U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5074

Prepared in 

Department

Water Q

Independ

Prepared in cooperation with the City of Independence, Missouri, Water Pollution Control 

Department

Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in 

Independence, Missouri, June 2005 through December 2008
Front cover.  Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri (site 6) Photograph by Eric D. Christensen, U.S. Geological Survey, April 201

Inset: Dry weather screening sample site, culvert within Crackerneck Creek Basin along MO-291 Highway, Independence, Missouri.

Photograph by Richard D. Norman, U.S. Geological Survey, August 2006.

Back cover.  Upper photograph: Flooding at the Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri (site 6), looking upstream. Photograph

by Shelley L. Niesen, U.S. Geological Survey, June 2010. Middle photograph: Little Blue River at 39th Street (site 3). Photograph by

Shelley L. Niesen, U.S. Geological Survey, October 2007. Lower photograph: Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri (site 6), looking

downstream. Photograph by Eric D. Christensen, U.S. Geological Survey, June 2009.
Water Quality and Ecological Condition of 

Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri, 

June 2005 through December 2008

By Eric D. Christensen, Thomas E. Harris, and Shelley L. Niesen

Prepared in cooperation with the City of Independence, Missouri, Water 

Pollution Control Department

Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5074

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Marcia K. McNutt, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2010

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reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Christensen, E.D., Harris, T.E., and Niesen, S.L., 2010, Water quality and ecological condition of urban streams in 

Independence, Missouri, June 2005 through December 2008: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 

2010-5074, 115 p. 

ISBN 978–1–4113–2862–4
iii

Acknowledgments

The authors express appreciation to Dick Champion, director of the Independence Water Pollution Control Department, and members of his staff, Dorris Bender and Christine Smith, for their 

support to the USGS. The assistance of Independence Water Pollution Control employees Noel 

Fraley, Edward Overbay, and Edward Krzenski was instrumental during dry-weather screening. 

Keith Fair and Larry White from the Independence Water Pollution Control Laboratory were 

always on-call to accept samples during storms. Streamgage installations and relocations could 

not have been done without the assistance of Joe Wheelbarger and his crew from the Independence Sanitary Repair Department. Review and technical advice on bacterial source tracking 

was provided by Dr. Andrew Carson of the University of Missouri. 
iv

Contents

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

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2

Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................4

Ecoregions and Climate.......................................................................................................................4

Hydrology ...............................................................................................................................................9

Previous Investigations........................................................................................................................9

Methods...........................................................................................................................................................9

Sample Collection and Procedures .................................................................................................10

Data Analysis.......................................................................................................................................13

Quality Control and Quality Assurance ...........................................................................................17

Water Quality................................................................................................................................................19

Streamflow and Continuous Water-Quality Measurements .......................................................20

Base-Flow Water Quality...................................................................................................................27

Physical Properties, Dissolved Oxygen, and Inorganic Constituents...............................28

Nutrients......................................................................................................................................29

Common Organic Micro-Constituents....................................................................................31

Stormflow Water Quality ...................................................................................................................32

Physical Properties, Dissolved Oxygen, and Inorganic Constituents...............................33

Nutrients......................................................................................................................................37

Common Organic Micro-Constituents....................................................................................48

Dry-Weather Screening.....................................................................................................................50

Bacteria and Microbial Source Tracking........................................................................................67

Ecological Condition....................................................................................................................................75

Macroinvertebrate Surveys..............................................................................................................75

Habitat Assessments..........................................................................................................................75

Summary and Conclusions.........................................................................................................................78

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................81

Tables.............................................................................................................................................................89
v

Figures

1–3 Maps showing—

1. The Little Blue River Basin, sampling sites, study area location, and 

political boundaries, for Independence, Missouri, and surrounding cities...............3

2. The study area in the City of Independence, Missouri, basin boundaries, 

and sampling sites...............................................................................................................5

3. Land use/land cover in the Little Blue River Basin and adjacent basins 

within Independence, Missouri.........................................................................................6

4. Graphs showing monthly average temperatures and precipitation measured 

and recorded at Independence, Missouri, for July 2005 through December 2008 

compared to the 30-year data from 1979 through 2008 ..........................................................8

5. Photograph showing continuous water-quality monitor with turbidity, dissolved 

oxygen, pH, and combined specific conductance and water temperature 

sensors .........................................................................................................................................10

6–15. Graphs showing—

6. Average daily chloride concentration at Spring Branch Creek using 

regression models with and without specific conductance as an 

explanatory variable, July 2005 through December 2008 ...........................................15

7. Relation between measured specific conductance and chloride 

concentrations in stream samples using measured and calculated chloride 

concentrations ...................................................................................................................16

8. Quality assurance data for dry-weather screening samples in field replicate

or laboratory duplicate sample pairs .............................................................................19

9. Average daily and monthly streamflow by site, July 2005 through December

2008 ......................................................................................................................................21

10. Percentage deviations from the 30-year average monthly streamflow at 

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri, compared with the 30-year 

average monthly precipitation measured and recorded at Independence, 

Missouri, July 2005 through December 2008 ................................................................22

11. Frequency of exceedance for measured average daily streamflow at 

streamgages in Independence, Missouri, July 2005 through December 

2008 ......................................................................................................................................23

12. Frequency of exceedance for average daily turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH,

specific conductance, and water temperature, at sampling sites equipped

with continuous water-quality monitors in Independence, Missouri, July 

2005 through December 2008...........................................................................................24

13. Continuous (15-minute) measured turbidity and streamflow at Little Blue 

River near Lake City, Missouri, April through June, 2008............................................27

14. Continuous (15-minute) measured dissolved oxygen concentration, water

temperature, and streamflow at Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri, 

April through June 2008....................................................................................................28

15. Continuous (15-minute) measured specific conductance and streamflow 

at Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri, April through June, 2008....................29

16–19 Boxplots showing—

16. Chloride concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads and yields in

base-flow samples by site, June 2006 through September 2008...............................30

17. Suspended sediment concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads, 

 and yields in base-flow samples by site, June 2006 through September 2008 .......31
vi

18. Total nitrogen concentration and calculated instantaneous loads and yields

in base-flow samples by site, June 2006 through September 2008...........................32

19. Total phosphorus concentration and calculated instantaneous loads and 

yields in base-flow samples by site, June 2006 through September 2008 ...............33

20. Graph showing percentage of total annual precipitation and streamflow by month 

at Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri, June 2005 through December 2008...........34

21. Boxplots showing chloride concentrations, instantaneous loads, and yields in 

stormflow samples by site, June 2005 through December 2008.........................................37

22. Graphs showing estimated average daily chloride concentrations and loads by 

site, July 2005 through December 2008...................................................................................38

23. Graph showing frequency of exceedance for estimated average daily chloride 

concentrations by site, July 2005 through December 2008 .................................................40

24. Boxplots estimated average daily chloride load by month and year by site, July 

2005 through December 2008....................................................................................................41

25. Graph showing relation of suspended sediment concentration to the sum of total 

recoverable metals concentration ..........................................................................................43

26–28. Boxplots showing—

26. Total nitrogen concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads and yields

in stormflow samples by site, June 2005 through September 2008...........................44

27. Total phosphorus concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads and

yields in stormflow samples by site, June 2005 through September 2008 ...............45

28. Suspended sediment concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads 

and yields in stormflow samples by site, August 2005 through September 

2008 ......................................................................................................................................46

29–33. Graphs showing—

29. Estimated average daily total nitrogen concentrations and loads by site, 

July 2005 through December 2008 ..................................................................................47

30. Estimated average daily total phosphorus concentrations and loads by site, 

July 2005 through December 2008 ..................................................................................49

31. Relation between suspended sediment and total nitrogen concentration in 

stream samples, August 2005 through December 2008 ..............................................51

32. Frequency of exceedance for estimated average daily total nitrogen

concentration by site, July 2005 through December 2008 ..........................................51

33. Frequency of exceedance for estimated average daily total phosphorus

concentration by site, July 2005 through December 2008 ..........................................52

34. Boxplots showing estimated average daily total nitrogen load by month and year 

by site, July 2005 through December 2008 .............................................................................53

35. Boxplots showing estimated average daily total phosphorus load by month and 

year by site, July 2005 through December 2008 ....................................................................56

36. Graphs showing estimated average daily suspended sediment concentrations 

and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008...........................................................59

37. Boxplots showing estimated average daily suspended sediment load by month 

and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.............................................................60

38. Maps showing dry-weather screening sampling sites and location of constituent 

detections for selected stream basins in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008.........62

39. Boxplots showing dry-weather screening constituent concentrations in streams 

in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008 .....................................................................66
vii

40. Map showing Adair Creek Basin showing locations and measurements for 

specific conductance during dry-weather screening, April 2007 and July 2008.............67

41. Boxplot showing Escherichia coli densities by site for base-flow and stormflow 

samples, June 2005 through December 2008.........................................................................68

42–44. Graphs showing—

42. Frequency of exceedance for estimated average daily Escherichia coli

densities by site, July 2005 through December 2008 ...................................................69

43. Estimated Escherichia coli bacteria densities and loads by site, July 2005 

through December 2008....................................................................................................70

44. Relation between Escherichia coli bacteria density and suspended 

sediment concentration for Independence streams and the Little Blue 

River.....................................................................................................................................71

45. Boxplots showing estimated daily Escherichia coli load by month and year by 

site, July 2005 through December 2008...................................................................................72

46. Photograph showing degraded stream conditions at East Fork Crooked River, 

showing recent heavy sediment deposition and accumulation of large woody 

debris, September 2008 .............................................................................................................77

47. Photograph showing representative channel and substrate at South Grand River, 

September, 2008..........................................................................................................................77

Tables

1. Locations of sampled sites in Independence, Missouri, and biologic sampling

reference sites and type of hydrologic, water quality, and ecologic data 

collected, June 2005 through December 2008.........................................................................7

2. Categories of common organic micro-constituents detected in urban streams.............14

3. Concentrations of selected water-quality constituents and organic microconstituents in blank water samples.......................................................................................90

4. Annual deposition rates of selected constituents in precipitation at five midwestern monitoring sites in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, 2005 

through 2008 ................................................................................................................................93

5. Summary statistics of continuous water-quality monitor computed average 

daily values at three sites in Independence, Missouri, July 2005 through 

December 2008............................................................................................................................94

6. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous

loads and yields of selected constituents in base-flow samples, June 2006 

through December 2008.............................................................................................................96

7. Summary of constituent concentrations by category and instantaneous loads 

of total common organic micro-constituents by site in base-flow samples, 

June 2006 through December 2008........................................................................................101

8. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous

loads and yields of selected constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 

through December 2008...........................................................................................................103
viii

9. Summary of constituent concentrations and instantaneous loads of common

organic micro-constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 through December

2008 .............................................................................................................................................109

10. Regression models for estimating concentrations, densities, and calculated 

annual loads of selected constituents ....................................................................................35

11. Selected constituents and dissolved metal concentrations in stormflow, October

17, 2007 .......................................................................................................................................111

12. Summary of dry-weather screening constituent detections in streams in

Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008........................................................................113

13. Presumptive host sources of Escherichia coli in samples collected May through 

October 2007................................................................................................................................74

14. Benthic macroinvertebrate sample abundance and calculated metrics for sites 

sampled from March 2007 through September 2008 ............................................................76

15. Stream habitat assessment scores for macroinvertebrate sampling sites, 2007 

and 2008........................................................................................................................................77
ix

Conversion Factors, Abbreviations, and Datums

Inch/Pound to SI

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

square mile (mi2

) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

Volume

cubic foot (ft3

) 0.02832 cubic meter (m3) 

Flow rate

cubic foot per second (ft3

/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

SI to Inch/Pound

Multiply By To obtain

Length

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.)

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) 

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)

Area

square kilometer (km2

) 247.1 acre

square kilometer (km2

) 0.3861 square mile (mi2)

Volume

liter (L) 0.2642 gallon (gal)

cubic meter (m3

) 264.2 gallon (gal) 

cubic meter (m3

) 35.31 cubic foot (ft3)

cubic meter (m3

) 0.0008107 acre-foot (acre-ft) 

Flow rate

cubic meter per second (m3

/s) 35.31 cubic foot per second (ft3/s)

Mass

gram (g) 0.03527 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)

kilogram (kg) 2.205 pound avoirdupois (lb)

megagram (Mg) 1.102 ton, short (2,000 lb)

milligram per second (mg/s) 0.000002 pound per second (lb/s)

gram per second (g/s) 0.002205 pound per second (lb/s)

kilogram per square kilometer (kg/km2

) 0.002854 tons per square mile (ton/mi2)

kilogram per day per square kilometer 

(kg/d/km2

)

0.002854 tons per day per square mile 

(ton/d/mi2)

megagram per day (Mg/d) 1.102 ton per day (ton/d) 
x

Acronyms and Other Abbreviations

ABS alkyl benzene sulfonate

AMLE adjusted maximum likelihood estimation

ANOVA analysis of variance

AQL protection of aquatic life 

BI biotic index

BMP best management practice

BOD5 5-day biochemical oxygen demand

COD chemical oxygen demand

col colonies

CSO combined sewer overflow

CWQM continuous water-quality monitor

DNA deoxyribonucleic acid

E. coli Escherichia coli

EDL estimated detection limit

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency

EPTR Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Tricoptera richness

FBS fully biologically supporting

GPS global positioning system

IDAS Invertebrate Data Analysis System

LAS linear alkylate sulfonate

LRL laboratory reporting level

LT-MDL long-term method detection level

MDL method detection limit

MDNR Missouri Department of Natural Resources

MODOT Missouri Department of Transportation

MPN most probable number

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

 °F=(1.8×°C)+32

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows:

 °C=(°F-32)/1.8

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 

(NAVD 88).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

Specific conductance is given in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (μS/cm at 

25°C).

Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given either in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

or micrograms per liter (μg/L).
xi

MRL minimum reporting level

MS4 municipal separate storm sewer system

MSCI Missouri stream condition index

MST microbial source tracking

N nitrogen

NADP National Atmospheric Deposition Program

NBS non-biologically supporting

NH3 ammonia

NO2 nitrite

NO3 nitrate

NPDES National Pollution Discharge Elimination System

NURP Nationwide Urban Runoff Program 

NWIS National Water Information System

NWQL National Water Quality Laboratory

NWS National Weather Service

OMC common organic micro-constituent in whole water

P phosphorus

PAH polyaromatic hydrocarbon

PBS partially biologically supporting

PVC polyvinyl chloride

rep-PCR repetitive extragenic palindromic polymerase chain reaction

R2 coefficient of determination

RL reporting level

RMSE root mean square error

SCI stream condition index

SDI Shannon Diversity Index

SSO storm sewer overflow

TTR total taxa richness

USGS United States Geological Survey

WY water year, October 1 through September 30
xii
Abstract 

To identify the sources of selected constituents in urban 

streams and better understand processes affecting water 

quality and their effects on the ecological condition of urban 

streams and the Little Blue River in Independence, Missouri 

the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the City of 

Independence Water Pollution Control Department initiated 

a study in June 2005 to characterize water quality and evaluate the ecological condition of streams within Independence. 

Base-flow and stormflow samples collected from five sites 

within Independence, from June 2005 to December 2008, 

were used to characterize the physical, chemical, and biologic 

effects of storm runoff on the water quality in Independence 

streams and the Little Blue River. The streams draining Independence—Rock Creek, Sugar Creek, Mill Creek, Fire Prairie 

Creek, and the Little Blue River—drain to the north and the 

Missouri River. Two small predominantly urban streams, 

Crackerneck Creek [12.9-square kilometer (km2) basin] and 

Spring Branch Creek (25.4-km2 basin), were monitored that 

enter into the Little Blue River between upstream and downstream monitoring sites. The Little Blue River above the 

upstream site is regulated by several reservoirs, but streamflow 

is largely uncontrolled. The Little Blue River Basin encompasses 585 km2

 with about 168 km2 or 29 percent of the basin 

lying within the city limits of Independence. Water-quality 

samples also were collected for Rock Creek (24.1-km2 basin) 

that drains the western part of Independence.

 Data collection included streamflow, physical properties, 

dissolved oxygen, chloride, metals, nutrients, common organic 

micro-constituents, and fecal indicator bacteria. Benthic 

macroinvertebrate community surveys and habitat assessments were conducted to establish a baseline for evaluating 

the ecological condition and health of streams within Independence. Additional dry-weather screenings during base flow of 

all streams draining Independence were conducted to identify 

point-source discharges and other sources of potential contamination. Regression models were used to estimate continuous and annual flow-weighted concentrations, loadings, and 

yields for chloride, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, suspended 

sediment, and Escherichia coli bacteria densities. 

Base-flow and stormflow water-quality samples were 

collected at five sites within Independence. Base-flow samples 

for Rock Creek and two tributary streams to the Little Blue 

River exceeded recommended U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for the protection of aquatic life for 

total nitrogen and total phosphorus in about 90 percent of 

samples, whereas samples collected at two Little Blue River 

sites exceeded both the total nitrogen and total phosphorus 

standards less often, about 30 percent of the time. Dry-weather 

screening identified a relatively small number (14.0 percent 

of all analyses) of potential point-source discharges for total 

chlorine, phenols, and anionic surfactants. 

Stormflow had larger median measured concentrations 

of total common organic micro-constituents than base flow. 

The four categories of common organic micro-constituents 

with the most total detections in stormflow were pesticides 

(100 percent), polyaromatic hydrocarbons and combustion 

by-products (99 percent), plastics (93 percent), and stimulants 

(91 percent). Most detections of common organic microconstituents were less than 2 micrograms per liter. Median 

instantaneous Escherichia coli densities for stormflow samples 

showed a 21 percent increase measured at the downstream site 

on the Little Blue River from the sampled upstream site. Using 

microbial source-tracking methods, less than 30 percent of 

Escherichia coli bacteria in samples were identified as having 

human sources.

Base-flow and stormflow data were used to develop 

regression equations with streamflow and continuous waterquality data to estimate daily concentrations, loads, and yields 

of various water-quality contaminants. Estimated chloride 

concentrations rarely exceeded the Missouri acute standard 

for the protection of aquatic life (about 1 percent) and at 

only one site, Spring Branch Creek. The chronic standard 

for chloride concentration at all sites was estimated to be 

exceeded between 2 and 30 percent of the time. Large specific 

conductance values measured in the Adair Creek Basin near 

Interstate 70 during dry-weather screening indicated potential 

chloride concentrations of about 1,100 milligrams per liter, 

Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams 

in Independence, Missouri, June 2005 through December 

2008

By Eric D. Christensen, Thomas E. Harris, and Shelley L. Niesen
2 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

well above acute standards for the protection of aquatic life, 

but were not modeled. Estimated average daily total nitrogen 

and total phosphorus concentrations for the streams draining 

Independence were greater than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended guidelines more than 85 percent 

of the time. Estimated concentrations for the Little Blue River 

sites exceeded the standard for total nitrogen more than 50 

percent of the time and more than 80 percent of the time for 

total phosphorus. The estimated average daily sediment yield 

for the Little Blue River during the study period increased 

downstream, so that estimated annual suspended sediment 

loads were two to three times larger downstream with only 

about a 20 percent increase in total drainage area. Observed 

road, commercial, and residential construction activities in 

the lower portions of the stream basins draining Independence 

likely contributed to the larger suspended sediment loads. Estimated average daily Escherichia coli densities at both Little 

Blue River sites exceeded the Missouri standard 70 percent of 

the time. 

Benthic macroinvertebrate samples collected in 2007 and 

2008 found no sites, including reference sites, to be fully biologically supporting. Streams with a Stream Condition Index 

(SCI) of 16 to 20 are considered to be fully biologically supporting. The Little Blue River sites had an average SCI score 

of 12 and the streams draining Independence had an average 

SCI score of 10 and rated as partially biologically supporting. Habitat assessments were conducted in 2008. Scores for 

the Independence sites varied in a narrow range. The assessment factors having the most effect on lowering habitat scores 

were increased fine sediment deposition, channel alteration, 

poor bank stability, and loss or absence of bank and riparian 

vegetation.

Two streams draining Independence, Crackerneck Creek 

and Spring Branch Creek, contributed about 76 percent of the 

increase between sites on the Little Blue River in estimated 

chloride load, about 22 percent of the increase in total nitrogen load, and about 13 percent of the increase in total phosphorus load. Larger relative percentage contributions from 

the tributary streams occurred during lower flows. Estimated 

flow-weighted Escherichia coli densities also increased downstream. Contaminants mobilized through surface runoff to the 

municipal separate storm sewer system, and possibly sanitary 

sewer overflows, are more important in the smaller, more 

urbanized streams draining Independence than in the Little 

Blue River. Data collected for this study indicated that potential exists for decreasing concentrations, and consequently 

loads, of some contaminants to streams associated with suspended sediment in stormflow by the continuing implementation of best management practices to decrease sediment loads 

in streams.

Introduction 

In 1993, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Independence, Missouri completed a 

study characterizing the water quality of base flow in Independence streams and storm runoff from five basins draining the 

city (Schalk, 1993). The data collected for the study were used 

by Independence to establish baseline water-quality conditions for the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System 

(NPDES) permit application process for stormwater discharges to waters of the State of Missouri (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1990). However, the effects of stormflow to the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) in 

Independence on the water quality and ecological condition 

of receiving streams, including the Little Blue River (fig. 1), 

were not assessed. Information about the source and character 

of contaminants detected in receiving streams was needed to 

meet the conditions of the MS4 permit for the city and to help 

design feasible and effective strategies by Independence for 

contaminant reductions and implementation of best management practices (BMPs). 

Therefore, to identify the sources of selected constituents in urban streams and better understand processes affecting water quality and their effects on aquatic life on urban 

streams and the Little Blue River in Independence, the USGS 

in cooperation with the City of Independence, Missouri, Water 

Pollution Control Department initiated a study in June 2005 to 

characterize water quality and evaluate the ecological condition of streams within Independence. Sampling data from the 

monitoring program implemented for this study were used 

to fulfill the requirements of the MS4 permit for Independence, assess differences in the water quality of base flow and 

stormflow, and establish a water-quality baseline that could be 

used by Independence to measure the effectiveness of current 

(2010) and future BMPs to evaluate a stormwater management 

program for the city.

Purpose and Scope

This report presents the results of the first phase of a 

stream water-quality and ecological assessment of urban 

streams in Independence, Missouri. Continuous discharge 

(streamflow), physical properties, dissolved oxygen, chloride, metals, nutrients, suspended sediment, common organic 

micro-constituents (OMCs), and fecal indicator bacteria data 

for base-flow and stormflow samples are presented. These 

data were used to characterize contaminant sources, concentrations, loads, and yields for several basins and receiving 

streams within Independence and their contributions to the 

Little Blue River from June 2005 through December 2008. 

Regression models were used to estimate continuous and 

annual concentrations, loads, and yields of chloride, total 

nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P), suspended sediment, and 

Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. Microbial Source Tracking 

(MST), along with stream monitoring, dry-weather screening, 
Introduction 3

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000, 1999

Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15N

RAY

CASS

Sampling site and number—Green fill indicates streamflow 

 and water-quality sampling site (table 1)

Sampling site and number with continuous water-quality

Biologic sampling site and number

Sampling site and number with continuous water-quality 

 monitor installed October 2008 

! 1

EXPLANATION

8

5

7

2

0 2.5 5 MILES

0 52.5 KILOMETERS

MISSOURI

Study

area

JACKSON

7

1

94°35' 94°30' 94°25' 94°20' 94°15'

39°10'

39°05'

39°00'

38°55'

38°50’

2

3

4

5

6

Crackerneck

Cr

Mill

Rock

Cr

Creek

Cr

Creek

Creek

Creek

East Fork

Little Blue River

Prairie

Burr

Creek

Prairie

Creek

RIVER

Fire

River

Spring

Cr

Branch

River

Fire

Oak

Blue

Little

Blue

Bundschu

Adair

Creek

West

MISSOURI

Longview Lake

Lake

Jacomo

Prairie Lee Lake

Sugar

Blue Springs Lake

Lazy Branch

Kansas City

Grandview

Lee’s Summit

Raytown

Independence

Study area

Blue Springs

Little Blue River Basin

Figure 1. The Little Blue River Basin, sampling sites, study area location, and political boundaries, for 

Independence, Missouri, and surrounding cities. 
4 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

benthic macroinvertebrate community surveys, and habitat 

assessments, were used in this study to identify and characterize contaminant sources and assess the ecological condition 

of streams in Independence. Measurements and estimates of 

constituent concentrations and fecal indicator bacteria densities indicate that there is potential for decreasing loads and 

concentrations of some constituents to streams, in particular 

nutrients, bacteria, and turbidity, associated with suspended 

sediment in stormflow by the continued implementation of 

BMP to decrease sediment loads to streams.

Description of Study Area 

 Independence, Missouri (fig. 1) is located in Jackson 

County, on the eastern side of the Kansas City metropolitan 

area. The study area is bounded by the city limits of Independence (fig. 2) and includes an area of 203 square kilometers 

(km2). The population of Independence in 2007 was 110,704 

(U.S. Census Bureau, 2008a) yielding a population density of 

about 540 people per square kilometer. The land use is a mix 

of developed (residential, commercial, industrial) and agricultural (fig. 3). The western one-half of the city is mostly urbanized with new, largely residential, construction occurring to 

the east on vacant and agricultural zoned land. In 2006, 50,247 

housing units were in the city with 3,818 new units built from 

2000 to 2006 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008b). 

The following basins drain most of Independence: Rock 

Creek, Sugar Creek, Mill Creek, Fire Prairie Creek, and the 

Little Blue River including its tributary streams; Adair Creek, 

East Fork Little Blue River, Crackerneck Creek, Spring 

Branch Creek, Burr Oak Creek, Bundschu Creek and West 

Fire Prairie Creek (fig. 2). No wastewater treatment facilities currently (2010) discharge to streams in the Little Blue 

River Basin, nor were any substantial effects from industrial 

discharges detected in samples during this study. 

Five continuous streamflow-gaging stations (hereinafter 

referred to as streamgages) were the focus of this study (table 

1; fig. 2): Rock Creek at Kentucky Road, USGS streamgage 

06893620 (site 1); two sites on the Little Blue River, upstream 

at 39th Street, streamgage 06893910 (site 3), and downstream 

near Lake City, streamgage 06894000 (site 6); Crackerneck 

Creek at Selsa Road, streamgage 06893940 (site 4); and 

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway, streamgage 06893970 

(site 5). Data collected for Adair Creek, streamgage 06893830 

(site 2), installed in October 2008, are not included in this 

report. Two reference sites located outside of the study area 

(table 1; fig. 1); East Fork Crooked River near Richmond, 

streamgage 06895090 (site 7), and the South Grand River 

below Freeman, streamgage 06921582 (site 8), were selected 

and used as control sites for habitat assessment and benthic 

macroinvertebrate sampling. Sites 7 and 8 were selected as 

reference sites because they are representative of the ecoregions in which they and Independence are located and are 

nonurban streams that have had minimal human disturbance. 

Additional sites were identified during dry-weather screening 

and sampled.

Ecoregions and Climate

Independence straddles two of Missouri’s major ecological sections, the Central Dissected Till Plains Section in the 

northern and western parts of the city and the Osage Plains 

Section to the south and east. These sections are characterized 

by shallow to deep loess soils overlying Pennsylvanian-age 

limestone, shale, and sandstone bedrock. These sections are 

further classified into subsections and land-type associations. 

In the northern part of the city the land-type association is 

classified as Missouri River Loess Woodland/Forest Breaks 

of the Loess Hills Subsection with steep slopes and drainages. 

The southeastern parts of Independence are in the Jackson 

County Prairie/Woodland Scarped Plain land-type association 

of the Scarped Osage Plains Subsection (Nigh and Schroeder, 2002). Historically, the natural vegetation consisted of a 

mosaic of oak woodlands and little bluestem-sideoats grama 

prairie, big bluestem-Indian grass prairie, and cord grass wet 

prairie. Agricultural uses in non-urban areas of the city include 

pasture and cropland with corn, soybeans, and other feed 

grains as main crops (Omernik, 1987; Chapman and others, 

2001; Nigh and Schroeder, 2002).

The climate of Independence is classified as humid continental and is included within the Missouri Northwest Prairie 

climatic division (National Climatic Data Center, 2009). This 

climate is characterized by large seasonal temperature ranges 

and variable weather patterns. The 30-year (1979 through 

2008) average annual temperature for the study area is 12.4 °C 

(degrees Celsius) and ranges from a average monthly low 

temperature of -1.9 °C for January to an average monthly high 

temperature of 25.0 °C for July [calculated from data reported 

at National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Stations 

234158 (January 1979 through September 1989) and 234154 

(January1990 through December 2008) located in Independence (fig. 2) or in the case of missing data, data from Kansas 

City Downtown Airport (MKC) and Kansas City International 

Airport (MCI) Cooperative Stations 234359 and 234154 were 

used]. Extreme temperatures in Independence for the 30-year 

period ranged from -26.7 °C in January 1982 to 42.8 °C in 

August 1984 (National Climatic Data Center, 1979–2008).

The 30-year average annual precipitation (liquid precipitation plus melted snow) is 109.0 centimeters (cm) with 

about 67 percent of the precipitation occurring during the 

growing season (April through September). The winter months 

(November through February) are relatively dry receiving 

about 18 percent of the precipitation. The 24-hour 2-year 

recurrence interval rainfall is 8.3 cm within the Northwest 

Prairie climatic division (Huff and Angel, 1992). Monthly 

average temperature and precipitation for the study period are 

shown in figure 4 with the 30-year monthly averages.
Introduction 

5

aE st Fork

tti L

el

B ul e R

EXPLANATION

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 1:24,000, 1999Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15N

0 2.5

2.5

5 MILES

0 5 KILOMETERS

Sampling site and number—Green fill indicates  stormflow and water-quality sampling site (table 1)Sampling site and number with continuous water qualityBiologic sampling site and number

2 Adair site and number (installed October 2008)

National Weather Service Cooperative Station 234158— A, 1979 to 1989; *, location of 234154 from 2001 to currentNational Weather Service Cooperative Station 234154, variously located—B, 1990 to 1992; C, 1992 to 1996; D, 1996 to 2001

AA!

B!

*

155

City of

Independence 

MISSOURI

70 § ̈¦

2

4

3

6

5

AA!*

1

!

!

!

D

C

B

40

24

291

Rock Creek

Basin

Sugar Creek

Basin

Crackerneck Creek

Basin

Bundschu Creek 

Basin

Spring Branch Creek

Basin

Basin not included in the study area

Basin not included in the study area

River

Basin not includedin the study area Blue

Little

Fire Prairie Creek

Basin

West Fire Prairie Creek

Basin

Burr Oak Creek

Basin

Adair Creek

Basin

Crackerneck Creek

Basin

Bundschu Creek 

Basin Mill Creek

Basin

Rock Creek

Basin

Sugar Creek

Basin Spring Branch Creek

Basin

Independence

Original location of site 5

Missouri River

94°14' 94°16' 94°18'

94°20'

94°28' 94°24' 94°22'

94°26'

39°06'

39°04'

39°02'

Figure 2. The study area in the City of Independence, Missouri, basin boundaries, and sampling sites.
6 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data 1:24,000, 2000 Land use modified from U.S. Geological Survey National Land Cover Database (2001)

Universal Transverse Mercator projection

Zone 15N

0 8 KILOMETERS

0 4

4

8 MILES

EXPLANATION

Open water

Developed, open space/low intensity

Developed, medium/high intensity

Barren land (rock/sand/clay)

Mixed forest

Grasslands/herbaceous/crops

Woody wetlands

Independence city limit (study area) 

 

Little Blue River

Little Blue River

Mill Creek

Fire Prairie Creek

Rock Creek

Sugar 

Creek

Crackerneck 

Creek

Adair Creek

Burr 

Oak 

Creek

West Fire 

Prairie Creek

Spring Branch Creek

Mill Creek

Lazy 

Branch 

Creek

Bundschu

 Creek Fire Prairie Creek

Rock Creek

Sugar 

Creek

Crackerneck 

Creek

Adair Creek

Burr 

Oak 

Creek

West Fire 

Prairie Creek

Little Blue River Basin

38°50'

94°10'

94°20'

39°10'

39°

94°30'

Figure 3. Land use/land cover in the Little Blue River Basin and adjacent basins within Independence, Missouri.
Introduction 

7

Table 1. Locations of sampled sites in Independence, Missouri, and biologic sampling reference sites and type of hydrologic, water quality, and ecologic data collected, June 2005 through December 2008.[ID, identification number; ddmmss, degrees/minutes/seconds; km2, square kilometers; mi2, square miles; QC, continuous streamflow; PCP, precipitation; BQW, base-flow water quality; SQW, stormflow 

water quality with automatic samplers; CWQM, continuous water-quality monitor; IQW, benthic macroinvertebrates; HAB, habitat assessment; DWS, dry-weather screening; NA, not applicable; --, not sampled; X, sampled]

Site 

number 

(fig. 1)

Station name or basin Station ID Latitude (ddmmss) Longitude (dddmmss) Drainage area1 (km2) Drain- age area1 (mi2) Regulated drainage area2 (percent) QC PCP BQW SQW CWQM IQW HAB DWS

1 Rock Creek at Kentucky Road in Independence, Mo. 06893620 390643 0942820 24.1 9.3 -- X X X X -- X X X

NA Sugar Creek NA NA NA 10.9 4.2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X

NA Mill Creek NA NA NA 28.2 10.9 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X

2 Adair Creek 06893830 390216 0942148 12.4 4.8 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X

3 Little Blue River at 39th Street in 

Independence, Mo.

06893910 390250 0942015 409 158 52.7 X X X X X X X X

4 Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road in 

Independence, Mo.3

06893940 390322 0942041 12.9 5.0 -- X X X X -- X -- X

5 Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway 

in Independence, Mo.4

06893970 390518 0942036 25.4 9.8 -- X X X X X X X X

6 Little Blue River near Lake City, Mo. 06894000 390602 0941801 490 189 44 X X X X X X X X

NA Burr Oak Creek NA NA NA 21.5 8.3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X

NA Bundschu Creek NA NA NA 11.9 4.6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- X

7 East Fork Crooked River near 

Richmond, Mo.

06895090 392222 0945432 249 96 -- -- -- -- -- -- X X --

8 South Grand River below 

Freeman, Mo.

06921582 383520 0942630 388 150 -- -- -- -- -- -- X X --

1Drainage areas for sites with Station IDs are for the area upstream from the streamgage and sampling location.2Percentage of total basin area at streamgage located upstream from reservoir outflows.3 Streamgage discontinued October 2008.4Spring Branch streamgage moved downstream to Missouri State Highway 78 bridge on August 15, 2007, due to sedimentation at the site on Holke Road. Previous basin area was 24.1 km2/9.3 mi2.
8 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Figure 4. Monthly average temperatures and precipitation measured and recorded at Independence, Missouri, for July 2005 

through December 2008 compared to the 30-year data from 1979 through 2008.

January February March April May June July August September October November

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

PRECIPITATION, IN CENTIMETERS

December

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Data from the National Climatic Data Center, 1979–2008

Data from the National Climatic Data Center, 1979–2008

TEMPERATURE, IN DEGREES CELSIUS

TEMPERATURE, IN DEGREES FAHRENHEIT PRECIPITATION, IN INCHES

25

35

45

55

65

75

85

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Precipitation

Average 1979–2008

Average 2005–2008

Average 1979–2008

Average 2005–2008

Temperature
Methods 9

Hydrology

The streams draining Independence—Rock Creek, Sugar 

Creek, Mill Creek, Fire Prairie Creek, and the Little Blue 

River—drain north to the Missouri River. The Little Blue 

River and its tributaries (fig. 2) drain about two-thirds of the 

city. The Little Blue River Basin encompasses 585 km2 with 

about 168 km2 or 29 percent of the basin lying within the city 

limits of Independence (fig. 1). 

Streamflow for the Little Blue River is affected by reservoirs; Longview Lake on the main stem of the Little Blue 

River, and Prairie Lee Lake, Lake Jacomo, and Blue Springs 

Lake on the East Fork Little Blue River (fig. 1). The dam for 

Longview Lake was completed in 1985 (U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, no date). Dams on the East Fork of the Little Blue 

River were constructed earlier. Construction on the dam for 

Prairie Lee Lake, the furthest upstream lake, began in 1936. 

The dam for Blue Springs Lake, the last constructed and the 

furthest downstream lake, was completed in 1986 and the lake 

filled in 1987 (Heimann, 1995; Rouse, 2004). These reservoirs 

regulate runoff from about one-half of the drainage area in the 

Little Blue River Basin (table 1).

The Little Blue River is mostly channelized within the 

city limits of Independence and is classified by Missouri as a 

Class P (perennial) stream suitable for whole-body contact and 

secondary contact recreation (Missouri Department of Natural 

Resources, 2005–2009). Other streams classified for wholebody contact within Independence are the East Fork Little 

Blue River and Fire Prairie Creek (Class P) and Burr Oak 

Creek (Class C, streams with perennial pools that may cease 

flow during periods of drought). Other streams in Independence are unclassified.

Previous Investigations

Streamflow measurements began in 1948 on the Little 

Blue River (site 6; fig. 2) and have been maintained continuously to the present (2010; U.S. Geological Survey, 2009b). 

Various other streamgages have been operated in the city from 

time to time including those that were part of the Nationwide 

Urban Runoff Program (NURP) study (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1983) and by the USGS in 1992 and 1993 

(Schalk, 1993). 

The NURP was a research project conducted by the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) between 1979 and 

1983 and was the first comprehensive study of urban stormwater pollution across the United States. The Rock Creek Basin 

in Independence was included in the Kansas City Area NURP 

that was one of 28 urban areas that took part in the national 

program. One NURP site (RS3) was located at the same site 

as this study’s Rock Creek sampling site (site 1; fig. 2) (MidAmerica Regional Council and F.X. Browne Associates, Inc., 

1983). The primary conclusion of the NURP study was that 

much pollution was coming from urban runoff and that, if 

action was not taken, the goals of the Clean Water Act would 

not be met (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1983). 

Results from the NURP study were the foundation for the 

NPDES permit program.

In 1992 and 1993, the USGS, in cooperation with 

Independence, completed a study of the water quality of base 

flow in Independence streams and stormflow from five basins 

within the city (Schalk, 1993). Base-flow water quality was 

evaluated and samples were collected during three storms. A 

total of 193 base-flow samples were screened for four constituents indicative of point-source discharges. Chlorine concentrations were detected in 23 percent of the samples. A single 

detection of total detergents in base flow was determined, but 

no detections of copper or total phenols with method detection limits (MDL) that were larger than in the study described 

in this report. Stormflow samples were analyzed for physical 

properties, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, volatile and 

semi-volatile organic compounds, and fecal indicator bacteria. 

However, no data interpretation was done. 

OMCs are useful indicators of anthropomorphically 

affected point and non-point discharges to urban streams 

(Kolpin and others, 2002; Zaugg and others, 2006). These 

compounds have been used in studies of wastewater and 

wastewater treatment plant discharges to environmental waters 

including in the adjacent Blue River Basin in Missouri and 

Kansas (Wilkison and others, 2002, 2006, 2009; Lee and others, 2005). OMCs generally have been referred to as wastewater indicator compounds or wastewater contaminants in the 

literature (Kolpin and others, 2002; Wilkison and others, 2002, 

2006, 2009; Zaugg and others, 2002, 2006; Lee and others, 

2004; Lee and others, 2005). However, although these compounds are indicative of wastewater discharges, they also can 

have other sources including, but not limited to, runoff from 

roads, parking lots, lawns, golf courses, agricultural fields 

and gardens, organic plant matter, garbage and construction 

materials, landfills, groundwater, and atmospheric deposition 

(Adolphson and others, 2001; Peck and Hornbuckle, 2006; 

Ternes and Joss, 2006; Senior and Cinotto, 2007; Musolff and 

others, 2009). Many of these compounds have become ubiquitous in the environment (Kolpin and others, 2002), especially 

within and downstream from urban areas (Kolpin and others, 2002, 2004; Wilkison and others, 2006, 2009). For these 

reasons these compounds will be referred to in this report by 

a more generic term, common organic micro-constituents—

OMCs—to avoid potential mis-attribution to the likely source 

of these compounds.

Methods 

Streamflow, precipitation, water-quality, biologic, and 

ecological data were collected from June 2005 through 

December 2008 to characterize water quality and the ecological condition of streams in Independence. Along with the 

existing streamgage for the Little Blue River (site 6), four 

additional USGS streamgages were installed for this study, 
10 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Rock Creek, Little Blue River at 39th Street, Crackerneck 

Creek, and Spring Branch Creek (sites 1, 3, 4, and 5; table 1; 

fig. 2). The streamgage at site 5 was moved a short distance 

downstream in August 2007 and the streamgage at site 4 was 

discontinued in October 2008 (fig. 2). Stream sampling sites 

were selected to be representative of the streams draining the 

developed areas of Independence that receive discharge from 

the MS4 and the city’s contribution to the water quality of 

the Little Blue River. By definition, an MS4 is a system of 

conveyances that include man-made channels, pipes, tunnels, and storm drains, as well as surface streets, catch basins, 

curbs, gutters, and ditches that discharge into waters of the 

United States (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 2009). 

Data from each site included streamflow, physical properties, dissolved oxygen, chloride, metals, nutrients, suspended 

sediment, OMCs, and fecal indicator bacteria. Screening at 

low flow for point-source discharges and stream degradation 

such as garbage dumping was conducted. Evaluations of the 

ecological condition and health of streams also were done, 

including benthic macroinvertebrate community surveys and 

habitat assessment. 

Sample Collection and Procedures

Continuous streamflow (discharge) data were collected 

at four sampling sites (sites 1, 3, 5, and 6) from July 2005 

through December 2008 and at one sampling site (site 4) 

from July 2005 through October 2008 (table 1). Water-surface 

elevation (stage) data were measured and recorded at 15-minute intervals and used in discharge record computation at five 

sites using non-contact radar stage sensors for the two Little 

Blue River sites (sites 3 and 6) or pressure transducers on the 

smaller streams (sites 1, 4, and 5). Stage data also were measured at 5-minute intervals to capture the ‘flashy’ nature of the 

smaller streams and were used to program automatic samplers 

for storm sampling, but were not used in discharge record 

computation. The stage-discharge relation was determined and 

maintained by making streamflow measurements by USGS 

personnel at each site using USGS standard methods (Rantz 

and others, 1982; U.S. Geological Survey, 2004, 2007; Oberg 

and others, 2005; Mueller and Wagner, 2009). 

Precipitation data were collected using unheated tippingbucket rain gages co-located at each streamgage. The rain 

gages were regularly checked and cleaned as necessary. The 

rain gages were calibrated annually to accurately measure each 

0.025 cm of precipitation and the cumulative total recorded 

every 15 minutes. Because unheated tipping-bucket rain gages 

cannot accurately measure snowfall or other precipitation during freezing conditions, the tipping bucket data were supplemented with data from the nearest NWS cooperative station 

(234154, fig. 2) to calculate storm and monthly totals. Climatic data, including precipitation, have been recorded within 

Independence at a NWS cooperative station since 1973.

Continuous water-quality monitors (CWQM) were 

installed, operated, and maintained at three sites (sites 3, 5, 

and 6; table 1), according to procedures presented in Wagner 

and others (2006). The CWQMs were equipped with sensors 

to measure and record 15-minute data for turbidity, dissolved 

oxygen, pH, specific conductance, and water temperature 

(fig. 5). Real-time and daily data from July 2005 through 

December 2008 are available from the USGS National Water 

Information System (NWIS) at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/

mo/nwis/qw. A CWQM was installed in October 2008 on 

Adair Creek (site 2, fig. 2). The 15-minute data for turbidity, 

dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, and water temperature from October 2008 through December 2008 also are 

available from the USGS NWIS.

The CWQMs were installed in July 2005 inside 1-meter 

(m) lengths of 46-cm diameter corrugated metal pipe anchored 

to the stream bottom and positioned so that water velocity 

would be maintained around the sensors during low flow. 

The streamgage and CWQM at Spring Branch Creek (site 5) 

were relocated downstream (fig. 2) in August 2007 because 

of shallow water depths and increasing sediment deposition 

interfering with the turbidity and dissolved oxygen sensors at 

the original streamgage site. The new installation positioned 

the CWQM near the center of flow inside a 10.2-cm diameter 

polyvinyl chloride (PVC) conduit. The CWQM placement 

in the streams did not result in any consistent bias for any 

of the constituents measured at the sites as determined by 

cross-sectional measurements performed with an independent 

CWQM (Wagner and others, 2006). The CWQM sensors can 

be subject to biologic and sediment fouling and calibration 

drift while deployed. Therefore, the CWQMs were cleaned 

Figure 5. Continuous water-quality monitor with (clockwise 

from upper left) turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and combined 

specific conductance and water temperature sensors.
Methods 11

and calibrated regularly with an average of 17 days between 

site visits, but ranged from 2 to 49 days depending on stream 

conditions and sensor performance. All data collected by the 

CWQMs were corrected as needed based on knowledge of 

conditions at the individual stream sites, manufacturer’s specifications, and methods presented by Wagner and others (2006) 

before being finalized. 

Water-quality samples were collected as grab samples 

at the centroid of flow during base flow (defined as flow 

unaffected by runoff) and with automatic samplers during 

stormflow at five sites using standard USGS protocols (U.S. 

Geological Survey, variously dated). Base-flow samples were 

collected annually beginning in June 2006, with an additional 

sample collected in December 2006 to characterize base flow 

winter conditions. Twice annual sampling of base flow was 

initiated in the fourth quarter of 2008. Stormflow samples 

were collected quarterly beginning in June 2005 with an additional sample collected in the fourth quarter of 2006. One set 

of stormflow samples was collected manually at the sampling 

sites before the installation of automatic samplers in June 2005 

and on one other occasion in October 2007 for site 3 when the 

automatic sampler failed to function. 

Automatic samplers were programmed to collect flowweighted composite samples once a predetermined stage 

threshold was exceeded. Individual samples at the programmed flow interval were pumped into a glass receiving 

vessel to create a single composite sample over the interval of 

the storm sampled. The sampler programs were adjusted for 

streamflow at each site for the expected volume of stormflow 

to collect samples over the rising limb, peak, and falling limb 

of the storm hydrograph. However, because of the difficulty 

of predicting the volume of stormflow for individual storms 

and the sometimes long duration of recessions, the rising limb 

for most composites was sampled more frequently than the 

falling limb. Stormwater sample concentrations, therefore, are 

likely biased high in comparison to concentrations for samples 

collected over the total duration of a storm. For storms at 

the Little Blue River sites 3 and 6, between about 10 and 80 

percent of stormflow volumes were sampled with an average 

of about 38 percent. A greater average percentage was sampled 

upstream for the Little Blue River at site 3 (about 45 percent) 

because of smaller total stormflow volume than downstream 

at site 6 (about 32 percent). Smaller percentages are largely 

attributable to storms with recessions of long duration (sometimes days) on the larger stream. Sampling was terminated 

for storms producing runoff for long durations, generally 

within 24 hours from the start of sampling, to process the 

water already collected for analyses in a timely manner. One 

storm at site 3 was sampled during about 35 hours. For storm 

sampling at the other sites (sites 1, 4, and 5), between about 

30 and 95 percent of stormflow volume was sampled with an 

average of about 69 percent. For long sampling events (greater 

than 6 hours), the sampling vessel was either placed on ice 

in the automatic sampler or the partial sample was removed 

and refrigerated and composited later with the remainder of 

the water collected for the storm. Details of the USGS sample 

collection procedures can be accessed on line at http://pubs.

water.usgs.gov/twri9A. 

Base-flow and stormflow water-quality samples were 

analyzed for physical properties, dissolved oxygen, chloride, 

metals (total aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, 

lead, zinc, and dissolved mercury), nutrients (dissolved and 

total nitrogen and phosphorus species), suspended sediment, 

OMCs, and fecal indicator bacteria. One set of stormflow 

samples in October 2007 was analyzed for dissolved metals 

in addition to the total analyses to assess the bioavailability of 

metals in stormflow. Physical properties were either measured 

in stream at the time of sample collection for grab samples 

(base-flow samples) or in the laboratory for composite samples 

(most stormflow samples) or calculated from the CWQM data. 

Dissolved oxygen was either measured in stream at the time of 

sample collection or obtained from the CWQM data. Nutrients, chloride, metals, and OMCs in samples were analyzed 

at the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in 

Lakewood, Colorado, using established USGS procedures 

(Fishman and Friedman, 1989; Fishman, 1993; Zaugg and 

others, 2002, 2006). Cyanide samples were analyzed at TestAmerica Laboratories, Incorporated, in Arvada, Colorado, using 

EPA approved methods (TestAmerica Laboratories, 2009). 

Suspended sediment concentration samples were analyzed 

at the USGS sediment laboratory in Rolla, Missouri according to methods presented in Guy (1969). Data for samples for 

5-day biologic oxygen demand (BOD5

) and chemical oxygen 

demand (COD) that were analyzed at the Independence Rock 

Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant by city personnel are presented, but not interpreted in this report.

Dry-weather screening of selected streams in Independence was conducted annually beginning in 2006. Screening 

was conducted by walking a stream from the mouth of the 

stream upstream to the point where streamflow was no longer 

evident or where the city limits were reached. Any measureable inflow or tributary of the selected stream was sampled, 

except for clearly identifiable low volume [flow less than 0.01 

cubic foot per second (ft3

/s)] or diffuse groundwater seeps. All 

inflows were identified visually (small stream, pipe, culvert, 

groundwater seep, or pond overflow) and global positioning system (GPS) locations were obtained. At each sampling 

point, streamflow was measured or estimated and pH, specific conductance, and water temperature were obtained with 

calibrated portable field meters according to established USGS 

methods (U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated). A total of 

536 samples were collected during the dry-weather screening process. However, sometimes because of insufficient 

sample volumes, some constituents could not be analyzed. 

Water samples were collected for analysis of total chlorine, 

free and complexed copper (total dissolved copper), phenols, 

and anionic surfactants. Anionic surfactants, in particular 

alkyl benzene sulfonate (ABS) and linear alkylate sulfonate 

(LAS), are common constituents in household and industrial 

cleaners and detergents. Analyses were conducted by colorimetric methods using Hach Company reagents and DR/2400®

portable spectrophotometer at the USGS laboratory in Lee’s 
12 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Summit, Missouri. Two of the methods (total chlorine and 

phenols) are equivalent to EPA methods for reporting water 

or wastewater analyses (Hach Company, 2004). The total 

chlorine analysis method is equivalent to EPA method 330.5 

and Standard Method 4500-Cl G (Eaton and Franson, 2005) 

and is considered an EPA-acceptable method for reporting 

total chlorine concentration (Hach Company, 2004). The 

phenols method is equivalent to EPA method 420.1 for wastewater (Hach Company, 2004; U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 1978). The methods employed for analysis of total 

dissolved copper and anionic surfactants have no equivalent 

EPA methods (Hach Company, 2004). The method for analysis 

of total dissolved copper uses ampules containing a reagent 

that changes color in the presence of copper. In the anionic 

surfactants analysis, the anionic surfactants in the sample are 

complexed with a crystal violet dye and extracted from the 

sample into benzene, that is used as the analysis medium. 

A limitation of the colorimetric methods used for dryweather screening is that suspended sediment or other material (turbidity) and some dissolved constituents may interfere 

either with the color development in a sample or light transmission when reading the sample in the spectrophotometer. 

Turbidity in base-flow samples can be introduced by suspending material during the sample collection process and can 

include sediment and organic material, such as detritus or 

algae. Bias (positive or negative) or error in the sample readings may occur. Standard procedures for the methods used 

for analysis of dry-weather screening samples recommend 

pretreatment of samples to remove interfering constituents and 

turbidity (Hach Company, 2004). However, for the purposes 

of this study, the data were used as a screening procedure and 

a less rigorous approach was used. All dry-weather screening samples were collected as unfiltered samples and chemical pre-treatment of the samples was not used. Samples with 

visually observable turbidity were allowed to settle for about 

2 minutes after being transferred to a sample cell or ampule 

for reading in the spectrophotometer. The results from samples 

that still showed measureable readings for constituent concentrations with the spectrophotometer, but had visual turbidity or 

did not show visual color development in the judgment of the 

analyst, were deleted. The results that were deleted as a result 

of possible interference accounted for a total of 0.6 percent of 

the total chlorine samples, 3.4 percent of the total dissolved 

copper samples, and 0.2 percent of the anionic surfactant 

samples. No results for phenols were deleted. Deleted results 

were not included in statistical analyses. 

Samples for fecal indicator bacteria—fecal coliform, 

Escherichia coli (E. coli), and total coliform—were analyzed at the USGS laboratory in Lee’s Summit. Fecal coliform samples were analyzed according to established USGS 

procedures (U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated). E. coli

were analyzed using IDEXX Quanti-Tray® kits that utilize 

a semi-automated quantification method based on the Standard Methods Most Probable Number model (IDEXX, 2009) 

similar to a multi-test-tube dilution model where varying 

quantities of sample are diluted to fixed volumes. With the 

IDEXX method, 97 wells or reservoirs are filled with diluted 

sample water then sealed and incubated for 24 hours at 37 °C. 

After incubation, the number of wells that have turned yellow 

and the number of wells that fluoresce under ultra-violet light 

are counted. The counts then are compared to probability 

tables that give the most probable number (MPN) for total 

coliform (yellow counts) and E. coli (fluorescent counts). The 

MPN method does not involve counting bacteria colonies. 

Instead, the MPN method corresponds to a probable number 

that would be counted in a specific water sample. The number is expressed as most probable number of colonies per 

100 milliliters (MPN/100 mL). For example, referring to the 

IDEXX probability tables, if 15 small wells fluoresce and 10 

large wells fluoresce, the MPN is 28. This value represents 

the likely number of colonies per 100 milliliters (col/100 mL) 

that would be counted if the plate method was used. For the 

purposes of this report, the MPN/100 mL is considered to be 

comparable to col/100 mL.

For E. coli MST analyses, one set of base-flow and two 

sets of stormflow samples were collected. Base-flow samples 

were collected directly from the stream as a grab sample using 

sterilized equipment. Stormflow samples for MST analysis 

were collected with an automatic sampler in the same manner as for other constituents as previously described. An 

aliquot from the stormflow sample was then withdrawn from 

a sterilized churn for the MST subsample. The MST samples 

were shipped as soon as practical, usually within 8 hours, for 

analysis at the University of Missouri Veterinary Pathology 

Laboratory in Columbia, Missouri (Dombek and others, 2000; 

Carson and others, 2001, 2003, 2005). Repetitive extragenic 

palindromic polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) was used to 

produce the isolate deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ‘fingerprints’ 

of samples and to confirm that isolates were verifiably strains 

of E. coli using geographic-specific, genotypic library-based 

methods (Carson and others, 2003). Benthic macroinvertebrate 

samples were collected and processed from the five study sites 

and two reference sites (table 1, fig. 1) according to methods for the collection of biologic data in wadeable streams

developed for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources 

(MDNR; Rabeni and others, 1997; Sarver, 2003a). Macroinvertebrate samples were collected from coarse-grained 

(sand- to boulder-sized) riffle habitats or, where such habitat 

was lacking, from other habitats having the greatest potential 

abundance, usually snags and root mats. Six sub-samples from 

a variety of depth, stream velocity, and substrate environments 

were sampled at each site using a bottom aquatic kick net with 

a 500-micron mesh bag. Samples were composited in the field 

and processed and preserved in ethanol at the USGS laboratory in Lee’s Summit. Preserved samples were then shipped to 

the USGS NWQL for enumeration and taxonomic identification according to USGS protocols (Moulton and others, 2000, 

2002).

Habitat assessments were conducted according to methods developed by the MDNR (Sarver, 2003b). Visual observations of stream substrate, periphyton and macrophyte taxon 

presence and growth, turbidity and sediment deposition, bank 
Methods 13

stability and vegetative growth, and riparian corridor width 

were made at five locations along a predetermined stream 

reach that included the macroinvertebrate sampling sites for 

this study. Field measurements of water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductance also were recorded. 

Observations were scored according to Sarver (2003b) and the 

results recorded on a standard form. 

Data Analysis

Water-quality and ecological data from sites included in 

this study (table 1) were analyzed for various factors that are 

indicative of or can affect stream health and contaminant loads 

in streams. Concentrations, loads, and yields for chloride, total 

N, and total P, suspended sediment, and E. coli density at the 

five sampling sites were subjected to nonparametric statistical analyses to identify differences, if any, among concentrations, loads, and yields of constituents from different basins 

and between the upstream and downstream Little Blue River 

sites. Nonparametric methods were used because water-quality 

data often are not normally distributed and frequently contain 

extreme or censored values, or both (Helsel and Hirsch, 2002).

The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test was used to initially 

screen for differences between sites. If the Kruskal-Wallis test 

indicated a likelihood of significant differences between sites 

[p value less than (<) 0.05] a one-way analysis of variance 

(ANOVA) test was computed on the ranked data. A multiple 

comparison t-test on ranks using the Tukey method was then 

used to identify differences between individual sites (Helsel 

and Hirsch, 2002). Estimated concentrations were retained 

and used in calculations for the statistical tests along with all 

detections above the minimum reporting level (MRL) of the 

laboratory at which samples were analyzed. Generally, estimated concentrations are those detected constituent concentrations greater than zero reported between the MDL and MRL 

and do not imply any precision of the quantitative measurement. Similarly, for samples analyzed at the USGS NWQL, 

estimated concentrations are those that are reported between 

the long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) and the laboratory reporting level (LRL; Childress and others, 1999). A 

significance level, alpha (α), of 0.05 was used for all tests.

The power of a test (in this case one-way ANOVA) is the 

likelihood of finding a difference that exists between sample 

sets, as opposed to the likelihood of identifying a difference 

that does not exist. For this study the number of samples at 

each site collected for base flow [number of samples (n) = 5] 

and stormflow (n=15-20) is small so that the applied statistical 

tests lack power (1-β < 0.80, where β equals the false negative 

rate). Increasing sample size increases statistical power (Helsel 

and Hirsch, 2002). The computer program TIBCO Spotfire 

S+® version 8.1 (The Information Bus Company Software 

Inc., 2008) was used for all statistical analyses in this report.

Because of the large number (68) of OMCs analyzed in 

the samples, the compounds have been broadly divided into 

categories used by Wilkison and others (2006); antioxidant, 

detergent, disinfectant, fire retardant, flavoring or fragrance, 

polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) or combustion by-products, 

pesticide, plastics, solvent, sterol or stanol, and stimulant 

(table 2). However, many OMCs have numerous uses and 

these categories are not considered to be definitive of the origin of the compounds detected.

Instantaneous loads of selected constituents and OMCs 

in base flow and stormflow at stream sites were calculated by 

multiplying the measured concentration of a constituent by the 

instantaneous streamflow at the time of sampling (or average 

streamflow for composite samples) and a constant to normalize units. Daily, monthly, and annual loads were estimated for 

selected constituents using LOADEST, a FORTRAN-based 

load estimator program (Runkel and others, 2004). LOADEST 

develops regression models for constituent loads using explanatory variables including functions of streamflow and time as 

well as user-specified variables such as seasonal periods and 

physical properties. For this study, the dependent variable was 

the log-transformed constituent load and the independent variables included one or more of the following: log-transformed 

streamflow, linear time, seasonal variables and turbidity or 

specific conductance. Three hydrological seasons determined 

from cyclical streamflow characteristics consistent with other 

local area studies (Rasmussen and others, 2008) were specified 

for use in the models; a high runoff spring and early summer 

season (March through July), a transitional late summer and 

fall season (August through October), and a low runoff winter 

season (November through February). The Adjusted Maximum Likelihood Estimation Method (AMLE) was selected as 

the statistical estimation method for all sites and constituents. 

The AMLE assumes a normal distribution of the model calibration errors and is the method of choice when the data have 

censored values (Runkel and others, 2004). 

Continuous water-quality properties (turbidity, dissolved 

oxygen, pH, and specific conductance) were considered for 

inclusion as explanatory variables in models at the three sites 

equipped with CWQMs (table 1). Explanatory variables were 

only included in the regression models if there was a physical 

basis and when they improved the model fit. As an example, 

at all three sites the inclusion of specific conductance as an 

explanatory variable for chloride concentration improved 

model estimates. The estimated average daily chloride concentration at Spring Branch Creek (site 5) from two LOADEST 

models is shown in figure 6. The first model includes variables for streamflow and seasonality [root mean squared error 

(RMSE) = 0.68, coefficient of determination (R2

) = 0.93], 

whereas the second model has specific conductance added as 

an explanatory variable (RMSE = 0.48, R2=0.96). 

Modeled chloride concentrations were derived using 

a small number of environmental samples (n = 25) over a 

relatively long time (42 months). Few of the samples were 

collected during the winter months (fig. 6). Because of this, 

the duration of elevated estimated chloride concentrations 

during the winter season likely are overestimated in the first, 

streamflow derived, model when compared to the model using 

specific conductance as an explanatory variable. However, 
14 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 2. Categories of common organic micro-constituents detected in urban streams. [PAH, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; categories adapted from Zaugg and others, 2002; Lee and others, 2005; Wilkison and others, 2006] Antioxidant Detergent Disinfectant Fire retardant 5-Methyl-1H-benzotriazole 4-Cumylphenol Phenol Tributylphosphate 3-tert-Butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA) 4-Nonylphenol Tribromomethane Tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate 4-n-Octylphenol Triclosan Tris (dichloroisopropyl) phosphate 4-tert-octylphenol Ethoxy-nonylphenol Diethoxy-nonylphenol Ethoxy-octylphenol Diethoxy-octylphenol Flavoring or fragrance PAH or combustion by-product Pesticide Plastics 3-Methyl-1H-indole (skatol) 1-Methylnaphthalene 1,4-Dichlorobenzene Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate Acetophenone 2,6-Dimethylnaphthalene 3,4-Dichlorophenyl isocyanate Bisphenol A Acetyl hexamethyl tetrahydro naphthalene (AHTN) 2-Methylnaphthalene 9,10-Anthraquinone Diethylphthalate Camphor Anthracene Atrazine Triethyl citrate d-Limonene Benzo[a]pyrene Benzophenone Triphenyl phosphate Hexahydro-hexamethyl cyclopenta-benzopyran (HHCB) Fluoranthene Bromacil Tris (2-butoxyethyl) phosphate Indole Naphthalene Carbaryl Isoborneol para-Cresol Carbazole Isoquinoline Phenanthrene Chlorpyrifos Menthol Pyrene Diazinon Methylsalicylate Dichlorvos Metalaxyl Metolachlor

N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET)PentachlorophenolPrometon

Solvent Sterol or stanol Stimulant

Isophorone 3-β-Coprostanol CaffeineIsopropylbenzene (cumene) Cholesterol CotinineTetrachloroethene beta-Sitosterol

beta-Stigmastanol
Methods 15

the model with specific conductance tended to overestimate 

larger chloride concentrations because of a lack of measured 

chloride concentrations at the high end of the modeled specific 

conductance-chloride linear relation. The chloride concentrations are likely consistent in road salt, that is predominantly 

sodium chloride (NaCl). Therefore, calculated chloride 

concentrations were added to the model calibration data to 

improve model fit for large values of chloride at the high 

end. The calculated chloride concentrations were obtained 

by ordinary least squared regression from data in an earlier 

study in Independence (Schalk, 1993) and from an adjacent 

basin (Wilkison and others, 2009) that contain data with larger 

chloride concentrations and concurrent specific conductance 

measurements (fig. 7). As a consequence, the estimated annual 

loads for site 5 are 34 to 45 percent smaller as compared to 

loads from the first model without specific conductance as an 

explanatory variable. Similarly calculated data were used for 

the chloride models at sites 3 and 6 on the Little Blue River. 

Specific conductance data were not available for site 1 or site 

4 so that modeled chloride loads at those sites are large. 

In addition to chloride, loads and yields were estimated 

for total N, total P, suspended sediment, and E. coli. Total N 

is calculated by summing the calculated concentrations for 

ammonia (NH3

), nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), and organic N. 

Flow-weighted concentrations were calculated from the estimated loads by dividing the average daily load by the average 

daily streamflow. Estimated yields were calculated by dividing 

the estimated constituent load by the drainage area of the site. 

Some annual summaries, average concentrations, loads, and 

yields are presented for water years (WY), October 1 through 

September 30, and are designated by the year in which it ends. 

Annual data in this report, unless specified for WY, are for the 

standard calendar year, January 1 through December 31.

Duration or frequency of exceedance curves are used 

to compare daily values for streamflow, physical properties, 

and dissolved oxygen at the three sites with CWQMs and for 

estimated daily concentrations of selected constituents at all 

sampling sites. Duration curves have commonly been used in 

water-resource studies to graphically illustrate the magnitude 

and frequency of streamflow and constituent concentrations 

(Searcy, 1959; Pettyjohn and Henning, 1979; Vogel and Fennessy, 1995) and more recently to characterize continuous 

water-quality data (Rasmussen and Ziegler, 2005; Rasmussen and others, 2005). Duration curves are constructed by 

plotting the ordered data for a given period in relation to the 

percentage of time a value is equaled or exceeded. Thus the 

smallest calculated or estimated values will have a frequency 

of exceedance of 100 percent and the largest values will have 

a frequency of exceedance approaching zero. The Weibull 

formula, p = i/(n+1), where p is the plotting position, i is the 

value being plotted, and n is the total number of values, is 

used for the determination of plotting position of values for 

the duration curves in this report (Weibull, 1939; Helsel and 

Hirsch, 2002). 

For the colorimetric analysis of dry-weather screening samples, the estimated detection limit (EDL) was determined by the manufacturer for each analysis method (Hach 

Company, 2004). A provisional MDL was determined by a 

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

Estimated chloride (Cl) concentration

 ln(Cl) = 0.67ln(Q)+0.86sin(2πT)+cos1.46(2πT)+1.09

July

Sept.Nov.

Jan.Mar.

May

Measured chloride concentration

Estimated chloride concentration with specific 

 conductance (SC) as an explanatory variable

 ln(Cl) = 0.89ln(Q)+0.42sin(2πT)+0.54cos(2πT)+0.001SC-0.51

2005 2006 2007 2008 July Sept. Nov. Jan. Mar. May July Sept. Nov. Jan. Mar. May July

Sept.Nov.

Calculated chloride concentration. Data from 

 Schalk (1993) and Wilkison and others (2009)

T

Q

Decimal time minus center of decimal time

Streamflow

Figure 6. Average daily chloride concentration at Spring Branch Creek using regression models with and without 

specific conductance as an explanatory variable, July 2005 through December 2008.
16 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

calculation of the average difference between the analysis 

results from pairs of environmental samples and replicates or 

duplicates. The average difference was then rounded to the 

nearest 0.05 or 0.005 milligram per liter (mg/L), depending 

on the analyte. The MDL represents the minimum concentration of a constituent that can be measured and reported with 

99-percent confidence that the concentration is greater than 

zero (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1997). The 

MDLs for the dry-weather screening analytes are therefore 

provisional, because a larger data set and analysis of spike 

samples (samples with a known concentration of analyte 

added to the sample) is required to determine an MDL with 

more rigor to the 99-percent confidence level. Some sample 

concentrations are between the EDL and the provisional 

MDL for a given method and are referred to as ‘M’ values, or 

concentrations that were detected but not quantified. However, 

numeric concentrations were specified for the ‘M’ values in 

the statistical analyses for each analyte. 

Guidelines and standards were used to determine if the 

measured concentration of a dry-weather screening analyte 

would be considered for further investigation. Any discharge 

that had a measured concentration exceeding a guideline or 

standard was considered a potential point source of contamination. However, for most detections (65), a source could not be 

determined and were considered to be de minimus (minimal) 

and most likely attributable to episodic sources, such as lawn 

watering or car washing. For total chlorine, the State reportable/compliance level of 0.13 mg/L of total chlorine was used 

as a guideline (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 

2006). Concentrations of phenols were expressed as the 

equivalent concentration of the individual compound, phenol 

(Hach Company, 2004), so that the Missouri chronic standard for protection of aquatic life (AQL) of 0.100 mg/L for 

phenol was used (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 

2005–2009). The anionic surfactants standard of 0.028 mg/L 

was determined from the EPA freshwater standard for acute 

exposure for aquatic communities to nonylphenol, a nonionic 

surfactant (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006). 

Nonylphenol was the most commonly detected detergent (surfactant) in base-flow samples (data on file at the USGS Water 

Science Center office in Lee’s Summit). However, the anionic 

surfactant standard was used only as an arbitrary guideline 

for determining potentially reportable detections, because the 

measured concentration for all anionic surfactants would be 

expected to be higher than that for any one surfactant. Anionic 

surfactants often are present in environmental water samples 

in concentrations larger than nonionic surfactants, such as 

nonylphenol (Saitoh and others, 2000). 

Figure 7. Relation between measured specific conductance and chloride concentrations in stream samples using measured 

and calculated chloride concentrations.

Best fit line 

 [SC, specific conductance]

 In (Cl) = 1.53 ln (SC) - 5.66

Calculated chloride concentration. Data from 

 Schalk(1993) and Wilkison and others (2009)

Measured chloride (Cl) concentration

10

LOG SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE, IN MICROSIEMENS PER CENTIMETER AT 25 DEGREES CELSIUS

0

2

4

6

8

10

LOG CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

0.95 Confidence interval

Missouri Deparment of Natural Resources 

chronic standard for the protection of 

aquatic life (230 mg/L)

R2 = 0.94

n = 120

5 6 7 8 9

R2 Coefficient of determination

n Number of samples

mg/L Milligrams per liter
Methods 17

A standard was not determined for total dissolved copper 

because both Federal and State standards are for dissolved 

copper from filtered samples. The method used for total dissolved copper analysis included both free and complexed 

copper from unfiltered samples. 

E. coli isolated from water samples for MST analysis 

were compared to a host-source library of E. coli DNA patterns from three hosts: dogs, geese, and humans. For MST 

analyses, a presumptive source of sampled bacteria is assigned 

through a statistical comparison of genetic markers obtained 

from environmental E. coli samples to genetic markers in the 

host-source library. The development of a host-source library 

specific to the Little Blue River Basin was beyond the scope 

of this study. A library of patterns developed for other studies 

in the local area (Wilkison and others, 2005, 2006) was used 

for the purposes of this study. In this report, data were classified as human, non-human (dog and geese), and unknown. 

Fingerprint patterns of E. coli from collected water samples 

were compared with patterns from the host-source library for 

similarity using BioNumerics software, version 3.0 (Applied 

Maths NV, 1998–2008), and assignment to a host group was 

made when sample patterns had an arbitrary 80 percent or 

greater similarity to those from a known host source in the 

library. The source was designated as unknown if the sample 

did not have at least an 80 percent similarity (A. C. Carson, 

University of Missouri Veterinary Pathology Laboratory, oral 

commun., 2009). The percentage of non-human, human, or 

unknown host source bacteria was calculated by multiplying 

the total number of E. coli in the sample by the number of patterns that were identified. The MST analysis results from the 

two Little Blue River sites (sites 3 and 6) were combined in 

this study to compare with the smaller Independence streams.

The Invertebrate Data Analysis System (IDAS) version 4 

software was used for processing and computing metrics 

for abundance and diversity from benthic macroinvertebrate 

samples (T.F. Cuffney and R.A. Brightbill, written commun., 

2009). Data from study sites (sites 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6) and reference sites (sites 7 and 8) were combined for the purpose of 

resolving taxonomic ambiguities. Taxa in most cases have 

been identified to the genus and species level. However, for 

those cases when the identification of a sample taxa has only 

been made at a higher taxonomic level (phylum, class, order, 

suborder, family, sub-family, or tribe), the abundance of the 

sample taxa (parent) was divided among the lower identified 

taxonomies (children) for the purposes of assigning pollution 

tolerance values. Assigning parents to children is equivalent 

to estimating data (T.F. Cuffney and R.A. Brightbill, written 

commun., 2009). Between 0 and 27 percent of the tolerance 

values for individual samples were assigned. However, by 

distributing the abundance of the parent among the children, 

tolerance values were able to be assigned to between about 

97 to 100 percent of the taxa present in individual samples. 

A Stream Condition Index (SCI), similar to the Missouri 

Stream Condition Index (MSCI) developed by Sarver and 

others (2002), was calculated from four metric indices: Total 

Taxa Richness (TTR), Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera 

Richness (EPTR), Biotic Index (BI), and the Shannon Diversity Index (SDI). The BI and SDI for this report were modified 

from the methods outlined by Sarver and others (2002). Additional taxa listings, other than the Missouri taxa listing, were 

used in calculating these indices. However, the calculated SCI 

and sample ratings are comparable to values for the MSCI. 

The TTR metric is the total number of taxa identified for 

a sample and is a measure of the health of the macroinvertebrate community. Similarly, the EPTR metric is the sum of 

taxa from the pollution sensitive Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, 

and Trichoptera taxonomic orders. Both the TTR and EPTR 

would be expected to increase with improving water quality 

and stream health. The BI quantifies the average tolerance of 

the macroinvertebrate community from a sample to organic 

pollution and increases with degrading stream health. The BI 

was calculated using tolerance values compiled for the MDNR 

(Sarver, 2005). If values for taxa could not be determined from 

the Missouri listing, then values were used from a compilation 

of average national tolerance values provided with IDAS (T.F. 

Cuffney and R.A. Brightbill, written commun., 2009). 

The SDI is a measure of the variability within a macroinvertebrate community and increases with larger community 

diversity. The SDI was calculated using IDAS and converted 

to base e for the purpose of calculating an SCI comparable to 

the MSCI.

The SCI, comparable to the MSCI, was calculated by 

summing the normalized scores of the four metric indices 

and was used to determine the aquatic life support status of 

a stream and as a tool to assess the ecological condition of 

streams. Streams with an SCI of 16 to 20 are considered fully 

biologically supporting (FBS). Streams that have an SCI of 10 

to 14 are considered partially supporting (PBS), and streams 

with an SCI of 4 to 8 are considered non-biologically supporting (NBS). 

In September 2008, the physical habitat of four study 

sites (sites 1, 3, 5, and 6) and the two reference sites (sites 7 

and 8) were assessed and scored using procedures developed 

by Sarver (2003b). A habitat assessment for Crackerneck 

Creek (site 4; table 1) was not conducted because of road and 

bridge construction at the site. A habitat assessment would not 

have been representative of conditions at the time of earlier 

macroinvertebrate sampling. The scores of 10 habitat attributes that affect aquatic life were summed to give an overall 

score. The higher the score out of a possible total score of 170 

is indicative of habitat better able to support stream health.

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

About 10 percent of all water-quality samples collected 

during this study were quality-control samples. Qualitycontrol samples are designed to test all aspects of the sample 

collection and analysis process (U.S. Geological Survey, 

variously dated). Quality-assurance procedures are intended to 

ensure the precision and accuracy of the water-quality data in 

this report.
18 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Six different types of quality-control samples were used: 

field replicates and blanks; laboratory duplicates, blanks, and 

spikes; and accuracy checks. A field replicate is an additional 

sample collected at a site in a separate bottle from the original 

sample. Field replicates provide a measure of the variability 

introduced during sample collection and processing. A field 

blank is prepared on site using either deionized or organic-free 

water rather than environmental water and is collected and 

processed in the same manner as the environmental sample. 

Field blanks provide a check on whether sample collection and 

processing have introduced contamination. A laboratory duplicate is an additional analysis for a particular analyte performed 

on a single sample in the laboratory. Laboratory blanks, as 

with field blanks, are analyses performed using either deionized or organic free water rather than environmental water. 

Laboratory blank samples were analyzed to detect sample contamination during laboratory processing and analysis. Laboratory spikes are artificial samples created by adding a known 

quantity of a particular analyte to a sample and measuring the 

amount of recovery of that analyte. Accuracy checks involve 

creating an artificial standard of a known concentration, then 

running an analysis and determining the amount of recovery 

of the standard. Not all types of quality-control samples were 

used for all the categories of samples collected. Field and laboratory quality-control samples were collected and processed 

according to USGS standard water-quality sampling protocols 

(U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated). 

Both field replicate samples and laboratory duplicate 

sample analyses were performed to determine the effect that 

variability in sample collection and processing procedures 

may have had on the precision of constituent concentrations 

(data on file at the USGS Water Science Center office in 

Lee’s Summit). For most constituents (dry-weather screening 

samples are discussed separately), the differences in concentrations between replicate and duplicate pairs were small. In 

general, for all constituents, the largest relative percentage 

differences occurred at or near the minimum reporting level 

(MRL) for a constituent. The MRL is the lowest measured 

concentration of a constituent that may be reported reliably 

(Childress and others, 1999). The average relative percentage 

difference between pairs was less than 10 percent for all constituents except suspended sediment and E. coli samples. The 

average relative difference for suspended sediment pairs was 

18.9 percent and for E. coli was 29.2 percent. The observed 

differences in suspended sediment pairs were most likely the 

result of temporal variability over the duration of sample collection (Kelly and others, 2001). These results for suspended 

sediment field replicates are not unusual (Miya N. Barr, U.S. 

Geological Survey, oral commun., 2009). The relatively large 

sampling error that was observed in field replicate samples for 

suspended sediment indicated that substantial temporal variability for suspended sediment can exist over relatively short 

time frames. Large differences in E. coli sample pairs have 

also been reported in other studies (Francy and Darner, 1998; 

Anderson and Rounds, 2003; Rasmussen, 2003; Brady, 2007). 

Rasmussen (2003) indicates that the large uncertainty in 

bacteria analyses may be because of the difficulty in obtaining 

representative sub-samples from highly turbid water. E. coli 

densities also can be expected to vary temporally in association with the re-suspension of bottom sediment and suspended 

sediment concentration in stream water (Stephenson and 

Rychert, 1982). In addition, Noble and others (2004) reported 

large with-in laboratory measured variability in E. coli densities using both standard (membrane filtration) and chromogenic substrate (IDEXX) methods. 

Generally, the field and laboratory blank data concentrations support the conclusion that sample collection and 

processing procedures were not a source of bias. However, 

10 detections (three not quantified) of OMCs were reported 

in four field blank samples (table 3, at the end of this report). 

The pesticides benzophenone and N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide 

(DEET) were reported at small concentrations of 0.1 to 0.4 

microgram per liter (μg/L) and were likely because of blank 

sample contamination. Insect repellants containing DEET 

are commonly used by USGS field technicians in Missouri. 

Although precautions were taken to avoid contaminating 

samples (not using repellants when collecting water-quality 

samples and hand washing), trace quantities may be present in 

field vehicles or on clothing. However, because three concentrations of DEET in blank samples were estimated, one not 

quantified, and the concentrations reported were low, sample 

cross contamination in the laboratory cannot be discounted 

(National Water Quality Laboratory, written commun., 2008). 

The other OMCs reported in blank samples; 4-nonylphenol, tributyl phosphate, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate, and 

naphthalene, were either not quantified or were reported as 

estimated concentrations greater than zero, but less than the 

NWQL LRL (Childress and others, 1999; Zaugg and others, 

2002). The NWQL LRL for a constituent is calculated as two 

times the LT-MDL (Childress and others, 1999).

For dry-weather screening samples, simple linear regression was used to compare the environmental samples with 

quality-control samples. Quality-control data for the environmental samples and the combined data from field replicates 

and laboratory duplicates are shown in figure 8. The total 

chlorine, phenols, and anionic surfactants replicate and duplicate analyses showed good correlation, with R2

 of 1.0, 0.94, 

and 0.98. However, both total chlorine and phenols had one 

sample pair with larger concentrations (outlier) than the other 

sample pairs. When these outlier pairs are removed from the 

regression data, total chlorine still exhibits good correlation 

(R2=0.75), but phenols do not (R2=0.19; fig. 8). Therefore, the 

reproducibility of phenol analyses at smaller concentrations, 

which is the case for most of the analyses for phenols, is less 

precise. The replicate and duplicate analyses for total dissolved copper had an R2

 of 0.07. However, the total dissolved 

copper concentrations were small, with most sample pairs 

less than the provisional MDL. In addition, the replicate and 

duplicate total dissolved copper samples did not compare well 

with environmental samples and spikes, and accuracy checks 

generally did not return recovery values within 10 percent of 

full recovery (data on file at the USGS Water Science Center 
Water Quality 19

office in Lee’s Summit). Accuracy checks for each analyte 

(total chlorine, total dissolved copper, phenols, and anionic 

surfactants) were performed before and at the end of each 

annual sampling period and were performed by the same 

technicians who analyzed the environmental samples. All dryweather screening results in this report are considered to be 

semi-quantitative. 

Bacteria samples were analyzed using multiple dilutions 

to obtain an enumeration within the optimal range for bacteria 

density counts. When density counts were outside the optimal range, the densities were estimated using standard USGS 

procedures (U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated). The 

MST data were quality assured biannually by comparing E. 

coli samples originating from dogs, geese, and humans to the 

known samples in the geographic-specific genotype library. If 

the samples were correctly identified, then the library was considered to still be valid (A.C. Carson, oral commun., 2009).

The USGS NWQL uses additional quality-assurance 

procedures for water-quality samples designed to assess and 

quantify method performance, bias, variability, and instrument sensitivity and calibration. Laboratory quality-assurance 

procedures and methods are in Maloney (2005) accessible 

online at http://nwql.usgs.gov/OFR-05-1263. For benthic 

macroinvertebrate samples the NWQL uses a taxon-based 

approach to quality control (Grotheer and others, 2000; 

Moulton and others, 2000, 2002). All new taxa identified for 

a sample, in addition to a random 10 percent of all identifications, are reviewed for accuracy by a different taxonomist. 

Values reported as estimated by all laboratories doing analyses 

for this study are the result of deviations from the standard 

procedures of the laboratory (for example values less than the 

MRL or suspected interferences).

Water Quality 

Water quality in the streams of Independence was determined by the measurement of physical properties, dissolved 

oxygen, chloride, metals, nutrients, suspended sediment, 

OMCs, and fecal indicator bacteria in base-flow and stormflow 

samples collected at five streamgages equipped with automatic 

ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

REPLICATE OR DUPLICATE SAMPLE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

R2

 = 1.0

s = 0.01

n = 26

R2 = 0.07

s = 0.22

n = 26

0.6 0.9 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.1

0

0.3

0.6

0.9

1.2

1.5

1.8

2.1

Total chlorine

0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10 0.12 0.14

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

0.14

Total dissolved copper

0 0.020 0.040 0.060 0.080 0.100

0

0.020

0.040

0.060

0.080

0.100

0.050 0.100 0.150 0.200 0.250 0.300 0.350

0

0.050

0.100

0.150

0.200

0.250

0.300

0.350

0 0.3

0

R2 = 0.94

s = 0.05

n = 22

Phenols

R2 = 0.98

s = 0.03

n = 22

Anionic surfactants

excluding large value

R2 = 0.75 

excluding large value

R2 = 0.19 

EXPLANATION

Coefficient of determination

Standard error, in milligrams per liter

Number of replicate and duplicate pairs

 (values may overlap)

R2

s

n

Figure 8. Quality-assurance data for dry-weather screening samples in field replicate or laboratory duplicate sample pairs.
20 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

samplers (sites 1, 3, 4, 5, 6; table 1). Results for fecal indicator 

bacteria sampling from both base-flow and stormflow samples 

are discussed together under a separate heading. Dry-weather 

screenings encompassing the basins of individual streams 

within the city limits of Independence (fig. 2) were conducted 

at low flow to identify any point-source discharges and are 

also discussed under a separate heading. 

A variety of factors can affect water quality and constituent concentrations and loads in urban streams, including, but not limited to, the amount of impervious surface in 

the basin, type (combined or separate) and condition of the 

sanitary sewer system, land use (agricultural, residential, 

commercial, or industrial), use of lawn pesticides and herbicides, application of road salt, and handling of pet and animal 

waste. The primary components contributing to streamflow 

are groundwater discharge and surface runoff from precipitation and melt water. Industrial and municipal discharges also 

can have an effect, particularly at low flows. No wastewater 

treatment facilities currently (2010) discharge to streams in 

the Little Blue River Basin nor were any effects from industrial discharges detected during this study. However, sanitary 

sewer overflows (SSOs) have occurred during this study (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2009), and were observed 

by USGS personnel on two occasions. 

Not all effects on stream water quality are local in origin. 

Atmospheric contributions are an important source of various water-quality constituents (Clark and others, 2000; Carey 

and others, 2001; Alexander and others, 2008). Estimates of 

atmospheric deposition rates for selected constituents at five 

Midwestern sampling sites in Iowa, Kansas (two sites), Missouri, and Nebraska are presented in table 4 (at the end of this 

report) (National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National 

Trends Network, 2009)

Streamflow and Continuous Water-Quality 

Measurements

Daily values for streamflow were calculated for the five 

study sites (table 1) and ranged from no flow at Spring Branch 

Creek (site 5), during several days in June 2006, to 10,500 ft3/s 

for the Little Blue River at site 6 in May 2007. The average of 

daily streamflow at all sites was less in WY 2006 than in WYs 

2007 and 2008. For the streams draining Independence (sites 

1, 4, and 5), WY 2006 streamflow was 23 to 34 percent of 

the WYs 2007 and 2008 average flows and for the Little Blue 

River relative flows were also smaller, between 15 and 20 

percent of the WYs 2007 and 2008 flows. Average daily and 

monthly streamflow at all sites for July 2005 through December 2008 are shown in figure 9. Data are available from the 

USGS at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/sw/.

Precipitation, both annual and monthly, was less in 2006 

than in 2007 and 2008. The 2006 precipitation measured at 

NWS cooperative station 234154 in Independence (fig. 2) 

was less than average, 66.8 cm, as compared to 125.2 cm and 

146.8 cm in 2007 and 2008 (National Climatic Data Center, 

1979–2008). The precipitation and streamflow shown in figure 10 for the study period and the previous 30-year averages 

at the USGS streamgage for the Little Blue River at site 6 

indicates a strong positive relation between local precipitation 

and streamflow. Streamflow and precipitation data indicate 

that 2005 and 2006 had mostly less than average streamflow 

and precipitation (with the exception of August 2005) as compared to the 30-year average, whereas 2007 and 2008 had near 

normal or greater than average streamflow and precipitation. 

The percentage of time various daily values of streamflow were exceeded at the study sites are shown in the duration curves in figure 11. Streamflow for the Little Blue River 

(sites 3 and 6) was not less than about 6 ft3/s because of the 

maintenance of low-flow releases from Longview Lake.

Average daily flow yields (the average daily flow in cubic 

feet per second divided by the drainage basin area in square 

kilometers times a conversion factor to normalize units) for 

the study period were smallest for Rock Creek (site 1, 0.061 

cm) and largest for Crackerneck Creek (site 4) and the Little 

Blue River at site 6 (0.084 cm). Flow yields for Rock Creek 

likely were smaller because of a greater proportion of precipitation and groundwater in the basin entering older sections 

of the sanitary sewer system that discharges after treatment 

downstream from the Rock Creek streamgage (site 1). Flow 

yields for the study period increased downstream for the 

Little Blue River from 0.074 cm at site 3 to 0.084 cm at site 6 

because of the larger percentage of impervious surface in the 

developed areas downstream from the reservoirs (fig. 3).

Continuous (15-minute) physical properties and dissolved 

oxygen concentration were recorded at three sites; the Little 

Blue River sites 3 and 6, and Spring Branch Creek, site 5. 

Daily values for turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific 

conductance, and water temperature at the three sites were 

computed from the measured data and are summarized in 

table 5 (at the end of this report) and presented in duration 

curves in figure 12.

Turbidity in water is caused by the presence of suspended 

and dissolved matter such as clay, silt, finely divided organic 

matter, plankton, other microscopic organisms, organic acids, 

and dyes (American Society for Testing Materials International, 2002). Turbidity in small streams affects biotic communities, decreases diversity of fish and other animal communities, and lessens the productivity of aquatic populations 

(Waters, 1995). Higher turbidity also inhibits light penetration 

and photosynthesis, which can damage benthic habitats and 

interfere with feeding activities of aquatic organisms (DaviesColley and Smith, 2001). Measurements of turbidity in surface 

water are used to characterize the clarity of the water and can 

be used as an indicator of the condition and health of a stream. 

Turbidity as a surrogate for suspended sediment concentrations in regression models has been used for some time (Gray 

and Glysson, 2003) and is used in this report as a variable in 

load regression models of nutrients and E. coli.

The EPA has developed recommended ambient waterquality standards for each designated nutrient ecoregion in the 

nation (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). The 
Water Quality 21

Sept.

Nov.

Jan.

Mar.

May

Site 1 (06893620)

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 4 (06893940)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

Monthly

Daily

AVERAGE MONTHLY STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND AVERAGE DAILY STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

2005 2006 2007 2008 Sept. Nov. Jan. Mar. May Sept. Nov. Jan. Mar. May July

JulyJulyJuly

Sept.

Nov.

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

Dec.

Site 1 (06893620)

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 4 (06893940)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

Site number and U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

Site number and 

 U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

Figure 9. Average daily and monthly streamflow by site, July 2005 through December 2008.
22 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

-50 0 50 100 150 200

Oct.

Jan.

Apr. 

July

Oct.

Jan.

Apr.

July

Oct.

Jan.

Apr.

July

Oct.

Dec.

-100

Streamflow

Precipitation (data from the National Climatic Data Center, 

 1979–2008)

July

PERCENTAGE DEVIATION FROM 30-YEAR AVERAGE

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri

 Site 6

2008 2007 2006 2005

Figure 10. Percentage deviations from the 30-year average monthly streamflow at Little Blue River near Lake 

City, Missouri, compared with the 30-year average monthly precipitation measured and recorded at Independence, 

Missouri, July 2005 through December 2008.
Water Quality 23

EPA level III ecoregion 40 (includes the study area) recommended guideline for turbidity is 15.5 nephelometric turbidity 

units (NTU). This guideline was developed as a standard for 

comparison of the response of algal growth to increased nutrient loadings to streams and the resultant increases to turbidity 

in streams. It was beyond the scope of this study to differentiate turbidity attributable to algae or to suspended sediment. 

The 15.5-NTU guideline is considered a reference only and in 

context with streamflow. Daily turbidity at sites with CWQMs 

(sites 3, 5, and 6) exceeded 15.5 NTU between about 40 and 

60 percent of the time (fig. 12), including periods of low 

flow when algal growth may have been a contributing factor. 

However, most episodes of elevated turbidity were attributable 

to larger suspended sediment concentrations during and after 

storms. 

Turbidity measurements for the streams in this study 

were observed to increase almost immediately and proportionally to increases in streamflow as shown in figure 13. Average 

daily turbidity ranged from 2.2 NTU at site 5 to 970 NTU at 

site 6 (table 5). The maximum values that the sensors used in 

this study were capable of reading (about 1,200 to 1,400 NTU) 

were exceeded on occasion, so that the maximum daily values 

on several days may have been greater. However, this limitation of the sensors may not be important when evaluating 

stream health. Periods of extreme high turbidity of short duration may not be as important as periods of moderate turbidity 

of longer duration because periods of increased, but moderate turbidity that persist can have a greater effect on species 

diversity and benthic habitat (Davies-Colley and Smith, 2001; 

Shaw and Richardson, 2001; Bonner and Wilde, 2002). 

Many chemical and biological reactions in surface water 

depend directly or indirectly on dissolved oxygen. Dissolved 

oxygen is necessary for the survival and growth of many 

aquatic organisms. Sources of dissolved oxygen in water 

include atmospheric reaeration and photosynthetic activity 

(U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated). Missouri standards for AQL require that dissolved oxygen concentrations 

be 5 mg/L or greater for streams designated as warm-water 

fisheries such as the Little Blue River (Missouri Department 

of Natural Resources, 2005–2009). Extreme average daily 

values for dissolved oxygen concentration ranged from 1.2 to 

18.7 mg/L (table 5). Daily dissolved oxygen concentrations 

were less than 5 mg/L between less than 2 percent of the time 

for the Little Blue River (sites 3 and 6) to about 5 percent of 

the time in the smaller Spring Branch Creek (site 5, fig. 12). 

Spring Branch Creek had more frequent periods of stagnant 

flow conditions than the Little Blue River sites (fig. 11) for 

which minimum flows are maintained with controlled releases 

from Longview Lake. Typically, as water temperatures 

increase seasonally in late spring and summer, average dissolved oxygen concentrations decline in streams. The streams 

in the study area, including the Little Blue River, follow this 

pattern. This relation for 15-minute dissolved oxygen concentration with water temperature and streamflow for the Little 

Blue River at site 6 during April through June 2008 is shown 

in figure 14. Dissolved oxygen is suppressed during peak 

flow (fig. 14) when suspended sediment concentrations and 

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE, IN PERCENT

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Site 1 (06893620)

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 4 (06893940)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

Streamflow

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

Site number and U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number 

Figure 11. Frequency 

of exceedance for 

measured average 

daily streamflow 

at streamgages 

in Independence, 

Missouri, July 2005 

through December 

2008.
24 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

103

102

101

100

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

recommended ecoregion 40 guideline 

(15.5 NTUs)

TURBIDITY, IN NEPHELOMETRIC TURBIDITY UNITS

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE, IN PERCENT

DISSOLVED OXYGEN, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

0

0

5

10

15

20

25

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Missouri Department of Natural Resources protection 

of aquatic life for warm-water fisheries minimum 

standard (5 mg/L)

Turbidity

Dissolved oxygen

Site number and U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

Site number and U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

NTU Nephelometric turbidity 

units

mg/L Milligrams per liter

Figure 12. Frequency of exceedance for average daily turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, 

and water temperature, at sampling sites equipped with continuous water-quality monitors in Independence, 

Missouri, July 2005 through December 2008.
Water Quality 25

pH, IN STANDARD UNITS

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

Missouri Department of Natural Resources protection of 

aquatic life maximum standard (9.0 standard units)

Missouri Department of Natural Resources protection of 

aquatic life minimum standard (6.5 standard units)

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE, IN PERCENT

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE, IN MICROSIEMENS PER CENTIMETER AT 25 DEGREES CELSIUS

pH

Specific conductance

Site number and U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

Site number and U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

8.5

8.4

8.3

8.2

8.1

8.0

7.9

7.8

7.7

7.6

7.5

7.4

7.3

7.2

7.1

7.0

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

4,000

Figure 12. Frequency of exceedance for average daily turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, 

and water temperature, at sampling sites equipped with continuous water-quality monitors in Independence, 

Missouri, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued
26 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

turbidity (fig. 13) are correspondingly large. Diurnal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen also are suppressed after storms and 

increase gradually afterward as suspended sediment decreases, 

light penetration increases, and photosynthetic activity of 

benthic and planktonic algae resumes. Small dissolved oxygen 

concentrations also occurred during the winter on the smaller 

stream, Spring Branch Creek (site 5; data on file at the USGS 

Water Science Center office in Lee’s Summit), most likely 

because of a combination of low flows, ice cover, and organic 

decay in streambed sediments.

The pH of surface water generally ranges from 6.5 to 8.5 

standard pH units (Hem, 1992). Missouri standards for AQL 

require that water contaminants not cause the pH to be outside 

of the range of 6.5 to 9.0 (Missouri Department of Natural 

Resources, 2005–2009). Daily values for pH ranged from a 

minimum of 7.0 for the Little Blue River at site 6 to a maximum of 8.4 for Spring Branch Creek (site 5). The duration 

curve for pH (fig. 12) shows no daily values outside the range 

of Missouri’s AQL standards, and no continuous pH values 

were recorded outside of the range.

Specific conductance is a surrogate measurement for 

the concentration of ionized constituents in stream water 

(U.S. Geological Survey, variously dated). Specific conductance in streams is affected by the soil and rock composition 

underlying the basin, amount and intensity of precipitation, 

point-source contamination, and nonpoint source runoff (Dow 

and Zampella, 2000; McMahon and Cuffney, 2000). Under 

natural conditions, specific conductance is greater during low 

streamflow because of groundwater contributions to streamflow and less during high streamflow because of dilution from 

precipitation (fig. 15). However, specific conductance in urban 

streams can become elevated in the winter because of runoff 

to streams after the application of road salt and other de-icers 

to city streets and remain elevated after runoff to streams has 

ceased (Cooper and others, 2008).

Large specific conductance mostly is related to the application of road salt in urban areas during the winter, but the 

effects of road salt can persist throughout the year because of 

storage in pavement depressions and various drainage catchments (Ostendorf and others, 2006). Spring Branch Creek 

had the largest instantaneously recorded specific conductance 

of 4,060 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 °C (μS/cm) after 

the application of road salt to streets and highways in January 2007, whereas the highest recorded value for the Little 

Blue River sites 3 and 6 was 2,510 μS/cm, also during the 

winter of 2007. Spring Branch Creek consistently had larger 

specific conductance values than the Little Blue River sites 

because of the larger percentage contribution of groundwater 

to base flow and more direct runoff of high specific conductance meltwater to the smaller and more urbanized stream 

with 57.6 percent developed land-use classifications (U.S. 

Geological Survey, 2001; fig. 3). Downstream the Little Blue 

River at site 6 had marginally larger specific conductances 

than upstream site 3 over most of the observed range of values 

(table 5, fig. 12). Larger observed specific conductance values 

for the Little Blue River at downstream site 6 can be attributed 

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE, IN PERCENT

Missouri Department of Natural Resources 

protection of aquatic life standard [32 2/9 ̊C (90 ̊F)]

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

WATER TEMPERATURE, IN DEGREES CELSIUS

Water temperature

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

 ̊C Degrees Celsius

 ̊F Degrees Fahrenheit

Site number and U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

Figure 12. Frequency 

of exceedance for 

average daily turbidity, 

dissolved oxygen, pH, 

specific conductance, 

and water temperature, 

at sampling sites 

equipped with 

continuous waterquality monitors 

in Independence, 

Missouri, July 2005 

through December 

2008.—Continued
Water Quality 27

to the contributions from the more urbanized smaller streams, 

including Crackerneck Creek (site 4) and Spring Branch Creek 

(site 5). 

The Missouri standard for AQL in warm-water streams 

for water temperature is 32 2/9 °C (90 °F; Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 2005–2009). Daily values for 

water temperature ranged from about 0 °C for the three 

CWQM sites to 32.2 °C for the Little Blue River at site 6. The 

extreme high water temperature recorded was 35.6 °C at site 6 

during low flow in July 2006. The duration curves for average 

daily water temperature (fig. 12) show only infrequent (<1 percent) exceedance of the Missouri standard for AQL. However, 

continuous 15-minute data (data on file at the USGS Water 

Science Center office in Lee’s Summit) show more frequent 

exceedance, but of short diurnal duration, during hot weather 

and low flow in the summer at Spring Branch Creek.

Base-Flow Water Quality

Twenty-five base-flow water-quality samples were collected at streamgage sites (table 1) beginning in June 2006. 

Samples were collected during three seasonal periods; a spring 

and early summer high runoff season (March through July), 

a late summer and fall transitional season (August through 

October), and a low runoff winter season (November through 

February). Most of the samples (13) were collected during 

the transitional season with the remainder split between the 

winter (5) and spring early summer (7) seasons. Data collected 

included streamflow, physical properties, dissolved oxygen, 

chloride, metals, nutrients, suspended sediment, OMCs, and 

fecal indicator bacteria (tables 6 and 7, at the end of this 

report). Results of the bacteria sampling are discussed separately later in the report. 

Streamflow at each site was measured at the time of 

sampling or was determined from an established stagedischarge relation (Rantz and others, 1982) at the individual 

sites to calculate instantaneous loads and yields of selected 

constituents. The reservoirs, Blue Springs Lake and Longview 

Lake, on the Little Blue River upstream from Independence 

affect base flow. Blue Springs Lake and Longview Lake both 

have fixed and low-flow controls. Low-flow controls are used 

to maintain minimum flows and on occasion to lower pool 

elevation. Water releases from Longview Lake at low flow are 

TURBIDITY, IN NEPHELOMETRIC TURBIDITY UNITS

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

Turbidity

Streamflow

Little Blue River near

Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

April May June

1 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 1

2008

Figure 13. Continuous (15-minute) measured turbidity and streamflow at Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri, April through June, 

2008.
28 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

maintained at a minimum of about 7 ft3/s. Low-flow releases 

are not maintained for Blue Springs Lake.

Physical Properties, Dissolved Oxygen, and 

Inorganic Constituents

Physical properties, pH, specific conductance, and 

temperature, were measured at all sites, and turbidity and 

dissolved oxygen at sites 3, 5, and 6 with CWQMs during 

base-flow sampling. Base-flow measurements varied within 

normal ranges for environmental waters (Hem, 1992; table 6). 

Turbidity ranged from 7.0 to 35 NTU and dissolved oxygen 

from 5.1 mg/L to 14.3 mg/L. The pH varied in a narrow range 

from near neutral (7.2) to slightly alkaline (8.1). Specific 

conductance for most samples, except those collected in 

December 2006, ranged from 382 to 859 μS/cm. Samples collected December 5, 2006, had larger specific conductances that 

ranged from 873 to 1,720 μS/cm likely because of road salt 

applied during freezing precipitation the previous week. Water 

temperatures at the time of base-flow sample collection ranged 

seasonally from a low of 0.7 °C in December 2006 to a high of 

30.5 °C in August 2007. 

Chloride concentrations in base flow ranged from 23.6 to 

329 mg/L. Chloride concentrations from the streams draining 

Independence (sites 1, 4, and 5; fig. 16) that were larger than 

the Missouri chronic standard for AQL of 230 mg/L (Missouri 

Department of Natural Resources, 2005–2009) were measured 

in December 2006. Similar to the specific conductance values 

discussed previously, the larger chloride concentrations likely 

were because of road salt carried into the streams in runoff the 

previous week. Chloride concentrations in base flow for the 

Little Blue River were marginally smaller. 

Base-flow samples were analyzed for the total recoverable metals (unfiltered sample that includes dissolved and 

suspended metals); aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, 

copper, lead, mercury, and zinc, that may have a toxic effect 

on stream biota when present in sufficient bioavailable 

concentrations. However, the bioavailability of metals (the 

proportion of total metals available for incorporation into 

biota) is complex and dependent on many interrelated chemical, biological, and environmental processes (Tessier and 

Campbell, 1987). Total metal concentrations do not necessarily correspond with metal bioavailability (John and Leventhal, 

1995). Eggleton and Thomas (2004) state that toxicity studies 

DISSOLVED OXYGEN, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

WATER TEMPERATURE, IN DEGREES CELSIUS

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

Dissolved oxygen

Streamflow

Water temperature

Little Blue River near 

Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

April May June

1 1

2008

No

data

Figure 14. Continuous (15-minute) measured dissolved oxygen concentration, water temperature, and streamflow at Little Blue River 

near Lake City, Missouri, April through June 2008.
Water Quality 29

show that the concentrations of metals bioavailable as the 

result of sediment disturbance (suspended sediment) are not 

sufficient to be acutely toxic, although chronic effects have 

been observed. Generally, the dissolved metal fraction of total 

metal concentration is more readily available for uptake by 

stream biota (Traina and Laperche, 1996), whereas metals 

adsorbed to sediments or in solid form are less available (John 

and Leventhal, 1995). The Missouri standards for AQL are 

for dissolved metal concentrations, except for mercury, that is 

a total (dissolved and suspended) standard (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 2005–2009). Concentrations of 

total recoverable metals in base-flow samples were generally 

small (table 6) because of small suspended sediment concentrations and were less than the Missouri standard for AQL for 

dissolved metals. Suspended sediment concentrations ranged 

from 10 to 138 mg/L (table 6; fig. 17). Larger suspended sediment concentrations (greater than about 50 mg/L) in base flow 

in smaller streams (sites 1, 4, and 5) were likely because of 

prior disturbance either in or upstream from the pools being 

sampled. The fine clays that are deposited in stream pools during the recessions of stormflow can be disturbed and remain in 

suspension for some time.

Nutrients

Nutrients such as N and P are essential for all plant 

and animal life. However, in excess amounts, nutrients can 

accelerate the growth of algae and consume dissolved oxygen 

to the detriment of water quality and stream health. Measured 

nutrient concentrations in base-flow samples were likely 

attributable to several nonpoint sources including: atmospheric 

deposition (table 4); decomposition of plants, yard waste, and 

other organic matter; leaky sewer lines; fertilizers leached 

from soils; and residual effects from SSOs. 

Nutrients can occur in several forms in surface water 

and can change phase as they interact with the environment. 

Once nutrients have entered the stream, they are subject to 

alteration. Organic N and NO2

 are unstable in aerated water 

and generally are considered to be indicators of contamination 

through disposal of sewage or organic waste (Hem, 1992). 

Atmospheric deposition of N (table 4) is a substantial source 

of total N in streams (Clark and others, 2000; Alexander and 

others, 2008). Most P in base-flow samples is dissolved P 

in the form of orthophosphate (ortho P) and is available for 

uptake by plants and algae (Hem, 1992). The availability of 

Figure 15. Continuous (15-minute) measured specific conductance and streamflow at Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri, April 

through June, 2008. SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE, IN MICROSIEMEMS PER CENTIMETER AT 25 DEGREES CELSIUS

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

April

9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30

May

9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30

June

9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

Specific conductance

Streamflow

Little Blue River near

Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

1 3 6 3 6 1 3 6

2008
30 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Figure 16. Chloride concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads and yields in base-flow samples by site, June 2006 through 

September 2008. 

P generally is thought to be a critical factor in eutrophication 

(excessive algal growth accompanied by small dissolved oxygen concentrations) of water bodies, as the nutrient in shortest 

supply will tend to be the control on algal growth rates. Thus, 

a decrease in P may decrease productivity more quickly than 

would be possible by altering the influx of readily available 

N. Total N and particulate organic nitrogen (org N) and total 

P (dissolved and particulate) concentrations, loads, and yields 

in base-flow samples are summarized in table 6 and figures 18 

and 19. 

Missouri has not established nutrient standards for surface-water streams. The EPA has proposed provisional nutrient 

standards for level III ecoregion 40 streams, including the 

study area, of 0.86 mg/L for total N and 0.09 mg/L for total P 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). However, the 

average annual precipitation-weighted concentration of dissolved N (NH4

 plus NO3) at five surrounding National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) sites (table 4) for 2005 

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

1

100

10

CHLORIDE YIELD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY 

PER SQUARE KILOMETER

x

x x

500

1

100

CHLORIDE LOAD, IN GRAMS PER SECOND

x x

x

500

Chloride yield

Chloride load

100

CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

o o

o

o

o

500

Chloride concentration

Missouri Department of Natural Resources 

chronic standard for the protection of

aquatic life (230 mg/L)

5 5 5 5

5 5 5 5

5

o

5

5

5 5 5 5

5 Number of 

 samples

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside 10

10

0

50

0

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

mg/L Milligrams per liter

through 2008 is 0.64 mg/L (National Atmospheric Deposition 

Program/National Trends Network, 2009), a substantial contribution to background concentrations and observed concentrations of dissolved N in stormflow. The NADP does not collect 

data for dissolved P in precipitation. Nutrient concentrations in 

base-flow samples collected for the streams draining Independence (sites 1, 4, and 5), exceeded the EPA standard for total N 

and total P in about 90 percent of samples. Base-flow samples 

collected at the two Little Blue River sites (3 and 6) exceeded 

the total N and total P standard about 30 percent of the time. 

The median instantaneous total N load in base flow increased 

downstream for the Little Blue River at site 3 [0.39 gram per 

second (g/s)] to site 6 (0.71 g/s), likely caused by inputs from 

tributary streams, including two streams that drain developed 

areas of Independence (fig. 3). These streams are Crackerneck 

Creek (site 4) and Spring Branch Creek (site 5) that contribute 

about 38 percent of the increased median instantaneous load. 

However, the median yields of total N in base flow for the two 
Water Quality 31

diuron, a common pre-emergent herbicide. The plasticizer 

tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate was detected at small concentrations in 50 percent of samples.

The median total OMC concentration for all samples was 

1.77 μg/L as compared to the 4.46 μg/L reported by Wilkison and others (2006) for sites with no apparent wastewater 

sources in the adjacent Blue River Basin. Data were collected 

from 1998 to 2004, and indicated fewer or smaller potential 

sources of OMCs in the Little Blue River Basin than the Blue 

River Basin. Instantaneous loads in base flow for Independence streams calculated from the summed concentrations of 

all OMCs (total OMCs) were small, ranging from a minimum 

of 0.01 to a maximum of 4.67 milligrams per second (mg/s). 

The Little Blue River sites had the largest loads in base flow 

with median instantaneous loads of 1.71 mg/s at upstream 

site 3 and 0.70 mg/s at downstream site 6. The smaller loads 

calculated downstream were most likely because of the small 

Figure 17. Suspended sediment concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads and yields in base-flow samples by site, June 

2006 through September 2008.

urban streams were not significantly larger (p=0.37) than for 

the Little Blue River upstream from site 3 (fig. 18).

Common Organic Micro-Constituents

A total of 24 base-flow samples were analyzed for 

OMCs between June 2006 and September 2008 (table 7). 

Two categories of OMCs (table 2) had samples with detections in base flow more than one-half the time, pesticides (100 

percent) and plastics (67 percent). Most detections were near 

or less than the NWQL LRL and not quantified (data on file at 

the USGS Water Science Center office in Lee’s Summit). The 

most frequently detected pesticides were 3-4-dichlorophenyl 

isocyanate (71 percent), prometon (67 percent), atrazine (58 

percent), and DEET (42 percent). One sample from Crackerneck Creek in August 2007 had a detection of 53.3 μg/L of 

3-4-dichlorophenyl isocyanate (average detection for all sites 

1.00 μg/L). One possible source is a degradation product of 

100

101

102

103

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGAMS PER LITER

x

100

101

102

103

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOAD, IN GRAMS PER SECOND

x

100

101

102

x

Suspended sediment yield

Suspended sediment load

Suspended sediment concentration

4 5 5 5

4 5 5 5

4

x

x

5

5

5 5 5 5

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT YIELD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

PER SQUARE KILOMETER

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

0

0

5 Number of 

 samples

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside
32 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

number of samples and method variability, but the degradation 

of OMCs in streams cannot be ruled out.

Stormflow Water Quality

A total of 91 stormflow water-quality samples were 

collected beginning in June 2005 at streamgage sites (table 

1). Data collected included streamflow, physical properties, 

dissolved oxygen, chloride, metals, nutrients, suspended 

sediment, OMCs, and fecal indicator bacteria (tables 8 and 9, 

at the end of this report). Results from the bacteria sampling 

are discussed separately later in this report. Streamflow for 

samples collected with automatic samplers was calculated as 

the average streamflow for the sampled interval of the storm. 

Streamflow for grab samples was measured at the time of 

sampling or was determined from established stage-discharge 

Figure 18. Total nitrogen concentration and calculated instantaneous loads and yields in base-flow samples by site, June 2006 

through September 2008.

relations (Rantz and others, 1982) at the individual sites and 

used to calculate instantaneous loads of selected constituents.

Blue Springs Lake and Longview Lake affect streamflow 

and estimates of water-quality constituent loads and yields 

for the Little Blue River at sites 3 and 6 downstream from the 

lakes (fig. 1). Infrequently the pool elevations in the lakes are 

lowered by increasing water releases. Controlled releases only 

occurred twice during this study for Blue Springs Lake in July 

2007 and June to July 2008 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 

written commun., 2009), but not concurrently with any sampling. For the rest of the study period, streamflow was uncontrolled except for the low-flow releases from Longview Lake. 

For precipitation and streamflow measured for the Little Blue 

River at site 6, the percentage of annual streamflow per month 

exceeded the percentage of annual precipitation from January 

through June when the pattern was reversed and the percentage of annual precipitation was greater than the percentage 

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

TOTAL NITROGEN LOAD, IN GRAMS PER SECOND

x

Total nitrogen load

0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

TOTAL NITROGEN CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

o

o

o

o

Total nitrogen concentration

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

TOTAL NITROGEN YIELD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY 

PER SQUARE KILOMETER

x

Total nitrogen yield

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency guideline 0.86 mg/L

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

5 5 5 5

5 5 5 5

5 5

5

5 5 5 5

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

5 Number of 

 samples

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside

mg/L Milligrams per liter
Water Quality 33

of annual streamflow per month for July through December 

(fig. 20). The monthly percentage of annual streamflow would 

be expected to more closely approximate monthly precipitation without the effect of the lakes. This relation primarily is 

the result of the retention of runoff in the lakes when water 

levels are below the elevation of their controls and increased 

evapotranspiration during the summer and early fall. The natural seasonal variations in runoff, streamflow, and water quality 

in response to precipitation in the Little Blue River Basin, 

therefore, are altered to some extent by the lakes upstream 

from Independence.

Daily, monthly, and annual loads were estimated using 

both base-flow and stormflow data for chloride, total N, total 

P, suspended sediment, and E. coli (discussed separately) 

using LOADEST (Runkel and others, 2004) and are presented 

in table 10. For all constituents analyzed, loads, but not necessarily concentrations, increased downstream for the Little Blue 

River. Flow-weighted concentrations were calculated from 

the estimated loads by dividing the average daily load by the 

average daily streamflow. Estimated yields were calculated by 

dividing the estimated constituent load for a site by the drainage area of the site. Measurements and estimates of constituent concentrations and bacteria densities indicate that potential exists for decreasing loads and concentrations of some 

constituents to streams, in particular nutrients, bacteria, and 

turbidity, associated with suspended sediment in stormflow by 

the continued implementation of BMPs to decrease sediment 

loads to streams.

Physical Properties, Dissolved Oxygen, and 

Inorganic Constituents

The physical properties, pH and specific conductance, 

were measured from the composite stormflow sample for 

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

x

0

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS LOAD, IN GRAMS PER SECOND

Total phosphorus concentration

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS YIELD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY 

PER SQUARE KILOMETER

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency guideline 0.09 mg/L

5 5 5 5

5 5 5 5

5

x

x

5

5

5 5 5 5

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Total phosphorus load

Total phosphorus yield

5 Number of 

 samples

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside

mg/L Milligrams per liter

Figure 19. Total phosphorus concentration and calculated instantaneous loads and yields in base-flow samples by site, June 2006 

through September 2008.
34 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

samples collected with automatic samplers. Average turbidity and temperature for each sampled interval were calculated 

at the three sites with CWQMs (sites 3, 5, and 6). For grab 

samples, physical properties and dissolved oxygen concentrations were measured in the stream at the time of sampling. 

Turbidity in stormflow samples ranged from 9.0 to 1,170 NTU 

and dissolved oxygen from 5.9 to 12.8 mg/L. The pH at the 

time of sampling ranged from near neutral 7.1 to 8.2. Specific 

conductance ranged from 158 to 1,720 μS. Water temperature 

for stormflow at sites for which in-stream temperature was 

measured or calculated ranged seasonally from a low of 1.0 

°C in December 2007 to a high of 28.3 °C in August 2006 

(table 8). 

Measured chloride concentrations in stormflow ranged 

from 6.82 to 463 mg/L. Differences between sites were nearly, 

but not, significant (p=0.07). The largest chloride concentrations for each site are associated with the December 2007 

sampling and likely reflect chloride from road de-icers carried 

into the streams in runoff the previous week, but no samples 

exceeded the Missouri acute AQL standard of 860 mg/L 

(fig. 21). However, larger median instantaneous chloride yields 

in stormflow for the smaller streams, in particular Spring 

Branch Creek (site 5; fig. 21), are likely attributable to residual 

effects from road salt applications during the winter.

Chloride is a naturally occurring constituent in surface 

water, usually at small concentrations (Hem, 1992). However, 

large chloride concentrations, especially in urban streams, 

can occur during the winter months because of the chloride 

content in road de-icers and can stay elevated for extended 

periods after application (Dougherty, 2007). Estimated chloride concentrations and loads for July 2005 through December 

2008 are shown in figure 22. Uncertainties in the regression 

models were small with high R2

 between 0.91 and 0.99 and 

low RMSE between 0.174 and 0.597 (table 10). Seasonal 

and annual differences in chloride concentrations and loads 

occurred because of variations in weather, frequency and types 

of precipitation, and types, rates, and timing of the application 

of de-icers. Smaller estimated loads for WY 2006 (table 10) 

are largely caused by the lack of precipitation and runoff during the winter (fig. 10).

Figure 20. Percentage of total annual precipitation and streamflow by month at Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri, June 2005 

through December 2008.

0

5

10

15

20

25

PERCENTAGE OF ANNUAL TOTAL

Monthly percentage of annual precipitation, 2005–2008

Monthly percentage of annual streamflow, 2005–2008

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

January February March April May June July August September October November December

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON
Water Quality 

35

Table 10. Regression models for estimating concentrations, densities, and calculated annual loads of selected constituents.[n, number of samples; R2, coefficient of determination; RMSE, root mean squared error; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; Mg, megagram (metric ton); SEP, standard error of prediction; kg/km2, kilograms per 

square kilometer; mg/L, milligrams per liter; ln, natural logarithm; L, instantaneous (daily) load; ln(Q), ln(streamflow) minus center ln(streamflow); ln(Q2), ln of streamflow squared; sin, sine; T, decimal time 

minus center of decimal time; cos, cosine; SC, specific conductance, in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; TBY, turbidity, in nephelometric turbidity units; --, no data; E. coli, Escherichia 

coli; mL, milliliter]

Site 

number 

(table 1; 

fig.1)

Regression Model n R2 RMSE1

Average

daily

streamflow 

(ft3/s)

Median 

daily

streamflow (ft3/s)

Estimated 

total load2

(Mg)

SEP

Estimated 

average 

daily 

yield2

(kg/km2)

Estimated annual load2

(Mg)

Estimated annual flow weighted 

concentration

(mg/L) 

32006 32007 32008 32006 32007 32008

Chloride, mg/L

1 ln(L)=0.663ln(Q)+0.551sin(2πT)+0.884cos(2πT)+0.542 21 0.91 0.590 103 50 1,210 0.238 39.4 205 411 467 106 72.8 54.7

3 ln(L)=0.921ln(Q)+0.226sin(2πT)+0.201cos(2πT)+ 0.0002SC+1.87 24 .99 .174 536 156 16,800 .582 32.6 1,320 6,050 7,380 51.7 46.3 44.8

4 ln(L)=0.634ln(Q)+0.604sin(2πT)+1.15cos(2πT)+ 0.205T+0.338 20 .93 .597 108 31 997 .263 65.3 134 365 482 101 79.5 84.3

5 ln(L)=0.888ln(Q)+0.424sin(2πT)+0.542cos(2πT)+ 0.001SC+0.512 25 .96 .475 108 35 1,960 .310 62.5 197 833 674 74.5 88.2 71.5

6 ln(L)=0.935ln(Q)+0.208sin(2πT)+0.187cos(2πT)+ 0.002SC+2.14 24 .99 .194 841 205 20,700 .834 34.4 1,700 7,300 9,390 46.2 40.5 40.6

Total Nitrogen, mg/L

1 ln(L)=1.20ln(Q)+ 0.054ln(Q2)+0.313sin(2πT)- 0.162cos(2πT)-2.82 21 .99 .345 103 50 65.6 .007 2.14 3.98 22.4 33.1 2.06 3.97 3.88

3 ln(L)=1.26ln(Q)+ 0.026ln(Q2)+0.255sin(2πT)+ 0.101cos(2πT)+0.0006TBY-0.853 20 .99 .334 596 184 780 .090 1.51 26.2 336 328 1.03 2.57 1.99

4 ln(L)=1.19ln(Q)+ 0.038ln(Q2)+0.276sin(2πT)- 0.064cos(2πT)-2.89 20 .99 .345 108 31 34.5 .003 2.26 2.48 14.7 15.0 1.87 3.21 2.62

5 ln(L)=1.241ln(Q)-3.15 20 .97 .507 135 62 64.4 .007 1.99 5.36 25.4 25.2 2.02 2.69 2.67

6 ln(L)=1.16ln(Q)+ 0.19ln(Q2)+0.246sin(2πT)- 0.036cos(2πT)+0.002TBY-0.562 21 .99 .278 973 344 1,231 .131 1.98 41.3 574 508 1.12 3.19 2.20

Total Phosphorus, mg/L

1 ln(L)=1.41ln(Q)+ 0.058ln(Q2)-0.116T-+0.176sin(2πT)- 0.186cos(2πT)-4.66 20 .99 .333 103 50 15.5 .002 .507 0.723 5.14 8.00 0.37 0.91 0.94

3 ln(L)=1.44ln(Q)+ 0.049ln(Q2)+0.0009TBY-2.70 20 .97 .510 596 184 207 .051 0.399 4.12 96 80.7 0.16 0.73 0.49

4 ln(L)=1.46ln(Q)+ 0.063ln(Q2)-4.80 20 .98 .498 108 31 8.53 .001 .559 .357 3.63 3.91 0.27 0.79 0.68

5 ln(L)=1.35ln(Q)-4.64 20 .93 .899 135 62 22.7 .006 0.702 1.70 9.17 9.07 0.64 0.97 0.96

6 ln(L)=1.38ln(Q)+ 0.034ln(Q2)+0.002TBY-2.35 21 .99 .364 973 344 441 .083 0.710 7.68 230 168 0.21 1.27 0.73

Suspended Sediment, mg/L

1 Insufficient data 19 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --3 ln(L)=1.75ln(Q)+ 0.092ln(Q2)-0.213T+3.87 21 .97 .580 615 210 312,000 122 602 2,650 201,000 73,000 104 1,539 443

4 Insufficient data 18 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --5 ln(L)=1.64ln(Q)+0.246sin(2πT)-0.729cos(2πT)+1.61 20 .97 .768 117 54 35,600 11.1 1,100 1,760 16,100 15,100 666 1,706 1,608

6 ln(L)=4.49+1.89ln(Q)+ 0.092ln(Q2)-0.318T+4.49 20 .97 .621 1,000 266 1,080,000 453 1,680 6,310 658,000 215,000 171 3,651 932
36 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

The Missouri chronic standard for AQL for chloride 

is 230 mg/L and the acute standard is 860 mg/L (Missouri 

Department of Natural Resources, 2005–2009). Estimated 

chloride concentrations exceeded the acute standard for only 

one site, Spring Branch Creek (site 5), during the winter in 

2007 and 2008. Estimated concentrations exceeded the acute 

standard about one percent of the time for site 5 (fig. 23). The 

chronic standard at all sites was estimated to be exceeded 

more frequently during the winter and early spring (fig. 22), 

between about 2 and 30 percent of the time (fig. 23). 

The sites that do not have specific conductance included 

in their chloride regression equations, Rock Creek (site 1) and 

Crackerneck Creek (site 4; table 10), show a greater percentage exceedance of the chronic standard (fig. 23) than the sites 

with specific conductance included in the equation. The Rock 

Creek and Crackerneck Creek basins have a greater percentage 

of developed land (fig. 3) classified in the low to high intensity categories (65.3 and 62.2 percent) than the Spring Branch 

Creek Basin (35.4 percent). Sites 1 and 4 also may have had 

larger chloride concentrations not captured in the model data 

that continuous monitoring of specific conductance may have 

detected. 

The estimated average daily chloride loads at the sample 

sites by month and year are shown in figure 24. The median 

monthly chloride loads for all sites were smaller during early 

and late summer, July through September, than for the rest of 

the year. However, the median monthly loads for the Little 

Blue River sites 3 and 6 remained large for a longer period 

into the wet season, through May, than for the smaller streams 

draining Independence that showed large monthly chloride 

loads through March. The streams draining Independence 

have a larger percentage of developed land (Rock Creek, 65.3 

percent; Crackerneck Creek, 62.2 percent; and Spring Branch 

Creek, 35.4 percent; fig. 3) with about twice the estimated 

average chloride yields (table 10) than the Little Blue River 

upstream from site 3 (28.4 percent; fig. 3). During this study 

streamflow from Crackerneck Creek and Spring Branch Creek 

added about 76 percent of the estimated increase in chloride 

load between sites on the Little Blue River. The effects of 

de-icers on water quality and stream health during base flow 

throughout the year in streams in Independence (sites 1, 4, and 

5) and their tributaries are not known, but the modeled data 

indicate a larger effect on the smaller and more urban streams 

(fig. 23) than for the Little Blue River.

Most metals in stormflow are transported adsorbed to 

suspended sediment so that concentrations of total recoverable 

metals in stormflow samples (table 8) are positively correlated with suspended sediment concentrations (fig. 25). Total 

aluminum had the largest median concentrations in stormflow 

samples for all sites (3,160 to 11,400 μg/L) and was at least 

an order of magnitude larger than the combined total of the 

other metals analyzed (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, 

lead, mercury, and zinc). Aluminum-enriched clay minerals 

are abundant in most soils and sediment (Hem, 1992) and are 

carried to streams in runoff during storms so that as suspended 

sediment concentrations increase in stormwater so does the 

Table 10. Regression models for estimating concentrations, densities, and calculated annual loads of selected constituents.—Continued[n, number of samples; R2, coefficient of determination; RMSE, root mean squared error; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; Mg, megagram (metric ton); SEP, standard error of prediction; kg/km2, kilograms per 

square kilometer; mg/L, milligrams per liter; ln, natural logarithm; L, instantaneous (daily) load; ln(Q), ln(streamflow) minus center ln(streamflow); ln(Q2), ln of streamflow squared; sin, sine; T, decimal time 

minus center of decimal time; cos, cosine; SC, specific conductance, in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; TBY, turbidity, in nephelometric turbidity units; --, no data; E. coli, Escherichia 

coli; mL, milliliter]

Site 

number 

(table 1; 

fig.1)

Regression Model n R2 RMSE1

Average

daily

streamflow 

(ft3/s)

Median 

daily

streamflow (ft3/s)

Estimated 

total load2

(Mg)

SEP

Estimated 

average 

daily 

yield2

(kg/km2

)

Estimated annual load2

(Mg)

Estimated annual flow weighted 

concentration

(mg/L) 

32006 32007 32008 32006 32007 32008

E. coli, colonies per 100 mL4

1 ln(L)=1.89ln(Q)-0.223sin(2πT)-1.42cos(2πT)+14.0 20 0.96 0.816 105 53 12,500,000 6,650 407 315,000 2,270,000 8,790,000 16,300 40,200 5 103,000

3 ln(L)=2.01ln(Q)-0.521sin(2πT)+0.083cos(2πT)+ 0.009TBY+15.5 20 .95 .886 635 219 40,600,000 22,700 78 294,000 18,100,000 15,400,000 1,160 13,900 9,3304 Insufficient data 18 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

5 ln(L)=1.29ln(Q)-0.384sin(2πT)- 0.990cos(2πT)+0.004TBY+12.4 20 .92 1.23 139 70 33,400,000 2,630 1,080 321,000 1,260,000 1,480,000 12,100 13,300 15,700

6 ln(L)=1.94ln(Q)-0.559sin(2πT)- 0.224cos(2πT)+0.002TBY+15.8 20 .95 .930 1,000 266 92,700,000 53,300 149 889,000 41,800,000 40,800,000 2,410 23,200 17,600

1RMSE is calculated from the estimated residual variance for the model.2Estimated E. coli loads and yields are in billions of colonies.3Water year, October 1 through September 30.4For the purposes of this report, colonies per 100 milliliters is considered to be comparable to most probable number per 100 milliliters.5Approximately 73 percent of the estimated annual load occurred on one day, July 30. The estimated density was 458,000 colonies per 100 milliliters.
Water Quality 37

concentration of total recoverable metals (fig. 25). One set of 

stormflow samples in October 2007 was analyzed for dissolved metals in addition to the total analyses (table 11, at 

the end of this report) to assess the bioavailability of metals 

in stormflow. Dissolved metals concentrations in stormflow 

were small compared to total recoverable metals concentrations. This would be expected because of the small solubility 

of most metals (Hem, 1992) at the neutral to slightly alkaline 

pH measured for stormflow samples (tables 8). No dissolved 

metal concentrations exceeded the chronic or acute standards 

for AQL (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 2005–

2009). Total recoverable metals, mostly transported during 

stormflow adsorbed to sediments, had concentrations generally 

within expected ranges (Hem, 1992; U.S. Geological Survey, 

2009a).

Nutrients

Typically, nutrient concentrations in stormflow are 

attributable to nonpoint sources, but SSOs or CSOs to streams 

also may contribute substantial quantities of nutrients (Lee 

and others, 2005; Wilkison and others, 2002, 2006, 2009). 

Although nutrient concentrations in the streams draining Independence were mostly attributable to nonpoint sources, SSOs 

have occurred during some storms, in particular in the Rock 

Creek Basin (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2009). 

Documented SSOs discharge to Rock Creek downstream from 

the USGS streamgage and water-quality sampling site (Dorris 

Bender, City of Independence, written commun., 2009). However, SSOs may contribute to measured nutrient concentrations 

when Rock Creek is in backwater from the Missouri River 

or when collection system SSOs occur. The occurrence and 

magnitude of any such contributions from SSOs to nutrient 

100

101

102

103

CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

16 15 15 16

o o

o

o

o

x x

x

100

101

102

103

104

CHLORIDE LOAD, IN GRAMS PER SECOND

16 15 15 16

x

o o

o

o

o

x

xx

101

102

103

104

CHLORIDE YIELD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY 

PER SQUARE KILOMETER

16 15 15 16

x

o

x

16

o

16

x

16

x x

x

o

o

o

o

Chloride concentration

Missouri Department of Natural 

Resources chronic standard for 

protection of aquatic life (230 mg/L)

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Chloride load

Missouri Department of Natural Chloride yield Resources acute standard for

protection of aquatic life 

(860 mg/L)

15 Number of 

 samples

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6 mg/L Milligrams per liter

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Figure 21. Chloride concentrations, instantaneous loads, and yields in stormflow samples by site, June 2005 through December 

2008. 
38 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri CHLORIDE LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

0

100

200

300

400

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road 

Site 1

500

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

No data

700

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

Missouri Department of 

Natural Resources chronic 

standard for protection of

aquatic life (230 mg/L) 

Missouri Department of 

Natural Resources chronic 

standard for protection of

aquatic life (230 mg/L) 

Missouri Department of 

Natural Resources chronic 

standard for protection of 

aquatic life (230 mg/L) 

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road

Site 4

Estimated average daily concentration

Measured concentration

Milligrams per liter

EXPLANATION

mg/L

Chloride concentration

105

104

103

102

101

100

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

106

105

104

103

102

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

Chloride load

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road 

Site 1

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road

Site 4

No data

0.95 Confidence interval

Estimated average daily load

Calculated instantaneous load

Figure 22. Estimated average daily chloride concentrations and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008.
Water Quality 39

concentrations in Independence streams during stormflow are 

undocumented, but have been observed by USGS personnel 

on at least one occasion during this study. 

Median total N concentration in stormflow (fig. 26) was 

largest for Rock Creek (site 1; 3.1 mg/L; table 8), but was not 

significantly larger than the other sampled streams draining 

Independence (sites 4 and 5; p=0.72). However, the median 

total N concentration in stormflow for Rock Creek, Crackerneck Creek, and Spring Branch Creek was significantly larger 

than for the Little Blue River (sites 3 and 6, p<0.05), most 

likely because of the settling out of particulate inorganic N in 

the upstream reservoirs on the Little Blue River. During the 

study period, average total organic N accounted for between 

about 76 and 82 percent and NO3

 between about 14 and 19 

percent of measured total N concentrations in stormflow (table 

8). For all sites, the average total organic N (78 percent) and 

NO3

 (16 percent) concentrations account for nearly all of the 

average total N concentration during stormflow. 

The median total P concentration during stormflow 

(fig. 27; table 8) was largest for Spring Branch Creek (site 5; 

1.04 mg/L), but concentrations were not significantly different 

(p=0.64) from the other streams draining Independence. However, they were significantly larger (p<0.05) than the median 

concentration from Little Blue River site 3 (0.345 mg/L). During base flow, most total P was detected in the dissolved phase. 

However, during stormflow only about 12 percent of median 

total P for all sites was dissolved P, most as orthophosphate 

(table 8). Total P concentrations in stormflow were largely 

from particulates in suspended sediment (fig. 28). 

Median instantaneous loads for nutrients in stormflow 

increased downstream on the Little Blue River from 14.3 to 

30.2 g/s for total N and from 3.35 to 10.1 g/s for total P. The 

median instantaneous total N and total P yields for stormflow 

were significantly larger (p<0.05) for Crackerneck Creek and 

Spring Branch Creek (sites 4 and 5) than loads for the Little 

Blue River upstream from site 3 (figs. 26 and 27). CHLORIDE LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

0

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

Spring Branch Creek at 

78 Highway

Site 5

100

200

300

400

500

600

Little Blue River near 

Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

3,000 106

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

106

105

104

103

102

2005 2006 2007 2008 2005 2006 2007 2008

Missouri Department 

of Natural Resources 

chronic standard for 

protection of aquatic 

life (230 mg/L) 

Missouri Department of Natural 

Resources acute standard for 

protection of aquatic life (860 mg/L) 

J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J F MAM J J A S O N D J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

Missouri Department of Natural 

Resources chronic standard for 

protection of aquatic life (230 mg/L) 

Spring Branch Creek at 

78 Highway

Site 5

Little Blue River near 

Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

Chloride concentration Chloride load

Estimated average daily concentration

Measured concentration

Milligrams per liter

EXPLANATION

mg/L

0.95 Confidence interval

Estimated average daily load

Calculated instantaneous load

Figure 22. Estimated average daily chloride concentrations and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued
40 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Estimated daily total N and P concentrations and loads 

were calculated with regression equations using measured 

base-flow and stormflow data for July 2005 through December 

2008 (table 10). Turbidity was used as an independent variable 

for the two Little Blue River sites equipped with CWQMs 

(sites 3 and 6). The turbidity data for Spring Branch Creek 

(site 5) were considered to be too incomplete to include in the 

regression equations because of sedimentation interfering with 

the sensors during storm recessions before the site was relocated in August 2007. Uncertainties in the regression models 

for total N were small with high R2 between 0.97 and 0.99 and 

low RMSE between 0.278 and 0.507. The R2

 values ranged 

between 0.93 and 0.99 and RMSE values between 0.333 and 

0.899 for total P (table 10).

Clark and others (2000) estimated annual flow-weighted 

concentrations for total N of 0.26 mg/L and for total P of 0.22 

mg/L in streams draining relatively undeveloped basins in 

the conterminous United States. Similarly, Smith and others 

(2003) have estimated the natural background concentrations in headwater streams in the southeast temperate forested 

plains ecoregion, including the study area, to be 0.15 to 0.30 

mg/L for total N and 0.06 mg/L or more for total P. However, 

as noted previously, the average annual precipitation-weighted 

concentration of dissolved N (NH4

 plus NO3) is 0.64 mg/L for 

2005 through 2008 at five NADP sites surrounding the study 

area (National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National 

Trends Network, 2009), which is a substantial contribution 

to measured concentrations of dissolved N in stormflow. 

Measured nutrient concentrations greater than these values in 

stormflow samples likely were attributable to several nonpoint 

sources that include the transport in runoff of total N and total 

P from soil, yard and animal waste and other organic matter, 

and fertilizers from lawns and agricultural fields. Leaky sanitary sewer lines and SSOs also can be a source for nutrients. 

Estimated average daily total N concentrations for Rock 

Creek (site 1) and Crackerneck Creek (site 4), with regression 

equations that did not include turbidity as a variable, were 

greater than the EPA recommended guideline of 0.86 mg/L for 

the entire model period of July 2005 through December 2008 

(fig. 29). Spring Branch Creek (site 5), also without turbidity 

as a variable, exceeded the guideline about 86 percent of the 

time. The estimated concentrations for the Little Blue River 

sites exceeded the EPA recommended guideline for total N 

between 53 and 62 percent of the time. Estimated average 

daily total P concentrations showed a similar pattern to that of 

total N (fig. 30). Rock Creek (site 1) and Crackerneck Creek 

(site 4) had concentrations larger than the recommended 

guideline for total P concentration of 0.09 mg/L for the entire 

model period; Spring Branch Creek (site 5) exceeded the 

recommended guideline about 95 percent of the time; and 

the Little Blue River sites exceeded the guideline between 

81 and 93 percent of the time. The streams draining Independence have a larger percentage of developed land with larger 

estimated average daily total nutrient yields (table 10) than 

the Little Blue River upstream from site 3 (fig. 3) so that the 

estimated total N (about 58 percent) and total P loads (about 

113 percent) were larger downstream at site 6 than at upstream 

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE, IN PERCENT

CHLORIDE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

Missouri Department of Natural Resources acute 

standard for protection of aquatic life (860 mg/L) 

Missouri Department of Natural Resources chronic 

standard for protection of aquatic life (230 mg/L)

104

103

102

101

100

Site 1 (06893620)

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 4 (06893940)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

Site number and 

 U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

mg/L Milligrams per liter

Chloride concentration

Figure 23. Frequency 

of exceedance for 

estimated average daily 

chloride concentrations 

by site, July 2005 

through December 

2008.
Water Quality 41

CHLORIDE LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road 

Site 1

CHLORIDE LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

January February March April May June July August September October November December

104

103

102

101

106

105

104

103

102

Little Blue River at 39th Street 

Site 3

2005–NO DATA 

2005–NO DATA 

WINTER LOW 

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW 

RUNOFF SEASON

Figure 24. Estimated average daily chloride load by month and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.
42 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

CHLORIDE LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road 

Site 4

CHLORIDE LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway 

Site 5

January February March April May June July August September October November December

104

103

102

101

100

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

2008–NO DATA

2005–NO DATA 

2005–NO DATA 

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

Figure 24. Estimated average daily chloride load by month and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued
Water Quality 43

January February March April May June July August September October November December

CHLORIDE LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

106

105

104

103

102

2005–NO DATA 

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figure 24. Estimated average daily chloride load by month and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued

R2 = 0.95

2

3

4

5

1 2 3 4 5

LOG10 OF SUSPENDED SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

LOG10 OF TOTAL METALS CONCENTRATION, IN MICROGRAMS PER LITER

LOG10 Base 10 logarithm

R2 Coefficient of determination Figure 25. Relation of 

suspended sediment 

concentration to the sum 

of total recoverable metals 

concentrations.
44 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

site 3 during this study after receiving stormflow from Independence streams.

The relation between suspended sediment concentration and total N concentration is shown in figure 31. Median 

organic N concentrations, largely particulate or adsorbed to 

sediment in stormflow, were about 74 percent of total N (table 

8) whereas organic N was only 30 percent of median total N in 

base flow (table 6). 

Precipitation of N associated with particulates both in the 

lakes upstream and in pools within the Little Blue River likely 

explains the smaller estimated average daily total N concentrations in the Little Blue River compared to the streams draining Independence (fig. 32). Total P concentration curves were 

similar (fig. 33). Discharge from the reservoirs with smaller 

suspended sediment concentrations was 100 percent of total 

flow for the Little Blue River at site 3 about 8 percent of the 

time and was greater than 50 percent of flow about 68 percent 

of the time. However, at larger streamflow, as fine-grained 

streambed materials are mobilized and sediment in direct runoff increases, the Little Blue River with its larger velocity had 

some larger estimated nutrient concentrations than the smaller 

streams at the high end (greater than about 98 percent) of the 

nutrient duration curves (figs. 32 and 33).

The estimated daily total N and total P loads by month 

and year are shown by site in figures 34 and 35. The average 

monthly loads for both constituents at all sites were largest 

during the spring and early summer wet season. The larger 

loads were mostly attributable to increased streamflow during 

the wet season, but also because the largest concentrations 

of both constituents occurred in March through July (figs. 

29 and 30). Crackerneck Creek (site 4) and Spring Branch 

Creek (site 5) contributed about 22 percent of the increase in 

estimated total N load and about 13 percent of the increase in 

estimated total P load between sites on the Little Blue River 

100

101

102

103

104

TOTAL NITROGEN YIELD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY 

PER SQUARE KILOMETER

10-1

100

101

102

103

104

10-1

16 15 15 17

TOTAL NITROGEN LOAD, IN GRAMS PER SECOND

16 15 15 17

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

TOTAL NITROGEN CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

16 15 15 17

o

o

x

x

x

x

x

16

Total nitrogen concentration

o

o

o

o o

o

o

o

o

o

17

17

17

o

x

o

o

o

o

o

o o

o

o

o

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guideline 0.86 mg/L

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

Total nitrogen load

Total nitrogen yield

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

16 Number of 

 samples

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside

mg/L Milligrams per liter

Figure 26. Total nitrogen concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads and yields in stormflow samples by site, June 2005 

through September 2008.
Water Quality 45

during the study period (table 10). Mobilization of organic 

matter from streambeds and by runoff, along with fertilizer 

applications to lawns and agricultural fields, likely contributed 

to the larger concentrations. Contributions of total N from precipitation (table 4) and dry deposition may account for a substantial part of annual loads to streams in the Midwest (Carey 

and others, 2001), but were not quantified for this report.

Measured suspended sediment concentrations in stormflow between streams were similar, but not significantly 

different (p=0.06). However, suspended sediment yields in 

stormflow were significantly larger (p<0.05) for the streams 

draining Independence than yields for the Little Blue River 

sites (fig. 28) because of the reservoirs trapping suspended 

sediment from upstream sources. Median suspended sediment 

loads in stormflow increased downstream on the Little Blue 

River from 2,150 g/s at site 3 to 9,300 g/s at site 6. 

Estimated average daily suspended sediment concentrations and loads were calculated with regression equations 

(table 10) using measured base-flow and stormflow data for 

July 2005 through December 2008 for three sites; Spring 

Branch Creek and the two Little Blue River sites (fig. 36). 

Insufficient suspended sediment samples were collected at the 

other two sites to model the data. Turbidity was not used as 

an independent variable for the Little Blue River sites because 

the regression equations were not improved over the equations using streamflow, time, and seasonality as variables. The 

turbidity data for Spring Branch Creek were insufficient to 

use in the regression equation for that site. Uncertainties in the 

regression models were small with high R2

 of 0.97 for all sites 

and low RMSE between 0.580 and 0.768.

Variability existed in calculated annual loads and yields 

at the three sites (sites 3, 5, and 6) for which suspended 

sediment loads were modeled. The estimated average daily 

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

16 15 15 17

x

o

o

o o

x

7

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS LOAD, IN GRAMS PER SECOND

o

o

o

o o

o

o

o

16 15 15

100

101

102

103

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS YIELD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

PER SQUARE KILOMETER

10-1

100

101

102

103

10-1

o

o

o

o

o

o o

o

17 16

o

o

x

o

o

17

o

o

15 17 17

Total phosphorus concentration

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency guideline 0.09 mg/L

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

15

Total phosphorus load

17

Total phosphorus yield

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

16 Number of 

 samples

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside

mg/L Milligrams per liter

Figure 27. Total phosphorus concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads and yields in stormflow samples by site, June 2005 

through September 2008.
46 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

suspended sediment yield for the Little Blue River during the 

study period increased downstream from 602 to 1,680 kilograms per square kilometer (kg/km2

)so that estimated annual 

suspended sediment loads for the Little Blue River were more 

than two to more than three times larger downstream at site 6 

than upstream at site 3 (table 10) with only about a 20 percent 

increase in total drainage area. The estimated annual loads for 

WY 2006, when precipitation was low (fig. 10), were about 

one to two orders of magnitude less than the loads estimated 

for WYs 2007 and 2008 for the Little Blue River sites and 

Spring Branch Creek (site 5). The estimated annual suspended 

sediment load for the Little Blue River at site 6 in WY 2006 

was less than one percent of the 658,000 megagram (Mg) load 

in WY 2007. Remobilization of sediment stored in pools and 

on the floodplain of the Little Blue River along with road and 

commercial construction activities in the lower portions of the 

Crackerneck Creek and Spring Branch Creek basins and along 

the Little Blue River are likely contributors to the larger loads 

downstream for the Little Blue River at site 6 for all 3 years. 

The monthly variation in suspended sediment loads by site is 

shown in figure 37, with the increase in sediment loads during the spring to early summer wet season for the Little Blue 

River sites, although in WY 2006 when conditions were dry 

the increase was less than in WYs 2007 and 2008.

For all constituents analyzed, loads, but not necessarily 

concentrations, increased downstream in the Little Blue River. 

Two streams draining Independence, Crackerneck Creek and 

Spring Branch Creek, contributed about 76 percent of the 

increase between sites on the Little Blue River in estimated 

chloride load, about 22 percent of the increase in total N load, 

and about 13 percent of the increase in total P load during the 

study period (table 10). Larger relative percentage contributions occurred during lower flows in WY 2006. Rock Creek 

had smaller flow-weighted concentrations for chloride than 

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT YIELD, 

IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY PER SQUARE KILOMETER

15 13 16 15

oo

o

o o

o o

o

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOAD, IN GRAMS PER SECOND

15 13 16 15

oo

o

o o

o

o

o

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

16

o

o

o

16

o

o

o

16

o

o

o

15 13 16 15

x

o

o o x x xx

Suspended sediment concentration

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

101

102

103

104

105

Suspended sediment load

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Suspended sediment yield

15 Number of 

 samples

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside

Figure 28. Suspended sediment concentrations and calculated instantaneous loads and yields in stormflow samples by site, August 

2005 through September 2008.
Water Quality 47

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

TOTAL NITROGEN CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road

Site 1

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road

Site 4

14

14

0

2

4

6

8

10

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency guideline for protection

of aquatic life (0.86 mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency guideline for 

protection of aquatic 

life (0.86 mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency guideline for protection

of aquatic life (0.86 mg/L) No data

Total nitrogen concentration

Estimated average daily concentration

Measured concentration

Milligrams per liter

EXPLANATION

mg/L

0.95 Confidence interval

Estimated average daily load

Calculated instantaneous load

TOTAL NITROGEN LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road

Site 1

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road

Site 4

No data

Total nitrogen load

Figure 29. Estimated average daily total nitrogen concentrations and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008.
48 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

the other two streams draining Independence in WYs 2007 

and 2008, but the concentrations were larger in WY 2006 

when conditions were dry. Rock Creek also had larger flowweighted annual concentrations of total N, but only marginally, in WY 2006 and its annual flow-weighted concentrations 

for total P were intermediate between the two other sites.

Common Organic Micro-Constituents

A total of 76 stormflow samples collected between June 

2005 and December 2008 were analyzed for OMCs (table 

9). Stormflow samples had a larger median concentration of 

OMCs (6.82 μg/L; table 9) than base-flow samples (1.77 μg/L; 

table 7). The four categories with the most total detections 

had samples with detections more than 90 percent of the time; 

pesticides (100 percent), PAHs and combustion by-products 

(99 percent), plastics (93 percent), and stimulants (91 percent). 

Most detections were small and many were less than 2 μg/L 

or the NWQL LRL of the constituent and not quantified (data 

on file at the USGS Water Science Center office in Lee’s 

Summit). The most frequently detected compounds were 

pesticides; 9,10-anthraquinone (96 percent), DEET (92 percent), and carbazole (89 percent); the PAHs and combustion 

by-products; fluoranthene (93 percent), pyrene (92 percent), 

and phenanthrene (91 percent); and the stimulant, caffeine (91 

percent). However, the pesticide 3,4-dichlorophenyl isocyanate had a larger median concentration (1.10 μg/L) than the 

most frequently detected compounds and was detected in 78 

percent of the samples. The detergent diethoxy-nonylphenol 

(all isomers) had the largest overall median concentration of 

1.36 μg/L and was detected in 32 percent of samples. Concentrations of OMCs in stormflow samples are summarized 

by category in table 9. Rock Creek (site 1) had the largest 

median concentration of total OMCs in stormflow, 15.6 μg/L, 

TOTAL NITROGEN LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

10-5

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway

Site 5

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

Estimated average daily concentration

Measured concentration

Milligrams per liter

EXPLANATION

mg/L

0.95 Confidence interval

Estimated average daily load

Calculated instantaneous load

Total nitrogen load

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway

Site 5

TOTAL NITROGEN CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

0

2

4

6

8

10

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

14

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

guideline for protection

of aquatic life (0.86 mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency guideline for protection

of aquatic life (0.86 mg/L) 

Total nitrogen concentration

Figure 29. Estimated average daily total nitrogen concentrations and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—

Continued
Water Quality 49

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road

Site 1

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road

Site 4

No data

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

8

8

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

No data

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

guideline for protection of aquatic 

life (0.09 mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

guideline for protection of aquatic 

life (0.09 mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

guideline for protection of aquatic 

life (0.09 mg/L) 

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road

Site 1

Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road

Site 4

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

Total phosphorus concentration Total phosphorus load

Estimated average daily concentration

Measured concentration

Milligrams per liter

EXPLANATION

mg/L

0.95 Confidence interval

Estimated average daily load

Calculated instantaneous load

Figure 30. Estimated average daily total phosphorus concentrations and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008.
50 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

followed by Crackerneck Creek (site 4) with 10.5 μg/L, and 

Spring Branch Creek (site 5) with 7.86 μg/L. Larger concentrations for Rock Creek are likely attributable to contributions 

from SSOs. The OMC concentrations in stormflow for the 

Little Blue River sites were smaller (table 9). The contribution 

of OMCs by Crackerneck Creek and Spring Branch Creek did 

not increase concentrations downstream for the Little Blue 

River. Kolpin and others (2004) stated in a study of differing 

flow conditions downstream from towns and cities in Iowa 

that the urban contribution to streams of OMCs decreased as 

streamflow increased. This study shows similar results, with 

the median concentration of OMCs slightly larger for the Little 

Blue River upstream at site 3 (4.95 μg/L) than downstream at 

site 6 (3.84 μg/L), possibly because of in-stream degradation 

of OMCs. 

Dry-Weather Screening

From 2006 through 2008 dry-weather screening was conducted jointly by the USGS and Independence personnel in all 

basins within the city limits of Independence except for Fire 

Prairie Creek and West Fire Prairie Creek (table 1, fig. 2). All 

visible discharges, inflows, or tributaries of the selected stream 

were sampled. Eight basins were screened. Two basins were 

screened multiple times; Rock Creek in all 3 years and Adair 

Creek in 2007 and 2008 (table 12, at the end of this report). 

A total of 536 samples were collected during dry-weather 

screening for analysis of total chlorine, total dissolved copper, 

phenols, and anionic surfactants. Sample locations and detections of measured constituents are identified on each of the 

basin maps in figure 38. Seventy-five samples (14.0 percent) 

had measured concentrations exceeding the guideline or standard used for comparison in this study for one or more of three 

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway

Site 5

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

10-5

10-6

10-7

8

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Little Blue River near 

Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

guideline for protection of aquatic 

life (0.09 mg/L)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

guideline for protection of aquatic 

life (0.09 mg/L) 

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway 

Site 5

Little Blue River near 

Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

Total phosphorus concentration Total phosphorus load

Estimated average daily concentration

Measured concentration

Milligrams per liter

EXPLANATION

mg/L

0.95 Confidence interval

Estimated average daily load

Calculated instantaneous load

Figure 30. Estimated average daily total phosphorus concentrations and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—

Continued
Water Quality 51

0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

TOTAL NITROGEN CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

R2 = 0.76

n = 82

Site 1 (06893620)

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 4 (06893940)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

Site number and 

 U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

R2

n

EXPLANATION

Best fit line, y = 1.38 + 0.0016x

Coefficient of determination

Number of samples

Figure 31. Relation between suspended sediment and total nitrogen concentration in stream samples, August 2005 through 

December 2008.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guideline 

for protection of aquatic life (0.86 mg/L)

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE, IN PERCENT

TOTAL NITROGEN CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

100

Total nitrogen concentration

Site 1 (06893620)

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 4 (06893940)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

Site number and 

 U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

mg/L Milligrams per liter

Figure 32. Frequency 

of exceedance for 

estimated average 

daily total nitrogen 

concentration by site, 

July 2005 through 

December 2008.
52 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE, IN PERCENT

10-3

10-2

10-1

100

101

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guideline 

for protection of aquatic life (0.09 mg/L)

Total phosphorus concentration

Site 1 (06893620)

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 4 (06893940)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

Site number and 

 U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

mg/L Milligrams per liter

Figure 33. Frequency of 

exceedance for estimated 

average daily total 

phosphorus concentration 

by site, July 2005 through 

December 2008.

constituents; total chlorine, phenols, and anionic surfactants. 

Any discharge that had a measured concentration exceeding a 

guideline or standard was considered a potential point source 

of contamination. However, for most detections (65), a source 

could not be determined and were considered to be episodic 

(de minimus) and most likely attributable to sources such as 

lawn watering or car washing. Ten samples (1.9 percent) had 

identifiable point sources. 

Boxplots of the dry-weather screening data are shown 

in figure 39. The EDL and provisional MDL for each analyte 

are shown on each graph, along with the guideline or standard 

for those analytes that have one, total chlorine and phenols. 

A provisional MDL was computed for each analyte because 

of the variation in the quality-control data at small concentrations (fig. 8) near the EDL. The concentrations less than the 

EDL on each graph were distributed using the AMLE method 

in TIBCO Spotfire S+ 8.1 for Windows (The Information Bus 

Company Software Inc., 2008). A censoring value equal to 

the provisional MDL for each analyte was then applied to the 

boxplots below which the concentrations are shown in grey 

(fig. 39).

Out of 536 samples for total chlorine, there were 495 

detections (table 12) exceeding the EDL of 0.02 mg/L. 

Twenty-seven total chlorine detections were equal to or 

exceeded the Missouri permitting level of 0.13 mg/L (fig. 

39; Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 2006). Six 

basins had one or more detections of total chlorine equal to or 

exceeding 0.13 mg/L; Rock Creek, Sugar Creek, Mill Creek, 

Adair Creek, Crackerneck Creek, and Burr Oak Creek (fig. 

38). Rock Creek had six detections (11.1 percent) exceeding 

the Missouri permitting level in 2006, nine detections (17.3 

percent) in 2007, but only a single detection (1.1 percent) 

in 2008. Sugar Creek had one detection (12.5 percent). Mill 

Creek had four detections (7.4 percent) and Adair Creek 

also had four detections (5.3 percent) equal to or exceeding 

0.13 mg/L in 2007. Crackerneck Creek and Burr Oak Creek 

each had one detection (3.2 and 4.5 percent). Two basins did 

not have any detections; Spring Branch Creek and Bundshu 

Creek. The largest median total chlorine concentration in 

dry-weather screening samples was 0.11 mg/L from the 

Sugar Creek Basin in 2007. All other basins had median total 

chlorine concentrations of less than or equal to 0.07 mg/L. The 

median detected concentration of total chlorine in the Rock 

Creek Basin was less than the provisional MDL of 0.05 mg/L 

in 2006, 0.07 mg/L in 2007, and equal to the provisional MDL 

in 2008. Total chlorine detections in the Adair Creek Basin had 

a median equal to the provisional MDL of 0.05 mg/L in 2007 

and less than the provisional MDL in 2008. The larger detections of total chlorine for Adair Creek (fig. 39) all occurred 

along Interstate 70 (I-70). 

Because total chlorine is not commonly detected in 

untreated water and is unstable in the environment, the main 

source of total chlorine in streams likely comes from leaky 

water-supply pipes, lawn watering, irrigation, or illicit discharges. Drinking water from Independence contains about 2.0 

mg/L of total chlorine as it leaves the treatment facility (City 
Water Quality 53

TOTAL NITROGEN LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

Little Blue River at 39th Street 

Site 3

January February March April May June July August September October November December

104

103

102

101

100

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road 

Site 1

103

102

101

100

10-1

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

2005–NO DATA 

2005–NO DATA 

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

Figure 34. Estimated average daily total nitrogen load by month and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.
54 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri TOTAL NITROGEN LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

January February March April May June July August September October November December

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

10-5

10-6

Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road

Site 4

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway 

Site 5

2008–NO DATA

2005–NO DATA 

2005–NO DATA 

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figure 34. Estimated average daily total nitrogen load by month and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued
Water Quality 55

TOTAL NITROGEN LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

January February March April May June July August September October November December

105

104

103

102

101

100

2005–NO DATA

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figure 34. Estimated average daily total nitrogen load by month and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued

of Independence, 2009). Therefore, any discharge to streams at 

low flow from a municipal water-supply source would likely 

produce detectable chlorine concentrations in the stream. The 

maximum total chlorine detection was 7.00 mg/L, for a sample 

from a grey-water pipe discharging from a residence in the 

Mill Creek Basin in 2007. Dry-weather screening conducted 

in 1991 and 1992 for total chlorine had 45 detections (20 

percent) with a maximum concentration of 0.9 mg/L (Schalk, 

1993). However, in that study, the MDL for total chlorine was 

0.10 mg/L, which was larger than the provisional MDL for this 

study (0.05 mg/L). In this study, 57.6 percent of the concentrations of total chlorine were equal to or exceeded the current 

(2010) provisional MDL, but only 13.4 percent of concentrations were equal to or greater than the MDL used in 1991 and 

1992. 

Out of 536 samples for total dissolved copper, there were 

131 detections (table 12) equal to or exceeding the EDL of 

0.04 mg/L and 92 detections equal to or exceeding the provisional MDL of 0.05 mg/L, with a maximum detection of 0.18 

mg/L in the central portion of the Rock Creek Basin in 2006. 

The median concentration for total dissolved copper at all sites 

was less than the provisional MDL of 0.05 mg/L. The small 

detections of total dissolved copper exceeding the EDL and at 

or near the provisional MDL used for dry-weather screening 

are suspected of being biased high (see Sample Collection and 

Procedures section). Total dissolved metals samples were not 

typically collected during base-flow or stormflow sampling 

for this study. However, total dissolved metals were collected 

for comparison purposes to total recoverable metals during 

stormflow on October 17, 2007 (table 11). The largest concentration of total dissolved copper detected during this sampling 

was 0.002 mg/L. The largest concentration of total recoverable 

copper detected in 25 base-flow samples collected during this 

study was about 0.003 mg/L (table 6). Some studies indicate 

background concentrations of dissolved copper in streams 

close to 0.01 mg/L (Durfor and Becker, 1964; Turekian, 1969) 

and larger concentrations may be fairly common (Hem, 1992). 

The copper concentrations detected during this study are similar to background concentrations presented in those studies 

and are, therefore, not likely to be a risk to aquatic life in the 

streams. 

The median total dissolved copper concentration detected 

in dry-weather screening samples was less than the provisional 

MDL of 0.05 mg/L (fig. 39) for all samples. Standards for 

AQL are for dissolved copper and are not comparable to the 

copper analysis method used during dry-weather screening 

because a valid comparison cannot be made between filtered 

and unfiltered samples. In this study, 17.2 percent of total dissolved copper samples were equal to or exceeded the provisional MDL, but only 1.1 percent were equal to greater than 
56 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road 

Site 1

Little Blue River at 39th Street 

Site 3

January February March April May June July August September October November December

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

2005–NO DATA 

2005–NO DATA

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

Figure 35. Estimated average daily total phosphorus load by month and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.
Water Quality 57

Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road

Site 4

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway

Site 5

January February March April May June July August September October November December

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

10-5

10-6

10-7

2005–NO DATA

2005–NO DATA

2008–NO DATA

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figure 35. Estimated average daily total phosphorus load by month and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued
58 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

January February March April May June July August September October November December

TOTAL PHOSPHORUS LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri 

Site 6

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

2005–NO DATA

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

Figure 35. Estimated average daily total phosphorus load by month and year by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued

the MDL used in 1991 and 1992. Schalk (1993) detected no 

total copper concentrations during dry-weather screening with 

a MDL of 0.1 mg/L, whereas the provisional MDL for this 

study was 0.05 mg/L.

There were 225 detections of phenols out of 524 samples 

that exceeded the EDL of 0.002 mg/L and 131 detections equal 

to or greater than the provisional MDL of 0.005 mg/L (table 

12), with a maximum detection of greater than 0.200 mg/L in 

the Rock Creek Basin in 2006. The median concentration of 

phenols in all samples was less than the provisional MDL of 

0.005 mg/L (fig. 39). The Missouri chronic standard for AQL 

for the phenolic compound, phenol, is 0.100 mg/L (Missouri 

Department of Natural Resources, 2005–2009). The only 

detection for phenols that exceeded the standard was greater 

than 0.200 mg/L in a sample from an identified point source 

in Rock Creek in 2006. In this study, 25.0 percent of samples 

were equal to or greater than the provisional MDL, but only 

1.5 percent were equal to or greater than the MDL used in 

1991 and 1992. Schalk (1993) detected no concentrations of 

phenols using a MDL of 0.02 mg/L.

Out of 535 samples for anionic surfactants, there were 

477 detections (table 12) equal to or greater than the EDL 

of 0.002 mg/L and 256 detections equal to or greater than 

the provisional MDL of 0.010 mg/L. An arbitrary standard 

of 0.028 mg/L was used for determining detections (see 

Methods). There were 51 anionic surfactant detections equal 

to or exceeding the 0.028 mg/L standard. Five basins had 

one or more detections exceeding the 0.028 mg/L standard; 

Rock Creek, Mill Creek, Adair Creek, Crackerneck Creek, 

and Spring Branch Creek (fig. 38). Rock Creek had 8 detections greater than the standard (14.8 percent of detections 

in the basin) greater than 0.028 mg/L in 2006, 2 detections 

(3.8 percent) in 2007, and 15 detections (17.2 percent) in 

2008. Mill Creek had 7 detections greater than the standard 

(13.0 percent). Adair Creek had 5 detections in both 2007 

(6.7 percent) and 2008 (9.0 percent) greater than the standard 

Crackerneck Creek had 4 detections (12.9 percent) and Spring 

Branch Creek had 5 detections (10.0 percent) greater than 

0.028 mg/L. Three basins did not have any detection exceeding 0.028 mg/L: Sugar Creek, Burr Oak Creek, and Bundshu 

Creek (fig. 38). The largest median concentration of anionic 

surfactants of 0.017 mg/L was for the Adair Creek Basin in 

2008. The maximum concentration of 5.000 mg/L occurred in 

the Mill Creek Basin in 2007, from the same sample containing grey water that also had the largest concentration of total 

chlorine. The median concentration of anionic surfactants in 

the Adair Creek Basin increased from less than the provisional 

MDL in 2007 to 0.017 mg/L in 2008. For all other basins, the 
Water Quality 59

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOAD, IN KILOGRAMS PER DAY

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway

Site 5

Little Blue River near 

Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

109

108

107

106

105

104

103

102

101

109

107

105

103

101

10-1

10-3

10-5

109

108

107

106

105

104

103

102

101

105

104

103

102

101

104

103

102

101

100

105

104

103

102

101

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway

Site 5

Little Blue River near 

Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

Suspended sediment concentration Suspended sediment load

Estimated average daily concentration

Measured concentration

Milligrams per liter

EXPLANATION

mg/L

0.95 Confidence interval

Estimated average daily load

Calculated instantaneous load

Figure 36. Estimated average daily suspended sediment concentrations and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008.
60 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway 

Site 5

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOAD, IN MEGAGRAMS PER DAY

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

January February March April May June July August September October November December

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

10-5

10-6

10-7

10-8

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

2005–NO DATA

2005–NO DATA

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figure 37. Estimated average daily suspended sediment load by month and year by site, June 2005 through December 2008.
Water Quality 61

SUSPENDED SEDIMENT LOAD, IN MEGAGRAMS PER DAY

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri 

Site 6

January February March April May June July August September October November December

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

2005–NO DATA

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

Figure 37. Estimated average daily suspended sediment load by month and year by site, June 2005 through December 2008.—

Continued

largest median anionic surfactant concentration was 0.015 

mg/L in the Rock Creek Basin in 2008, and the remaining 

basins had median anionic surfactant concentrations equal 

to or less than 0.011 mg/L. The median concentration for all 

anionic surfactant detections was less than the provisional 

MDL of 0.010 mg/L (fig. 39). In this study, 47.9 percent of 

samples were equal to or greater than the provisional MDL, 

but only 4.5 percent equaled or exceeded the MDL used in 

1991 and 1992. Schalk (1993) detected total detergents in one 

sample (0.4 percent) in the Sugar Creek Basin during dryweather screening using a MDL of 0.05 mg/L.

When considering the basins with detections of anionic 

surfactants, the three basins that have the fewest detections 

greater than the provisional MDL of 0.010 mg/L are Sugar 

Creek, Burr Oak Creek, and Bundshu Creek. Contributing 

factors to the small number of detections likely are that Burr 

Oak Creek and Bundshu Creek basins are both located in rural 

areas of Independence, and Sugar Creek is the smallest basin 

(10.9 km2

) with the fewest number of samples (8). The other 

basins (Rock Creek, Mill Creek, Adair Creek, Crackerneck 

Creek and Spring Branch Creek) are in more developed areas 

of the city (fig. 3) where the most likely sources of contamination, such as lawn watering and car washing, would be 

expected to occur more frequently.

During dry-weather screening, in addition to locating several point sources of contamination, large specific conductance 

values (greater than 2,000 μS/cm) were measured in the Adair 

Creek Basin (fig. 40) in April 2007 and July 2008, months 

after the winter road-salt application season. These measured 

specific conductance values may be indicative of extended 

residence time of chloride from de-icers in the environment.

Adair Creek flows west to east parallel to I-70. I-70 is 

categorized as a first priority route with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) and is treated with more 

salt per lane mile than other high volume traffic ways including numbered state routes (fig. 2). Additionally, MODOT 

pre-treats I-70 with a brine solution (rock salt dissolved in 

water) if snow or icing conditions are imminent (Missouri 

Department of Transportation, 2006). The largest specific conductance value, greater than 4,000 μS/cm, was measured in a 

small tributary to Adair Creek adjacent to I-70 (fig. 40). Using 

the linear regression equations based on data from local area 

streams (fig. 7), specific conductance values of 4,000 μS/cm 

would yield estimated chloride concentrations of about 1,100 

mg/L or greater. 
62 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000, 1999

Transverse Mercator projection Zone 15N

EXPLANATION

# Sampling site

Phenols detection greater

 than 0.100 milligrams

 per liter

D

Independence city limit Streamgage sample site

Single year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Multiple year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Single year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

E

E Multiple year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

!

!

0 0.5 1 MILE

0 0.5 1 KILOMETER

94°28'30" 94°27'

39°04'30"

94°25'30"

39°06'

Missouri R

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E

Sterling

Crysler

U.S. Highway 40

Avenue

Avenue

23rd

Winner

Blue 

Kentucky

Westport

Independence

Street

Road

Road

Boulevard

Avenue

Avenue

Rock

Creek

Ridge

Truman Road

ROCK CREEK BASIN

Figure 38. Dry-weather screening sampling sites and location of constituent detections for selected 

stream basins in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008.
Water Quality 63

Figure 38. Dry-weather screening sampling sites and location of constituent detections for selected stream 

basins in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008.—Continued

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000, 1999

Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15N

0 0.5 1 KILOMETER

0 0.5 1 MILE

94°24'

94°28'30" 94°27' 94°25'30" 94°24'

39°07'30"

39°06'

94°25'30" 94°22'30"

39°07'30"

39°06'

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Kentucky Road

Noland

State Route 291

U.S. Highway 24

Lee's Summit

Rd

Road

Kentucky

Noland

Sterling

Crysler

Independence

Road

Ave

Avenue

Road

Avenue

Truman Road

Truman Road

!

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E!

! !

E

E

E

E

E

SUGAR CREEK BASIN

MILL CREEK BASIN

Mill

Creek

RIVER

Sugar

Creek

MISSOURI

RIVER

MISSOURI

EXPLANATION

# Sampling site

Phenols detection greater

 than 0.100 milligrams

 per liter

D

Independence city limit Streamgage sample site

Single year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Multiple year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Single year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

E

E Multiple year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

!

!
64 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Figure 38. Dry-weather screening sampling sites and location of constituent detections for selected stream 

basins in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008.—Continued

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000, 1999

Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15N

EXPLANATION

94°25'30" 94°22'30" 94°21'

39°03'

94°24' 94°22'30"

39°04'30"

39°03'

94°21'

39°01'30"

94°24'

# #

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#

#

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#

# #

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#

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#

# # #

# #

#

#

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#

# ##

#

#

#

# # ### ## # ## # ## ## #

## # ###

# # ## # #

## # #### # ##

#

#

#

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#

#

#

#

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#

#

Lee's Summit Road

Interstate 70

39th

Noland

Crysler

U.S. Highway 40

33rd

35th

State Highway 

32nd

Street

Road

Avenue

St

Street

Street

39th

Interstate 70

23rd

Noland

RD Mize

Lee's Summit

State Highway 291

33rd

35th

State Highway 78

32nd

Street

Street

St

Street

Street Road

Road

0 0.5 1KILOMETER

0 0.5 1MILE

# !

! !

!

!E

E E EEEE E

E

E

E

E

E

# Sampling site

Phenols detection greater

 than 0.100 milligrams

 per liter

D

Independence city limit Streamgage sample site

Single year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Multiple year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Single year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

E

E Multiple year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

!

!

ADAIR CREEK BASIN

CRACKERNECK CREEK BASIN 291

Creek Adair

Road

Creek

Crackerneck
Water Quality 65

Figure 38. Dry-weather screening sampling sites and location of constituent detections for selected stream 

basins in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008.—Continued

39°04'30"

39°03'

94°24' 94°22'30" 94°21'

39°06'

39°04'30"

94°19'30" 94°18' 94°16'30"

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000, 1999

Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15N

0 0.5 1 KILOMETER

0 0.5 1 MILE

EXPLANATION

# Sampling site

Phenols detection greater

 than 0.100 milligrams

 per liter

D

Independence city limit Streamgage sample site

Single year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Multiple year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Single year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

E

E Multiple year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

!

!









 

















 

  









   

 





  

 























 

 





 



!

E

E

E E

E

Spring

Branch Creek

SPRING BRANCH CREEK BASIN

Truman

23rd

Holke

Powell

Lee's Summit

Jones

State Highway 78

State Highway 291

U.S. Highway 24

Road

Road

Road

Road

Road

Street

Street

Necessary Road

23rd Street

BURR OAK CREEK BASIN

39th

Crenshaw

Road

Burr Oak

Creek
66 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

533 Number of samples 

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside

Total chlorine Total dissolved 

copper

Phenols Anionic 

surfactants

ANALYTE CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

x

x

ooo

oo

o

x

x

xxx

x

x

x

x

x

x

xxx

x

o

x

x

x

MDNR

permitting 

level for 

chlorine 

(0.13 mg/L)

MDNR chronic standard for 

protection of aquatic life

for phenol (0.100 mg/L)

MDL

MDL

MDL

MDL

533 519 524 534

EDL EDL

EDL

EDL

MDL Provisional 

 method detection 

 limit

EDL Estimated 

 detection limit

mg/L Milligrams per liter

MDNR Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Estimated 

 concentrations 

 below MDL for 

 each analyte x

xx

10

1

0.1

0.01

0.001

0.0001

0

Figure 39. Dry-weather screening constituent concentrations in streams in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008.

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000, 1999

Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15N

0 0.5 1 KILOMETER

0 0.5 1 MILE

EXPLANATION

94°21' 94°19'30" 94°18'

39°07'30"

39°06'

# Sampling site

Phenols detection greater

 than 0.100 milligrams

 per liter

D

Independence city limit Streamgage sample site

Single year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Multiple year total chlorine detection

 greater than 0.13 milligrams per liter

Single year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

E

E Multiple year anionic surfactant detection 

 greater than 0.028 milligrams per liter

!

!





  



 



















  

   



 













  





Bly

Jones Road

Road

Powell

Bundschu

Kentucky

State Highway 78

U.S. Highway 24

Road

Road

Road

Bundschu

BUNDSCHU CREEK BASIN

Creek

Truman Road

Figure 38. Dry-weather 

screening sampling 

sites and location of 

constituent detections 

for selected stream 

basins in Independence, 

Missouri, 2006 through 

2008.—Continued
Water Quality 67

Road salt and de-icers can move through the environment 

in solid form or as dissociated ions in water. The dissociated 

ions easily enter the soil, are carried into groundwater, and 

then find their way to the surface and into streamflow (Environment Canada, 2001). Large chloride concentrations can be 

detected for extended periods of time, even in smaller basins 

such as the Adair Creek Basin (14.8 km2), because of the slow 

movement of road-salt plumes in groundwater. A modeling 

study by Dougherty (2007) in a 334-km2 basin in upstate New 

York indicated that road salt applied at the headwaters can 

take as much as 79 years to move through the basin. 

Bacteria and Microbial Source Tracking

Samples for fecal coliform and E. coli were collected 

along with annual base-flow samples (table 6) and quarterly 

stormflow samples (table 8) at the five sampling sites (table 

1). Densities of fecal coliform are no longer (2010) used by 

Missouri as a fecal indicator bacteria standard in environmental waters. The following discussion will focus on E. coli for 

which a current (2010) standard exists. Fecal coliform densities are presented in tables 6 and 8 for use with data from other 

studies and historic water-quality data.

The three streams draining Independence; Rock Creek, 

Crackerneck Creek, and Spring Branch Creek (sites 1, 4, 

and 5), had larger median E. coli densities during both base 

flow and stormflow than the Little Blue River sites (fig. 41). 

E. coli densities for base-flow samples for all sites were less 

than those for stormflow samples. Median E. coli densities in 

base flow (table 6) ranged from 130 col/100 mL for the Little 

Blue River sites to 770 col/100 mL for Rock Creek, whereas 

median E. coli densities in stormflow (table 8) ranged from 

5,800 col/100 mL for the Little Blue River at site 3 to 26,500 

col/100 mL for Rock Creek (site 1; fig. 41). Median E. coli

densities in base-flow samples at sites 3 and 6 were the same. 

In contrast, median E. coli densities in stormflow samples 

for the Little Blue River increased about 21 percent from 

upstream site 3 to downstream site 6. 

Estimated average daily E. coli yields for the study period 

(table 10) were larger in the smaller urban streams (sites 1 and 

5) than in the Little Blue River. However, the estimated annual 

loads were greater at the Little Blue River sites because of 

their larger flow volume. Spring Branch Creek had the largest 

estimated average daily yield with 1,080 billion colonies per 

square kilometer (col/km2

), followed by Rock Creek with 407 

billion col/km2. Higher suspended sediment concentrations in 

EXPLANATION

0

0

0.5

0.5 1

1

KILOMETER

MILE

"" "

" " """"""" """ "

"" """ "

"

""

"

"

"

" ""

"

"

"" "

"

""" """ "" " ""

"

""

"

" "

"" "

"

""

""

"" "

"" "

" "

"

""

"

GG

G

GG

G

G

GG

G

G

G

G

GG GG G G

G

G

G

G G

G GGGG G

G GG G GG G GGGGG G

GG

G

GG

G

G G

2007 Specific conductance

 (in microsiemens per centimeter 

 at 25 degrees Celsius)

310 to 1,050

1,051 to 1,800

1,801 to 2,540

2,541 to 3,280

3,281 to 4,030

"

"

"

"

"

2008 Specific conductance

 (in microsiemens per centimeter 

 at 25 degrees Celsius)

1,051 to 1,800

1,801 to 2,540

G 310 to 1,050

G

G

Independence city limit

Interstate 70 Highway

39th Street

Noland

Lee's Summit

U.S. Highway 40

33rd

35th

32nd

Street

Street

St

Road

Road

Avenue

94°25'30" 94°24' 94°22'30" 94°21'

39°03'

39°01'30"

Creek

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:24,000, 1999

Transverse Mercator Projection. Zone 15N

ADAIR CREEK BASIN

Adair

Highway 291

State

Crysler

Figure 40. Adair 

Creek Basin showing 

locations and 

measurements for 

specific conductance 

during dry-weather 

screening, April 2007 

and July 2008.
68 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

the smaller streams likely contribute to larger estimated average daily E. coli yields. Even though the estimated average 

daily E. coli yield was less at the Little Blue River sites, the 

estimated yield nearly doubled from the Little Blue River at 

site 3 (78 billion col/km2) to Little Blue River at site 6 (149 

billion col/km2). The estimated annual E. coli load was larger 

at both Little Blue River sites than Spring Branch Creek or 

Rock Creek for WYs 2007 and 2008; however, the estimated 

annual E. coli load was larger at Spring Branch Creek than 

at the Little Blue River at site 3 for WY 2006. Because 2006 

was a dry year (fig. 10), a greater contribution of E. coli loads 

by smaller streams such as Spring Branch Creek and Crackerneck Creek into the Little Blue River occurred at low flows 

than during a year with greater precipitation and larger flows. 

Uncertainties in the regression models for E. coli were small 

with high R2 between 0.92 and 0.96 and low RMSE between 

0.816 and 1.23.

The Little Blue River is designated by MDNR as a 

whole-body contact recreation category B stream, suitable for 

whole-body contact recreation, but not specifically designated 

as a public swimming area. Estimated average daily E. coli

densities at both Little Blue River sites exceeded the category 

B standard of 206 col/100 mL about 70 percent of the time 

(fig. 42). Because measured median E. coli densities were 

exactly the same during base flow for the Little Blue River 

sites, the contribution of E. coli from the streams draining 

Independence did not, on average, increase E. coli densities 

in the river during base flow. By comparison, data from the 

adjacent Blue River Basin (Wilkison and others, 2009) that 

receives discharges from CSOs and wastewater treatment 

plants indicate E. coli densities larger than 206 col/100 mL 

about 90 percent of the time at the downstream Blue River 

site. Densities decreased upstream for the Blue River and were 

greater than 206 col/100 ml between about 10 and 60 percent 

depending on site location based on data from 2002 to 2007.

For regulatory purposes, a geometric mean of at least 

five samples is used for calculating E. coli densities during the 

recreation season, April 1 to October 31 (John Ford, Missouri 

Department of Natural Resources, written commun., 2009). 

Bacteria counts in individual samples can vary by several 

orders of magnitude. By using a geometric mean, extremely 

large or extremely small sampled densities are not unduly 

weighted. A geometric mean was calculated for the recreation 

season for 2006 to 2008 using estimated daily E. coli densities for both Little Blue River sites (a total of 214 values each 

year for each site; fig. 43). The geometric estimated mean 

daily density for the recreation season for the Little Blue River 

at site 3 was 270 col/100 mL for 2006, 1,100 col/100 mL for 

2007 and 1,800 col/100 mL for 2008. For the Little Blue River 

at site 6 the estimated mean daily density for the recreation 

season was 330 col/100 mL in 2006, 1,100 col/100 mL in 

2007 and 1,700 col/100 mL in 2008. 

Estimated average daily E. coli densities and loads show 

seasonal variability (fig. 43) that are likely related to such 

factors as variation in seasonal runoff and water temperature. 

E. coli densities in this study exhibit positive correlation with 

16 14

ESCHERICHIA COLI, IN COLONIES PER 100 MILLILITERS

10

100

1,000

10,000

100,000

1,000,000

x

o

o x

5 5 5 16 5 15 5 15

15 Number of samples

EXPLANATION

x

x

o

o

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

Lower outside

Lower detached

Upper detached

Upper outside

Base-flow

samples

Stormflow

samples Site 1 Site 4 Site 5 Site 3 Site 6

INDEPENDENCE STREAMS LITTLE BLUE RIVER

Missouri Department of Natural Resources standard 

for whole body contact recreation–B (206 col/100 mL)

col/100 mL Colonies per 100 

 milliliters (for purposes 

 of this report, col/100 mL 

 is considered to be 

 comparable to most

 probable number 

 per 100 mL)

Figure 41. Escherichia coli densities by site for base-flow and stormflow samples, June 2005 through December 2008.
Water Quality 69

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

FREQUENCY OF EXCEEDANCE, IN PERCENT

ESCHERICHIA COLI, IN COLONIES PER 100 MILLILITERS

Missouri Department of Natural Resources standard 

for whole body contact recreation–B (206 col/100 mL)

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

col/100 mL Colonies per 100 milliliters 

 (for the purposes of this report, 

 col/100 mL is considered to be 

 comparable to most probable 

 number per 100mL) 

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 6 (06894000)

Site number and U.S. Geological Survey 

 streamgage number

Figure 42. Frequency of 

exceedance for estimated 

average daily Escherichia 

coli densities by site, July 

2005 through December 

2008.

suspended sediment concentrations (fig. 44) and turbidity. The 

sinusoidal patterns for estimated average daily E. coli densities 

and loads (fig. 43) are because of the explanatory variables in 

the regression equations (table 10) that reflect the seasonality 

of these factors (variables containing sin and cos). Wilkison 

and others (2006) noted a similar pattern for the nearby Brush 

Creek Basin in Kansas City, Missouri, with greater bacteria 

densities in late spring or early summer and lesser densities in 

the winter. 

Some fecal indicator bacteria, including E. coli, can 

survive for extended periods in bottom sediments (Burton and 

others, 1987; Davies and others, 1995; Jamieson and others, 

2005) and can have densities thousands of times greater than 

in the stream (Jolley and others, 2008). During a storm, these 

bottom sediments can be re-suspended resulting in larger 

concentrations and increased bacteria densities. Most of the 

increase in bacteria densities likely occurs as the stream stage 

rises. Jamieson and others (2005) noted that the quantity of 

bacteria available for re-suspension is limited during individual storms. 

Generally, maximum estimated bacteria densities and 

loads for all sites occurred during May and June, and minimum bacteria densities occurred in December and January, 

when it is usually the driest, and runoff and water temperature 

lowest (fig. 45). Water temperature is important in bacteria 

survivability and growth. Studies have shown that E. coli can 

grow over a considerable range of temperatures (7 to 49°C) 

with maximum growth rates between 20 and 40 °C. Below 7 

°C and above 49 °C, E. coli can survive, but the growth rates 

are curtailed, if not halted altogether (Winfield and Groisman, 

2003; Jones and others, 2004; Ishii and Sadowsky, 2008). 

At Spring Branch Creek, modeled bacteria densities during the summer of 2006 were low compared to the rest of the 

study because streamflow was near zero (figs. 9 and 43). 

In addition to season being an important determining 

factor, land use historically has been thought to affect bacteria 

densities with urban land use and high percentage of impervious surface basins having larger bacteria densities in streams 

(Mallin and others, 2000; Paul and Meyer, 2001). More recent 

studies (Byappanahalli and others, 2003; Jolley and others, 

2008) indicate that land disturbance, such as deforestation and 

excavation of sediments in construction operations, can actually contribute more to an increase in bacteria densities than 

when there is an established land use, including developed and 

more urban land uses. Bacteria from fecal material are more 

readily transported to streams in the absence of vegetated 

buffer areas along drainages and streams (Sullivan and others, 2007), which is often the case in disturbed construction 

areas. Since this study began in 2005, an increase in construction activity has occurred in areas of Independence near the 

Little Blue River, including observed construction activity 

in the lower Adair Creek, Crackerneck Creek, and Spring 

Branch Creek basins. For example, since 2005 about 1.3 km2

have been cleared and developed in the lower Crackerneck 
70 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

 Rock Creek at Kentucky Road

 Site 1

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

1011

1010

109

108

107

106

105

104

103

102

101

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

ESCHERICHIA COLI LOADS, IN MILLION COLONIES PER DAY

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

1011

1010

109

108

107

106

105

104

103

102

101

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway

Site 5

1011

1010

108

106

104

102

100

10-2

10-4

ESCHERICHIA COLI DENSITIES, IN COLONIES PER 100 MILLILITERS

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

Missouri Department of Natural Resources standard 

for whole body contact recreation–B (206 col/100 mL) 

Missouri Department of Natural Resources standard 

for whole body contact recreation–B (206 col/100 mL)

Missouri Department of Natural Resources standard 

for whole body contact recreation–B (206 col/100 mL)

 Rock Creek at Kentucky Road

 Site 1

Little Blue River at 39th Street

Site 3

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway

Site 5

10-3

10-1

101

103

105

107

109

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

2005 2006 2007 2008

Escherichia coli densities Escherichia coli loads

Estimated average daily density

Measured density

Colonies per 100 milliliters

 (for purposes of this report, 

 col/100 mL is considered to be 

 comparable to most probable 

 number per 100 mL) 

EXPLANATION

col/100 mL

0.95 Confidence interval

Estimated average daily load

Calculated instantaneous load

Figure 43. Estimated Escherichia coli bacteria densities and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008.
Water Quality 71

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

Little Blue River 

near Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

1010

1011

ESCHERICHIA COLI LOAD, IN MILLION COLONIES PER DAY

ESCHERICHIA COLI DENSITIES, IN COLONIES 

PER 100 MILLILITERS

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

2005 2006 2007 2008

J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D

Little Blue River 

near Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

Missouri Department of Natural Resources standard 

for whole body contact recreation–B (206 col/100 mL)

Escherichia coli densities Escherichia coli loads

Estimated average daily density

Measured density

Colonies per 100 milliliters

 (for purposes of this report, 

 col/100 mL is considered to be 

 comparable to most probable 

 number per 100 mL) 

EXPLANATION

col/100 mL

0.95 Confidence interval

Estimated average daily load

Calculated instantaneous load

Figure 43. Estimated Escherichia coli bacteria densities and loads by site, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued

Figure 44. Relation between Escherichia coli bacteria density and suspended sediment concentration for 

Independence streams and the Little Blue River. LOG10 OF ESCHERICHIA COLI DENSITY, IN COLONIES PER 100 MILLILITERS

LOG10 OF SUSPENDED SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

EXPLANATION

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Little Blue River

R2

 = 0.83

s = 0.11

n = 30

R2 = 0.67

s = 0.09

n = 45

Independence streams

Site 1 (06893620)

Site 4 (06893940)

Site 5 (06893970)

Site 3 (06893910)

Site 6 (06894000)

LOG10 Base 10 logarithim

R2 Coefficient of determination

s Standard error in colonies per 100 milliliters 

 (for purposes of this report, colonies per 100 

 milliliters is considered to be comparable to 

 most probable number per 100 milliliters)

n Number of samples
72 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

January February March April May June July August September October November December

Rock Creek at Kentucky Road 

Site 1

ESCHERICHIA COLI LOAD, IN MILLION COLONIES PER DAY 

Little Blue River at 39th Street 

Site 3

108

107

106

105

104

103

102

109

108

107

106

105

104

2005–NO DATA

2005–NO DATA

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

(For purposes of this report, 

colonies per day is considered 

to be comparable to most 

probable number per day)

Figure 45. Estimated daily Escherichia coli load by month and year by site, June 2005 through December 2008.
Water Quality 73

January February March April May June July August September October November December

ESCHERICHIA COLI LOAD, IN MILLIONS COLONIES PER DAY 

Little Blue River near Lake City, Missouri

Site 6

108

107

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

10-1

10-2

10-3

10-4

109

108

107

106

105

104

2005–NO DATA

2005–NO DATA

Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway

Site 5

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

LATE SUMMER TO FALL

TRANSITIONAL SEASON

SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER

HIGH RUNOFF SEASON

WINTER LOW

RUNOFF SEASON

EXPLANATION

Upper adjacent

75th percentile

Median

25th percentile

Lower adjacent

2005

2006

2007

2008

(For purposes of this report, 

colonies per day is considered 

to be comparable to most 

probable number per day)

Figure 45. Estimated daily Escherichia coli load by month and year by site, June 2005 through December 2008.—Continued
74 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Creek and Spring Branch Creek basins (Stuart Borders, City 

of Independence, Planning and Zoning Division, oral commun., 2009), about 3.4 percent of the combined areas of the 

two basins. Even with implementation of BMPs for sediment 

control, large development projects in Independence have 

most likely contributed to larger suspended sediment concentrations during stormflow and larger fecal indicator bacteria 

densities than would otherwise be expected in the absence of 

construction activity. The largest E. coli densities measured 

were from a storm sample for Spring Branch Creek that also 

had the largest measured suspended sediment concentration. 

However, upstream reservoirs on the Little Blue River likely 

act to lessen bacteria densities and loads by attenuating high 

flows and trapping suspended sediment. 

Sources of E. coli bacteria in streams were evaluated 

using MST methods to identify host sources (Carson and others, 2001; Dombek and others, 2000). Elevated fecal bacteria 

densities in streams are a concern because MST indicates that 

a substantial part of in-stream E. coli in the local area can be 

of human origin and is evident in both base flow and stormflow (Wilkison and others, 2009).

Samples from Rock Creek, Crackerneck Creek, Spring 

Branch Creek, and the Little Blue River (sites 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6; 

fig. 2) were analyzed for host sources of E. coli bacteria during 

one base-flow and two stormflow samplings in May through 

October 2007 (table 13). For MST analyses, a presumptive 

source of sampled bacteria is assigned through a statistical 

comparison of genetic markers obtained from environmental 

E. coli samples to genetic markers in a host-source library. A 

library of patterns developed for other studies in the local area 

(Wilkison and others, 2005, 2006) was used for the purposes 

of this study. A minority of E. coli (0 to 27.8 percent) from 

samples collected in 2007 were identified to be from human 

sources using MST methods. Crackerneck Creek (site 4) 

showed the largest percentage of human sources of E. coli

(26.7 percent) for base-flow samples. For the Little Blue River 

stormflow sample in May 2007, 50.7 percent of the E. coli was 

identified as having non-human sources, whereas 12.0 percent 

were determined to be from human sources and 37.3 percent 

from unknown sources. Results for the Little Blue River 

stormflow sample in October 2007 were similar with 14.5 

percent of the E. coli determined to be from human sources. 

Percentages of E. coli from human sources in stormflow 

samples in the three smaller streams were larger (20.0 to 27.8 

percent) than for the Little Blue River. However, for the baseflow sample in August 2007, although there were a greater 

percentage of identified non-human sources for the Little Blue 

River than for stormflow samples, the percentage of human 

sources of E. coli was similar to stormflow. Human-source 

E. coli likely originates from leaky sewer systems in the older 

parts of the Crackerneck Creek Basin and less developed areas 

of the Spring Branch Creek Basin. 

A more rigorous study done in the Blue River Basin in 

Kansas City, 1998 to 2004 (Wilkison and others, 2006) indicated that during base flow, the presumptive source of E. coli

was nearly equal for humans (42 percent) and non-humans 

(40 percent). Caution is advised in drawing conclusions from 

this study about the characterization of bacteria sources in the 

Rock Creek and Little Blue River basins because of the small 

number of samples. 

Table 13. Presumptive host sources of Escherichia coli in samples collected May through October 2007.

[E. coli, Escherichia coli]

Sample date Sample type Site number 

(table 1; fig. 1)

E. coli 

(number of colonies)

Presumptive host source 

(percentage of colonies)

Dog and 

goose

Human Unknown or 

unclassified

5/8/2007 Stormflow 3 and 6 77,000 50.7 12.0 37.3

10/18/2007 Stormflow 1 35,800 50.0 20.0 30.0

10/18/2007 Stormflow 4 18,000 33.3 27.8 38.9

10/18/2007 Stormflow 5 21,000 50.0 22.2 28.0

10/18/2007 Stormflow 3 and 6 40,000 38.2 14.5 47.3

8/7/2007 Base flow 4 190 40.0 26.7 33.0

8/7/2007 Base flow 5 470 25.0 0 75.0

8/7/2007 Base flow 3 and 6 140 69.2 15.4 15.4
Ecological Condition 75

Ecological Condition

Surveys of benthic macroinvertebrate populations were 

conducted for five study sites (sites 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6) and two 

reference sites (sites 7 and 8) in March 2007 and 2008 and 

September 2008 (table 1, fig. 1). Habitat assessments were 

conducted in September 2008 at four study sites (sites 1, 3, 

5, and 6) and the two reference sites (sites 7 and 8; table 1). 

Crackerneck Creek (site 4) did not have a habitat assessment 

conducted because of habitat alteration caused by road and 

bridge construction. 

Macroinvertebrate Surveys

Macroinvertebrate sampling sites in the study area were 

all located at downstream locations for each stream except for 

Little Blue River site 3 (fig. 2). Therefore, samples collected at 

these sites may be expected to give a conservative representation of the health of the macroinvertebrate community over 

the entire length of the stream. Studies by Wilkison and others 

(2006, 2009) and Poulton and others (2007) in the adjacent 

Blue River Basin (fig. 1) and in nearby Johnson County, 

Kansas (Poulton and others, 2007) have indicated that as 

urban land use and associated factors increased downstream in 

the Blue River Basin, macroinvertebrate community abundance and diversity decreased. Also, the largest abundances 

and diversity were found in streams with lesser amounts of 

urbanization and wastewater discharge. During macroinvertebrate sample collection for this study (table 14), 195 different 

taxa were identified. During this study, the TTR identified 

in individual samples after assignment of parents to children 

ranged from 17 to 42 (table 14). The lowest TTR of 17 taxa 

at reference site 7 in September 2008 was from a sample collected at a site previously sampled in the spring of 2008 that 

had the largest TTR of 42 taxa. After an extended period of 

sedimentation during late spring and summer, preferred habitat 

for sample collection was reduced. 

Four calculated metrics, TTR, EPTR, BI, and the SDI 

were normalized and summed to produce a composite SCI. 

A SCI of 16 to 20 indicates a habitat fully biologically supportive (FBS) of aquatic life, a score of 10 to 14 is partially 

biologically supportive (PBS), and a SCI of 4 to 8 is non-biologically supportive (NBS). Most of the samples scored a rating of PBS. No samples were rated FBS, and five samples had 

a calculated rating of NBS. Reference streams typically score 

as FBS (Sarver and others, 2002), however for this study, the 

reference streams, sites 7 and 8, had an average SDI score of 

12 within the PBS category. Site 8, South Grand River below 

Freeman, also was a reference site in studies by Wilkison 

and others (2009) and Poulton and others (2007) and did not 

score above PBS for five samples collected from 2002 through 

2007. One sample at site 7, rated NBS, was collected from 

poor, heavily sedimented habitats. The SCI scores for macroinvertebrate samples collected in the study area compared 

closely with those from the less urbanized reference sites and 

were rated PBS. The Little Blue River sites (sites 3 and 6) had 

an average SCI score of 12, and the streams draining Independence (sites 1, 4, and 5) had an average SCI score of 10. 

Ecologists commonly assume when assessing a stream 

in an aquatic ecosystem that as the number of taxa increase in 

an aquatic ecosystem, with relatively equal abundance among 

taxa, diversity and stream health increase (Sarver and others, 

2002). The abundance and average pollution tolerance of the 

five most abundant taxa are presented in table 14. An average 

dominant taxa pollution tolerance greater than or equal to 7.0, 

expressed on the same scale as the BI, indicates the dominance 

of pollution tolerant taxa. The average pollution tolerance 

score for the Little Blue River sites of 6.3 was less than the 

average score of 6.8 for the streams draining Independence, 

but both were less than 7.0. These scores were similar to the 

6.5 average score for reference site 8. The average pollution 

tolerance score of 7.8 for reference site 7 may be affected by 

poor site conditions and sedimentation.

Habitat Assessments

Habitat assessments were conducted at four of the five 

macroinvertebrate sampling sites and at two reference sites 

(table 1) in late August and early September 2008. An assessment was not conducted for Crackerneck Creek (site 4) 

because road and bridge construction had disrupted the reach 

of stream previously used for macroinvertebrate sample collection. The site was discontinued in October 2008. Habitat assessments measure 10 different factors that affect the 

condition of stream habitat. The highest possible score of 170 

represents ideal habitat for benthic macroinvertebrates. Habitat 

scores for the Independence sites (table 15) ranged from 88 

for Rock Creek and the upstream Little Blue River site (sites 

1 and 3) to 97 for Spring Branch Creek (site 5). Reference 

sites had scores of 62 for the East Fork Crooked River near 

Richmond (site 7) and 116 for the South Grand River below 

Freeman (site 8). Both the habitat assessment score and the 

macroinvertebrate sample collected later in September 2008 at 

site 7 were adversely affected by erosion and slumping of the 

stream banks and sediment and woody debris deposition earlier in the year (fig. 46). An example of more suitable habitat 

for a reference site at South Grand River is shown in figure 47.

As a result of the wet conditions and resultant sediment deposition and erosion during much of 2007, scores for 

embeddedness, sediment deposition, bank stability, and vegetative protection were less at all six sites (table 15) than what 

might otherwise be expected. Wilkison and others (2009) gave 

site 8 a score of 139 in 2006 as compared to 116 in this study; 

the difference in scores was largely attributable to lower scores 

in this study because of sediment deposition and bank stability. 

Overall, for the four study sites, the assessment factors having 

the most affect on suppressing scores were high sediment 

deposition, channel alteration, poor bank stability, and loss or 

absence of bank and riparian vegetation. 
76 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 14. Benthic macroinvertebrate sample abundance and calculated metrics for sites sampled from March 2007 through September 2008. [EPT, Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera; BI, Biotic Index; SDI, Shannon Diversity Index (base e); SCI, Stream Condition Index; S, spring, PBS, partially biologically supporting; NBS, non-biologically supporting; F, fall] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Sample period Year Total taxa richness EPT taxa richness BI SDI Tolerant taxa (percent) Intolerant taxa (percent) Dominant taxa abundance1 (percent) Dominant taxa tolerance2 SCI SCI rating 

1 S 2007 28 5 6.39 2.28 44.4 11.1 75.7 6.6 10 PBS1 S 2008 26 4 6.54 2.37 40.0 8.0 68.8 7.7 8 NBS

1 F 2008 26 6 6.05 2.60 44.0 12.0 61.4 6.2 12 PBS3 S 2007 35 6 5.99 2.37 41.2 8.8 71.7 6.5 14 PBS3 S 2008 37 8 6.21 2.37 47.2 5.6 68.4 6.7 14 PBS3 F 2008 25 9 5.89 2.29 29.2 20.8 75.0 6.2 12 PBS

3 4 S 2007 32 5 6.55 2.67 50.0 6.3 61.5 7.0 8 NBS

4 S 2008 32 4 5.74 2.39 37.5 6.3 74.9 5.8 10 PBS

4 F 2008 27 5 6.59 2.66 53.9 3.9 62.4 7.4 10 PBS5 S 2007 27 4 7.22 2.42 65.4 3.9 72.7 7.6 8 NBS5 S 2008 28 4 6.35 2.30 46.4 3.6 74.9 6.5 8 NBS5 F 2008 30 8 5.98 2.49 37.9 13.8 65.8 6.6 12 PBS6 S 2007 34 10 5.53 2.18 36.4 21.2 78.1 6.3 12 PBS6 S 2008 34 10 5.78 2.52 42.4 21.2 65.1 6.0 12 PBS6 F 2008 29 10 5.15 1.80 32.1 21.4 79.1 6.2 12 PBS7 S 2007 35 4 6.36 2.29 45.5 9.1 79.4 7.2 10 PBS7 S 2008 42 11 6.85 2.74 42.5 20.0 65.2 7.8 12 PBS

4 7 F 2008 17 5 7.96 1.92 64.7 11.8 78.6 8.3 8 NBS

8 S 2007 33 8 6.07 2.23 33.3 21.2 71.3 6.6 12 PBS8 S 2008 31 9 6.23 2.13 38.7 19.4 75.8 6.7 12 PBS8 F 2008 31 11 5.73 2.24 35.5 19.4 76.8 6.1 12 PBS

1Sum of the five most abundant taxa expressed as a percentage of the total abundance.2Abundance weighted average of the pollution tolerance values for the five most abundant taxa.3Sample collected at the Holke Road site for Spring Branch Creek (original location of site 5; fig. 2). 4Poor sampling conditions because of recent sedimentation.
Ecological Condition 77

 The sites assessed in this study were all located in downstream reaches of their basins except Little Blue River site 3. 

However, habitat scores measure local habitat and not the 

overall land use in a basin. Wilkison and others (2009) stated 

that in local area streams a more indicative relation existed 

between the amounts of urbanization upstream from a site on 

macroinvertebrate scores than when making comparisons with 

the habitat assessment score. Additionally, increased urbanization downstream resulted in increased point and non-point 

loads to streams that affected aquatic diversity and stream 

health (Wilkison and others, 2009).

Table 15. Stream habitat assessment scores for macroinvertebrate sampling sites, 2007 and 2008.[--, no data]

Site 

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Site name Epifaunal substrate Embed- dedness Velocity/ depth regime Sediment deposition Channel flow status Channel alteration Riffle quality Bank stability Vegetative protection Riparian vegetation Total score 

1 Rock Creek at Kentucky Road in Independence, Mo. 19 15 7 3 15 6 15 3 3 2 88

3 Little Blue River at 39th Street in Independence, Mo. 17 18 7 3 15 0 14 5 9 0 88

4 Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road in Independence, Mo. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

5 Spring Branch Creek at 78 Highway in Independence, Mo. 11 15 15 4 15 10 11 7 5 4 97

6 Little Blue River near Lake City, Mo. 17 13 7 3 15 0 20 10 5 0 90

7 E. Fork Crooked River near Rich- mond, Mo. 9 9 7 2 10 13 1 3 6 2 62

8 S. Grand River below Freeman, Mo. 19 17 13 3 12 19 15 3 4 11 116

Average 

score

15.3 14.5 9.3 3.0 13.7 8.0 12.7 5.2 5.3 3.2 90.2

Figure 46. Degraded stream conditions at East Fork Crooked 

River, showing recent heavy sediment deposition and 

accumulation of large woody debris, September 2008.

Figure 47. Representative channel and substrate at South Grand 

River, September, 2008.
78 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

Water-quality and environmental data were analyzed 

for various factors that are indicative of or can affect stream 

health and contaminant loads in streams. Concentrations, 

loads, and yields for chloride, total N, and total P, suspended 

sediment, and E. coli densities at the five sampling sites were 

subjected to nonparametric statistical analyses to identify 

differences, if any, among concentrations of constituents from 

different basins and between the upstream and downstream 

Little Blue River sites. Stream sampling sites were selected to 

be representative of the streams draining the developed areas 

of Independence that receive discharge from the municipal 

separate storm sewer system (MS4) and the city’s contribution to the water quality of the Little Blue River. Instantaneous 

loads of selected constituents and OMCs in base flow and 

stormflow at stream sites were calculated. Daily, monthly, and 

annual loads were estimated for selected constituents using 

LOADEST, a FORTRAN-based load estimator program. E. 

coli isolated from water samples for microbial source tracking 

(MST) analysis were compared to a host-source library of E. 

coli deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) patterns from three hosts: 

dogs, geese, and humans. The Invertebrate Data Analysis System (IDAS) software was used for processing, and computing 

metrics for abundance and diversity from benthic macroinvertebrate samples. A Stream Condition Index (SCI), similar to 

the Missouri Stream Condition Index (MSCI), was calculated 

from four metric indices: Total Taxa Richness (TTR), Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera Richness (EPTR), Biotic 

Index (BI), and the Shannon Diversity Index (SDI).

 Precipitation was less in water year (WY) 2006 than in 

2007 and 2008. For the gaged streams draining Independence 

(Rock Creek, Crackerneck, and Spring Branch Creek), streamflow during WY 2006 was 23 to 34 percent of the 2007 and 

2008 total annual flows for these streams and was between 15 

and 20 percent for WYs 2007 and 2008 of total annual flows at 

the Little Blue River sites. 

Average daily turbidity for the Little Blue River sites 

and Spring Branch Creek exceeded the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) recommended guideline of 15.5 

nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) about 40 to 60 percent of 

the time. The Missouri standard for the protection of aquatic 

life in warm-water streams (AQL) for dissolved oxygen is 5 

milligrams per liter (mg/L) for streams designated as warmwater fisheries including the Little Blue River. Daily dissolved 

oxygen concentrations fell below the 5 mg/L standard between 

less than 2 percent of the time for the Little Blue River sites 

to about 5 percent of the time at Spring Branch Creek. The 

Missouri standard for AQL for water temperature of 32 2/9 

degrees Celsius (°C) was exceeded less than one percent of 

the time for the Little Blue River sites. More frequent diurnal 

exceedance was recorded, but of short duration, during hot 

weather and at low-flow conditions at Spring Branch Creek.

Twenty-five base-flow water-quality samples were collected at the five streamgage sampling sites beginning in June 

2006. Samples were collected during three seasonal periods; 

a spring and early summer high runoff season (March through 

July), a late summer and fall transitional season (August 

Summary and Conclusions

To identify the sources of selected constituents in urban 

streams and better understand processes affecting water quality and their influences on the ecological condition of urban 

streams and the Little Blue River in Independence, Missouri, 

the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the City of 

Independence Water Pollution Control Department initiated a 

study in June 2005. Continuous streamflow, physical properties, dissolved oxygen, chloride, metals, nutrients, suspended 

sediment, common organic micro-constituents (OMCs), 

and fecal indicator bacteria data in base-flow and stormflow 

samples were collected and analyzed. These data were used to 

characterize contaminant sources and concentrations, loads, 

and yields for several basins and receiving streams within 

Independence and their contributions to the Little Blue River, 

from June 2005 through December 2008. Regression models 

were used to estimate continuous and annual concentrations, 

loadings, and yields of chloride, total nitrogen (N), total 

phosphorus (P), suspended sediment, and Escherichia coli (E. 

coli) bacteria. Habitat assessments and benthic macroinvertebrate community surveys were used to establish a baseline 

for evaluating the ecological condition and health of streams 

in Independence. Measurements and estimates of constituent 

concentrations and fecal indicator bacteria densities indicate 

that potential exists for decreasing loads and concentrations of 

some constituents to streams, in particular nutrients, bacteria, 

and turbidity, associated with suspended sediment in stormflow by the continued implementation of best management 

practices (BMPs) to decrease sediment loads to streams. 

Independence, Missouri is located in Jackson County on 

the eastern side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The land 

use in the city is a mix of residential, commercial, industrial, 

and agricultural. No wastewater treatment facilities currently 

(2010) discharge to streams in the Little Blue River Basin nor 

were any effects from industrial discharges detected during 

this study. 

Streamgages and automatic water-quality samplers were 

installed at five surface-water sites; Rock Creek at Kentucky 

Road, two sites on the Little Blue River [Little Blue River at 

39th Street (upstream) and Little Blue River near Lake City 

(downstream)], Crackerneck Creek at Selsa Road, and Spring 

Branch Creek at 78 Highway. Continuous water-quality monitors (CWQMs) were installed at three of these sites; the two 

Little Blue River sites and Spring Branch Creek. In-stream 

measurements were made for streamflow, physical properties 

(turbidity, pH, specific conductance, and temperature), and 

dissolved oxygen concentration. Samples were collected and 

analyzed for chloride, metals, nutrients, suspended sediment, 

OMCs, and fecal indicator bacteria. Beginning in 2006, annual 

dry-weather screenings of selected streams within Independence were conducted to identify any point source discharges. 

Habitat assessments and benthic macroinvertebrate community surveys were conducted to establish a baseline for evaluating the ecological condition of streams in Independence. 
Summary and Conclusions 79

through October), and a low runoff winter season (November 

through February). The majority of samples were collected 

during the transitional season with the remainder split between 

winter and the spring and early summer seasons. Chloride concentrations in base flow ranged from 23.6 to 329 mg/L. Large 

chloride concentrations are because of residual effects from 

road salt carried into streams during runoff. Nutrient concentrations in base-flow samples are likely attributable to several 

nonpoint sources including: atmospheric deposition; decomposition of plants, yard waste, and other organic matter; leaky 

sewer lines; fertilizers leached from soils; and residual effects 

from sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). Nutrient concentrations in base-flow samples collected for the streams draining 

Independence (Rock Creek, Crackerneck Creek, and Spring 

Branch Creek) exceeded the EPA level III, ecoregion 40, standard for total N and total P for about 90 percent of samples. 

Base-flow samples collected at the two Little Blue River sites 

exceeded the total N and total P standard less often, 30 percent 

of the time, likely because of nutrient loss from precipitation 

with sediment and biotic uptake in upstream reservoirs. Two 

categories of OMCs in base-flow samples had detections more 

than one-half the time, pesticides (100 percent) and plastics 

(67 percent). Most detections in base flow for OMCs were 

small relative to minimum reporting levels. 

A total of 91 stormflow water-quality samples were collected beginning in June 2005. Chloride concentrations were 

not significantly different among sampling sites. Combined 

base-flow and stormflow measured data were used to calculate regression equations to estimate chloride loads. Smaller 

estimated loads for WY 2006 are largely because of lack of 

precipitation and runoff during the winter months. The Missouri chronic standard for AQL for chloride is 230 mg/L and 

the acute standard is 860 mg/L. Chloride concentrations were 

estimated to exceed the acute standard infrequently (less than 

one percent) at one site, Spring Branch Creek. The chronic 

standard at all sites was estimated to be exceeded more 

frequently, between about 2 and 30 percent of the time. Rock 

Creek had smaller flow-weighted concentrations for chloride 

than the other two streams draining Independence in WYs 

2007 and 2008, but was larger in drier WY 2006.

The estimated median monthly chloride loads for all sites 

were smallest during the early and late summer (July through 

September). However, the estimated median monthly loads 

for the Little Blue River sites remained elevated for a longer 

period into the wet season, through May. The smaller streams 

draining Independence only showed larger monthly chloride 

loads through March. The modeled data indicate a larger 

effect from the winter application of de-icers on the smaller, 

unregulated, and more urban streams. Two streams draining 

Independence, Crackerneck Creek and Spring Branch Creek, 

contributed about 76 percent of the increase between sites on 

the Little Blue River in estimated chloride load. However, 

the effects of de-icers on base flow in Independence streams 

throughout the year are not yet known and are the subject of 

further study.

Concentrations of total recoverable metals in stormflow 

samples were largely because of transport while adsorbed 

with suspended sediment. For the single round of sampling 

for dissolved metals in stormflow, concentrations were several 

orders of magnitude smaller compared to total recoverable 

metals concentrations and none exceeded the chronic or acute 

standards for AQL. 

Measured nutrient concentrations in stormflow samples 

are likely attributable to nonpoint sources, but may also 

have been influenced by leaky sewer pipes and storm sewer 

overflows (SSOs) to the streams draining Independence, in 

particular Rock Creek, during some larger stormflows. Median 

total N concentrations in stormflow were largest for Rock 

Creek, but were not significantly larger than the other sampled 

streams draining Independence or the Little Blue River sites. 

However, the median concentrations of total N for the three 

more urbanized streams draining Independence, Rock Creek, 

Crackerneck Creek, and Spring Branch Creek, are all larger 

than for the Little Blue River sites. The median total P concentrations during stormflow were largest for Spring Branch 

Creek. During base flow the majority of total P was found to 

be in the dissolved phase. However, during stormflow only 

about 12 percent of measured P at all sites was dissolved P, so 

that total P concentrations are largely attributable to particulates in suspended sediment. 

Estimated daily total N and P concentrations and loads 

were calculated with regression equations using combined 

measured base-flow and stormflow data for July 2005 through 

December 2008. Measured nutrient concentrations in excess 

of the EPA proposed nutrient standard for level III ecoregion 

40 streams in stormflow samples are likely attributable to nonpoint sources. Leaky sewer lines and SSOs may also contribute nutrients to Independence streams. Estimated average daily 

total N and total P concentrations for Rock Creek and Crackerneck Creek were greater than the EPA proposed standard 

(0.86 mg/L for total N and 0.09 mg/L for total P) for the entire 

model period, July 2005 through December 2008. Spring 

Branch Creek exceeded the EPA proposed standard about 86 

percent of the time for total N and 95 percent of the time for 

total P. The Little Blue River sites exceeded the EPA proposed 

standard for total N between 53 and 62 percent of the time and 

for total P between 81 and 93 percent of the time. Settling out 

of total N and total P associated with particulates both in the 

lakes upstream and in pools within the Little Blue River most 

likely explains the smaller median total N concentrations in 

the Little Blue River compared to the streams draining Independence. Two streams draining Independence, Crackerneck 

Creek and Spring Branch Creek contributed about 22 percent 

of the increase in total N load and about 13 percent of the 

increase in total P load between sites on the Little Blue River. 

Larger relative percentage contributions occurred during lower 

flows in WY 2006. Rock Creek also had larger flow-weighted 

annual concentrations of total N, but only marginally, in WY 

2006 and its annual flow-weighted concentrations for total P 

were intermediate between the two other sites. The estimated 
80 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

There were 27 total chlorine detections at or in exceedance of 

the Missouri permitting level of 0.13 mg/L. The main source 

of total chlorine in streams likely comes from leaky water 

supply pipes, lawn watering, irrigation, or illicit discharges. 

The maximum total chlorine detection was 7.00 mg/L, from 

a residential grey-water pipe discharging directly to a stream. 

The only detection for phenols in exceedance of the Missouri 

standard for protection of aquatic life (0.100 mg/L) was a 

single detection greater than 0.200 mg/L. There were 51 detections of anionic surfactants equal to or exceeding an arbitrary 

standard of 0.028 mg/L. The maximum detected concentration 

for anionic surfactants was 5.000 mg/L from the same sample 

that also had the largest total chlorine detection. 

During dry-weather screening, in addition to locating several point sources of contamination, high specific 

conductances, indicative of large chloride concentrations 

from application of road salt during the winter months, were 

measured in the Adair Creek Basin near Interstate 70 in April 

2007 and July 2008, months after the winter road-salt application season. The highest specific conductance readings of over 

4,000 microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm) were measured 

in small tributaries to Adair Creek along Interstate 70. Linear 

regression equations using data from local area streams were 

used to estimate chloride concentrations of about 1,100 mg/L 

or greater for streams with specific conductance measured that 

high. 

Estimated average daily E. coli yields were larger for the 

smaller urban streams than for the Little Blue River. However, the estimated annual loads were greater at the Little 

Blue River sites because of its larger flow volume. Estimated 

average daily E. coli densities at both Little Blue River sites 

exceeded the category B standard of 206 colonies per 100 

milliliters (col/100 mL) about 70 percent of the time. Spring 

Branch Creek had the largest estimated average daily yield 

with 1,080 billion colonies per square kilometer (col/km2

). 

Higher suspended sediment concentrations in the smaller 

streams likely contribute to larger estimated average daily E. 

coli yields. The estimated annual E. coli load was larger at 

both Little Blue River sites than Spring Branch Creek or Rock 

Creek for WYs 2007 and 2008; however the estimated annual 

E. coli load was more at Spring Branch Creek than at the 

downstream Little Blue River site for WY 2006. Since 2006 

was a dry year, this indicates a greater proportional contribution of E. coli loads by smaller streams such as Spring Branch 

Creek and Crackerneck Creek into the Little Blue River at low 

flows than during a year with greater precipitation and larger 

flows. Median instantaneous E. coli densities for stormflow 

samples showed a 21 percent increase measured at the downstream site on the Little Blue River from the upstream site. 

Generally, maximum estimated bacteria densities and loads for 

all sites occurred during the wet season months of May and 

June and minimum bacteria densities occurred in December 

and January, the period of the year that is usually the driest 

and runoff and water temperature lowest. 

A minority of E. coli (0 to 27.8 percent) from samples 

collected in May through October 2007 were identified to be 

median monthly loads for both constituents at all sites are largest during the spring and early summer wet season.

Measured suspended sediment concentrations between 

stream sites were not significantly different. However, 

suspended sediment yields were significantly larger for the 

streams draining Independence than for the Little Blue River 

sites. Because of this, median measured suspended sediment 

loads in stormflow increased downstream for the Little Blue 

River from 2,150 to 9,300 grams per second (g/s). 

Estimated daily suspended sediment concentrations and 

loads were calculated with regression equations for July 2005 

through December 2008 for three sites; Spring Branch Creek 

and the two Little Blue River sites. The estimated average 

daily suspended sediment yield for the Little Blue River during the study period increased downstream, so that estimated 

annual suspended sediment loads were two to three times 

larger downstream with only about a 20 percent increase in 

total drainage area. The estimated annual suspended sediment 

loads for WY 2006, when precipitation was low, were about 

one to two orders of magnitude less than the loads estimated 

for WYs 2007 and 2008 for the Little Blue River sites and 

Spring Branch Creek. Estimated annual suspended sediment 

loads at the downstream Little Blue River site in WY 2006 

were less than one percent of the 658,000 megagram (Mg) 

load in WY 2007. Remobilization of sediment stored in pools 

and on the floodplain of the Little Blue River during stormflow along with road and commercial construction activities 

in the lower portions of the Crackerneck Creek and Spring 

Branch Creek basins and along the Little Blue River are likely 

contributors to the two to three times larger loads downstream 

at Little Blue River for all 3 years. 

Stormflow had larger median measured concentrations 

of OMCs, 6.82 μg/L, than base flow, 1.77 μg/L. The four 

categories with the most total detections had samples with 

detections more than 90 percent of the time; pesticides (100 

percent), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and combustion 

by-products (99 percent), plastics (93 percent), and stimulants 

(91 percent). Most detections of OMCs were small relative 

to minimum reporting levels and less than 2 micrograms per 

liter. Rock Creek had the largest median concentration of total 

OMCs in stormflow, 15.6 μg/L, followed by Crackerneck 

Creek with 10.5 μg/L, and Spring Branch Creek with 7.86 

μg/L. Larger concentrations in Rock Creek are likely because 

of contributions from SSOs. Median concentrations in the 

Little Blue River were smaller. The contributions of OMCs by 

Crackerneck Creek and Spring Branch Creek did not increase 

concentrations downstream for the Little Blue River. 

From 2006 through 2008 dry-weather screening was conducted jointly by the USGS and City of Independence in all 

major basins and within the city limits of Independence except 

Fire Prairie Creek and West Fire Prairie Creek. A total of 536 

samples were collected and analyzed for total chlorine, total 

dissolved copper, phenols, and anionic surfactants. A relatively small number (14.0 percent) of potential point source 

discharges were identified. Point-source discharges were 

identified for total chlorine, phenols, and anionic surfactants. 
References Cited 81

References Cited

Adolphson, D.L., Arnold, T.L., Fitzpatrick, F.A., Harris, M.A., 

Richards, K.D., Scudder, B.C., and Stewart, J.S., 2001, 

Physical, chemical, and biological methods and data from 

the urban land-use-gradient study, Des Plaines and Fox 

River Basins, Illinois, 1999–2001: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 01–459, 20 p.

Alexander, R.B., Smith, R.A., Schwarz, G.E., Boyer, E.W., 

Nolan, J.V., and Brakebill, J.W., 2008, Differences in phosphorus and nitrogen delivery to the Gulf of Mexico from 

the Mississippi River Basin: Environmental Science and 

Technology, v. 42, p. 822–830.

American Society for Testing Materials International, 2002, D 

1889-00, Standard test method for turbidity in water: Water 

and Environmental Technology, section II, v. 11.01, p. 6.

from human sources using MST methods. Samples determined 

to have high percentages of human host-sources are indicative 

of leaky sewers, SSOs, or other sources of untreated sewage. 

Additional MST samples from streams in Independence can 

improve interpretation of sources. 

Benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected from 

five study sites and two reference sites in the spring of 2007 

and in the spring and fall of 2008. Habitat assessments were 

conducted in September 2008 at four study sites and two reference sites. Over the three rounds of sampling for this study 

195 different taxa were identified. The majority of samples 

scored a rating of partially biologically supporting (PBS). No 

sites, including reference sites, were found to be fully biologically supporting. The Little Blue River sites had an average 

SCI score of 12 (PBS) and the streams draining Independence 

had an average SCI score of 10 (PBS). Habitat scores for the 

Independence sites ranged from a low of 88 out of a possible 

170 for Rock Creek and the upstream Little Blue River site, to 

a high of 97 for Spring Branch Creek. The assessment factors 

having the most influence on lowering habitat scores at the 

four Independence sites were; high sediment deposition, channel alteration, poor bank stability, and loss or absence of bank 

and riparian vegetation.

This study used various analytical tools to characterize 

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in Wedepohl, K.H., ed., Handbook of geochemistry, v. I: 

Berlin, Springer-Verlag, p. 297–323.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, [no date], Longview/Blue 

Springs Lakes, Missouri, brochure, accessed August 2009, 

at http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/lv/Brochure/LongviewBrochure.pdf.

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accessed March 2010, at http://factfinder.census.gov/

servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_

submenuId=&_lang=en&_ts=.

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waterscience/methods/method/files/420_1.pdf.

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the nationwide urban runoff program―Final report, v. 1, 

accessed March 2009, at http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/

sw_nurp_vol_1_finalreport.pdf.

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Register, v. 55, no. 47, p. 989–48,091.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1997, Guidelines 

establishing test procedures for the analysis of pollutants 

(App. B, Part 136, Definition and procedures for the determination of the method detection limit): U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, revised July 1, 1997, p. 343–346, 

accessed March 2010, at http://frwebgate5.access.gpo.gov/

cgi-bin/PDFgate.cgi?WAISdocID=69407867222+7+2+0&

WAISaction=retrieve.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000, Ambient water 

quality criteria recommendations: Rivers and streams 

in nutrient ecoregion IX, EPA 822-B-00-019, [variously 

paged], accessed April 2009, at http://www.epa.gov/

waterscience/criteria/nutrient/ecoregions/rivers/rivers_9.

pdf.
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Weibull, W., 1939, The phenomenon of rupture in solids: 

Stockholm, Ingeniors Vetenskaps Akademien Handlinga, v. 

153, p. 1–55.

Wilkison, D.H., Armstrong, D.J., Blevins, D.W., 2002, Effects 

of wastewater and combined sewer overflows on water 

quality in the Blue River Basin, Kansas City, Missouri and 

Kansas, July 1998-October 2000: U.S. Geological Survey 

Water-Resources Investigations Report 02–4107, 62 p.

Wilkison, D.H., Armstrong, D.J, Brown, R.E., Poulton, 

B.C., Cahill, J.D., and Zaugg, S.D., 2005, Water quality 

and biologic data for the Blue River Basin, Kansas City 

Metropolitan Area, Missouri and Kansas, October 2000 to 

October 2004: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series Report 

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ds/2005/127/.

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Kansas, 1998 to 2007: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Report 2009–5169, 211 p.

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B.C., Furlong, E.T., and Zaugg, S.D., 2006, Water quality 

in the Blue River Basin, Kansas City Metropolitan Area, 

Missouri and Kansas, July 1998 to October 2004: U.S. Geo-

logical Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006–5147, 

170 p.

Winfield, M.D., and Groisman, E.D., 2003, Role of nonhost 

environments in the lifestyles of Salmonella and Esch-

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gas chromatography/mass spectrometry: U.S. Geological 

Survey Techniques and Methods, book 5, chapter B4, 30 p.

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88 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri
Tables

89

Tables
90 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 3. Concentrations of selected water-quality constituents and organic micro-constituents in blank water samples. [μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; mg/L, milligrams per liter; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; °C, degrees Celsius; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; E. coli, Escherichia coli; MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; BDE, 2,2,’4,4’-tetrabromodiphenyl ether; DEET, N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide; --, no data; <, less than; E, estimated; M, presence verified not quantified] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Sample start date Sample start time Specific conductance, laboratory (μS/cm) Specific conductance, field (μS/cm) Sodium, dissolved (mg/L) Sodium, total (mg/L) Chloride, dissolved (mg/L) Residue on evaporation at 180 °C, dissolved (mg/L) Ammonia plus organic nitrogen, total (mg/L as N) Ammonia, dissolved (mg/L as N) Nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved (mg/L as N)

3 9/27/2006 0845 2 -- <0.20 <0.5 <0.20 <10 <0.10 <0.010 <0.066 6/13/2005 1416 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/13/2005 1300 4 -- <.20 <.5 <.20 <10 <.10 <.04 <.064/8/2008 1320 2 -- <.12 <.1 <.12 <10 <.14 <.020 <.04

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Nitrate,

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite,

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Orthophosphate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as P)

Phosphorus, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as P)

Phosphorus, 

total

(mg/L as P)

E. coli 

(MPN/

100 mL)1

Fecal coliform 

(col/100 mL)

Total 

coliform

(MPN/100 mL)1

Aluminum,

total

(μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 -- <0.002 <0.006 <0.04 <0.04 <1 <1 7 <26 6/13/2005 1416 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/13/2005 1300 -- <.008 <.02 <.04 <.04 -- -- -- <24/8/2008 1320 -- <.002 <.006 <.04 <.04 <1 0 3 <4

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Arsenic,

total

(μg/L)

Cadmium, 

total

(μg/L)

Chromium, 

total

(μg/L)

Copper, 

total

(μg/L)

Cyanide 

(mg/L)

Lead,

total

(μg/L)

Mercury,

total

(μg/L)

Zinc,

total 

(μg/L)

1-Methylnaphthalene 

(μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 <0.12 <2 <2 <4 <0.010 <0.06 <0.010 <6 <0.26 6/13/2005 1416 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- <.5

8/13/2005 1300 <2 <2 <2 <4 <.010 <.06 <.010 <6 <.54/8/2008 1320 <.60 <.01 <.40 <1.2 <.010 <.06 <.010 <2.0 <.2

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

2,6-Dimethylnaphthalene 

(μg/L)

2-Methylnaphthalene 

(μg/L)

3,4-Dichlorophenyl 

isocyanate 

(μg/L)

3-betaCoprostanol 

(μg/L)

3-Methyl-1Hindole

(μg/L)

3-tert-Butyl4-hydroxyanisole 

(μg/L)

4-Cumylphenol

(μg/L)

4-n-Octylphenol

(μg/L)

4-Nonylphenol

(all isomers) 

(μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 <0.2 <0.2 <2.0 <3 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <26 6/13/2005 1416 <.5 <.5 <.50 <2 <1 <5 <1 <1 <5

8/13/2005 1300 <.5 <.5 <.50 <2 <1 <5 <1 <1

M

4/8/2008 1320 <.2 <.2 <2.0 <.8 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <2
Tables

91

Table 3. Concentrations of selected water-quality constituents and organic micro-constituents in blank water samples.—Continued[μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; mg/L, milligrams per liter; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; °C, degrees Celsius; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; E. coli, Escherichia coli; MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; BDE, 2,2,’4,4’-tetrabromodiphenyl ether; DEET, N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide; --, no data; <, less than; E, estimated; M, presence verified not quantified]

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Diethoxynonylphenol 

(all isomers) 

(μg/L)

Ethoxynonylphenol 

(all isomers) 

(μg/L)

Diethoxyoctylphenol 

(μg/L)

Ethoxyoctylphenol 

(μg/L)

4-tert-Octylphenol

(μg/L)

5-Methyl1H-benzotriazole

(μg/L)

Acetophenone 

(μg/L)

Acetyl 

hexamethyl 

tetrahydro 

naphthalene 

(μg/L)

Anthracene

(μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 <3 <2.0 <0.32 <1 <0.2 2<120 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2

6 6/13/2005 1416 <5 <2.0 <1 <1 <1 <2 <.5 <.5 <.5

8/13/2005 1300 <5 <2.0 <1 <1 <1 <2 <.5 <.5 <.5

4/8/2008 1320 <3 <2.0 <.32 <1 <.2 <2 <.3 <.2 <.2

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

9,10-Anthraquinone 

(μg/L)

Atrazine 

(μg/L)

BDE 

congener 47

(μg/L)

Benzo(a)

pyrene

(μg/L)

Benzo

phenone

(μg/L)

beta-Sitosterol

(μg/L)

beta-Stigmastanol

(μg/L)

Bis(2-ethylhexyl)

phthalate

(μg/L)

Bisphenol A

(μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 <0.2 <0.20 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <3 <3 <3 <4

6 6/13/2005 1416 <.5 <.50 <.5 <.5 E.2 <2 <2 <2 <1

8/13/2005 1300 <.5 <.50 <.5 <.5 E.3 <2 <2 <2 <1

4/8/2008 1320 <.2 <.20 <.2 <.2 E.1 <2 <.8 <2 <.4

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Bromacil 

(μg/L)

Caffeine 

(μg/L)

Camphor 

(μg/L)

Carbaryl 

(μg/L)

Carbazole 

(μg/L)

Chlorpyrifos 

(μg/L)

Cholesterol 

(μg/L)

Cotinine

(μg/L)

DEET

(μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <3 <0.8 <0.2

6 6/13/2005 1416 <.5 <.5 <.5 <1 <.5 <.5 <2 <1 <.5

8/13/2005 1300 <.5 <.5 <.5 <1 <.5 <.5 <2 <1 M

4/8/2008 1320 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.8 <.8 0.4

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Diazinon 

(μg/L)

Dichlorvos 

(μg/L)

Diethyl 

phthalate 

(μg/L)

d-Limonene 

(μg/L)

Fluoranthene 

(μg/L)

Hexahydrohexamethyl 

cyclopentabenzopyran 

(μg/L)

Indole

(μg/L)

Isoborneol 

(μg/L)

Isophorone

(μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2

6 6/13/2005 1416 <.5 <1 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

8/13/2005 1300 <.5 <1 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

4/8/2008 1320 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2
92 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 3. Concentrations of selected water-quality constituents and organic micro-constituents in blank water samples.—Continued [μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; mg/L, milligrams per liter; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; °C, degrees Celsius; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; E. coli, Escherichia coli; MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; BDE, 2,2,’4,4’-tetrabromodiphenyl ether; DEET, N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide; --, no data; <, less than; E, estimated; M, presence verified not quantified] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Sample start date Sample start time Isoquinoline (μg/L) Menthol (μg/L) Metalaxyl (μg/L) Methyl salicylate (μg/L) Metolachlor (μg/L) para-Cresol (μg/L) Pentachloro- phenol (μg/L) Phenanthrene (μg/L) Phenol (μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.8 <0.2 <0.2

6 6/13/2005 1416 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <1 <2 <.5 <.5

8/13/2005 1300 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <1 <2 <.5 <.5

4/8/2008 1320 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.8 <.2 <.2

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Prometon 

(μg/L)

Pyrene

(μg/L)

Tributyl

phosphate 

(μg/L)

Triclosan 

(μg/L)

Triethyl

citrate

(μg/L)

Triphenyl 

phosphate 

(μg/L)

Tris(2-butoxyethyl)

phosphate 

(μg/L)

Tris(2-chloroethyl)

phosphate 

(μg/L)

Tris 

(dichloroisopropyl) 

phosphate

(μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.6 <0.2 <0.2

6 6/13/2005 1416 <.5 <.5 <.5 <1 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

8/13/2005 1300 <.5 <.5 <.5 <1 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5 <.5

4/8/2008 1320 <.2 <.2

M <.2 <.2 <.2 E.3 <.2 <.2

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

1,4-Dichlorobenzene 

(μg/L)

Tribromomethane 

(μg/L)

Isopropylbenzene 

(μg/L)

Naphthalene 

(μg/L)

Tetrachloroethene

(μg/L)

3 9/27/2006 0845 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.4

6 6/13/2005 1416 <.5 <.5 <.5 E.1 <.5

8/13/2005 1300 <.5 <.5 <.5 E.1 <.54/8/2008 1320 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.2 <.4

1For the purposes of this report, MPN is considered to be comparable to colonies per 100 milliliters.2Analyzing laboratory raised the reporting level due to a sample preparation error specific to this analyte.
Tables

93

Table 4. Annual deposition rates of selected constituents in precipitation at five midwestern monitoring sites in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, 2005 through 2008.[Data from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, 2009; ID, identification number; kg/km2; kilograms per square kilometer; H+, hydrogen ion; cm, centimeter; in., inch; --, not available]

Site ID1 Year Calcium (kg/km2) Magnesium (kg/km2) Potassium (kg/km2) Sodium (kg/km2) Ammonia (kg/km2) Nitrate (kg/km2) Inorganic nitrogen (kg/km2) Total nitrogen2 (kg/km2) Chloride (kg/km2) Sulfate (kg/km2) H+ (kg/km2) pH (standard units) Precipitation (cm) Precipitation (in.)

Iowa (IA23) 2005 307 22.9 22.9 42.9 357 823 463 1,643 65 892 2 5.52 74.0 29.12

2006 330 26.6 18.3 39.5 422 937 540 1,899 62 922 3 5.36 76.1 29.94

2007 401 35.4 41.8 76.1 556 1,160 695 2,411 117 1,091 4 5.45 107.2 42.202008 407 36.9 38.2 70 505 1,086 638 2,229 100 1,158 4 5.52 127.2 50.08

Kansas (KS07) 2005 267 19.7 21.4 61.7 339 1,012 492 1,843 95 1,066 9 4.98 85.7 33.75

2006 329 21.7 25.7 50.6 353 948 488 1,789 80 852 4 5.29 80.3 31.62

2007 311 27.4 30.2 109.5 458 1,226 633 2,317 169 1,301 10 5.17 144.0 56.71

2008 349 31.6 30.1 133.9 405 1,017 544 1,966 188 1,226 8 5.27 150.4 59.23

Kansas (KS31) 2005 323 22.8 21.9 60.2 421 1,057 566 2,044 84 1,093 5 5.27 91.2 35.91

2006 326 22.3 18.7 46.7 340 933 475 1,748 74 788 3 5.35 71.9 28.31

2007 343 28.7 24.7 86.9 411 998 545 1,954 128 925 4 5.42 98.8 38.90

2008 476 34.8 28.1 82 441 973 563 1,977 113 955 4 5.46 112.3 44.22

Missouri (MO03) 2005 315 37.1 43.9 70.9 446 1,137 603 2,186 106 1,340 10 5.04 112.5 44.30

2006 273 30.8 38.9 56.7 336 943 474 1,753 90 1,076 9 4.95 81.0 31.91

2007 197 26.9 40 74.7 258 753 370 1,381 105 797 5 5.17 77.0 30.30

2008 424 43.2 46.3 120.4 509 1,337 698 2,544 179 1,594 11 5.16 154.3 60.76

Nebraska (NE15) 2005 261 19.4 18.2 32.5 465 796 542 1,803 44 745 1 5.88 56.9 22.42

2006 294 21.6 20 41.6 558 946 648 2,152 64 855 1 5.78 77.1 30.34

2007 285 22.8 28.3 50.2 608 965 691 2,264 70 956 1 5.82 91.2 35.91

2008 369 31.5 28.5 47.2 582 908 658 2,148 67 921 3 5.59 98.3 38.72

Maximum 476 43.2 46.3 133.9 608 1,337 698 2,544 188 1,594 11 5.88 154.3 60.76

Minimum 197 19.4 18.2 32.5 258 753 370 1,381 44 745 1 4.95 56.9 22.42

Average 329 28.2 29.3 67.7 439 998 566 2,003 100 1,028 5 -- 98.4 38.73

1National Atmospheric Deposition Program site identification number. Site locations and data available online at http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/sites/ntnmap.asp?2Total nitrogen equals ammonia plus nitrate plus inorganic nitrogen.
94 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 5. Summary statistics of continuous water-quality monitor computed average daily values at three sites in Independence, Missouri, July 2005 through December 2008. [NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius] Statistic Turbidity (NTU) Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) pH (standard units) Specific conductance

(μS/cm

Water temperature

(°C)

Site number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

3 5 6 3 5 6 3 5 6 3 5 6 3 5 6

20051

Count2 140 155 159 144 154 142 163 168 170 161 166 171 163 168 171

Percent3 80.9 89.6 91.9 83.2 89.0 82.1 94.2 97.1 98.3 93.1 96.0 98.8 94.2 97.1 98.8Minimum4 4.4 2.2 4.7 1.2 1.5 5.6 7.2 7.4 7.4 308 285 239 .1 .1 .4Maximum4 660 350 490 16.8 15.7 15.7 8.1 8.2 8.2 973 1,860 1,100 30.6 28.9 31.3Average4 29 32 34 9.8 9.2 10.0 7.8 7.9 7.9 471 735 472 15.9 14.5 16.5Median4 14 9.9 16 9.1 8.5 9.6 7.8 7.8 7.9 434 726 459 16.6 14.9 17.7

2006

Count2 351 340 332 345 328 343 365 365 365 355 365 365 365 365 365

Percent3 96.2 93.2 91.0 94.5 89.9 94.0 100 100 100 97.3 100 100 100 100 100

Minimum4 4.1 3.3 5.0 4.9 2.2 4.7 7.4 7.5 7.5 273 330 268 .6 .1 .5Maximum4 300 500 610 16.8 18.7 15.1 8.2 8.2 8.2 1,120 2,170 1,220 31.6 31.7 32.2Average4 26 34 31 9.4 9.2 9.5 7.8 7.8 7.9 508 754 527 15.1 13.9 15.3Median4 19 14 22 8.8 8.5 8.8 7.8 7.8 7.9 479 754 503 15.5 14.0 15.9

2007

Count2 321 276 291 304 280 312 364 311 328 346 344 330 356 348 330

Percent3 87.9 75.6 79.7 83.3 76.7 85.5 99.7 85.2 89.9 94.8 94.2 90.4 97.5 95.3 90.4Minimum4 4.3 2.7 4.9 4.5 2.2 3.9 7.4 7.4 7.0 299 309 260 0 -.1 0

Maximum4 480 390 970 17.8 18.0 15.7 8.3 8.3 8.2 1,540 3,410 1,600 30.8 28.9 30.6

Average4 32 36 55 9.4 9.1 9.9 7.8 7.9 7.9 578 923 590 15.3 13.6 14.2Median4 18 14 22 8.0 8.4 9.2 7.8 7.9 7.9 500 816 503 16.8 15.7 15.6
Tables

95

Table 5. Summary statistics of continuous water-quality monitor computed average daily values at three sites in Independence, Missouri, July 2005 through December 2008.—Continued[NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius]

Statistic Turbidity (NTU) Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) pH (standard units) Specific conductance (μS/cm) Water temperature (°C

Site number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

3 5 6 3 5 6 3 5 6 3 5 6 3 5 6

2008

Count2 263 5305 343 319 5306 363 284 5310 363 353 358 363 353 357 364

Percent3 71.9 96.2 93.7 87.2 96.5 99.2 77.6 97.8 99.2 96.4 97.8 99.2 96.4 97.5 99.5

Minimum4 4.1 3.1 4.1 5.6 5.3 5.6 7.5 7.6 7.5 319 316 222 .1 -.1 -.2Maximum4 540 570 700 15.1 14.8 15.0 8.2 8.4 8.3 1,040 2,510 1,270 30.1 26.7 30.0Average4 46 42 55 10.0 9.6 10.1 7.9 8.0 7.9 501 826 525 13.6 11.9 13.7

Median4 20 13 21 9.4 8.6 9.6 7.9 8.0 7.9 473 783 497 14.0 12.4 14.3

1Partial year. Site records begin July 14, 2005.2Number of daily values recorded for the specified year.3Percentage of total possible daily values recorded for the specified year.4Minimum, maximum, average, and median values are calculated from data that may contain values that are estimated.5Property discontinued November 2008.
96 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 6. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in base-flow samples, June 2006 through December 2008. [ft3/s, cubic feet per second; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for fil- tered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Statistic Streamflow1 (ft3/s) Instantaneous streamflow2 (ft3/s) Turbidity (NTU) Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) pH (standard units) Specific conductance, field (μS/cm) Water temperature (°C) Chloride, dissolved (mg/L) Residue on evaporation at 180 °C, dissolved (mg/L) Ammonia plus organic nitrogen, total (mg/L as N) Ammonia, dissolved (mg/L as N) All Detections 17 26 14 17 25 25 25 25 25 25 20 Minimum8 0.2 0.1 7.0 5.1 7.2 382 0.7 23.6 207 0.2 0.02 Maximum8 106 104 35 14.3 8.1 1,720 30.5 329 981 .8 .14 Average8 11.8 15.6 16 8.3 7.8 776 19.0 85.4 455 .4 .05 Median8 1.7 2.5 16 7.7 7.8 749 21.0 54.4 451 .4 .04 RL, LRL, or MRL .1 .1 1 0.1 0.1 1 .1 0.12 10 .1 .02

1 Detections 3 5 -- 9

1 5 5 4 5 5 5 4

Minimum8 .4 .3 -- 5.5 7.2 694 19.9 49.3 440 .2 .03

Maximum8 1.5 2.7 -- -- 7.9 1,510 22.5 265 852 .5 .12Average8 1.0 1.4 -- -- 7.6 899 20.9 95.9 556 .3 .06Median8 1.0 1.1 -- -- 7.7 749 20.6 54.4 475 .3 .05

3 Detections 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Minimum8 8.1 8.5 15 5.5 7.5 398 2.6 33.9 233 .4 .02

Maximum8 19.0 89.0 25 12.6 7.9 873 28.5 122 458 .5 .05Average8 12.0 32.6 21 8.0 7.8 558 19.1 58.0 312 .4 .04Median8 8.8 19.0 21 7.5 7.8 492 21.4 43.2 277 .4 .04

4 Detections 4 5 -- 9

1 5 5 4 5 5 5 5

Minimum8 .3 .2 -- 7.7 7.3 430 18.8 23.6 263 .3 .02

Maximum8 2.3 2.3 -- -- 7.9 1,620 30.5 294 894 .8 .14Average8 1.1 1.2 -- -- 7.7 876 24.9 98.6 508 .5 .08Median8 1.0 1.4 -- -- 7.8 768 25.1 58.6 451 .4 .10

5 Detections 3 7 5 5 5 5 7 5 5 5 3

Minimum8 .2 .1 7.0 5.1 7.8 710 .7 45.3 391 .2 .02

Maximum8 1.7 16.0 10 13.3 8.1 1,720 29.5 329 981 .4 .07Average8 .7 5.5 8.6 8.8 7.9 987 14.3 111 588 .3 .04

Median8 .3 1.7 9.0 8.7 7.9 849 18.4 58.2 529 .2 .03

6 Detections 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3

Minimum8 9.2 9.6 13 5.9 7.8 382 1.0 28.4 207 .4 .03

Maximum8 106 104 35 14.3 8.0 1,070 29.5 188 585 .4 .05Average8 38.8 47.7 21 8.6 7.9 561 19.4 63.8 311 .4 .04Median8 20.0 38.5 17 7.6 7.9 428 21.9 34.6 248 .4 .04
Tables

97

Table 6. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in base-flow samples, June 2006 through December 2008.—Continued[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 

mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day per square 

kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; 

MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data]

Site number 

(table 1;

fig. 1)

Statistic

Nitrite plus

nitrate,

dissolved

(mg/L as N)

Nitrate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite,

dissolved

(mg/L as N)

Total 

organic

nitrogen

(mg/L)

Total

nitrogen3

(mg/L)

Orthophosphate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as P)

Phosphorus, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as P)

Phosphorus, 

total

(mg/L as P)

Total 

BOD54

(mg/L)

Total

COD4

(mg/L)

E. coli

(MPN/100 mL)5

Fecal coliform (col/100 mL)

All Detections 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 22 25 25 25

Minimum8 0.06 0.05 0.003 0.2 0.5 0.008 0.010 0.060 0.2 1 41 75

Maximum8 1.57 1.54 .042 .6 1.9 .165 .170 .237 2.2 17 4,000 2,600Average8 .72 .71 .013 .3 1.1 .070 .070 .114 1.0 10 582 531Median8 .60 .59 .008 .3 1.0 .067 .060 .098 1.2 10 350 230RL, LRL, or MRL .04 .04 .002 .1 .1 .008 .04 .04 .1 1 1 1

1 Detections 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Minimum8 1.16 1.16 .004 .2 1.4 .067 .050 .098 .5 5 41 75

Maximum8 1.49 1.47 .034 .4 1.8 .165 .170 .237 1.7 15 4,000 2,600Average8 1.34 1.32 .019 .3 1.7 .116 .112 .155 1.0 10 1,270 1,050Median8 1.32 1.30 .020 .2 1.7 .116 .110 .140 .8 12 770 1,000

3 Detections 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5

Minimum8 .06 .05 .003 .3 .5 .008 .010 .060 .5 5 57 140

Maximum8 .42 .41 .008 .5 .9 .041 .050 .097 1.3 17 350 230

Average8 .19 .19 .006 .4 .6 .029 .034 .078 1.1 10 178 168

Median8 .15 .14 .006 .4 .5 .035 .040 .071 1.3 7 130 150

4 Detections 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5

Minimum8 .39 .37 .007 .3 1.0 .027 .010 .072 .7 10 190 230

Maximum8 1.57 1.54 .042 .6 1.9 .122 .130 .207 2.2 13 1,100 1,100Average8 1.05 1.02 .026 .4 1.5 .081 .080 .132 1.3 12 662 738Median8 1.28 1.27 .024 .3 1.7 .077 .080 .112 1.2 12 690 870

5 Detections 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5

Minimum8 .13 .11 .004 .2 .5 .048 .030 .064 .2 3 180 180

Maximum8 1.03 1.03 .011 .4 1.3 .117 .120 .146 1.3 11 1,100 940

Average8 .70 .69 .006 .3 1.0 .089 .088 .119 .8 9 620 534

Median8 .79 .78 .006 .2 1.0 .096 .100 .139 .9 9 510 560

6 Detections 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Minimum8 .08 .08 .003 .3 .5 .020 .020 .072 .5 1 83 110

Maximum8 .60 .59 .011 .4 1.0 .044 .060 .096 1.5 16 310 220

Average8 .33 .32 .008 .4 .7 .034 .036 .083 1.0 9 187 164Median8 .34 .33 .008 .4 .7 .038 .030 .083 1.1 9 130 150
98 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 6. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in base-flow samples, June 2006 through December 2008.—Continued [ft3/s, cubic feet per second; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Statistic Total coliform (MPN/100 mL)5 Aluminum, total (μg/L) Arsenic, total (μg/L) Cadmium, total (μg/L) Chromium, total (μg/L) Copper, total (μg/L) Cyanide (mg/L) Lead, total (μg/L) Mercury, total (μg/L) Zinc, total (μg/L) Suspended sediment (mg/L) Load6 chloride (g/s) Load6 nitrate (g/s as N) All Detections 25 25 25 11 22 10 1 25 3 21 24 25 25 Minimum8 6,300 27 1.4 0.03 0.5 1.29 0.010 0.2 0.006 3.7 10 0.2 0 Maximum8 190,000 716 4.7 112 1.0 2.52 -- 3.5 .007 13.8 138 256 0.80 Average8 42,900 342 2.4 10.2 .8 1.70 -- 1.0 .006 6.2 52 29.0 .13 Median8 30,000 317 2.1 .06 .9 1.49 -- .8 .006 5.8 38 7.7 .05 RL, LRL, or MRL 1 6 0.20 .06 .4 4 .010 .1 .01 2 1 -- --

1 Detections 5 5 5 2 5 2 1 5 1 5 4 5 5

Minimum8 13,000 27 1.5 .06 .5 1.67 .010 .2 .006 4.0 17 .4 .01

Maximum8 120,000 460 3.9 .08 1.0 2.52 -- 3.5 -- 13.8 138 8.3 .11Average8 46,400 228 2.5 .07 .8 2.10 -- 1.8 -- 8.1 87 3.5 .05Median8 28,000 144 2.3 .07 .9 2.10 -- 1.0 -- 6.5 97 2.3 .04

3 Detections 5 5 5 2 4 2 0 5 1 5 5 5 5

Minimum8 9,800 388 1.5 .03 .6 1.39 -- .8 .007 3.7 25 10.2 .01

Maximum8 43,000 716 2.4 .07 1.0 2.09 -- 1.5 -- 8.1 50 128 .43Average8 22,200 543 2.0 .05 .9 1.74 -- 1.0 -- 6.2 36 51.9 .16Median8 18,000 558 2.1 .05 1.0 1.74 -- 1.0 -- 7.0 33 23.2 .15

4 Detections 5 5 5 2 5 2 0 5 0 4 5 5 5

Minimum8 11,000 208 1.8 .06 .5 1.29 -- .5 -- 4.9 26 .2 0

Maximum8 190,000 426 4.7 .09 1.0 1.53 -- 1.2 -- 8.0 78 11.7 .10

Average8 69,000 306 3.2 .08 .8 1.41 -- .7 -- 6.7 57 3.8 .05

Median8 40,000 316 2.6 .08 .8 1.41 -- .7 -- 6.9 68 2.8 .05

5 Detections 5 5 5 3 4 2 0 5 0 3 5 5 5

Minimum8 26,000 127 1.4 .05 .5 1.29 -- .4 -- 4.1 10 .2 0

Maximum8 120,000 293 3.1 112 1.0 1.35 -- .6 -- 5.0 132 14.9 .08Average8 55,800 197 2.1 37.4 .8 1.32 -- .5 -- 4.5 59 4.7 .03Median8 38,000 212 2.0 .08 .8 1.32 -- .5 -- 4.5 52 2.2 .04

6 Detections 5 5 5 2 4 2 0 5 1 4 5 5 5

Minimum8 6,300 298 1.6 .04 .6 1.45 -- .6 .006 3.7 18 7.7 .02

Maximum8 37,000 577 2.5 .06 1.0 2.38 -- 1.1 -- 6.0 37 256 .80Average8 21,100 437 2.1 .05 .8 1.92 -- 0.8 -- 4.9 29 81.1 .36Median8 14,000 386 2.1 .05 .8 1.92 -- 0.8 -- 4.9 35 31.2 .36
Tables

99

Table 6. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in base-flow samples, June 2006 through December 2008.—Continued[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for 

filtered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, 

MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day 

per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, 

and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data]

Site number 

(table 1;

fig. 1)

Statistic

Load6

total organic 

nitrogen

(g/s)

Load6

total

nitrogen 

(g/s)

Load6

phosphorus, 

total

(g/s as P)

Load6

E. coli 

(1,000 col/s)

Load6

suspended 

sediment 

(g/s)

Yield7

chloride 

(kg/d/km2)

Yield7

nitrate 

(kg/d/km2 as N)

Yield7

total organic 

nitrogen 

(kg/d/km2)

Yield7

total nitrogen 

(kg/d/km2)

Yield7

phosphorus, 

total

(kg/d/km2as P)

Yield7

suspended 

sediment 

(kg/d/km2)

All Detections 25 25 25 25 24 25 25 25 25 25 24

Minimum8 0 0 0 12 0.1 0.60 0.003 0.003 0.005 0.001 0.37

Maximum8 1.13 1.74 0.212 7,060 75.6 77.8 1.69 .238 .826 .049 30

Average8 0.17 0.31 .033 1,110 13.5 15.9 .344 .060 .209 .018 9.1

Median8 .02 .10 .008 343 5.8 7.4 .094 .036 .163 .014 5.28RL, LRL, or MRL -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

1 Detections 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5 4

Minimum8 0 .02 .002 13 1.3 1.6 .042 .013 .059 .008 4.66

Maximum8 .01 .13 .010 1,810 6.3 29.6 1.04 .054 .466 .037 22.4Average8 .01 .06 .005 512 3.4 12.4 .475 .033 .229 .020 12.2Median8 .01 .05 .004 321 3.0 8.1 .405 .027 .190 .016 10.8

3 Detections 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Minimum8 .09 .11 .019 137 6.8 2.1 .007 .019 .024 .004 1.43

Maximum8 1.13 1.29 .151 7,060 75.6 26.8 .233 .238 .270 .032 15.9

Average8 .40 .57 .063 2,320 30.4 10.9 .084 .083 .120 .013 6.38

Median8 .24 .39 .050 382 23.1 4.9 .079 .050 .081 .010 4.85

4 Detections 5 5 5 5 5.0 5 5 5 5 5 5

Minimum8 0 .01 .001 12 .2 1.2 .047 .020 .043 .007 1.33

Maximum8 .02 .12 .007 716 4.4 77.8 1.69 .139 .826 .049 29.5Average8 .01 .06 .004 274 2.0 25.3 .787 .076 .398 .024 13.6Median8 .01 .07 .003 246 1.5 18.8 .870 .079 .450 .019 10.1

5 Detections 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Minimum8 0 0 .000 12 .1 .60 .003 .003 .005 .001 .37

Maximum8 .02 .10 .014 1,120 6.4 53.5 .701 .073 .347 .048 22

Average8 .01 .04 .005 334 2.7 16.6 .310 .031 .153 .017 9.2

Median8 .01 .05 .003 82 1.4 7.4 .341 .034 .163 .010 5.2
100 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 6. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in base-flow samples, June 2006 through December 2008.—Continued [ft3/s, cubic feet per second; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for fil- tered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Statistic Load6 total organic nitrogen (g/s) Load6 total nitrogen (g/s) Load6 phosphorus, total (g/s as P) Load6 E. coli (1,000 col/s) Load6 suspended sediment (g/s) Yield7 chloride (kg/d/km2

)

Yield7

nitrate

(kg/d/km2 as N)

Yield7

total organic 

nitrogen 

(kg/d/km2

)

Yield7

total nitrogen 

(kg/d/km2

)

Yield7

phosphorus, 

total

(kg/d/km2as P)

Yield7

suspended 

sediment 

(kg/d/km2

)

6 Detections 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Minimum8 .09 .16 .024 259 9.5 1.4 .004 .016 .029 .004 1.68

Maximum8 1.12 1.74 .212 3,940 58.9 45.1 .142 .198 .307 .037 10.4

Average8 .44 .83 .089 2,130 27.0 14.3 .064 .077 .147 .016 4.76

Median8 .31 .71 .079 2,550 24.5 5.5 .064 .055 .125 .014 4.32

1Streamflow measured at time of sampling used in calculations of loads and yields.2Streamflow calculated from an established stage-discharge relation for the site at the time of sampling.3Total nitrogen equals ammonia plus nitrate plus nitrite plus organic nitrogen.4Analyses and reported results from the laboratory at the City of Independence Rock Creek Wastewater Teatment Plant.5For the purposes of this report, most probable number per 100 milliliters is considered to be comparable to colonies per 100 milliliters6Loads are instantaneous loads calculated from multiplying the instantaneous streamflow, sampled concentration, and a constant to standardize units.7Yields are instantaneous yields calculated by dividing the instantaneous load by the drainage area above the sample collection point and multiplying by a constant to standardize units.8Minimum, maximum, average, and median values are calculated from data that may contain values that are estimated or less than the method detection level.9Only one field measurement for dissolved oxygen was made for samples collected during base flow at these sites. 
Tables

101

Table 7. Summary of constituent concentrations by category and instantaneous loads of total common organic micro-constituents by site in base-flow samples, June 2006 through December 2008. [μg/L, micrograms per liter; PAHs, polyaromatic hydrocarbons; OMC, common organic micro-constituents; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/s, milligrams per second; --, no data]

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Statistic

Total

antioxidants 

(μg/L)

Total

detergents 

(μg/L)

Total

disinfectants 

(μg/L)

Total fire 

retardants 

(μg/L)

Total

flavorings 

and 

fragrances 

(μg/L)

Total 

PAHs and 

combustion 

products 

(μg/L)

Total

pesticides 

(μg/L)

Total 

plastics 

(μg/L)

Total 

solvents 

(μg/L)

Total

sterols 

and 

stanols 

(μg/L)

Total

stimulents 

(μg/L)

Total 

OMC 

(μg/L)

Instantaneous 

streamflow1

(ft3/s)

Instantaneous 

load total 

OMC

(mg/s)

All Detections2 2 7 4 10 6 10 24 16 3 11 6 24 -- --

Total detections3 2 9 4 14 8 30 87 22 3 18 8 205 -- --

Minimum4 0.38 0.13 0.02 0 0.01 0.02 0.06 0.02 0.004 0.32 0.06 0.13 0.1 0.01Maximum4 .60 1.66 .14 0.14 .14 .20 54.13 2.38 .01 6.37 .46 60.64 104 4.67

Average4 .49 .61 .07 .05 .04 .09 3.45 .54 .01 1.44 .16 4.82 16.0 .77

Median4 .49 .37 .06 .04 .02 .08 0.59 .18 .01 .75 .09 1.77 2.5 .15

1 Detections2 0 2 2 1 2 3 4 4 1 2 2 4 -- --

Minimum4 -- .52 .02 .04 .02 .10 .06 .12 .004 0.34 .06 .14 .3 .01Maximum4 -- 1.04 .14 -- .14 .20 3.10 2.38 -- 1.79 .11 5.56 2.7 .25Average4 -- .78 .08 -- .08 .13 1.54 .96 -- 1.06 .08 3.23 1.4 .09Median4 -- .78 .08 -- .08 .11 2.01 .67 -- 1.06 .08 2.81 1.1 .07

3 Detections2 0 2 0 2 1 3 5 4 1 2 1 5 -- --

Minimum4 -- .13 -- .02 .01 .03 .38 .02 .01 1.08 .06 .77 8.5 .21

Maximum4 -- .37 -- .11 -- .10 5.08 1.80 -- 1.82 -- 7.12 89.0 4.67Average4 -- .25 -- .06 -- .06 1.43 .50 -- 1.45 -- 2.59 32.6 1.89Median4 -- .25 -- .06 -- .06 .41 .09 -- 1.45 -- 1.85 19.0 1.71

4 Detections2 1 2 1 3 2 3 5 4 0 2 1 5 -- --

Minimum4 .38 .21 .08 .05 .01 .02 .08 .08 -- .48 .22 .13 .2 .01Maximum4 -- 1.66 -- .14 .02 .07 54.13 1.29 -- 6.37 -- 60.64 2.3 .39Average4 -- .93 -- .09 .02 .05 11.38 .51 -- 3.43 -- 13.76 1.2 .12

Median4 -- .93 -- .07 .02 .06 1.25 .34 -- 3.43 -- 1.69 1.4 .06

5 Detections2 0 0 1 2 1 0 4 1 0 3 1 4 -- --

Minimum4 -- -- .03 .02 .01 -- .12 .19 -- 0.41 .06 0.81 .1 .01Maximum4 -- -- -- .04 -- -- 2.95 -- -- 1.79 -- 4.75 3.6 .08Average4 -- -- -- .03 -- -- 1.18 -- -- .95 -- 1.98 1.4 .04Median4 -- -- -- .03 -- -- .82 -- -- .66 -- 1.17 1.0 .04
102 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 7. Summary of constituent concentrations by category and instantaneous loads of total common organic micro-constituents by site in base-flow samples, June 2006 through December 2008.—Continued [μg/L, micrograms per liter; PAHs, polyaromatic hydrocarbons; OMC, common organic micro-constituents; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/s, milligrams per second; --, no data] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Statistic Total anti- oxidants (μg/L) Total detergents (μg/L) Total disinfectants (μg/L) Total fire retardants (μg/L) Total flavorings and fragrances (μg/L) Total PAHs and combustion products (μg/L) Total pesticides (μg/L) Total plastics (μg/L) Total solvents (μg/L) Total sterols and stanols (μg/L) Total stimulents (μg/L) Total OMC (μg/L) Instant- aneous stream- flow1 (ft3/s) Instant- aneous load total OMC (mg/s)

6 Detections2 1 1 0 2 0 1 5 3 1 2 1 5 -- --

Minimum4 0.60 0.37 -- 0.02 -- 0.20 0.42 0.08 0.01 0.32 0.46 0.43 9.6 0.58Maximum4 -- -- -- .12 -- -- 4.33 .38 -- .75 -- 4.73 104 4.51Average4 -- -- -- .07 -- -- 1.27 .21 -- .53 -- 1.96 40.3 1.58

Median4 -- -- -- .07 -- -- .51 .16 -- .53 -- 1.53 29.0 .70

1Streamflow calculated from an established stage-discharge relation for the site at the time of sampling.2Number of samples with one or more detections of OMC.3Total number of individual OMCs detected.4Minimum, maximum, average and median values are calculated from data that may contain values that are estimated or less than the minimum reporting level.
Tables

103

Table 8. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 through December 2008.[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; cm/storm, centimeters per storm duration; in/storm, inches per storm duration; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 days 

at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, precipitation, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data]

Site number 

(table 1;

fig. 1)

Statistic Streamflow1 (ft3/s) Instantaneous streamflow2 (ft3/s) Peak streamflow for storm event (ft3/s) Precipitation total (cm/storm) Precipitation total (in./storm) Turbidity (NTU) Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) pH (standard units) Specific conductance, field (μS/cm) Water temperature (°C) Chloride, dissolved (mg/L)

All Detections 81 73 86 85 85 50 13 87 87 62 78

Minimum8 14 7 29 0.94 0.37 9 5.9 7.1 158 1.0 6.82

Maximum8 8,030 3,690 14,100 17.55 6.91 1,170 12.8 8.2 1,720 28.3 463Average8 491 390 785 3.20 1.26 350 8.5 7.8 426 14.0 52.5Median8 134 158 254 2.72 1.07 305 7.6 7.8 347 14.6 26.3

RL, LRL, or MRL 0.1 0.1 1 .01 .01 1 0.1 0.1 1 0.1 0.12

1 Detections 17 13 17 17 17 -- 1 16 16 4 16

Minimum8 20 9 55 .94 .37 -- 6.0 7.1 172 5.8 6.82

Maximum8 644 495 1,350 5.89 2.32 -- -- 8.1 1,170 23.5 310Average8 135 125 329 3.10 1.22 -- -- 7.7 364 15.7 42.3Median8 77 68 200 3.00 1.18 -- -- 7.8 301 16.7 19.5

3 Detections 16 15 17 17 17 16 4 18 19 19 16

Minimum8 72 27 86 1.24 .49 47 6.6 7.4 260 1.5 18.5

Maximum8 5,500 1,560 9,390 16.97 6.68 1,170 11.4 8.2 1,070 24.9 231Average8 782 510 1,130 3.46 1.36 324 9.5 7.8 431 13.8 46.6

Median8 368 366 454 2.34 .92 180 10.1 7.8 379 14.5 27.6

4 Detections 15 14 16 16 16 -- 1 15 15 2 15

Minimum8 14 7 36 1.17 .46 -- 7.1 7.5 158 7.7 8.52

Maximum8 1,000 512 1,600 5.18 2.04 -- -- 8.2 1,340 20.1 338Average8 145 121 234 2.77 1.09 -- -- 7.7 350 13.9 42.5Median8 45 41 89 2.32 .92 -- -- 7.7 279 13.9 17.1

5 Detections 17 15 18 18 18 16 3 19 18 18 15

Minimum8 21 9 29 1.24 .49 120 5.9 7.5 175 1.0 8.94

Maximum8 770 439 1,400 5.72 2.25 1,030 7.6 8.2 1,720 25.2 463Average8 149 153 270 3.02 1.19 484 7.0 7.8 502 14.1 78.1Median8 83 66 175 2.79 1.10 440 7.5 7.8 387 14.3 33.2

6 Detections 16 16 18 17 17 18 4 19 19 19 16

Minimum8 134 116 168 1.04 .41 9 6.6 7.3 244 1.4 15.0

Maximum8 8,030 3,690 14,100 17.55 6.91 690 12.8 8.2 1,470 28.3 366

Average8 1,260 949 1,900 3.61 1.42 254 9.7 7.8 462 13.8 54.1Median8 514 612 899 2.72 1.07 215 9.8 7.9 398 14.4 34.1
104 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 8. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 through December 2008.—Continued [ft3/s, cubic feet per second; cm/storm, centimeters per storm duration; in/storm, inches per storm duration; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centi- meter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, precipitation, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Statistic Residue on evaporation at 180 °C, dissolved (mg/L) Ammonia plus organic nitrogen, total (mg/L as N) Ammonia, dissolved (mg/L as N) Nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved (mg/L as N) Nitrate, dissolved (mg/L as N) Nitrite, dissolved (mg/L as N) Total organic nitrogen (mg/L) Total nitrogen3 (mg/L) Ortho- phosphate, dissolved (mg/L as P) Phosphorus, dissolved (mg/L as P) Phosphorus, total (mg/L as P) All Detections 78 80 57 80 80 80 80 80 78 80 80 Minimum8 85 0.4 0.01 0.14 0.12 0.002 0.3 0.6 0.018 0.018 0.096 Maximum8 924 13 1.4 1.5 1.46 .060 13 14 .450 .480 5.58 Average8 251 2.6 .14 .52 .51 .019 2.5 3.2 .088 .100 1.00 Median8 214 1.8 .09 .52 .50 .015 1.7 2.3 .072 .080 .642 RL, LRL, or MRL 10 .1 .02 .04 .04 .002 .1 .1 .008 .04 .04

1 Detections 16 16 12 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16

Minimum8 109 .8 .01 .17 .16 .002 .7 1.3 .040 .070 .294

Maximum8 660 13 1.4 1.5 1.46 .050 13 14 .450 .480 4.16Average8 233 3.5 .25 .66 .63 .022 3.3 4.2 .138 .162 1.07Median8 189 2.3 .12 .61 .57 .017 2.3 3.1 .113 .130 .787

3 Detections 16 17 12 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17

Minimum8 147 .7 .02 .14 .12 .008 .6 .8 .022 .020 .155

Maximum8 574 7.5 .19 .77 .75 .030 7.3 8.2 .154 .170 3.42Average8 243 1.8 .10 .42 .41 .016 1.7 2.2 .057 .064 .644Median8 217 1.0 .09 .41 .39 .013 .9 1.4 .051 .060 .345

4 Detections 15 15 13 15 15 15 15 15 14 15 15

Minimum8 85 .6 .02 .39 .35 .008 .5 1.0 .020 .040 .196

Maximum8 708 13 .34 .83 .81 .050 12 13 .098 .110 5.58Average8 205 3.2 .13 .58 .55 .025 3.0 3.8 .062 .079 1.28Median8 165 2.2 .09 .56 .54 .020 2.1 2.8 .065 .080 .762

5 Detections 15 15 8 15 15 15 15 15 14 15 15

Minimum8 97 .6 .01 .17 .15 .007 .5 .8 .051 .060 .227

Maximum8 924 7.5 .21 .85 .82 .040 7.4 8.3 .292 .320 3.93Average8 305 2.9 .09 .51 .50 .018 2.8 3.4 .119 .125 1.27Median8 247 2.1 .06 .53 .50 .013 2.0 2.5 .104 .110 1.04

6 Detections 16 17 12 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17

Minimum8 150 .4 .01 .15 .14 .004 .3 .6 .018 .018 .096

Maximum8 802 6.6 .19 1.2 1.09 .060 6.4 7.4 .172 .170 2.93Average8 268 2.0 .10 .47 .45 .016 1.9 2.5 .069 .076 .816Median8 226 1.4 .08 .42 .42 .010 1.4 1.9 .070 .070 .522
Tables

105

Table 8. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 through December 2008.—Continued[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; cm/storm, centimeters per storm duration; in/storm, inches per storm duration; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 

days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, precipitation, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended 

sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data]

Site number 

(table 1;

fig. 1)

Statistic

Total

BOD54

(mg/L)

Total COD4

(mg/L)

E. coli, 

(MPN/100 mL)5

Fecal coliform, 

(col/100 mL)

Total coliform, 

(MPN/100 mL)5

Aluminum, 

total

(μg/L)

Arsenic, 

total 

(μg/L)

Cadmium, 

total 

(μg/L)

Chromium, 

total

(μg/L)

Copper,

total

(μg/L)

Cyanide 

(mg/L)

All Detections 83 86 76 80 74 77 77 34 77 74 3

Minimum8 0.4 3 600 290 1,800 679 1.0 0.05 1.0 2.00 0.011

Maximum8 28.8 461 120,000 210,000 8,700,000 45,700 19.2 5.60 70.0 144 .026Average8 6.5 77 21,200 24,500 1,030,000 9,660 6.2 1.63 14.5 24.0 .019Median8 5.5 55 12,000 13,000 430,000 5,440 5.2 1.15 8.9 16.3 .021RL, LRL, or MRL .1 1 1 1 1 6 0.2 .06 0.4 4 .010

1 Detections 16 17 16 16 15 16 16 7 16 16 1

Minimum8 1.7 3 3,200 3,200 24,000 799 1.0 .29 3.0 5.00 .011

Maximum8 28.8 461 120,000 210,000 5,200,000 29,800 16.8 5.10 52.0 144 --Average8 10.6 103 34,900 50,700 1,400,000 7,140 6.2 1.83 12.8 31.7 --Median8 9.1 78 26,500 40,500 980,000 4,920 5.6 .90 8.4 18.5 --

3 Detections 18 18 16 17 16 16 16 7 16 15 1

Minimum8 1.9 16 1,400 800 3,400 994 1.8 .10 2.0 2.00 .026

Maximum8 8.3 155 88,000 32,000 2,200,000 33,200 13.4 2.50 48.0 69.0 --Average8 4.4 53 13,900 10,000 589,000 7,180 4.4 1.03 10.4 13.5 --Median8 4.2 40 5,800 3,600 295,000 3,160 3.2 .64 4.5 6.00 --

4 Detections 15 16 14 15 13 14 14 6 14 14 0

Minimum8 1.1 3 2,100 3,000 16,000 2,030 3.0 .90 3.0 5.00 --

Maximum8 20.8 438 77,000 100,000 8,700,000 45,700 19.2 5.60 70.0 136 --Average8 7.3 96 19,200 29,300 1,440,000 12,600 7.9 2.22 18.8 30.0 --Median8 7.0 70 13,000 20,000 680,000 9,160 7.1 1.30 13.5 20.3 --

5 Detections 16 17 15 15 14 15 15 7 15 15 0

Minimum8 .9 4 1,600 2,700 19,000 1,420 2.0 .18 2.0 3.00 --

Maximum8 16.1 174 100,000 92,000 3,800,000 38,300 15.0 4.10 53.0 75.0 --Average8 6.6 73 24,700 25,300 1,100,000 13,400 7.6 1.93 19.4 25.4 --Median8 6.2 61 19,000 16,000 710,000 11,400 7.4 1.90 15.0 19.3 --

6 Detections 18 18 15 17 16 16 16 7 16 14 1

Minimum8 .4 10 600 290 1,800 679 1.7 .05 1.0 2.00 .021

Maximum8 10.4 302 47,000 43,000 4,100,000 29,800 12.4 2.50 42.0 74.0 --Average8 4.4 65 12,600 9,180 710,600 8,550 5.4 1.23 11.9 18.8 --Median8 3.8 43 7,000 5,300 210,000 5,460 4.5 1.24 7.5 10.0 --
106 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 8. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 through December 2008.—Continued [ft3/s, cubic feet per second; cm/storm, centimeters per storm duration; in/storm, inches per storm duration; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centime- ter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, precipitation, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended sedi- ment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Statistic Lead, total (μg/L) Mercury, total (μg/L) Zinc, total (μg/L) Suspended sediment (mg/L) Load6 chloride (g/s) Load6 nitrate (g/s as N) Load6 total organic nitrogen (g/s) Load6 total nitrogen (g/s) Load6 phosphorus, total (g/s as P) Load6 E. coli (1,000 col/s) Load6 suspended sediment (g/s) All Detections 77 71 77 75 78 80 80 80 80 76 75 Minimum8 1.2 0.006 7.2 51 8.3 0.09 .17 .46 .12 16,600 51 Maximum8 265 .300 813 8,570 4,460 146 1,250 1,460 666 86,400,000 964,000 Average8 34.6 .053 132 1,150 436 7.93 58.6 68.7 26.2 4,330,000 36,300 Median8 19.5 .033 87.0 552 155 1.86 7.20 9.44 2.66 5,560,000 2,330 RL, LRL, or MRL 0.1 .01 2 1 -- -- -- -- -- -- --

1 Detections 16 16 16 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 15

Minimum8 3.5 .011 24.0 68 14.9 .31 .78 1.36 .25 45,300 64

Maximum8 265 .300 813 3,690 463 12.4 182 201 55.4 21,900,000 43,400Average8 56.1 .072 181 775 107 2.42 24.9 28.2 7.87 2,200,000 6,700Median8 32.7 .045 110 402 51.0 1.25 5.12 7.50 2.22 738,000 1,240

3 Detections 16 13 16 16 16 17 17 17 17 16 16

Minimum8 2.0 .006 11.0 79 50.2 .47 1.22 1.83 .45 55,200 192

Maximum8 95.7 .168 359 2,810 3,100 76.3 701 794 273 60,700,000 380,000

Average8 16.2 .035 71.1 627 676 10.6 71.4 84.1 28.4 6,360,000 35,300

Median8 6.0 .016 35.0 248 319 3.59 10.3 14.3 3.35 614,000 2,150

4 Detections 14 14 14 13 15 15 15 15 15 14 13

Minimum8 4.4 .008 27.0 98 8.3 .20 .17 .56 .12 16,600 58

Maximum8 206 .208 741 8,570 553 16.7 232 258 104 21,800,000 144,000Average8 43.3 .055 192 1,900 98.9 2.41 28.9 32.4 13.0 1,830,000 21,500Median8 26.0 .041 135 1,220 34.3 .62 1.67 2.22 .64 203,000 2,400

5 Detections 15 15 15 16 15 15 15 15 15 15 16

Minimum8 3.2 .006 19.0 120 9.3 .09 .30 .46 .15 22,200 51

Maximum8 122 .149 392 6,080 328 15.0 161 181 85.7 15,700,000 133,000Average8 38.5 .057 141 1,450 136 2.30 20.9 23.7 10.4 1,810,000 13,600

Median8 27.2 .054 115 921 102 1.09 4.60 5.88 1.95 312,000 2,720

6 Detections 16 13 16 15 16 17 17 17 17 15 15

Minimum8 1.2 .006 7.2 51 137 .60 1.29 2.37 .41 24,600 220

Maximum8 81.0 .151 311 4,240 4,460 146 1,250 1,460 666 86,400,000 964,000

Average8 20.2 .041 81.6 1,090 1,120 20.3 137 163 66.9 9,290,000 104,000

Median8 11.6 .022 52.0 638 412 7.69 20.1 30.2 10.1 1,580,000 9,300
Tables

107

Table 8. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 through December 2008.—Continued[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; cm/storm, centimeters per storm duration; in/storm, inches per storm duration; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 

5 days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, 

kilograms per day per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, precipitation, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, 

and suspended sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data]

Site number 

(table 1;

fig. 1)

Statistic

Yield7

chloride 

(kg/d/km2)

Yield7

nitrate

(kg/d/km2 as N)

Yield7

total organic 

nitrogen

(kg/d/km2)

Yield7

total nitrogen 

(kg/d/km2)

Yield7

phosphorus, 

total

(kg/d/km2 as P)

Yield7

suspended 

sediment 

(kg/d/km2)

All Detections 78 80 80 80 80 75

Minimum8 10.5 0.10 0.23 0.38 0.073 39

Maximum8 3,690 111 1,550 1,720 693 962,000Average8 367 7.51 76.1 86.3 32.6 45,100Median8 161 2.92 10.0 14.3 3.57 3,690RL, LRL, or MRL -- -- -- -- -- --

1 Detections 16 16 16 16 16 15

Minimum8 53.3 1.12 2.82 4.88 .914 228

Maximum8 1,660 44.5 654 720 199 156,000

Average8 384 8.70 89.2 101 28.2 24,000Median8 183 4.50 18.4 26.9 7.98 4,430

3 Detections 16 17 17 17 17 16

Minimum8 10.5 .10 .26 .38 .095 40

Maximum8 650 16.0 147 167 57.2 79,700Average8 142 2.23 15.0 17.7 5.97 7,410Median8 66.8 .75 2.16 2.99 .703 451

4 Detections 15 15 15 15 15 13

Minimum8 55.1 1.35 1.13 3.77 .778 389

Maximum8 3,690 111 1,550 1,720 693 962,000Average8 660 16.1 193 216 86.9 143,000Median8 229 4.13 11.1 14.8 4.30 16,000

5 Detections 15 15 15 15 15 16

Minimum8 31.6 .30 1.01 1.56 .506 174

Maximum8 1,150 54.0 579 649 307 476,000Average8 476 8.11 73.7 83.5 36.6 48,000

Median8 348 3.71 16.5 21.1 7.01 9,520
108 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 8. Summary of physical properties, constituent concentrations, and instantaneous loads and yields of selected constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 through December 2008.—Continued [ft3/s, cubic feet per second; cm/storm, centimeters per storm duration; in/storm, inches per storm duration; NTU, nephelometric turbid- ity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concen- trations for filtered samples; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; BOD5, biological oxygen demand, 5 days at 20 °C; COD, chemical oxygen demand; E. coli, Escherichia coli, MPN/100 mL, most probable number per 100 milliliters; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 milliliters; μg/L, micrograms per liter; g/s, grams per second; col/s, colonies per second; kg/d/km2, kilograms per day per square kilometer; RL, reporting level for streamflow, precipitation, physical properties, BOD5, COD, bacteria, and suspended sediment; LRL, laboratory reporting level for chloride, residue on evaporation, nutrients, and metals; MRL, minimum reporting level for cyanide; --, no data] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Statistic Yield7 chloride (kg/d/km2

)

Yield7

nitrate

(kg/d/km2 as N)

Yield7

total organic 

nitrogen

(kg/d/km2

)

Yield7

total nitrogen 

(kg/d/km2

)

Yield7

phosphorus, 

total

(kg/d/km2 as P)

Yield7

suspended 

sediment 

(kg/d/km2

)

6 Detections 16 17 17 17 17 15

Minimum8 24.1 .11 .23 .42 .073 39

Maximum8 787 25.7 221 257 118 170,000

Average8 198 3.58 24.2 28.8 11.8 18,400Median8 72.8 1.36 3.55 5.33 1.79 1,640

1Average streamflow for the sampled storm interval used in calculations of loads and yields.2Streamflow calculated from an established stage-discharge relation for the site at the time the grab samples were collected, including 

BOD5 and cyanide (beginning November 2008).

3Total nitrogen equals ammonia plus nitrate plus nitrite plus organic nitrogen.4Analyses and reported results from the laboratory at the City of Independence Rock Creek Wastewater Teatment Plant.5For the purposes of this report, most probable number per 100 milliliters is considered to be comparable to colonies per 100 milliliters.6Loads are instantaneous loads calculated from multiplying the instantaneous streamflow, sampled concentration, and a constant to 

standardize units.

7Yields are instantaneous yields calculated by dividing the instantaneous load by the drainage area above the sample collection point 

and multiplying by a constant to standardize units.

8Minimum, maximum, average and median values are calculated from data that may contain values that are estimated or less than the 

method detection level.
Tables

109

Table 9. Summary of constituent concentrations and instantaneous loads of common organic micro-constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 through December 2008.[μg/L, micrograms per liter; PAHs, polyaromatic hydrocarbons; OMC, common organic micro-constituents; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/s, milligrams per second; --, no data] 

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Statistic

Total

antioxidants 

(μg/L)

Total

detergents 

(μg/L)

Total

disinfectants 

(μg/L)

Total fire 

retardants 

(μg/L)

Total

flavorings 

and 

fragrances 

(μg/L)

Total 

PAHs and 

combustion 

products 

(μg/L)

Total

pesticides 

(μg/L)

Total 

plastics 

(μg/L)

Total 

solvents 

(μg/L)

Total

sterols 

and 

stanols 

(μg/L)

Total

stimulents 

(μg/L)

Total 

OMC 

(μg/L)

Streamflow1

(ft3/s)

Instantaneous 

load total 

OMC

(mg/s)

All Detections2 26 51 22 62 48 75 76 71 30 62 69 76 -- --

Total detections3 26 103 25 106 102 471 548 186 31 132 75 1,805 -- --Minimum4 0.09 0.11 0.05 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.17 0.03 0.01 0.26 0.06 0.27 14 1.08Maximum4 .60 5.26 .78 2.17 2.55 12.5 22.6 6.41 .10 30.7 3.32 44.8 8,030 860

Average4 .29 1.26 .20 .16 .28 1.57 3.79 .83 .03 3.01 .37 10.2 505 87.4

Median4 .23 .80 .14 .11 .22 .91 2.22 .57 .03 1.34 .20 6.82 139 34.8

1 Detections2 9 13 8 14 14 16 16 15 9 16 14 16 -- --

Minimum4 .14 .11 .06 .04 0.09 .64 1.14 .39 .02 .59 .06 4.70 20 7.97Maximum4 .59 5.26 .78 .30 2.55 12.3 21.6 6.41 .10 30.7 3.32 44.8 644 359Average4 .34 1.82 .19 .15 .26 2.39 5.49 1.23 .03 4.84 .77 16.2 201 76.0Median4 .34 1.64 .09 .18 .31 1.61 2.87 .71 .03 4.01 .42 15.6 75 42.1

3 Detections2 2 11 3 12 7 15 16 14 4 12 15 16 -- --

Minimum4 .20 .24 .05 .04 .01 .28 .77 .14 .01 .26 .06 2.41 72 9.84

Maximum4 .23 2.68 .48 .31 .22 2.70 4.04 1.34 .03 3.46 .63 9.40 5,500 774Average4 .21 .96 .24 .12 .11 .76 2.44 .63 .02 1.13 .20 5.62 780 116Median4 .21 .80 0.1 .12 .11 .51 2.26 .62 .02 0.73 .17 4.95 368 51.9

4 Detections2 5 9 4 11 8 13 13 13 5 11 12 13 -- --

Minimum4 .21 .15 .11 .05 .01 .21 .29 .15 .01 .58 .11 1.36 14 1.08

Maximum4 .48 2.33 .54 .31 .58 12.5 22.6 2.58 .04 7.14 .69 29.5 1,000 329Average4 .31 1.08 .26 .16 .23 2.68 4.86 1.22 .03 2.30 .31 12.2 161 51.9Median4 .24 .84 .19 .10 .23 1.34 2.10 1.13 .03 1.40 .23 10.5 45 24.3

5 Detections2 7 10 5 13 12 16 16 15 8 13 15 16 -- --

Minimum4 .16 .34 .08 .02 .02 .03 .81 .07 .02 .47 .08 2.59 21 2.68Maximum4 .60 3.21 .28 2.17 .50 4.79 10.2 2.33 .07 10.8 .79 26.8 770 97.0Average4 .29 1.55 .14 .27 .26 1.44 3.31 .62 .03 2.51 .30 9.22 151 29.7Median4 .23 1.30 .11 .09 .28 1.09 2.34 .44 .03 1.69 .25 7.86 79 20.0
110 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 9. Summary of constituent concentrations and instantaneous loads of common organic micro-constituents in stormflow samples, June 2005 through December 2008.— Continued [μg/L, micrograms per liter; PAHs, polyaromatic hydrocarbons; OMC, common organic micro-constituents; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mg/s, milligrams per second; --, no data] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Statistic Total anti- oxidants (μg/L) Total detergents (μg/L) Total disinfectants (μg/L) Total fire retardants (μg/L) Total flavorings and fragrances (μg/L) Total PAHs and combustion products (μg/L) Total pesticides (μg/L) Total plastics (μg/L) Total solvents (μg/L) Total sterols and stanols (μg/L) Total stimulents (μg/L) Total OMC (μg/L) Stream- flow1 (ft3/s) Instant- aneous load total OMC (mg/s)

6 Detections2 3 8 2 12 7 15 15 14 4 10 13 15 -- --

Minimum4 0.09 0.22 0.06 0.05 0.01 0.02 0.17 0.03 0.02 0.38 0.07 0.27 134 6.52Maximum4 .14 .64 .16 .16 0.45 3.67 12.3 .79 .05 1.24 .42 14.5 8,030 860Average4 .11 .42 .11 .09 .21 .63 2.42 .40 .03 .81 .15 4.54 1,280 165

Median4 .11 .39 .11 .08 .22 .51 1.48 .40 .03 .76 .12 3.84 520 64.5

1Average streamflow for the sampled storm interval.2Number of samples with one or more detections of OMC.3Total number of individual OMCs detected.4Minimum, maximum, average and median values are calculated from data that may contain values that are estimated or less than the minimum reporting level.
Tables

111

Table 11. Selected constituents and dissolved metals concentrations in stormflow, October 17, 2007.[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; mg/L, milligrams per liter; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, no data; E, estimated; A, average; <, less than; M, presence verified not quantified]

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Streamflow1 

(ft3/s)

Instantaneous 

streamflow2

(ft3/s)

Peak 

streamflow 

for storm 

event (ft3/s)

Turbidity 

(NTU)

pH, 

field

(standard 

units)

pH,

laboratory 

(standard 

units)

Specific 

conductance, 

laboratory 

(μS/cm)

Specific 

conductance, 

field 

(μS/cm)

Water

temperature 

(°C)

Gage

height

(feet)

1 10/17/2007 1300 179 -- 447 -- 8 7.8 237 232 -- --

3 10/17/2007 2000 -- 946 1,100 E780 7.9 7.8 293 271 16.6 33.52

4 10/17/2007 1330 133 -- 294 -- 7.9 8.1 209 201 -- --

5 10/17/2007 1700 404 -- 575 A800 8 7.9 186 175 A16.5 --

6 10/17/2007 1800 1,810 -- 1,980 A690 8 7.8 272 267 A16.4 --

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Residue on 

evaporation 

at 180 °C, 

dissolved 

(mg/L) 

Sodium,

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Sodium,

total

(mg/L)

Chloride, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

total 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite plus 

nitrate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite,

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Total 

organic 

nitrogen 

(mg/L)

1 10/17/2007 1300 140 9.38 9.3 13.1 2.6 0.073 0.57 0.56 0.013 2.5

3 10/17/2007 2000 159 13.6 14.2 18.6 2.7 .066 .61 .60 .019 2.7

4 10/17/2007 1330 120 7.55 8.0 11.6 3.2 .089 .57 .56 .015 3.1

5 10/17/2007 1700 97 7.11 7.8 8.94 5.9 .052 .37 .36 .011 5.8

6 10/17/2007 1800 150 13.0 13.8 17.9 2.9 .061 .62 .60 .018 2.9

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Total

nitrogen3

(mg/L)

Orthophosphate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Orthophosphate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as P)

Phosphorus, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as P)

Phosphorus, 

total

(mg/L as P)

Aluminum, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Aluminum, 

total

(μg/L)

Antimony, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Arsenic, 

total

(μg/L)

Barium, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

1 10/17/2007 1300 3.2 0.395 0.129 0.12 0.86 2.6 6,570 0.27 5.9 42

3 10/17/2007 2000 3.3 .249 .081 .08 1.32 1.8 21,100 .75 7.6 61

4 10/17/2007 1330 3.8 .299 .098 .09 1.45 2.3 15,500 .24 9.9 55

5 10/17/2007 1700 6.2 .346 .113 .10 2.92 4.1 30,000 .27 13.1 41

6 10/17/2007 1800 3.5 .285 .093 .08 1.41 2.5 17,500 .51 9.0 65
112 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 11. Selected constituents and dissolved metals concentrations in stormflow, October 17, 2007.—Continued [ft3/s, cubic feet per second; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degrees Celsius; dissolved concentrations for filtered samples; mg/L, mil- ligrams per liter; total concentrations for unfiltered samples; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, no data; E, estimated; A, average; <, less than; M, presence verified not quantified] Site number (table 1; fig. 1) Sample start date Sample start time Beryllium, dissolved (μg/L) Cadmium, dissolved (μg/L) Cadmium, total (μg/L) Chromium, dissolved (μg/L) Chromium, total (μg/L) Cobalt, dissolved (μg/L) Copper, dissolved (μg/L) Copper, total (μg/L) Cyanide (mg/L) Lead, dissolved (μg/L)

1 10/17/2007 1300 <0.01 <0.04

M 0.57 11 0.05 1.9 27 0.011 E.07

3 10/17/2007 2000 <.01 E.02 1 .16 28 .09 1.6 28 <.010 E.05

4 10/17/2007 1330 <.01 <.04 1 .26 21 .14 1.6 32 <.010 E.05

5 10/17/2007 1700 <.01 E.02 3 .26 40 .08 1.4 61 <.010 E.06

6 10/17/2007 1800 <.01 <.04 1 .13 23 .08 1.5 31 <.010 E.04

Site

number 

(table 1; 

fig. 1)

Sample 

start date

Sample 

start time

Lead,

total

(μg/L)

Manganese, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Mercury, 

total

(μg/L)

Molybdenum, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Nickel, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Silver, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Zinc,

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Zinc,

total

(μg/L)

Uranium 

(natural), 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Suspended 

sediment 

(mg/L)

1 10/17/2007 1300 50.5 0.6 0.064 1.0 0.92 <0.1 E1.3 151 0.36 574

3 10/17/2007 2000 35.0 3.4 .063 1.8 1.3 <.1 E1.2 153 .69 1,840

4 10/17/2007 1330 46.2 13.5 .076 1.2 1.3 <.1 E1.6 212 .44 2,050

5 10/17/2007 1700 98.0 .9 .128 1.5 1.2 <.1 E1.3 333 .48 4,410

6 10/17/2007 1800 40.0 .4 .071 2.0 1.3 <.1 E.90 161 .71 1,930

1Average streamflow for the sampled storm interval.2Streamflow calculated from an established stage-discharge relation for site 3 at the time the grab sample was obtained on October 17, 2007.3Total nitrogen equals ammonia plus nitrate plus inorganic nitrogen.
Tables

113

Table 12. Summary of dry-weather screening constituent detections in streams in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008.[mg/L, milligrams per liter; All, combination of all data for all streams; <, less than; >, greater than; EDL, estimated detection limit; MDL, method detection limit; M values, constituent detected but not quantified; results are semi-quantitative]Sample 

year

Statistic

Total 

chlorine 

(mg/L)

Total 

dissolved 

copper 

(mg/L)

Phenols 

(mg/L)

Anionic 

surfactants 

(mg/L)

Sample 

year

Statistic

Total 

chlorine 

(mg/L)

Total 

dissolved 

copper 

(mg/L)

Phenols 

(mg/L)

Anionic 

surfactants 

(mg/L)

All basins (table 1; fig. 2) Crackerneck Creek Basin (table 1; fig. 2)

2006– Analyses 536 536 524 535 2006 Analyses 31 31 31 31

2008 Detections1 495 131 225 477 Detections1 28 1 19 24

Percent deleted2 0.6 3.4 0 0.2 Minimum3 <0.05 <0.05 <0.005 <0.010

Minimum3 <.05 <0.05 <0.005 <.010 Maximum3 .15 .05 .045 .218

Maximum3 7.00 .18 >.200 5.000 Average3 <.05 7<.05 .007 .017

Average3 .07 <.05 <.005 .016 Median3 <.05 7 <.05 <.005 <.010Median3 .05 <.05 <.005 <.010 Percent M values6 74.2 3.2 25.8 35.5

EDL4 .02 .04 .002 .002 Percent above MDL 16.1 0 35.5 41.9

MDL5 .05 .05 .005 .010

Percent M values6 49.3 12.7 21.9 45.2Percent above MDL 43.1 11.8 21.0 43.9

Rock Creek Basin (table 1; fig. 2) Spring Branch Creek (table 1; fig. 2)

2006 Analyses 54 54 46 54 2006 Analyses 52 52 52 51

Detections1 46 5 24 53 Detections1 49 10 23 31

Minimum3 <.05 <.05 <.005 <.010 Minimum3 <.05 <.05 <.005 <.010

Maximum3 2.06 .18 >.200 >.275 Maximum3 .12 .11 .017 .065

Average3 .08 7<.05 .017 .019 Average3 .05 <.05 <.005 .010Median3 <.05 7 <.05 <.005 .010 Median3 .05 <.05 <.005 <.010

Percent M values6 48.1 5.6 17.4 50.0 Percent M values6 67.3 11.5 26.9 35.3

Percent above MDL 37.0 3.7 34.8 48.1 Percent above MDL 26.9 7.7 17.3 25.5
114 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri Table 12. Summary of dry-weather screening constituent detections in streams in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008.—Continued [mg/L, milligrams per liter; All, combination of all data for all streams; <, less than; >, greater than; EDL, estimated detection limit; MDL, method detection limit; M values, constituent detected but not quantified; results are semi-quantitative] Sample year Statistic Total chlorine (mg/L) Total dissolved copper (mg/L) Phenols (mg/L) Anionic surfactants (mg/L) Sample year Statistic Total chlorine (mg/L) Total dissolved copper (mg/L) Phenols (mg/L) Anionic surfactants (mg/L) Rock Creek (table 1; fig. 2) Adair Creek (table 1; fig. 2) 2007 Analyses 52 52 52 52 2007 Analyses 75 75 75 75 Detections1 45 11 19 49 Detections1 66 28 28 61 Minimum3 <.05 <.05 <.005 <.010 Minimum3 <.05 <.05 <.005 <.010 Maximum3 1.63 .11 .013 .090 Maximum3 1.89 .11 .012 .278 Average3 .12 <.05 <.005 <.010 Average3 .07 <.05 <.005 .011 Median3 .07 <.05 <.005 <.010 Median3 .05 <.05 <.005 <.010 Percent M values6 19.2 13.5 17.3 69.2 Percent M values6 38.7 18.7 14.7 52.0 Percent above MDL 67.3 7.7 19.2 25.0 Percent above MDL 49.3 18.7 22.7 29.3 Sugar Creek (table 1; fig. 2) Rock Creek (table 1; fig. 2) 2007 Analyses 8 8 8 8 2008 Analyses 87 87 87 87 Detections1 8 2 6 8 Detections1 83 32 24 87 Minimum3 .06 <.05 <.005 <.010 Minimum3 <.05 <.05 <.005 <.010 Maximum3 1.55 <.05 .015 .025 Maximum3 .14 .14 .017 .211 Average3 .28 7 <.05 .005 .012 Average3 .05 <.05 <.005 .022 Median3 .11 7 <.05 <.005 .011 Median3 .05 <.05 <.005 .015 Percent M values6 0 25.0 50.0 50.0 Percent M values6 56.3 14.9 14.9 29.9 Percent above MDL 100.0 0 25.0 50.0 Percent above MDL 39.1 21.8 12.6 70.1
Tables

115

Table 12. Summary of dry-weather screening constituent detections in streams in Independence, Missouri, 2006 through 2008.—Continued[mg/L, milligrams per liter; All, combination of all data for all streams; <, less than; >, greater than; EDL, estimated detection limit; MDL, method detection limit; M values, constituent detected but not quantified; results are semi-quantitative]Sample 

year

Statistic

Total 

chlorine 

(mg/L)

Total 

dissolved 

copper 

(mg/L)

Phenols 

(mg/L)

Anionic 

surfactants 

(mg/L)

Sample 

year

Statistic

Total 

chlorine 

(mg/L)

Total 

dissolved 

copper 

(mg/L)

Phenols 

(mg/L)

Anionic 

surfactants 

(mg/L)

Mill Creek (table 1; fig. 2) Adair Creek (table 1; fig. 2)

2007 Analyses 54 54 50 54 2008 Analyses 55 55 55 55

Detections1 52 12 25 49 Detections1 52 17 23 55

Minimum3 <.05 <.05 <.005 <.010 Minimum3 <.05 <.05 <.005 <.010

Maximum3 7.00 .08 .048 5.000 Maximum3 .11 .09 .014 .221

Average3 .09 <.05 <.005 .025 Average3 .05 <.05 <.005 .024

Median3 .06 <.05 <.005 <.010 Median3 <.05 <.05 <.005 .017

Percent M values6 33.3 14.8 32.0 50.0 Percent M values6 60.0 18.2 27.3 16.4

Percent above MDL 63.0 7.4 18.0 40.7 Percent above MDL 34.5 12.7 14.5 83.6

Burr Oak Creek (table 1; fig. 2) Bundschu Creek (table 1; fig. 2)

2008 Analyses 22 22 22 22 2008 Analyses 46 46 46 46

Detections1 22 3 12 16 Detections1 43 10 21 44

Minimum3 <.05 <.05 <.005 <.010 Minimum3 <.05 .05 <.005 <.010

Maximum3 .15 .06 .010 .018 Maximum3 011 .07 .019 .023

Average3 .06 <.05 <.005 <.010 Average3 .05 <.05 <.005 <.010

Median3 .05 <.05 <.005 <.010 Median3 <0.05 <.05 <.005 <.010

Percent M values6 54.5 4.5 27.3 59.1 Percent M values6 60.9 6.5 23.9 69.6

Percent above MDL 45.5 9.1 27.3 13.6 Percent above MDL 32.6 15.2 21.7 26.1

1Number of detections is the number of samples for each analyte with concentrations greater than the EDL.2Values deleted due to suspected interferences.3Minimum, maximum, average and median values are calculated from data that may contain values that are estimated or less than the provisional method detection limit.4The EDL is determined by Hach Company©, the manufacturer of the analyte tests.5Provisional MDL is determined by a comparison of the results of the environmental samples with the replicate and duplicate samples.6M values are values that are between the EDL and MDL for each analyte; values are given in percentage of total analyses.7The number of censored values less than the MDL (97 percent of samples) preclude the calculation of an average and median for these samples; therefore, the averages and medians are less than the MDL.
116 Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri

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Tables 117
Christensen and others— Water Quality and Ecological Condition of Urban Streams in Independence, Missouri—Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5074

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