

.90

.50

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.61

.67

.63

.61

.66

.76

.68

.61

.92

.70

.67

.85

.77

.75

.68

.74

.68

.73

.65

.74

.64

.68

.72

.72

.72

.64

.73

.71

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.54

.54

.53

.55

.53

.53

.61

.48

.80

.61

.60

.60

.60

.60

.59

.60

.57

.58

.58

.59

.58

.58

.58

.59

.58

.59

.60

.57

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.48

.49

.48

.48

.52

.50

.55

.41

.77

.59

.59

.60

.55

.57

.54

.56

.53

.55

.56

.57

.55

.55

.55

.55

.54

.56

.56

.55

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 73
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

32

Date

11-15-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

Time

(24-

hour)

0905

1000

1005

1400

1405

1800

1805

2200

2205

0200

0205

0600

0605

1000

1005

1000

1005

1500

1505

1800

1810

2200

2205

0200

0210

0600

0610

1000

1005

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.07

.06

.06

.06

.06

.06

.06

.06

.06

.06

.06

.05

.05

.05

.05

.06

.08

.07

.07

.09

.09

.09

.09

.09

.09

.07

.09

.09

.09

Nitrogen,

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

2.8

3.3

3.2

3.2

3.3

3.3

3.4

3.3

3.2

3.1

3.1

3.2

3.4

3.4

3.4

1.4

1.7

1.5

1.5

1.8

1.8

1.9

1.9

1.9

1.9

1.4

1.9

1.8

1.9

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.11

.61

.61

.63

.68

.64

.65

.67

.66

.90

.90

.81

.79

1.1

.72

.03

.02

.02

.06

.02

.03

.04

.03

.03

.02

.02

.03

.04

.04

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.1

1.8

2.1

1.8

2.2

1.9

2.4

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.2

2.2

2.1

2.2

2.0

2.2

3.0

2.1

2.7

2.2

2.5

2.4

2.9

1.5

.50

.60

.70

.90

.70

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.90

1.5

1.1

1.8

2.2

1.2

2.1

1.9

2.1

1.9

1.1

1.9

1.8

1.8

2.0

.50

.60

.50

1.1

.90

1.2

.50

.60

.50

.50

.30

.70

.80

.90

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.67

.76

.75

.75

.70

.67

.75

.99

.97

.84

.84

.73

.80

.82

.81

.63

.56

.53

.53

.52

.52

.53

.74

.52

.62

.48

.53

.53

.52

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.58

.59

.59

.60

.59

.61

.60

.72

.79

.67

.67

.65

.66

.67

.74

.36

.41

.38

.39

.38

.38

.39

.41

.40

.40

.37

.39

.40

.40

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.55

.57

.56

.56

.57

.57

.54

.70

.77

.63

.63

.62

.61

.63

.63

.35

.39

.36

.36

.37

.37

.37

.38

.38

.37

.35

.38

.38

.38

74 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10) Date

34 07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

35 07-25-88

08-09-88

08-30-88

10-18-88

11-08-88

11-14-88

12-06-88

01-04-89

01-31-89

03-07-89

03-28-89

04-19-89

05-24-89

05-30-89

Time

(24-

hour)

0650

0915

1045

1445

1450

1845

2230

0230

0635

1020

1520

1345

0540

0915

1400

1000

1200

1145

0900

1100

1100

1435

1130

1130

0940

1245

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

<0.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

.01

<.01

.01

<.01

.11

.09

.11

.06

.03

.03

.04

.03

.05

.05

.08

.04

<.01

.06

Nitrogen, 

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

1.6

1.4

1.4

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.2

1.3

1.3

.35

.41

<.10

3.0

.75

2.0

2.6

1.8

1.8

2.0

2.7

3.3

2.9

3.4

.53

<.10

.27

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.06

.02

.06

.06

.05

.05

.04

.04

.07

.11

.09

.08

.12

.44

.23

.05

.09

.09

.01

.03

.02

.57

.47

.06

.02

.41

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.6

1.2

1.3

1.0

1.0

1.2

1.0

1.1

1.8

.80

.30

.80

2.5

1.2

2.5

.60

1.6

1.5

1.5

1.8

2.3

.50

.40

2.0

1.3

Nitrogen, 

ammonia 

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

1.1

.60

.70

.50

.70

.90

.80

.70

.70

.80

.30

.60

2.1

~

~

~

.60

-

-

-

.20

~

~

.90

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.33

.27

.25

.30

.28

.29

.30

.33

.26

.22

.19

.48

.74

.56

.76

.59

.70

.55

.52

.53

.66

.68

.65

.24

.47

.57

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.21

.19

.20

.20

.20

.20

.21

.20

.20

.20

.10

.40

.54

--

~

~

.50

.43

~

.43

~

.56

.58

~

.23

.38

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.20

.18

.17

.16

.17

.17

.19

.17

.18

.18

.10

.37

.49

.41

.47

.48

.44

.38

.34

.38

.45

.53

.57

.10

.21

.34

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 75
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

Date

07-25-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-30-89

07-26-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-30-89

07-26-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

Time

(24-

hour)

1230

1050

0940

1240

0515

1100

0800

1200

0810

0940

0920

1320

0630

0815

1100

1030

0630

1655

1345

1200

0600

0545

1730

1250

1130

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.06

.03

.05

<.01

.05

.02

.03

.03

.02

.03

.02

.03

.03

.02

.02

.03

.04

<.01

.02

.02

.06

.02

<01

.01

.02

Nitrogen, 

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

2.9

1.6

2.9

<.10

1.4

.66

1.1

.32

1.4

.78

1.4

.70

1.5

.48

1.3

.76

.82

.70

1.6

1.2

2.8

1.7

1.5

1.4

1.3

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.02

.06

.47

.02

.07

.04

.17

.07

.02

.01

.06

.07

.04

.02

.07

.09

.02

.03

.09

.08

.09

.03

.01

.04

.07

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

0.60

1.4

1.6

1.0

1.9

.30

.70

.40

.80

.30

1.0

.50

2.0

.40

.60

.30

3.0

.70

1.3

.30

1.6

.70

.30

.60

.30

Nitrogen, 

ammonia 

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.50

.50

1.3

.70

.60

.20

.70

.50

.40

.20

.80

.40

.90

.20

.40

.50

1.2

.30

1.1

<.20

.90

.60

.30

.60

.40

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.62

.60

.64

.42

.64

.29

.30

.31

.62

.22.

.34

.30

.61

.22

.24

.39

.59

.25

.31

.46

.46

.54

.24

.27

.25

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.57

.38

.51

.21

.37

.24

.27

.29

.40

.20

.24

.27

.40

.19

.20

.35

.30

.24

.23

.40

.35

.47

.23

.24

.23

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.53

.35

.48

.21

.36

.22

.28

.27

.39

.19

.23

.26

.39

.18

.19

.34

.29

.22

.22

.38

.30

.45

.22

.25

.22

76 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

44

46

47

Date

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

07-27-88

08-09-88

08-30-88

10-18-88

Time

(24-

hour)

0845

1320

1710

2150

0120

0545

1555

1225

1300

0615

1355

1750

2110

0100

0510

1515

1200

1330

1150

0920

1135

1100

1300

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.02

.04

.02

.03

.04

.02

<.01

.02

.04

.05

.03

.03

.03

.02

.02

<.01

.02

.13

.02

<.01

.04

.02

.02

Nitrogen,

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.19

.56

.32

.41

.53

.28

1.0

1.6

1.4

2.7

2.6

2.6

2.5

2.6

2.5

.98

1.6

1.6

.42

<.10

.37

.61

1.3

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

<0.01

.04

.07

.07

.07

.03

.05

.27

.32

.10

.03

.06

.02

.05

.04

.03

.09

.16

.04

.04

.13

.02

.01

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.6

2.4

1.9

1.3

1.6

1.8

.80

.70

.50

1.8

1.2

.60

1.7

.80

2.7

.60

.80

.70

2.1

1.6

1.6

1.1

.40

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

1.0

.50

.70

.90

.40

.20

.50

.60

.70

1.7

.50

.60

.60

.70

.20

.30

.30

.80

1.2

-

-

~

__

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.52

.51

.51

.31

.54

.60

.37

.32

.45

.29

.34

.23

.54

.21

.34

.13

.11

.20

.61

.59

.31

.45

.39

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.34

.33

.27

.30

.31

.28

.30

.27

.42

.17

.19

.18

.16

.17

.19

.09

.07

.15

.36

-

~

--

__

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.33

.29

.27

.26

.30

.22

.27

.27

.40

.16

.16

.17

.14

.17

.15

.08

.07

.14

.32

.20

.21

.24

.33

11-09-88 1200 .02 .97 .03 .40 .30 .22

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 77
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

47

48

49

Date

11-14-88

12-06-88

01-10-89

02-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

04-05-89

05-01-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

Time

(24-

hour)

1350

1300

1050

1115

1100

1040

0955

1200

1420

1215

1400

0830

1415

1400

1130

1135

1630

1635

1715

1720

1540

1545

1550

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.01

.02

.03

.02

.20

.02

.03

.02

.04

.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

.02

.02

.02

.02

.02

.02

.02

.03

.03

.03

Nitrogen,

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.4

1.8

1.6

.78

.71

1.4

.15

<.10

.64

<.10

1.0

.88

.91

1.7

1.7

1.7

1.8

.63

.63

.63

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.02

<.01

.12

.18

.18

.20

.03

.05

.06

.07

.11

.04

.03

.03

.23

.23

.12

.15

.13

.14

.03

.02

.03

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

0.30

.30

.50

.60

.60

.40

.20

<.20

.40

.60

1.1

1.0

.30

.60

.80

1.1

.90

.90

1.2

1.0

<.20

<.20

.60

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.30

-

~

.20

~

.60

.60

.80

.80

.60

.50

.80

.80

.90

.50

.80

1.0

<.20

.30

.40

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.24

.25

.23

.27

.27

.30

.25

.23

.41

.13

.15

.06

.15

.42

.40

.40

.25

.26

.28

.27

.32

.33

.31

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.23

--

--

--

-

.24

~

~

.36

.07

.08

.03

.08

.32

.31

.31

.18

.18

.18

.19

.27

.26

.25

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.21

.20

.19

.21

.25

.23

.21

.17

.34

.06

.06

.02

.05

.30

.27

.28

.15

.16

.17

.16

.25

.25

.25

05-31-89 1555 .03 .63 .03 1.1 .50 .31 .25 .25

78 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

50

51

52

55

56

57

Date

07-24-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-24-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-24-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-02-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-29-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

Time

(24-

hour)

1320

1340

1350

1355

1130

1055

1445

0940

1115

1730

1045

1445

1430

1030

0930

1330

1345

0900

1120

1115

1100

1450

0815

1645

1645

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.04

<.01

<.01

-

.01

.02

<.01

<.01

<.01

.02

.04

<.01

.02

.03

.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

.01

<.01

<.01

.01

.02

Nitrogen,

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.48

<.10

.17

-

.35

.11

<.10

<.10

<.10

<.10

.70

.83

.77

.80

<.10

.20

<.10

<.10

<.10

.11

<.10

<.10

.57

.44

.71

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.04

.03

.05

~

.04

.03

.04

.10

.04

.12

.07

.06

.51

.06

.01

.06

.47

.04

.05

.05

.03

.02

.02

.04

.07

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.2

.90

.80

-

.50

.60

1.2

.70

.70

1.0

.60

.60

1.4

.60

1.0

1.1

.90

.50

1.2

.60

.30

.70

.60

.40

.60

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

5.0

.60

.40

~

.40

.70

.80

.50

.70

.60

.70

.60

1.1

.50

.80

.90

.70

.60

.30

.60

.30

.50

.60

.20

.60

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.28

.27

.32

~

.11

.22

.16

.12

.06

.10

.08

.12

.21

.09

.19

.17

.24

.07

.07

.12

.04

.06

.12

.05

.11

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.15

.19

.20

~

.06

.18

.06

.06

.01

.08

.07

.09

.13

.06

.10

.05

.20

.03

.03

.04

.01

.02

.12

.03

.08

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.14

.13

.18

--

.06

.15

.04

.05

<.01

.06

.06

.07

.11

.06

.08

.04

.18

.02

.03

.03

.01

.01

.04

.02

.07

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 79
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

58

59

60

61

62

63

Date

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-10-89

05-30-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-29-88

11-15-88

03-09-89

06-01-89

07-28-88

07-29-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-28-88

07-29-88

07-29-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

06-01-89

07-29-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-01-89

Time

(24-

hour)

0910

1445

1110

1845

1010

1100

1310

1145

0535

1240

1230

1310

1745

0415

1030

1030

1710

1815

0530

0535

0755

1510

1815

0910

1000

1010

1300

NitroNitro- gen,

gen, NO2+

nitrite, NO3,

dis- dissolved solved

(mg/L (mg/L

as N) as N)

0.03 0.41

<01 .30

.02 .44

.10 .98

.01 1.2

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

.02 .15

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

<01 .14

<01 <.10

<.01 <.10

<.01 .26

.02 .67

.08 .92

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

<.01 .25

<.01 .29

.02 .39

.05 .79

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.08

.04

.04

.16

.06

.03

.07

.05

.07

.06

.02

.11

.02

.03

.03

.20

.07

.02

.02

.02

.03

.12

.05

.02

.08

.04

.04

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

0.30

.90

1.3

.80

.50

.60

.30

.50

.80

1.5

.60

.70

1.3

.90

.90

1.2

.40

.40

.80

.70

.70

2.0

.50

.90

.30

1.2

.70

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

<0.20

.50

.90

.90

.50

.40

.80

.40

.60

.70

.30

.50

.30

.70

<.20

1.2

.60

.30

.80

.70

.40

1.3

.60

.30

.30

.60

.60

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.14

.15

.21

.30

.06

.06

.06

.04

.11

.20

.03

.07

.07

.12

.13

.32

.28

.16

.15

.10

.13

.19

.15

.07

.06

.02

.06

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.05

.09

.07

.14

.04

.02

.03

.02

.04

.09

.01

.03

.02

.01

.09

.24

.13

.02

.02

.02

.09

.09

.13

.02

.01

.01

.03

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.04

.08

.06

.13

.02

.02

..02

.01

.03

.06

.02

.04

<.01

<.01

.08

.20

.13

.01

<.01

<.01

.08

.07

.11

<.01

.02

.01

.02

80 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

64

71

72

Date

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-29-88

07-29-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

07-27-88

11-17-88

03-09-89

06-01-89

07-27-88

08-31-88

10-05-88

11-09-88

11-17-88

12-21-88

01-25-89

02-15-89

03-09-89

03-15-89

04-19-89

05-17-89

06-02-89

Time

(24-

hour)

1230

1235

1830

0005

0435

1530

1230

1235

1330

1335

1430

1435

0610

1230

1100

1445

0745

1025

1000

1020

1020

1010

1220

1035

1230

1135

0925

1320

0945

NitroNitro- gen,

gen, NO2+

nitrite, NO3,

dis- dissolved solved

(mg/L (mg/L

as N) as N)

<0.01 <0.10

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

<.01 .10

<.01 .11

<.01 .31

<.01 .19

<.01 .20

<.01 .23

<.01 .19

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

<.01 <.10

.02 .44

.03 1.3

.02 <.10

<.01 <.10

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01 <.10

.21

~

.29

<.01 .12

.05

.11

<.01

<.01 <.10

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.02

.02

.03

.03

<.01

.03

.02

.03

.03

.02

.03

.03

.11

.09

2.5

.19

.03

.04

.02

<.01

.08

.03

.08

<.01

.03

.05

.11

<.01

.03

Nitrogen,

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

0.80

1.0

.70

.30

.70

.70

1.6

1.6

3.7

1.0

.50

.30

1.3

1.0

3.3

.70

.60

.80

.40

~

.80

.40

--

-

.60

~

-

1.6

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

<0.20

.40

.30

.50

.60

.40

.60

1.6

1.7

1.0

.40

.50

.40

.80

3.3

.90

.50

-

-

~

.70

_

~

-

.60

~

__

-

.80

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.09

.09

.10

.09

.08

.07

.07

.06

.05

.05

.11

.10

.21

.54

1.0

.60

1.2

.20

.10

.17

.10

.11

.10

.20

.14

.05

.13

.23

.12

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.03

.03

.03

.04

.04

.02

.02

.02

.02

.02

.05

.06

.09

.49

.87

.53

.04

.07

.04

.10

.15

.10

.06

.02

.08

<.01

<01

.06

.08

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.02

.02

.02

.02

.03

<.01

.01

.01

.02

<.01

.04

.04

.08

.41

.81

.49

.03

--

-

-

.13

__

--

--

.07

~

._

~

.06

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 81
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

73

74

Date

07-27-88

11-17-88

11-17-88

11-17-88

11-17-88

03-09-89

03-09-89

03-09-89

03-09-89

06-02-89

06-02-89

07-29-88

08-10-88

08-31-88

10-05-88

11-09-88

11-15-88

12-21-88

01-25-89

02-15-89

03-07-89

03-15-89

04-19-89

05-17-89

05-31-89

Time

(24-

hour)

0810

1300

1305

1345

1350

1400

1405

1440

1445

1100

1105

1020

1300

1320

1300

1310

1430

1315

0845

1335

0800

0845

1235

1045

1630

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.01

.05

.05

.05

.05

.06

.06

.06

.06

.06

.06

<.01

~

~

--

<01

~

~

<.01

_

"

~

.01

Nitrogen, 

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.18

.75

.70

.69

.69

.87

.86

.85

.85

.15

.15

<.10

<.01

<.01

.14

.17

.17

.39

<.01

<.01

<.10

.10

<.01

.02

.25

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.17

1.5

1.5

1.4

1.4

1.1

.99

1.0

.98

.15

.15

.67

.71

.06

<.01

.03

.05

.06

.12

.22

.08

.09

.04

.13

.15

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

0.80

3.0

3.1

3.0

3.1

2.0

1.2

1.6

2.2

1.0

.80

1.3

1.1

.70

.40

~

.60

.50

~

.60

_

.70

Nitrogen, 

ammonia 

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.50

2.6

2.6

2.5

2.5

1.5

1.2

-

1.4

.90

.90

1.3

~

~

-

.60

~

~

.60

_

~

.80

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

1.8

1.3

1.2

1.2

1.2

.87

.87

.87

.82

.57

.61

.32

.79

.09

.05

.03

.05

.02

.07

.16

.03

<.01

<01

.06

.05

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.12

.98

1.0

1.0

1.0

.73

.75

.73

.73

.58

.54

.03

.10

.06

<.01

.03

.02

<.01

<.01

.06

.01

<.01

<.01

.09

.03

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.10

.95

.96

.95

.94

.66

.67

.67

.67

.51

.52

.06

-

~

~

.02

~

~

-

.02

_

-

.01

82 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coll Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

76

Date

07-27-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

Time

(24-

hour)

1805

0025

0615

1215

1220

0600

0610

1000

1005

1400

1410

1800

1805

2200

2205

0200

0205

0605

0615

1010

1015

1400

1405

1410

1800

1805

2200

2205

0200

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

<0.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

.02

.02

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

.02

.02

.03

.04

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

.03

Nitrogen,

N02+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

<.010

<10

<.10

<.10

<.10

.57

.56

.54

.54

.54

.58

.49

.50

.47

.46

.42

.42

.50

.61

.56

.57

.52

.52

.57

.53

.53

.55

.56

.54

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.03

.03

.03

.01

.01

.08

.08

.10

.10

.19

.20

.14

.14

.10

.10

.04

.05

.06

.38

.46

.47

.56

.37

.57

.59

.61

.57

.54

.36

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.3

1.4

1.4

1.0

1.3

.80

.80

.90

.90

.80

1.0

1.0

.80

.80

1.0

.70

.80

.90

1.0

1.1

1.3

1.2

1.1

1.3

1.1

1.4

1.5

.80

1.2

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.60

.40

<.20

.40

.20

.60

.60

.70

.70

.60

.80

.70

.60

.70

.60

.70

.80

.60

.80

1.0

.90

1.0

1.0

.70

1.1

1.0

1.0

.80

.70

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.20

.10

.26

.20

.24

.25

.24

.28

.29

.28

.28

.20

.26

.25

.23

.20

.19

.24

.35

.32

.32

.31

.29

.29

.29

.30

.32

.35

.27

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.03

.04

.03

.03

.02

.19

.19

.22

.20

.21

.20

.19

.19

.18

.18

.14

.13

.22

.25

.25

.26

.22

.22

.22

.22

.23

.24

.23

.20

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.01

.01

.01

.01

.01

.16

.16

.20

.19

.19

.19

.17

.17

.16

.16

.13

.13

.19

.21

.22

.21

.19

.19

.19

.19

.20

.20

.21

.17

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 83
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

76

77

78

79

83

Date

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-27-88

07-28-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-03-89

07-28-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-01-89

07-29-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-29-88

08-10-88

08-31-88

10-05-88

11-09-88

11-16-88

12-21-88

01-25-89

02-15-89

03-07-89

Time

(24-

hour)

0205

0600

0605

1845

1825

0605

1030

1345

0935

0515

1440

1030

1800

0645

1600

0930

0530

1500

1500

1500

1555

1520

1515

1605

1535

1300

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.03

.04

.04

.19

<.01

<.01

.02

.03

.15

.01

.03

.07

.20

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

~

~

~

-

_

--

~

<.01

Nitrogen,

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.54

.62

.66

.97

<.10

<.10

.58

.48

.87

<.10

.84

1.1

.98

.21

<.10

<.10

.11

<.01

<.01

.18

.04

_

.04

.64

.09

.15

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.37

.38

.42

.71

.02

.01

.12

.51

.13

.04

.11

.47

.41

.04

.04

.05

.03

.14

.04

.04

<.01

_

.03

.25

.04

.04

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

1.1

1.8

1.4

1.2

1.2

1.8

.70

1.2

.50

1.2

.90

1.3

1.1

.50

.60

.80

1.0

.60

1.1

.60

-

_

.50

~

~

.60

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

1.0

.80

1.4

1.2

.40

.30

.70

1.0

.60

1.0

.20

1.1

1.0

.40

.50

.80

.80

~

~

~

_

~

.50

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.27

.33

.33

.33

.15

.14

.20

.27

.26

.26

.31

.41

.70

.09

.05

.10

.04

.44

.16

.04

.07

_

.03

--

.17

.04

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.20

.22

.24

.28

<.01

.03

.14

.18

.15

.08

.30

.30

.61

.03

.01

.05

<.01

<.01

.05

<.01

.03

_

<.01

.02

.20

.01

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

0.17

.19

.19

.25

.01

.01

.13

.16

.14

.06

.31

.26

.43

.01

<.01

.02

.02

~

-

-

--

__

--

~

-

.01

84 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

83

86

87

88

Date

03-15-89

04-19-89

05-17-89

05-31-89

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

03-08-89

06-02-89

07-28-88

07-28-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

06-02-89

07-27-88

07-27-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

Time

(24-

hour)

1435

1450

0755

1045

0615

0620

1200

1200

1250

0445

1500

1345

1350

1415

1530

1815

2400

0610

1220

1225

1510

1515

1550

1555

1630

1635

1905

1910

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

_

~

-

<0.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

.02

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

<.01

.12

<01

<.01

<.01

.01

.01

.03

.03

.04

.04

.04

.04

.12

.12

Nitrogen, NitroNO2+ gen,

NO3, ammodis- nia, dissolved solved

(mg/L (mg/L

as N) as N)

0.11 0.05

<.01 .07

<.01 <.01

<.10 .03

<.10 .16

<.10 .16

<.10 .03

<.10 .01

<.10 .08

<.10 .03

<.10 .04

<.10 .03

<.10 .03

<.10 .01

1.5 .35

<.10 .03

<.10 .01

<.10 .02

<.10 .04

<.10 .03

.71 .05

.71 .13

1.1 .36

1.0 .34

.36

1.1 .36

.74 .03

.73 .03

Nitrogen,

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

_

~

-

0.40

1.2

1.3

1.8

.80

.70

1.0

1.0

.90

1.3

.60

1.7

.90

1.4

.50

1.4

1.1

.90

.90

1.2

1.4

1.1

1.3

.60

.70

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

..

~

~

0.60

.90

.80

.80

.30

.90

1.0

.80

.60

.60

.50

1.5

.50

.70

.40

<.20

.70

.60

.50

1.2

1.2

1.3

1.0

.30

.60

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

0.12

<.01

.22

.04

.13

.13

.25

.07

.06

.13

.16

.14

.15

.09

.19

.16

.20

.18

.20

.15

.35

.35

.35

.38

.36

.39

.53

.29

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

<0.01

<.01

.02

.02

.06

.05

.04

.03

.03

.01

.05

.05

.04

.03

.08

.04

.02

.06

.06

.06

.30

.30

.23

.25

.27

.28

.23

.22

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

_

~

~

0.01

.03

.02

.01

.03

.02

.03

.04

.04

.03

.03

.08

.03

.03

.04

.04

.04

.26

.27

.20

.20

.22

.22

.18

.18

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 85
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site

mapindex

number

(fig. 10)

90

91

Date

07-29-88

07-29-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-02-89

07-29-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-02-89

Time

(24-

hour)

0510

0515

1210

1215

1315

1320

0925

1440

0615

1000

1320

1145

Nitrogen,

nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

0.72

.67

.68

.69

.67

.66

.45

.62

.06

.04

.04

.05

Nitrogen,

NO2+

N03,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

8.8

8.2

~

5.3

6.8

6.5

4.5

5.3

.59

1.4

.98

.25

Nitrogen,

ammonia, dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

5.1

~

4.6

4.4

4.2

11

2.0

.77

.48

.33

.71

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

total

(mg/L

asN)

14

14

7.5

7.2

6.9

7.5

3.6

5.9

.60

.80

1.4

1.7

Nitrogen, 

ammonia

plus

organic,

dissolved

(mg/L

asN)

7.7

6.3

7.0

6.4

6.8

13

5.0

1.0

.80

1.2

1.6

Phosphorus,

total

(mg/L

asP)

8.7

8.5

6.9

6.8

7.2

7.5

7.3

3.4

.55

.41

.43

.53

Phosphorus,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

8.2

7.7

6.3

6.2

6.8

6.7

6.7

3.7

.34

.30

.22

.36

Phosphorus,

ortho,

dissolved

(mg/L

asP)

6.7

6.3

5.1

4.9

5.3

5.4

5.4

3.2

.50

.27

.20

.33

86 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coll Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10) Date Time (24-hour)

1

2

5

6

9

10

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-24-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

06-02-89

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

1300

1205

1000

1010

1150

1050

1140

0830

1020

0850

0930

0820

0730

1200

1015

1445

0945

2150

0550

0815

1015

0930

0900

1300

1700

2100

0100

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

15

10

5.2

9.9

5.9

5.5

2.8

5.6

8.6

7.7

8.2

7.6

16

14

17

15

9.0

--

~

25

54

26

11

-

--

~

__

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(^9/L)

56

44

33

110

12

4.9

2.7

15

27

30

51

78

45

16

1.1

63

12

~

~

11

9.9

71

24

--

~

~

__

Chlorophyll-6 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(W/L)

9.6

1.0

12

3.8

3.4

.1

.6

1.8

2.8

.6

23

3.5

12

1.0

.6

21

5.0

~

~

.9

7.6

12

5.6

-

-

-

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

121

119

18

213

137

9

21

34

210

45

20

187

68

62

86

53

34

~

~

33

107

39

163

~

~

~

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 87
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

10

11

12

16

17

Date

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

09-06-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

Time (24-hour)

0500

0900

1345

1000

1330

0845

1050

1215

1600

1000

1005

1400

1800

2200

0200

0600

0845

1130

0630

1800

1215

1145

1015

1600

1145

1230

1300

1700

2100

0100

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

..

~

20

24

11

22

3.5

14

7.1

29

~

~

~

-

_

~

6.6

9.9

9.2

~

~

~

18

18

15

9.3

--

~

~

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(i^g/L)

..

--

12

1.7

1.5

39

4.9

2.2

45

68

~

--

--

~

_

100

1.6

1.6

~

~

~

4.6

1.3

17

50

~

~

~

__

Chlorophyll-6 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(ng/L)

..

-

1.0

.8

.2

9.7

.3

.3

4.4

21

~

~

~

--

_

~

3.0

.3

<.3

~

~

--

.7

1.8

4.5

14

~

~

~

__

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

..

~

52

44

10

251

70

98

145

222

~

~

--

~

__

~

56

73

18

~

~

-

2

21

3

194

~

--

~

88 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

17

18

19

21

23

Date

07-27-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

07-25-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

09-06-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

08-08-88

08-31-88

10-12-88

11-07-88

11-15-88

12-06-88

01-03-89

02-07-89

03-07-89

Time (24-hour)

0500

0900

1300

1130

1300

1130

1230

1445

1445

1200

1300

1245

1100

1010

1440

1425

1145

1245

1245

1115

1400

1230

1200

1420

1000

1130

1000

1400

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

..

~

-

13

12

13

9.2

9.5

13

14

5.3

7.5

25

8.3

-

9.5

10

12

18

~

~

~

~

4.0

-

--

-

__

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(ng/L)

..

-

-

2.5

1.4

7.4

5.4

.8

57

43

8.9

.7

29

14

~

5.5

7.4

10

31

-

--

5.3

~

-

Chlorophyll-/? 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(ng/L)

_

-

0.2

.7

1.6

.3

<.5

17

12

.3

.4

3.1

3.1

<.l

1.1

1.0

7.0

~

~

~

.1

~

~

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

-

-

65

48

175

42

183

87

308

29

24

525

66

~

21

76

60

211

179

74

106

14

_

9

12

12

41

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 89
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

23

26

27

28

29

31

Date

03-08-89

04-04-89

05-02-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

09-07-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

07-25-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-30-89

Time (24-hour)

1345

0955

0830

1430

1030

0840

1530

1500

1300

1325

1110

1345

1445

0600

1445

0855

1215

0630

1200

1240

1100

1330

1335

1730

2100

0200

0510

0915

1045

0900

1630

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

8.4

~

~

11

13

~

4.8

11

13

17

11

22

12

18

7.3

10

9.9

9.9

3.6

7.5

8.0

__

~

~

~

~

12

~

8.9

17

8.3

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(ng/L)

2.1

~

~

29

110

~

20

.5

43

19

29

3.1

50

12

.9

.9

71

52

1.4

.6

34

~

-

~

14

~

.7

1.7

14

Chlorophyll-/; 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(^g/L)

0.8

--

~

4.3

9.4

~

.4

.4

3.7

5.4

3.5

.6

11

2.5

<.l

<.2

6.2

7.0

<.l

<.2

3.2

__

~

-

~

~

3.6

~

<.l

<.2

6.5

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

84

120

43

258

205

--

21

72

413

201

75

53

128

353

30

32

155

196

52

29

122

__

~

~

~

--

58

-

2

10

6

90 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

32 07-25-88

07-25-88

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

Carbon, 

organic, total 

Time (24-hour) (mg/L as C)

1330 12

1700 12

2100 12

0115 13

0950 12

0510 9.4

0900 5.7

0905

1300

1305

1700

1705

2100

2105

0100

0105

0500

0505

0900

0905

1000 11

1005

1400

1405

1800

1805

2200

2205

0200

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(H9/L)

47

39

36

~

-

80

25

-

~

~

_

-

~

~

~

_

~

~

~

~

1.0

~

~

~

~

_

~

~

__

Chlorophyll-6 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(H9/L)

9.2

8.8

8.0

~

~

13

1.0

~

~

~

_

~

~

~

~

_

~

~

~

~

.5

~

~

~

~

-

~

__

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

262

242

215

210

253

158

29

~

~

--

_

~

~

~

-

_

~

-

~

-

59

~

~

~

~

_

~

~

__

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 91
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoSite plankton, 

map-index Carbon, chromonumber organic, total fluorometer 

(fig. 10) Date Time (24-hour) (mg/LasC) (|ig/L)

32 03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

34 07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

05-30-89

0205

0600

0605

1000

1005

1000 13 77

1005

1500

1505

1800

1810

2200

2205

0200

0210

0600

0610

1000

1005

0650 10 7.1

0915

1045

1445

1450

1845

2230

0230

0635

1020 6.0 5.3

1520 5.5 2.9

1345 6.7 16

Chlorophyll-d 

phytoplankton, 

chromo- Sediment, 

fluorometer suspended 

fcig/L) (mg/L)

..

_.

..

_.

-

9.1 101

--

--

._

--

..

--

--

._

..

--

.6 123

_.

..

~

~

_

--

--

.3 111

.6 54

2.1 145

92 Surf ace-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

35 07-25-88

08-09-88

08-30-88

10-18-88

11-08-88

11-14-88

12-06-88

01-04-89

01-31-89

03-07-89

03-28-89

04-19-89

05-24-89

05-30-89

36 07-25-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

37 07-26-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-30-89

38 07-26-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-30-89

39 07-26-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

Time (24-hour)

0540

0915

1400

1000

1200

1145

0900

1100

1100

1435

1130

1130

0940

1245

1230

1050

0940

1240

0515

1100

0800

1200

0810

0940

0920

1320

0630

0815

1100

1030

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

10

~

~

~

7.9

~

~

8.9

_

-

~

10

8.5

8.3

8.5

7.7

10

2.1

2.3

5.6

9.7

2.4

3.6

3.4

16

2.9

1.7

7.0

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(H9/L)

15

~

-

~

62

~

-

1.2

_

-

-

26

20

44

2.2

72

18

6.2

.8

.5

32

3.3

1.6

1.4

70

2.7

.7

6.2

Chlorophyll-6 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(H9/L)

3.1

~

~

-

~

1.1

~

-

~

.6

_

-

~

4.1

3.1

1.7

.9

8.1

4.7

.1

.5

.2

7.6

<.l

.4

.3

19

<.l

<.2

.6

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

96

30

105

69

32

23

19

16

23

40

46

51

36

22

161

41

48

19

224

2

6

1

170

3

88

61

294

25

32

201

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 93
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

40

41

42

44

46

Date

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

07-26-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-25-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-26-88

07-27-88

07-27-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

Time (24-hour)

0630

1655

1345

1200

0600

0545

1730

1250

1130

0845

1320

1710

2150

0120

0545

1555

1225

1300

0615

1355

1750

2110

0100

0510

1515

1200

1330

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

16

2.5

3.7

8.1

18

5.2

1.1

1.0

1.5

13

~

~

~

~

_

2.9

2.9

5.2

19

~

~

~

~

_

3.4

4.7

7.0

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(W/L)

120

3.0

.9

6.4

19

2.9

1.1

.5

1.0

89

-

-

«

-

_

1.8

.7

9.6

5.1

--

-

_

1.8

.6

33

Chlorophyll-6 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(ng/L)

30

<.l

.5

.7

4.1

.4

<.l

.4

.3

24

~

~

~

_

<.l

.4

.9

.9

~

~

~

~

_

<.l

<.2

5.0

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

149

13

77

232

700

65

6

7

10

122

-

-

~

14

28

113

728

~

-

~

_

94

48

176

94 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

48 07-25-88

07-27-88

08-09-88

08-30-88

10-18-88

11-09-88

11-14-88

12-06-88

01-10-89

02-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

04-05-89

05-01-89

05-31-89

07-26-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

49 07-25-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

Time (24-hour)

1150

0920

1135

1100

1300

1200

1350

1300

1050

1115

1100

1040

0955

1200

1420

1215

1400

0830

1415

1400

1130

1135

1630

1635

1715

1720

1540

1545

1550

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

12

-

-

-

--

_

2.8

~

»

-

_

2.9

~

~

5.6

8.7

8.0

4.1

7.8

14

5.0

4.3

3.9

4.0

4.5

3.9

8.2

7.2

7.6

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(H9/L)

98

-

~

~

~

_

2.7

~

~

~

_

.7

~

~

17

13

1.6

2.7

26

61

5.7

<.l

1.0

1.1

1.2

1.1

48

57

58

Chlorophyll-d 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(H9/L)

20

~

~

~

~

_

.1

--

-

-

_

<.2

-

-

2.1

2.4

.1

.5

6.3

15

.1

.2

<3

<.3

<3

.4

6.2

6.9

8.6

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

197

134

76

57

120

20

16

21

18

46

33

47

79

51

135

_

58

27

59

222

32

40

69

65

52

56

122

121

118

05-31-89 1555 5.6 53 7.6 122

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 95
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

50

51

52

55

56

57

58

Date

07-24-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-24-88

11-16-88

03-09-89

05-31-89

07-24-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-02-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-29-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-10-89

05-30-89

Time (24-hour)

1320

1340

1350

1355

1130

1055

1445

0940

1115

1730

1045

1445

1430

1030

0930

1330

1345

0900

1120

1115

1100

1450

0815

1645

1645

0910

1445

1110

1845

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

9.4

7.7

7.5

~

4.0

8.7

11

5.2

3.9

9.4

13

5.0

4.4

5.1

8.0

8.5

4.8

7.5

5.3

8.0

3.6

9.4

32

2.5

2.7

6.9

6.4

8.0

15

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(WJ/L)

58

1.5

1.6

~

1.3

46

40

5.3

8.3

4.3

3.3

3.6

2.6

8.9

22

11

.8

18

11

4.5

.9

52

6.6

.8

8.1

34

16

16

32

Chlorophyll-/? 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(^g/L)

7.1

.1

<.l

~

.3

8.7

5.0

.4

2.7

.6

.3

<.l

.2

1.1

3.9

.3

.7

3.8

2.1

.2

<.3

11

1.4

<.3

1.5

3.7

.4

21

4.6

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

120

93

82

~

60

119

47

63

25

12

28

22

7

42

48

144

28

76

136

74

46

74

68

34

29

59

76

--

436

96 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Coli Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

59

60

61

62

63

64

Date

07-27-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

06-01-89

07-29-88

11-15-88

03-09-89

06-01-89

07-28-88

07-29-88

11-15-88

03-08-89

05-31-89

07-28-88

07-29-88

07-29-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

06-01-89

07-29-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-01-89

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-29-88

07-29-88

Time (24-hour)

1010

1100

1310

1145

0535

1240

1230

1310

1745

0415

1030

1030

1710

1815

0530

0535

0755

1510

1815

0910

1000

1010

1300

1230

1235

1830

0005

0435

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

4.0

3.7

2.6

5.1

32

8.5

3.0

7.5

__

8.6

6.5

5.2

12

10

8.9

5.6

6.9

11

4.9

3.7

3.2

6.9

5.7

5.7

--

-

__

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(^g/L)

11

2.0

1.3

9.8

23

9.3

3.2

23

__

44

12

3.7

61

27

38

6.8

4.9

65

23

.5

2.9

18

13

12

~

~

Chlorophyll-b 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

fcig/L)

2.1

.1

.7

1.1

3.6

<.l

1.0

3.8

_

4,4

.3

2.3

7.7

4.1

5.7

.3

.7

10

9.4

<.l

.1

1.8

5.8

4.7

~

~

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

109

21

69

65

179

35

20

79

109

139

47

122

__

198

199

41

94

35

48

68

28

52

66

98

--

~

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 97
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

64

71

72

73

Date

11-14-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

05-31-89

05-31-89

07-27-88

11-17-88

03-09-89

06-01-89

07-27-88

08-31-88

10-05-88

11-09-88

11-17-88

12-21-88

01-25-89

02-15-89

03-09-89

03-15-89

04-19-89

05-17-89

06-02-89

07-27-88

11-17-88

11-17-88

11-17-88

11-17-88

Time (24-hour)

1530

1230

1235

1330

1335

1430

1435

0610

1230

1100

1445

0745

1025

1000

1020

1020

1010

1220

1035

1230

1135

0925

1320

0945

0810

1300

1305

1345

1350

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

4.2

5.9

4.0

3.1

3.0

7.8

7.6

6.0

6.3

6.7

9.1

6.0

--

~

~

8.4

_

~

~

5.9

-

__

~

8.5

5.9

11

11

15

14

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(WJ/L)

9.3

4.2

3.8

2.7

2.4

32

31

15

1.1

2.2

42

17

-

~

5.5

__

~

~

3.5

--

__

22

4.4

11

7.3

7.6

8.8

Chlorophyll-d 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(MI/L)

0.3

.6

.6

.5

.3

6.1

5.3

2.1

<.l

.5

6.8

3.5

~

~

~

.2

-

-

.4

~

~

3.5

1.6

.5

.3

.2

.3

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

19

37

46

37

62

32

30

130

24

3

76

48

42

16

~

38

27

~

-

9

-

__

~

24

__

21

26

29

22

98 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

73 03-09-89

03-09-89

03-09-89

03-09-89

06-02-89

06-02-89

74 07-29-88

08-10-88

08-31-88

10-05-88

11-09-88

11-15-88

12-21-88

01-25-89

02-15-89

03-07-89

03-15-89

04-19-89

05-17-89

05-31-89

76 07-27-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

Time (24-hour)

1400

1405

1440

1445

1100

1105

1020

1300

1320

1300

1310

1430

1315

0845

1335

0800

0845

1235

1045

1630

1805

0025

0615

1215

1220

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

6.1

7.1

6.7

6.7

7.1

~

6.2

~

~

~

~

4.8

~

~

~

5.9

_

~

~

5.7

_

10

__

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

ftig/L)

6.8

6.9

6.7

6.8

2.3

2.0

1.7

~

~

~

~

2.1

~

~

~

5.5

_

~

~

.9

_

--

75

~

Chlorophyll-6 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(^9/L)

1.2

1.4

1.0

1.3

.4

.4

.4

~

~

~

~

<.l

~

-

~

1.3

_

~

~

.2

_

~

10

~

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

10

12

14

13

13

13

44

52

10

11

-

12

7

~

-

5

__

-

~

55

_

~

90

~

~

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 99
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10)

76

Date

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

11-15-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

03-08-89

05-31-89

Chlorophyll-a Chlorophyll-6 

phyto- phytoplankton, plankton, 

Carbon, chromo- chromoorganic, total fluorometer f luorometer 

Time (24-hour) (mg/LasC) ftig/L) (|ig/L)

0600

0610

1000

1005

1400 5.6

1410

1800

1805

2200

2205

0200

0205

0605

0615

1010

1015

1400 5.9 5.7 0.5

1405 5.8 5.8 .5

1410 5.4 4.8 .5

1800

1805

2200

2205

0200

0205

0600

0605

1845 14 46 4.6

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

~

26

31

26

__

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

~

_

59

42

52

-

__

~

-

-

-

__

~

93

100 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-index 

number 

(fig. 10) Date

77 07-27-88

07-28-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-03-89

78 07-28-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-01-89

79 07-29-88

03-07-89

05-31-89

83 07-29-88

08-10-88

08-31-88

10-05-88

11-09-88

11-16-88

12-21-88

01-25-89

02-15-89

03-07-89

03-15-89

04-19-89

05-17-89

05-31-89

86 07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

03-08-89

06-02-89

Time (24-hour)

1825

0605

1030

1345

0935

0515

1440

1030

1800

0645

1600

0930

0530

1500

1500

1500

1555

1520

1515

1605

1535

1300

1435

1450

0755

1045

0615

0620

1200

1200

1250

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

9.3

5.6

5.8

11

8.0

5.9

6.4

10

7.2

8.0

9.0

6.3

-

-

-

~

_

-

-

5.5

__

-

-

6.1

9.8

9.8

14

5.2

9.1

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(|ig/L)

..

30

22

2.7

67

34

7.8

1.7

52

16

3.2

3.8

12

-

--

~

~

_

~

--

--

1.3

~

--

7.5

12

11

93

3.6

11

Chlorophyll-b 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(H9/L)

5.1

1.0

.8

6.7

5.5

.4

.7

6.1

2.7

.2

.5

0.8

~

-

~

~

_

~

-

~

.1

~

-

.5

1.3

1.2

14

.7

2.6

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

103

28

188

125

42

20

31

~

28

22

22

48

44

90

24

~

__

6

--

~

9

~

~

92

56

56

-

13

10

Results of Chemical Analysis of Water Samples Collected July 1988 Through June 1989 in the Lower Kansas River Basin 101
Table 8. Results of ancillary chemical analyses of water samples collected July 1988 through June 1989 in 

the lower Kansas River Basin Continued

Site 

map-Index 

number 

(fig. 10)

87

88

90

91

Date

07-28-88

07-28-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

03-08-89

06-02-89

07-27-88

07-27-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

07-28-88

11-16-88

11-16-88

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

03-07-89

05-30-89

05-30-89

07-29-88

07-29-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-02-89

07-29-88

11-14-88

03-07-89

06-02-89

Time (24-hour)

0445

1500

1345

1350

1415

1530

1815

2400

0610

1220

1225

1510

1515

1550

1555

1630

1635

1905

1910

0510

0515

1210

1215

1315

1320

0925

1440

0615

1000

1320

1145

Carbon, 

organic, total 

(mg/L as C)

10

~

9.8

10

5.2

7.0

_

~

8.2

~

~

5.9

5.8

6.8

6.5

6.3

6.4

8.5

9.2

23

19

25

27

--

_

32

18

9.9

7.0

10

8.3

Chlorophyll-a 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer 

(WJ/M

16

~

1.5

8.8

3.5

23

_

~

40

~

~

9.5

9.2

3.0

3.5

2.8

2.9

51

57

3.3

2.5

.3

.3

.2

.5

2.0

.7

40

16

9.7

23

Chlorophyll-6 

phytoplankton, 

chromofluorometer

(W/L)

2.2

~

.2

.8

.4

4.6

_

~

7.7

~

~

0.6

.5

1.0

.8

.8

1.1

5.7

8.0

.6

.8

.1

<.l

<.l

<.l

1.3

.1

5.5

.6

3.1

3.2

Sediment, 

suspended 

(mg/L)

75

~

32

34

12

286

_

~

47

~

-

34

33

14

16

20

14

15

15

10

11

9

12

-

__

17

-

219

34

24

-

102 Surface-Water-Quality Assessment of the Lower Kansas River Basin, Kansas and Nebraska: Dissolved Oxygen and 

Escherichia Co//Bacteria in Streams During Low Flow, July 1988 Through July 1989

* U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1995 657-371