Water-Resources Investigations Report 03–4285

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Background and Comparison of Water-Quality, 

Streambed-Sediment, and Biological Characteristics

of Streams in the Viburnum Trend and the Exploration

Study Areas, Southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001
Background and Comparison of Water-Quality, 

Streambed-Sediment, and Biological 

Characteristics of Streams in the Viburnum 

Trend and the Exploration Study Areas, 

Southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001 

By Suzanne R. Femmer 

Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4285 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

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

Gale A. Norton, Secretary 

U.S. Geological Survey 

Charles G. Groat, Director 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2004 

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services


Box 25286, Denver Federal Center


Denver, CO 80225


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Suggested citation: 

Femmer, Suzanne R., 2004, Background and comparison of water-quality, streambed-sediment, and biological characteristics of streams in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study areas, southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4285, 18 p. 
iii 

CONTENTS


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


Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1


Purpose and Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3


Description of Study Areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3


Methods of Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4


Site Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4


Sampling Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4


Statistical Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


Background Characteristics and Statistical Comparisons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


Water Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


Streambed Sediment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9


Biological Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12


Fish Tissue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12


Habitat Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12


Invertebrate Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15


Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16


References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17


FIGURES 

1.	 Maps showing study areas, stream-water quality, streambed-sediment, and biological


sampling sites for investigation of background characteristics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2


2–5. Photographs showing:


2.	 Aquatic invertebrates, such as the Hellgrammite, were surveyed as part of the 


biological investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3


3.	 Big Spring and Greer Spring, two large springs with recharge areas in the exploration


area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4


4.	 The Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill sampling site, looking downstream, 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


5.	 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail sampling site, looking downstream, 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


6.	 Graph showing bacteria density at the sampled sites, 1995 and 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9


7.	 Hierarchal clustering using Euclidean distances and single linkages for invertebrate


community data collected in the Viburnum Trend and exploration study areas,


1995 and 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

iv 

TABLES 

1.	 Water-quality data from sites sampled in the ViburnumTrend and the exploration study


areas, 1995 and 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7


2.	 Streambed-sediment data from sites sampled in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration


study areas, 1995 and 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10


3.	 Trace element concentrations in fish tissue samples from the Virburnum Trend and the


exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13


4.	 Habitat characteristics of sites sampled in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study


areas, 1995 and 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14


5.	 Abundance and diversity data for invertebrate samples in the Viburnum Trend and the


exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15


6.	 Pearson correlation matrix for invertebrate samples collected from each sampling site . . . . . . . . . . . 15


VERTICAL DATUM 

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 

can be converted to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) by using the National


Geodetic Survey conversion utility available at URL http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/TOOLS/Vertcon/


vertcon.html.


(NGVD 29). Elevation, as used in this report, refers to distance above or below NGVD 29. NGVD 29 
Background and Comparison of Water-Quality, 

Streambed-Sediment, and Biological Characteristics of 

Streams in the Viburnum Trend and the Exploration Study 

Areas, Southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001 

By Suzanne R. Femmer 

Abstract 

Missouri has a long history of lead mining in the Park Hills 

and Viburnum Trend areas. Lead ore production has been a significant economic presence since the settlement of Missouri in 

the 1700’s. As lead sources are depleted in active mining areas, 

new areas are being explored for economical ore bodies. The 

exploration area south of Winona, a possible extension of the 

Viburnum Trend lead-producing area, lies in an area of intense 

interest because of its scenic beauty and sensitive environment. 

Water-quality, streambed-sediment, fish tissue, instream 

and riparian habitat, and invertebrate-community samples were 

collected from three sites in the Viburnum Trend for the 

National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program Black 

River synoptic study in 1995 and from four sites in the exploration study area in 2001. The samples, which were collected 

using NAWQA protocols, were analyzed and compared to 

establish background conditions and similarities between sites. 

Bacteria, lead, and zinc concentrations were substantially 

different between the study areas. Habitat characteristics, such 

as streambed substrate size and embeddedness were similar. 

The Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill is substantially larger 

in size than the other six surveyed sites. Trace element concentrations in fish tissue samples collected in the two study areas 

are similar. Samples from both areas had elevated mercury levels. Invertebrate community data indicated similarity among the 

Viburnum Trend study area sites, but these sites had little in 

common with the exploration study area sites. The invertebrate 

community structure in the exploration study area were not similar. 

Introduction 

Lead mining has been a part of Missouri history from the 

time French prospectors discovered and mined lead from the 

Mine La Motte area near Fredericktown (fig. 1) in the 1700’s. 

During the 1860’s, lead mining activities moved north to the 

Bonne Terre—Flat River (Park Hills) area (Old Lead Belt; fig. 

1), and mining continued in that area through the early 1950’s. 

By 1907, Missouri had become the leader in lead ore production 

in the United States, a title the State still holds (St. Louis PostDispatch, June 2, 2002). The Old Lead Belt produced lead ore 

steadily (peaking during World War II) until the 1950’s when 

the ore mineral content reached about 2 percent lead, and was 

no longer economical to extract. Attention then shifted to the 

area of the 1955 discovery of lead-zinc deposits around Viburnum (fig. 1). This new source of economical ore, the Viburnum 

Trend, was producing lead by the mid-1960’s. Eight underground mines were in operation between 1960 and 1973 

(Warner and others, 1974). During 2000, there were nine active 

mines in the Viburnum Trend producing lead ore and its associated minerals, zinc and copper. 

Although lead-zinc exploration has continued in southern 

Missouri since the 1960’s, exploration for new lead deposits 

began in earnest during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s because 

of declining economical ore reserves in the Viburnum Trend. 

The area south of Winona and north of the Eleven Point River 

(fig. 1) is an area of intense interest to mining companies 

because it is considered to be a possible extension of the Viburnum Trend. More than 300 boreholes have been drilled in the 

general area between Winona, Big Spring, and Greer Spring 

since the recent exploration began. 

Land use is known to affect aquatic communities in many 

ways. Changes in vegetation and the disturbance of soils create 

the potential for altered runoff, sediment yield, and biological, 

chemical, and physical stream characteristics. There generally 

is a sequence of action from land use change to the alteration of 

the physical and chemical habitat to changes in stream biota. 

Land use disturbances, such as mining, often cause changes in 

streambed material and channel morphology (Graf and others, 

1995) and changes in the chemical makeup of the water and 

sediment. Bioassessments of stream communities provide an 

overall index of stream health. Analyses suggest that without 

bioassessments there is a risk of not identifying land use effects 

to our streams (Rankin, 1995). 
2 Characteristics of Streams in the Viburnum Trend and the Exploration Study Areas, Southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001 

The study area for the Viburnum Trend includes the upper Black River 

Johnson’s Shut-Ins 

State Park 

Bell Mountain 

Wilderness Viburnum 

Trend 

mining 

district 

Steelville 

Cuba 

Bunker 

Ellington 

Potosi 

West 

Plains 

Willow Springs 

Van Buren 

Thayer 

Mountain 

View 

Alton 

Viburnum 

Annapolis 

Eminence 

Winona 

Huzzah 

Bla kc 

Clearwater 

Lake 

Courtois 

Creek 

S p ring

Point 

River 

Current 

River 

Cre ke

Creek 

River 

Current 

Big 

Spring 

Greer 

Spring 

Eleven 

Blue Spring 

River 

Creek Hurricane 

Kansas

 City 

10 KILOMETERS 

10 MILES 

5 

5 

0 

0 

STATE FOREST 

OZARK NATIONAL SCENIC RIVERWAYS 

ELEVEN POINT WILD AND SCENIC RIVER 

LEAD-ZINC MINE 

TAILINGS PILE 

SAMPLING SITE AND MAP NUMBER

 (table 1) 

EXPLANATION 

St. Louis 

Study 

areas 

MISSOURI 

Basin, the Huzzah and Courtois Creek Basins, and part of the Current 

River Basin near Blue Spring. 

1 

Fredericktown 

Park Hills 

Old Lead Belt 

REYNOLDS 

IRON 

WAYNE 

SHANNON 

DENT 

CRAWFORD 

WASHINGTON 

CARTER 

CARTER 

RIPLEY 

OREGON 

SHANNON 

HOWELL 

36°30¢

91°30¢

37°30¢

37° 

38° 

91° 

92° 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

The study area for the exploration area includes the upper Eleven Point River Basin and part of the 

Current River Basin near Big Spring. 

Figure 1. Study areas, stream-water quality, streambed-sediment, and biological sampling 

sites for investigation of background characteristics. 
3 

There are concerns as to the biological effects of mining 

and its associated release of trace metals in the Viburnum Trend 

study area and potential release in the exploration study area, 

thereby affecting stream biota. Surveys that define the biological, chemical, and physical quality of these areas are scarce. The 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality 

Assessment (NAWQA) program conducted an environmental 

assessment during 1995 of the Black River Basin, located in the 

Viburnum Trend study area. The goal of this synoptic survey 

was to quantify and qualify the biological, chemical, and physical effects of lead-zinc mining in the basin. Water chemistry, 

streambed sediment, fish tissue contaminants, instream and 

riparian habitat, and algal and invertebrate communities (fig. 2) 

were surveyed in this effort. The sites sampled were strategically located upstream and downstream from active mining 

areas in an effort to identify the effects of mining in this area. 

There are concerns that if lead-zinc mining occurs in the 

exploration study area, the unique beauty and sensitive environment of the area could be compromised. One concern is that 

mine dewatering could lower water levels and thereby decrease 

or eliminate ground-water discharge from some springs. Also, 

there is concern about the degradation of spring and stream 

water quality and biotic integrity as a result of lead and other 

metals being introduced into the environment from miningrelated activities. 

Purpose and Scope 

The purpose of this report is to document the background 

water-quality, streambed-sediment, and biological characteristics at sites in the Viburnum Trend study area upstream from 

mining activities and the exploration study area and compare 

the data for similarities. Data from three sites sampled during 

the 1995 Black River synoptic study (Viburnum Trend study 

area) and four sites in the exploration study area sampled in 

2001 are used. 

For the Black River synoptic survey, water-quality samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients (because reagents 

containing organic liquids, nitrogen, and phosphorous compounds are used in milling operations of lead and zinc ore), bacteria, and trace elements. Fish tissue and fine-streambed sediment were collected for trace-element analysis and 

measurements of instream and riparian habitat were made. To 

assess the biological integrity of the system, qualitative and 

semi-quantitative algae and invertebrate samples were collected 

to assess the community structure. 

The methods for the Black River synoptic study were 

duplicated at four sites in the exploration area study in 2001 to 

establish background conditions and to compare the two areas 

of concern. Water-quality samples were analyzed for major 

ions, nutrients, bacteria, and trace elements. Fish tissue and 

fine-streambed sediment were collected and analyzed for trace 

elements. Physical measurements of instream and riparian habitat were made. Invertebrate samples were collected to assess 

community structure. 

Introduction 

&IGURE!QUATICINVERTEBRATESSUCHASTHE(ELLGRAMMITE

WERESURVEYEDASPARTOFTHEBIOLOGICALINVESTIGATION

Description of Study Areas 

The Viburnum Trend study area is located in an upland 

area with rugged relief and numerous springs and streams. This 

area is characterized by deep, narrow valleys and steep-sided 

ridges. The ridges generally are covered by oak-hickory forests 

and the valleys usually support pastures or hay fields. The Black 

River and its tributaries flow through the southeastern part of 

the Viburnum Trend study area and drain into Clearwater Lake 

(fig. 1). Much of this area lies in the Mark Twain National Forest, managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service (FS), and several State Forest areas. Recreational areas 

such as Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park and Bell Mountain Wilderness attract many visitors. 

The exploration study area is in an area of intense interest 

because of its scenic beauty, recreational potential, and geohydraulic properties. The area consists of rugged, forested highlands that contain numerous springs and support a fragile and 

diverse ecosystem. Two federally designated scenic riverways 

that host more than 2 million visitors annually are in the area; 

the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR), managed by the 

National Park Service (NPS), and Eleven Point Wild and Scenic 

River (EPWSR), managed by the FS (fig. 1). Dye-trace studies 

have shown that the exploration study area is within the 

recharge area of two large springs, Big Spring and Greer Spring 

(fig. 3; Imes and Kleeschulte, 1995). Big Spring, located 20 

miles east of the exploration area, is one of the largest single orifice springs in the Nation, has an annual mean discharge of 447 

ft3

/s (cubic feet per second) or 289 million gallons per day 

(Mgal/d) and Greer Spring, about 3 miles south of the exploration area, has an annual mean discharge of 344 ft3

/s (Hauck and 

Nagel, 2001) or 222 Mgal/d. 

Both the exploration study area and the Viburnum Trend 

study area are located in the Salem Plateau (Fenneman, 1938) 

with forest to forest-pasture land use (Adamski and others, 

1994). Both areas are in a soil region of alfisol and ultisols of 

the Ozark Highlands dolomites (Adamski and others, 1994). 

Both the Viburnum Trend study area and the exploration study 
4 Characteristics of Streams in the Viburnum Trend and the Exploration Study Areas, Southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001 

&IGURE "IG3PRINGLEFT	AND'REER3PRINGRIGHT	TWOLARGESPRINGSWITHRECHARGEAREASINTHEEXPLORATIONAREA

PHOTOGRAPHSCOURTESYOF"RIAN3&REDRICK53'EOLOGICAL3URVEY	

area contain areas of well-developed karst terrane. Karst is a 

geologic feature that forms with the dissolution of carbonate or 

other soluble rock by precipitation and ground water and is 

characterized by the presence of springs, caves, sinkholes, and 

underground conduits. Ground- and surface-water exchange is 

common in karst areas, contributing to the fact that land-use 

activities have the potential to affect ground-water quality. 

Streams in karst areas can lose water to the subsurface through 

underground conduits that cause the ground-water levels to 

decline below the stream level. The underground flow of water 

from one surface-water basin to another is common in karst terrane. Data collected by the USGS indicates that ground water 

travels from the Eleven Point River Basin to Big Spring in the 

Current River Basin (Kleeschulte, 2000). 

Methods of Study 

Documented USGS protocols and methods were used for 

this study. Biological sampling sites selected in the exploration 

study area were as physically similar as possible to the selected 

sites in the Viburnum Trend study area. Accepted statistical 

methods were employed for the analysis of the data for this 

report. 

Site Selection 

To compare background characteristics of both study 

areas, three sites from the NAWQA Black River synoptic study 

were selected to represent non-mining conditions in the Viburnum Trend study area. The sites are the Middle Fork Black 

River near Redmondville (map number 1), West Fork Black 

River near Greeley (map number 2), and Big Creek near Rat, 

Missouri (map number 3) (fig. 1). The Middle Fork Black River 

and the West Fork Black River sites are located upstream from 

mining operations and the Big Creek site is located in a nearby 

basin where there are no mining activities. The three sites from 

the Black River synoptic study are located in the headwaters 

upstream from Clearwater Lake. Background characteristics 

from these sites were compared to four sites from the exploration study area. 

The sites sampled in the exploration study area are located 

in the basin of the Eleven Point River. Unlike the Viburnum 

Trend study area, the exploration study area has few perennial 

streams; most of the tributaries in the area are intermittent 

streams that lose water to ground-water sources. The Eleven 

Point River is the largest stream in the exploration study area 

(fig. 1). Four sites were selected in 2001 for evaluation of premining conditions, two sites on the main stem of the Eleven 

Point River and two sites on perennial reaches of tributaries to 

the Eleven Point River; Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 

(map number 4), the Eleven Point River near Turner’s Mill 

(map number 7) (fig. 4), Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 

(map number 5), and Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail (map 

number 6) (fig. 5). 

Sampling Methods 

Sampling methods were duplicated as much as possible 

between the two study areas. The sampling occurred during 

August 2001 and September 1995 to take advantage of stable, 

low-flow conditions. The sampling methods used were from 

established protocols developed for the NAWQA program for 

all streambed material, fish tissue, and biological sampling. 

Field parameters, such as dissolved oxygen, pH, specific 

conductance, and water temperature were recorded. Escherichia coli (E. coli), fecal coliform, and fecal streptococci were 

sampled. Protocols used for field parameters are detailed in 

Wilde and Radtke (1998). 

Water-quality samples were collected using procedures 

detailed in Shelton (1994). A water sample was collected from 

3 to 10 locations in a stream cross section. Because all of the 
Methods of Study 5 

&IGURE 4HE%LEVEN0OINT2IVERAT4URNERS-ILLSAMPLINGSITELOOKINGDOWNSTREAM

&IGURE (URRICANE#REEKATTHE/ZARK4RAILSAMPLINGSITELOOKINGDOWNSTREAM
6 Characteristics of Streams in the Viburnum Trend and the Exploration Study Areas, Southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001 

streams were wadable at the time of sampling, a DH-81 sampler 

was used to collect the water for processing. After field processing, the samples were shipped to the USGS National Water 

Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in Denver, Colorado, for analysis 

of physical parameters, major ions, nutrients, and trace elements. 

Streambed sediment was collected for trace-element analyses at all four exploration study area sites and two sites in the 

Viburnum Trend study area. Methods used for collecting and 

processing streambed-sediment samples are documented in 

Shelton and Capel (1994). Fine sediments in depositional areas 

were targeted to optimize detection of trace elements. Streambed sediment was collected and composited from a minimum of 10 locations at each sampling site. Teflon sampling 

scoops were used to collect the sediment, which was then composited in a glass bowl for processing. After mixing well, the 

sediment was processed through a 63-μm (micron) mesh nylon 

cloth and the less than 63-μm portion was sent to the NWQL for 

analysis of trace elements. 

Biological tissue was collected at two sites, one in the 

Viburnum Trend study area and the other in the exploration 

study area, and analyzed for trace elements. Livers were collected and composited from eight smallmouth bass 

(Micropterus dolomieu) at the West Fork Black River near 

Greeley (map number 1) and from seven shadow bass 

(Ambloplites ariommus) at the Eleven Point River at Turner’s 

Mill (map number 7). Protocols described in Crawford and 

Luoma (1993) were used for both sample collections. 

A modification of the NAWQA protocol was used for habitat sampling at all sites. Instream and riparian conditions were 

measured and recorded. Reference points were established and 

a sampling reach was selected at each site. Geomorphologic 

features were noted and three transects were selected for measurement. Channel width, water depth, velocity, streambed substrate, substrate embeddedness, canopy angle, and bank woody 

vegetation were measured and recorded. Procedures for collecting these data are given in Meador and others (1993). 

A semi-quantitative invertebrate sample was collected at 

each site from the most diverse habitat available, which in these 

study areas are the riffles. All of the sampled riffles were wadable. A minimum of five invertebrate samples from at least two 

separate riffles were collected and composited at each site. A 

modified Slack sampler was used to sample an area of 0.25 m2 

(square meter) at five locations at each site. A 425-μm mesh net 

was used for the Viburnum Trend study area, and a 500-μm 

mesh net was used for the exploration study area collection 

because of changes in NAWQA protocol. Details of the invertebrate sampling protocols can be found in Cuffney and others 

(1993) and Moulton and others (2002). After the samples were 

composited, they were preserved and shipped to NWQL for 

processing and analysis. NWQL uses a 300 fixed-count method 

to identify and enumerate the invertebrate samples (Moulton 

and others, 2002). 

Statistical Methods 

Several statistical methods were used to describe and compare invertebrate community data. Analytical methods using 

population and species assemblages at the community level 

such as enumerations, taxa richness, and diversity were used 

(Johnson and others, 1993; Resh and Jackson, 1993). 

Pearson’s correlation coefficient statistical method (Helsel 

and Hirsch, 1992) was used to measure the amount of correlation and similarity between the sampling sites and the study 

areas. The Pearson correlation coefficient method calculates the 

coefficient (r) of the x-y pairs of relative abundance of all taxa 

collected at each site. 

A Hierarchial dendrogram cluster analysis method (SPSS, 

Inc., 2000) was used to group sites with similar community 

structure. This method links two of the closest (most similar) 

communities as a cluster and continues in a step-wise manner 

joining communities until all are combined. These clusters are 

then displayed as a dendogram. For this report, the data were 

analyzed using a Euclidean distance matrix (SPSS, Inc., 2000). 

A normalized Euclidean distance (root-mean-squared differences) is computed for all the variables (taxa in this case) to 

determine the distance between the clusters. 

Background Characteristics and Statistical 

Comparisons 

The singular nature of the water-quality, streambed sediment, and biological data limits the interpretation that can be 

applied for background determination and comparisons. There 

are only seven samples, one at each site, for analysis. Although 

this is a small dataset, the data provide an indicator of characteristics at these sites. 

Water Quality 

Water-quality physical parameters were measured and 

water samples collected at the seven sites (table 1). Dissolved 

oxygen, pH, specific conductance, water temperature, and bacteria samples were collected and analyzed on site. Major ions, 

nutrient, and trace element samples were analyzed at the 

NWQL. Dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged from 4.2 to 

12.9 mg/L (milligrams per liter) with a median value of 8.9 mg/ 

L. The pH of the sampled streams ranged from 7.3 to 8.2, with 

a median concentration of 7.8 standard units. Specific conductance ranged from 109 to 423 μS/cm (microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius) with a median value of 361 μS/cm. 

Water temperature ranged from 17.3 to 26.9 °C (degrees Celsius) with a median value of 21.0 °C. There were slight differences in physical parameters between the two study areas. 

Major ions analyzed are dissolved calcium, magnesium, 

potassium, sodium, chloride, silica, and sulfate. Big Creek near 

Rat has some of the smallest concentrations of dissolved ions of 
--

-- 

Table 1. Water-quality data from sites sampled in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001. [mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degree Celsius; SiO2, silica oxide; SO4, sulfate; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 millil

liter; <, less than; --, no data; E, estimated] 

Map Dissolved pH, Specific Water Calcium, Ma

number oxygen (standard conductance temperature dissolved di

(fig. 1) Station name Date Time (mg/L) units) (μS/cm) (°C) (mg/L) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 09/12/1995 0845 8.9 8.1 343 17.3 37.0 2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 09/14/1995 0915 9.6 8.2 319 17.7 35.0 3 Big Creek near Rat 09/11/1995 1115 4.2 7.6 109 21.0 11.0 4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 08/27/2001 1500 12.9 8.1 373 26.9 41.2 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 08/28/2001 1200 4.6 7.3 382 24.2 49.3 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 08/29/2001 1515 7.1 7.5 423 22.8 48.4 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 08/30/2001 1345 10.3 7.8 361 18.6 42.0 

Solids, 

Silica, Sulfate, residue at Nitrogen, Nitrite plus 

Map Sodium, Chloride, dissolved dissolved 180 oC, ammonia, nitrate, N

number dissolved dissolved (mg/L as (mg/L as dissolved dissolved dissolved di

(fig. 1) Station name (mg/L) (mg/L) SiO2) SO4) (mg/L) (mg/L as N) (mg/L as N) (m

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 1.5 1.8 8.0 2.0 178 <0.020 <0.05 <2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 1.3 1.4 9.3 2.7 167 .020 .06 3 Big Creek near Rat 1.4 1.5 .1 2.7 61 .050 .25 4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 2.2 2.3 9.0 2.3 196 <.040 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 2.1 2.7 8.7 3.0 241 <.040 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 1.8 2.1 8.6 3.0 186 <.040 <.05 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 2.0 2.7 10.8 2.2 205 <.040 <.05 
--

Table 1. Water-quality data from sites sampled in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001.—Continued [mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; °C, degree Celsius; SiO2, silica oxide; SO4, sulfate; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; col/100 mL, colonies per 100 millil

liter; <, less than; --, no data; E, estimated] 

Escherichia Fecal Fecal 

Map coli coliform streptococci Aluminum, Antimony, Barium, Cadmium, Ch

number bacteria bacteria bacteria dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved di

(fig. 1) Station name (col/100 mL) (col/100 mL) (col/100 mL) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 37 54 61 5 <1.00 40.0 <1.00 2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 44 34 50 4 <1.00 43.0 <1.00 3 Big Creek near Rat 120 86 37 12 <1.00 40.0 <1.00 4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 38 43 39 6 .44 83.4 <.04 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 2 5 43 6 .41 85.3 <.04 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 55 55 200 8 .43 95.9 <.04 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 20 33 29 11 1.15 188.0 E.02 

Map Copper, Iron, Lead, Manganese, Molybdenum, Zinc, number dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved (fig. 1) Station name (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 1 West Fork Black River near Greeley <1.0 <3 <1.00 2.0 <1.0 13 2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville <1.0 <3 <1.00 2.0 <1.0 7 3 Big Creek near Rat <1.0 10 <1.00 12.0 <1.0 8 4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow .5 <.08 3.8 1.3 14 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River .4 20 E.04 18.0 .4 39 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail .3 20 E.05 22.7 .4 42 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill .3 60 .10 29.6 1.2 6 
Background Characteristics and Statistical Comparisons 9 

all the sites. Calcium concentrations for all sites ranged from 250 

11.0 to 49.3 mg/L with a median value of 41.2 mg/L. MagneBACTERIA TYPE sium concentrations ranged from 5.6 to 29.4 mg/L with a 

median concentration of 23.8 mg/L. Potassium concentrations 

ranged from 0.22 to 1.30 mg/L with a median concentration of 

0.52 mg/L. Sodium concentrations ranged from 1.3 to 2.2 mg/L 

with a median concentration of 1.8 mg/L. Chloride concentrations ranged from 1.4 to 2.7 mg/L with a median concentration 

of 2.1 mg/L. Silica concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 10.8 mg/ 

L with a median concentration of 8.7 mg/L. Sulfate concentrations ranged from 2.0 to 3.0 mg/L with a median concentration 

of 2.7 mg/L. There were slight differences in major ion concentrations between the two study areas. Generally, the dissolved 

ion concentrations were larger at the exploration study area sites 

than in the Viburnum Trend study area, with the exception of 

potassium. 

Water samples were analyzed for dissolved ammonia, 

nitrite plus nitrate, nitrite, and orthophosphorus (table 1). The 

analyses indicated that most nutrient concentrations were below 

laboratory detection levels and that concentrations are not subBACTERIA DENSITY, IN COLONIES PER 100 MILLILITERS OF SAMPLE 

Escherichia coli 

200 

Fecal coliform 

Fecal streptococci 

150 

100 

50 

0 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

stantially different between the two study areas. Minimum 

reporting levels (MRL) for the nutrient species differ between 

analyses for the two sampling efforts for some of the parameters. The MRL for ammonia was 0.02 mg/L during the 1995 

sampling effort and was 0.04 mg/L during the 2001 sampling 

effort. The Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville (map 

number 2) and Big Creek near Rat (map number 3) had ammonia concentrations at or slightly above MRL (0.02 and 0.05 mg/ 

L, respectively); the other five sites had concentrations below 

the MRL. All the sites had concentrations below the MRL for 

nitrite plus nitrate, with the exception of the Middle Fork Black 

River near Redmondville (map number 2) and Big Creek near 

Rat (map number 3), which had concentrations of 0.06 and 0.25 

mg/L, respectively. All concentrations of nitrite and orthophosphorus were below the MRL. These concentrations indicate that 

nutrients are not at a level of concern at these sites. 

Three types of bacteria, E. coli, fecal coliform, and fecal 

streptococci, were analyzed at each site (fig. 6). These bacteria 

are indicative of the presence of fecal material from warmblooded animals, including humans. E. coli bacteria ranged 

from 2 to 120 col/100 mL (colonies per 100 mL) of sample. Big 

Creek at Rat (map number 3) had the largest E. coli concentration and Spring Creek near Eleven Point River (map number 5) 

had the smallest E. coli concentration. Fecal coliform bacteria 

ranged from 5 to 86 col/100 mL of sample. Big Creek at Rat 

(map number 3) had the largest fecal coliform concentration 

and Spring Creek near Eleven Point River (map number 5) had 

the smallest concentration of fecal coliform bacteria. Concentrations of fecal streptococci bacteria ranged from 29 to 200 col/ 

100 mL of sample. Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail (map 

number 6) had the largest concentration and the Eleven Point 

River at Turner’s Mill (map number 7) had the smallest concentration of fecal streptococci bacteria. Overall, the Viburnum 

Trend study area sites had larger concentrations of bacteria than 

the sites in the exploration study area; however, most concentrations are below the maximum recommended levels for 

MAP NUMBER 

(fig. 1) 

Figure 6. Bacteria density at the sampled sites, 

1995 and 2001. 

whole-body contact waters (100 col/100 mL sample, E. coli; 

200 col/100 mL, fecal coliform) (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 2000; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

1986). 

Dissolved trace-element samples were collected at each 

site for analysis (table 1). Although there were differences in the 

MRLs between the two sampling efforts, the analyses indicate 

low concentrations of trace elements in background conditions. 

Generally, the samples from the exploration study area were 

analyzed with lower detection limits than the Viburnum Trend 

study area samples. All samples had above MRL concentrations 

for aluminum, barium, manganese, and zinc. Dissolved lead 

concentrations were all less than 1.0 μg/L (microgram per liter). 

Although many samples were above the MRL, the concentrations were low and not at levels of concern for human and wildlife protection (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 

2000). Concentrations of trace elements were not substantially 

different between the study areas. 

Streambed Sediment 

Streambed-sediment samples were collected at six sites, 

two in the Viburnum Trend study area and four in the exploration study area, and analyzed for trace elements. Fine sediments 

found in depositional zones of each sampling reach were targeted to increase the probability of detecting trace elements. In 

general, inorganic carbon, cobalt, lead, strontium, and zinc were 

detected in slightly larger concentrations at the Viburnum 

Trend study area sites than in the samples of the exploration 

study area (table 2). Sulfur, organic plus inorganic carbon, 

organic carbon, cadmium, chromium, manganese, and selenium 
Table 2. Streambed-sediment data from sites sampled in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001. [<, less than; μm, microns; μg/g, micrograms per gram] 

Map Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Sulfur, Phosphorus, 

number <63 μm <63 μm, <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm 

(fig. 1) Station name Date Time (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 09/12/1995 1130 1.4 0.40 0.88 0.26 0.07 0.06 2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 09/14/1995 0915 4.9 .83 2.10 .19 .11 .07 4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 08/27/2001 1500 3.2 .32 .96 .19 .07 .07 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 08/28/2001 1200 1.0 .42 .88 .16 .19 .09 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 08/29/2001 1515 1.3 .38 .78 .14 .20 .10 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 08/30/2001 

Carbon, 

1345 4.2 .42 .85 .16 .13 .10 

Map organic, Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cadmium, 

number <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm 

(fig. 1) Station name (percent) (percent) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 3.7 3.8 0.6 4.9 340 1.0 <10 0.5 2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 4.4 4.7 .6 6.9 350 2.0 <10 .8 4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 3.7 3.3 .4 5.4 360 1.2 <1 .5 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 10.0 4.3 .5 5.8 330 1.8 <1 .9 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 9.1 3.8 .5 7.5 320 1.6 <1 .8 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 6.0 3.5 .4 6.0 320 1.7 <1 1.1 

Map Cobalt, Copper, Europium, Gallium, Gold, Holmium, Iron, Lanthanum, 

number <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm 

(fig. 1) Station name (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (percent) (μg/g) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 16 17 <2 7 <8 <4 1.6 30 2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 15 26 <2 9 <8 <4 2.1 32 4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 9 17 <1 8 <1 <1 1.5 32 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 7 30 1 10 <1 <1 1.7 35 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 10 22 1 9 <1 <1 1.9 34 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 8 16 1 8 <1 <1 1.5 34 
Table 2. Streambed-sediment data from sites sampled in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001.—Continued [<, less than; μm, microns; μg/g, micrograms per gram] 

Map Manganese, Mercury, Molybdenum, Neodymium, Nickle, Niobium, Scandium, Selenium, 

number <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm 

(fig. 1) Station name (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 610 0.05 <2.0 28 21 12 5 1.0 2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 510 .04 <2.0 28 28 <4 7 .7 4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 1,700 .04 .6 28 17 11 5 .5 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 330 .06 .9 33 25 11 7 2.1 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 680 .07 .8 31 21 12 7 2.0 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 920 .05 .7 32 22 7 6 1.4 

Map Tantalum, Thorium, Tin, Titanium, Vanadium, Ytterbium, Yttrium, Zinc, 

number <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm <63 μm 

(fig. 1) Station name (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (percent) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley <40 10 <10 0.25 53 2 20 150 2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville <40 7 <10 .23 53 2 21 180 

4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow <1 8 2 .29 38 2 15 81 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River <1 8 2 .25 50 2 21 110 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail <1 8 2 .27 50 2 18 130 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill <1 8 2 .25 40 2 19 97 
12 Characteristics of Streams in the Viburnum Trend and the Exploration Study Areas, Southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001 

were generally detected at slightly larger concentrations at the 

exploration study area sites than at the Viburnum Trend study 

area sites. The Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 

(map number 2) had the largest concentrations for 45 percent of 

the parameters analyzed; the Middle Fork Black River had the 

largest concentrations of inorganic carbon, lead, and zinc. The 

Spring Creek near Eleven Point River (map number 5) samples 

had the largest concentrations of organic carbon, chromium, 

copper, selenium, and uranium. Although many samples were 

above the MRL, the concentrations were low and not at levels 

of concern for human and wildlife protection (National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration, 1990). 

Biological Characteristics 

Fish-tissue data were collected from one site in the Viburnum Trend study area and from one site in the exploration study 

area. The small stream sizes in the exploration study area limited the ability to collect enough specimens of the same species 

for analysis. 

Instream and riparian habitat surveys were conducted at all 

seven sites in the two study areas. Habitat data are a useful tool 

in analyzing stream biological conditions. For instance, the 

amount of sunlight that reaches a stream is a major factor in 

stream productivity and relates to algal, invertebrate, and fish 

community characteristics. 

Invertebrate community data were available from all seven 

sites selected for this study. Invertebrate community structure 

can reflect upstream land use and ground-water inflow effects 

on a stream. Riparian conditions and substrate heterogeneity 

also affect community structure. 

Fish Tissue 

Fish tissue samples were collected at the West Fork Black 

River near Greeley (map number 1) and the Eleven Point River 

at Turner’s Mill (map number 7) for analysis of trace elements 

(table 3). Fish will bioaccumulate trace elements as a result of 

long-term exposure to the substances in the water column and 

the streambed sediment. Low concentrations of contaminants 

that may not be detected in the water column often can be 

detected because of bioaccumulation. Smallmouth bass were 

collected at the West Fork Black River near Greeley and 

shadow bass were collected at the Eleven Point River at 

Turner’s Mill. Both species belong to the Centrarchidae family. 

Low levels of copper, iron, manganese, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, 

cobalt, molybdenum, selenium, mercury, and vanadium were 

detected in both samples. Boron, chromium, and strontium were 

detected in the Viburnum Trend study area sample, but not the 

exploration study area sample. The mercury level at the Viburnum Trend study area site is larger than normally seen in the 

Ozark region (data on file at the U.S. Geological Survey, Rolla, 

Missouri). A mercury concentration of 0.3 μg/g (microgram per 

gram) was one of the highest concentrations detected by the 

(1992-1995) NAWQA study of fish tissue. The Eleven Point 

River site had a mercury concentration of 0.16 μg/g. There is no 

substantial difference in the fish tissue trace-element concentrations between the sites sampled. 

Habitat Characteristics 

Measurements of the stream channel and riparian corridor 

quantify stream characteristics for comparison of multiple sites. 

A subset of the data collected is presented in table 4. These data 

illustrate that the Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill (map 

number 7) is substantially larger in size than the other six surveyed sites. If the data from the Eleven Point River at Turner’s 

Mill are omitted from the instream measurements, the exploration study area sites are slightly smaller than the Viburnum 

Trend study area sites. The average channel width of the Viburnum Trend study area sites is 7.1 m (meters) and the exploration 

study area is 9.5 m (5.9 m without the Eleven Point River at 

Turner’s Mill). The average channel depth at the measured 

cross sections is 0.21 m for the Viburnum Trend study area sites 

and 0.28 m for the exploration study area (0.22 m without the 

Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill). The average mean velocity for the Viburnum Trend study area sites is 0.19 m/s (meter 

per second) and the exploration study area is 0.23 m/s (0.12 m/ 

s without the Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill). 

The dominant stream channel substrate was cobble at most 

sites except for the Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 

(map number 2), which was an equal mixture of gravel, cobble, 

and boulder-size substrate, and Big Creek near Rat (map number 3), which had a dominant substrate of boulders. All seven 

sites had an embeddedness of streambed substrate of less than 

50 percent, indicating that the streambed is not armored and 

may experience streambed disturbances from time to time. 

The canopy angle is a measure of how much sunlight can 

reach the streambed. As the canopy angle increases, so does the 

exposure of the streambed to sunlight. The mean canopy angles 

ranged from 22 to 96 degrees; the average mean canopy angle 

is approximately 60 degrees. The Viburnum Trend study area 

sites had mean canopy angles that ranged from 61 to 96 degrees 

and averaged 76 degrees; the sites in the exploration study area 

had mean canopy angles that ranged from 22 to 81 degrees and 

averaged 48 degrees. Generally, the Viburnum Trend study area 

sites had more sunlight available to the streambed than the 

exploration study area sites. 

A quarter-point survey of woody plants was conducted at 

the endpoints of three transects at each site. These surveys document the species diversity and density of woody plants in the 

riparian corridor. A total of 24 woody plants, if present, were 

surveyed at each site. The number of species recorded in the 

quarter point surveys ranged from 9 to 13. The Viburnum Trend 

study area sites averaged 11 species, and the exploration study 

area averaged 9.5 species. These values indicate that the sites 

are similar in woody plant species diversity. 

The density of woody plant growth was recorded at the 

endpoints of each transect. Woody plant density can be an indicator of riparian health and stability. The woody plant density 
Table 3. Trace element concentrations in fish tissue1 samples from the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001. [μg/g, microgram per gram; <, less than] 

Map 

number Aluminum Barium Boron Chromium Copper Iron 

(fig. 1) Station name Date Time (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 09/12/1995 1420 <1 <0.01 0.9 0.5 8.9 370 7 Eleven Point River near Turner’s Mill 08/30/2001 1800 <7 <.30 < 3.9 < 2.6 4.2 300 

Map 

number Zinc Antimony Arsenic Beryllium Cadmium Cobalt Lead Molybdenum 

(fig. 1) Station name (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 70 <0.2 0.4 <0.2 1.0 1.2 <0.2 0.9 7 Eleven Point River near Turner’s Mill 91 <.1 .9 <.1 .5 1.1 <.1 .9 

Map 

number Silver Uranium Mercury Vanadium 

(fig. 1) Station name (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) (μg/g) 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley <0.2 <0.2 0.30 0.2 7 Eleven Point River near Turner’s Mill <.1 <.1 .16 .4 

1 West Fork Black River, Smallmouth Bass; Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill, Shadow Bass. 
Table 4. Habitat characteristics of sites sampled in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001. [m, meter; m/s, meters per second; m2, square meters; <, less than] 

Mean Substrate Mean Num

Map Channel channel Mean embedded- canopy qua

number width depth velocity Dominant ness angle po

(fig. 1) Station name (m) (m) (m/s) substrate (percent) (degrees) spe

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 7.0 0.27 0.24 cobble <25 71 2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 9.4 .21 .20 cobble/gravel/ <50 96 

boulder 

3 Big Creek near Rat 4.8 .14 .13 boulder <50 61 4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 9.1 .36 .07 cobble <25 42 5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 5.3 .20 .04 cobble <25 46 6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 3.3 .11 .26 cobble <25 22 7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 21.3 .47 .66 cobble <50 81 
ranged from 5.0 individuals per 100 m2

 at the Eleven Point 

River near Round Hollow (map number 4) to 30.7 individuals 

per 100 m2 at Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail (map number 

6) (table 4). The Eleven Point River near Round Hollow has pastureland use on one bank of the river, contributing to the lower 

density value. The average woody plant density is 23.3 individuals per 100 m2 for the Viburnum Trend study area, and 19.4 

individuals per 100 m2 for the exploration study area sites. 

These values indicated that overall, the sites have similar riparian vegetative densities. 

There were slight differences in habitat characteristics 

between the two study areas. However, the two study areas were 

similar with respect to the vegetative data. 

Invertebrate Community 

Invertebrate samples were collected at each site from the 

riffle habitats present in the sampling area. Riffles often offer 

the richest habitat for invertebrate communities in the riffle/ 

pool type streams that were sampled for this study. A total of 61 

families were identified at the seven sites sampled. 

Abundance, or the number of individuals collected at each 

site ranged from 2,918 individuals at Spring Creek (map number 5) to 9,846 individuals at Middle Fork Black River near 

Redmondville (map number 2) (table 5). The Viburnum Trend 

study area sites had more individuals per sample than the exploBackground Characteristics and Statistical Comparisons 15 

ration study area sites. Species diversity ranged from 24 to 42 

genera. There was no substantial difference in species diversity 

between the two study areas. 

The orders Emphemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera 

(EPT) are often used as a biotic measure based on the assumption that most species in these orders are sensitive to contamination. The EPT richness ranged from 51 percent at Spring 

Creek (map number 5) to 71 percent at the West Fork Black 

River near Greeley (map number 1) (table 5). There were no 

substantial differences in EPT richness between the two study 

areas. 

The dominant taxa at six of the seven sites were from the 

Emphemeroptera order (mayflies). At the Eleven Point River at 

Turner’s Mill (map number 7), the dominant taxa was from the 

Coleoptera order (riffle beetles). 

Similarities between the invertebrate communities of the 

sites can be determined by using the Pearson correlation analysis (Helsel and Hirsch, 1992) on the invertebrate family data 

(table 6). The sites with the strongest correlations are the Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville (map number 2), Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail (map number 6), and the Eleven 

Point River at Turner’s Mill (map number 7). The invertebrate 

communities at these sites are similar (73 to 76 percent). The 

least similar invertebrate communities (21 percent) are Eleven 

Point River near Round Hollow (map number 4) and Hurricane 

Creek (map number 6). 

Table 5. Abundance and diversity data for invertebrate samples in the Viburnum Trend and the exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001. 

[EPT, Emphemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera] 

Diversity 

Map Abundance (number of EPT 

number (number of genus richness Dominant 

(fig. 1) Station name individuals) identified) (percent) taxa 

1 West Fork Black River near Greeley 5,188 35 71 Heptogeniidae 

2 Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 9,846 27 58 Isonychia 

3 Big Creek near Rat 5,193 42 52 Caenis species 

4 Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 3,258 34 64 Caenis species 

5 Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 2,918 39 51 Isonychia 

6 Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 5,001 24 61 Isonychia 

7 Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 6,234 24 60 Elmidae Optioservus 

Table 6. Pearson correlation matrix for invertebrate samples collected from each sampling site. 

Map 

number 

(fig. 1) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

1 1.00 

2 .64 1.00 

3 .46 .32 1.00 

4 .56 .36 .60 1.00 

5 .51 .35 .54 .40 1.00 

6 .65 .76 .33 .21 .41 1.00 

7 .65 .73 .39 .34 .38 .58 1.00 
16 Characteristics of Streams in the Viburnum Trend and the Exploration Study Areas, Southern Missouri, 1995 and 2001 

Eleven Point River near Round Hollow 

Big Creek near Rat 

West Fork Black River near Greeley 

Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville 

Spring Creek near Eleven Point River 

Hurricane Creek at the Ozark Trail 

Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill 

0 50 100 150 200 250 

DISTANCES 

Figure 7. Hierarchal clustering using Euclidean distances and single linkages for invertebrate community 

data collected in the Viburnum Trend and exploration study areas, 1995 and 2001. 

Analyzing the invertebrate data by the hierarchical dendrogram cluster analysis method (SPSS, Inc., 2000) is another 

method available to determine similarities between community 

data. Using a Euclidean distance matrix (SPSS, Inc., 2000) with 

a single linkage method, the community data were separated 

into groups of decreasing similarity (fig. 7). The shorter linkage 

distances indicate greater community similarities. The three 

Viburnum Trend study area sites appear to be the most closely 

related of the all the sites. Of the exploration study area sites, the 

Eleven Point River near Round Hollow (map number 4) is the 

closest in community similarity to the three Viburnum Trend 

study area sites. The hierarchical dendrogram does not show 

great similarity among the exploration study area sites, each is 

fairly unique in comparison with the community structure of the 

other sites. 

SUMMARY 

This report describes a study to establish background conditions and to compare background conditions of streams in two 

areas. The Viburnum Trend study area, is in an active lead-zinc 

mining district, and the exploration study area, is in an area 

being explored for economical lead-zinc ore bodies. The Viburnum Trend study area primarily lies in the Black River Basin, 

an area of rugged relief and numerous springs and streams. 

Geologic formations of the Black River Basin have been mined 

for lead and zinc ores since the 1960’s. The exploration study 

area lies south of Winona and is an area of unique scenic beauty 

and environmental sensitivity. Biological, chemical, and physical data were collected at three Viburnum Trend study area sites 

in September 1995. As part of a synoptic study for the National 

Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program, biological, 

chemical, and physical data were collected at four exploration 

study area sites in August 2001. The NAWQA protocols were 

followed at the exploration study area sites to duplicate methods 

used in the synoptic study to the greatest extent possible to 

allow data comparison. Although some laboratory reporting 

limits changed between 1995 and 2001, most of the protocols 

and procedures had not changed between the two sampling periods. 

Water-quality parameters were sampled at each of the 

seven sites. Generally, the exploration study area sites had 

larger concentrations of the parameters sampled for than the 

sites in the Viburnum Trend study area. Dissolved ion concentrations generally were larger at the exploration study area sites 

than at the Viburnum Trend study area sites, with the exception 

of potassium. Big Creek near Rat generally had the smallest 

concentrations of dissolved ions at the seven sites analyzed. 

Most of the samples had concentrations below minimum reporting levels (MRL) for nutrients. Two Viburnum Trend study area 

sites, Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville and Big 

Creek near Rat, had low levels of ammonia and nitrite plus 

nitrate concentrations above the MRL. 

Escherichia coli (E. coli), fecal coliform, and fecal streptococci were sampled at each site. The Viburnum Trend study 

area sites had slightly larger concentrations of E. coli and fecal 

coliform than the sites in the exploration study area. The exploration study area sites had larger concentrations of fecal streptococci than the Viburnum Trend study area sites. Most sites 

had bacteria levels below levels of concern for whole-body contact. 
REFERENCES 17 

Dissolved trace-element samples were collected at each 

site for analysis. Although there were differences in the MRLs 

between the two sampling efforts, concentrations indicate lowlevel trace metals in all samples. Fine particle [<63 μm 

(micron)] streambed-sediment samples were collected at six 

sites: two in the Viburnum Trend study area and four in the 

exploration study area. Generally, concentrations of trace elements in stream sediment were detected above the MRL and did 

not differ greatly between the Viburnum Trend study area sites 

and the exploration study area sites. Concentrations were 

slightly larger in the exploration study area samples. 

Fish tissue samples were collected at two sites, one from 

the Black River and one from the Eleven Point River. Small 

concentrations of metals were present in samples from both 

sites. Lead was not detected above the MRL, although concentrations of zinc were detected. Mercury was present in both 

samples, with the largest concentration in the sample from the 

West Fork Black River near Greeley. 

Habitat characteristics were recorded at each site. Instream 

and riparian features were measured to quantify site characteristics. The Eleven Point River at Turner’s Mill was the largest 

site, in size, sampled for this study. Disregarding the Eleven 

Point River at Turner’s Mill site, the exploration study area sites 

were slightly smaller than the Viburnum Trend study area sites. 

The dominant streambed substrate was cobble at most sites with 

the exception of the Middle Fork Black River near Redmondville, which did not have a dominant substrate, and Big Creek 

near Rat, which had a dominant substrate of boulders. The streambed substrate was less than 50 percent embedded at all of the 

sites, indicating that the streambeds experience streambed disturbances from time to time. Canopy angles ranged from 22 to 

96 degrees. The Viburnum Trend study area sites had larger 

canopy angles than the sites in the exploration study area, 

allowing more sunlight to reach the stream channel. Riparian 

woody plants recorded from quarter-point measurements 

ranged from 9 to 13 species. Woody plant densities ranged from 

5.0 to 30.7 individuals per 100 m2

 (square meters) with an average density of 23.3 individuals per 100 m2 at sites in the Viburnum Trend study area and 19.4 individuals per 100 mi2 at sites 

in the exploration study area. 

Analysis of the invertebrate community data at the family 

level indicated that the Viburnum Trend study area sites had 

stronger correlations than the sites in the exploration study area. 

The Eleven Point River near Round Hollow was the exploration 

study area site with the most similarities in invertebrate community structure to the Viburnum Trend study area sites. 

The background data for the Viburnum Trend study area 

sites and the exploration study area sites illustrate some similarities in water-quality parameters. Background conditions at 

sites in the exploration study area are not substantially different 

from non-mining sites in the Viburnum Trend study area in relation to nutrients, trace elements, streambed sediment and fish 

tissue. Data for physical parameters, major ions, bacteria, and 

habitat characteristics indicated slight differences between the 

two study areas. Invertebrate communities were diverse and 

demonstrated differences between study areas. 

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