U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Report 2004–5243

Prepared in cooperation with the

PRAIRIE BAND POTAWATOMI NATION

Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi 

Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through 

August 2003
Front cover: Old hand pump on Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation (photograph taken by Gregory P. Wold, Biologist, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, 

Mayetta, Kansas).

Back cover: Study personnel collecting ground-water sample from Potawatomi Reservation (photograph taken by Pat Finnegan, U.S. Geological Survey, 

Lawrence, Kansas).
Quality of Water on the Prairie Band 

Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern

Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

By Heather C. Ross Schmidt

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Prepared in cooperation with the

PRAIRIE BAND POTAWATOMI NATION

Scientific Investigations Report 2004–5243
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

For more information about the USGS and its products:

Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS

World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply 

endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to 

reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Schmidt, H.C. Ross, 2004, Quality of water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, 

May 2001 through August 2003: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004–5243, 69 p.

Prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in Lawrence, Kansas (http://ks.water.usgs.gov)
 iii

Contents

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

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

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

Principal Results from Previous Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Description of Study Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Methods of Sample Collection and Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Sample Collection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Surface Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Ground Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Sample Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Quality Assurance and Quality Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Physical Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Dissolved Solids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Major Ions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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

Trace Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Pesticides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Chemical Oxygen Demand and Volatile Organic Compounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Bacteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Sediment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Comparison of Water-Quality Results to Previous Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Figures 

1–3. Maps showing:

1. Location of water-quality monitoring sites on and near the Prairie Band Potawatomi 

Reservation, northeastern Kansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

2. Land use in the Soldier and Little Soldier Creek Basins within the Prairie Band Potawatomi 

Reservation, 1993. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

3. Generalized geology underlying the Prairie Band PotawatomiReservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

4–11. Graphs showing concentrations of:

4. Dissolved solids in surface-water-quality samples and ground-water-quality samples,

May 2001 through August 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

5. Dissolved sodium in surface-water-quality samples and ground-water-quality samples,

May 2001 through August 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

6. Dissolved sulfate in surface-water-quality samples and ground-water-quality samples,

May 2001 through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

7. Dissolved chloride in surface-water-quality samples and ground-water-quality samples,

May 2001 through August 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
iv 

8. Dissolved nitrite plus nitrate in surface-water-quality samples and ground-water-quality 

samples,May 2001 through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

9. Total phosphorus in surface-water-quality samples,May 2001 through August 2003 . . . . . . . . .38

10. Dissolved arsenic in ground-water-quality samples, April through August 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

11. Dissolved iron in ground-water-quality samples, April through August 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

12–15. Graph showing:

12. Relation between triazine herbicide concentrations determined by enzyme-linked 

immunosorbentassay and atrazine concentrations determined by gas chromatography/

mass spectrometry for samples collected from surface-water monitoring sites from 

June 1996 throughAugust 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

13. Concentrations of triazine herbicide screen in surface-water-quality samples, May 2001 

through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

14. Seasonal distribution of median streamflow and median densities of all types of bacteria 

sampled during May 2001 through August 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

15. Median concentrations of total suspended solids and suspended sediment in surfacewater-quality samples, May 2001 through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Tables

1. Drainage area and land-use percentages in Soldier and Little Soldier Creek Basins within the 

PrairieBand Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

2. Surface- and ground-water-quality monitoring sites on the Prairie Band Potawatomi 

Reservation, northeastern Kansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

3. Constituents analyzed as part of the water-quality assessment on the Prairie Band Potawatomi 

Reservation, northeasternKansas, May 2001 through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

4. Streamflow measurements and results of analysis of physical properties in surface-waterquality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May 2001 

through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

5–14. Results of analysis of:

5. Physical properties in ground-water-quality samples from the PrairieBand Potawatomi 

Reservation, northeastern Kansas, April through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

6. Dissolved solids and major ions in surface-water-quality samples fromthePrairieBand 

PotawatomiReservation, northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

7. Dissolved solids and major ions in ground-water-quality samples fromthePrairieBand 

PotawatomiReservation, northeastern Kansas, April through August2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

8. Nutrients in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band 

PotawatomiReservation,northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

9. Nutrients in ground-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band 

PotawatomiReservation,northeastern Kansas, April through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

10. Trace elements in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie 

BandPotawatomiReservation, northeasternKansas, May 2001 through August 2003. . . . . . . 39

11. Trace elements in ground-water-quality samples from the Prairie 

BandPotawatomiReservation, northeastern Kansas, April through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . 41

12. Pesticides in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band 

PotawatomiReservation,northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

13. Selected triazine herbicides and metabolites in ground-water-quality samples from the 

PrairieBand Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, April throughAugust 2003. . . . . 53
 v

14. Chemical oxygen demand and volatile organic compounds in a ground-water-quality 

sample from monitoring well MW04 on the Prairie Band PotawatomiReservation, 

northeasternKansas, May 2, 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

15. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended indicator bacteria criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

16. Results of analysis of fecal indicator bacteria in surface-water-quality samples from the 

PrairieBandPotawatomi Reservation, northeasternKansas, May 2001 through August 2003 . . . . . 59

17. Results of analysis of fecal indicator bacteria in ground-water-quality samples from the 

PrairieBandPotawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, April through August 2003 . . . . . . . . . . 61

18. Results of analysis of sediment in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band 

PotawatomiReservation, northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Conversion Factors and Datum

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

°F = (1.8 x °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 theNorth American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.

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).

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

acre 4,047 square meter (m2)

square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2)

Flow rate

cubic foot per second (ft3/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

gallon per minute (gal/min) 0.06309 liter per second (L/s)

Weight

milligram per day (mg/d) 0.0000353 ounce per day (oz/d)

ton (short) 0.9072 megagram (Mg)
vi 

Water-Quality Abbreviations

E. coli Escherichia coli

col/100 mL colonies per 100 milliliters of water

μg/L micrograms per liter

μS/cm microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius

meq/L milliequivalents per liter

mg/L milligrams per liter

mV millivolts

NTU nephelometric turbidity units

Acronyms

ANC acid neutralizing capacity

CaCO3 calcium carbonate

COD chemical oxygen demand

DWA Drinking-Water Advisory

ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

GC/MS gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

HCO3 bicarbonate

KDHE Kansas Department of Health and Environment

MCL Maximum Contaminant Level

NWQL National Water-Quality Laboratory

OGRL Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory

PVC polyvinyl chloride

SDWR Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation

SSC suspended-sediment concentration

TSS total suspended solids

USEPA U.S. Enivironmental Protection Agency

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

VOC volatile organic compound

YSI Yellow Springs Instruments
Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi 

Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through 

August 2003

By Heather C. Ross Schmidt

Abstract 

Water-quality samples were collected from 20 surfacewater sites and 11 ground-water sites on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation in northeastern Kansas in an effort to 

describe existing water-quality conditions on the reservation 

and to compare water-quality conditions to results from previous reports published as part of a multiyear cooperative study 

with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Water is a valuable 

resource to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation as tribal members use the streams draining the reservation, Soldier, Little Soldier, and South Cedar Creeks, to fulfill subsistence hunting and 

fishing needs and as the tribe develops an economic base on the 

reservation. Samples were collected once at 20 surface-water 

monitoring sites during June 2001, and quarterly samples were 

collected at 5 of the 20 monitoring sites from May 2001 through 

August 2003. Ground-water-quality samples were collected 

once from seven wells and twice from four wells during April 

through May 2003 and in August 2003. 

Surface-water-quality samples collected from May 

through August 2001 were analyzed for physical properties, 

nutrients, pesticides, fecal indicator bacteria, and total suspended solids. In November 2001, an additional analysis for 

dissolved solids, major ions, trace elements, and suspendedsediment concentration was added for surface-water samples. 

Ground-water samples were analyzed for physical properties, 

dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, and fecal indicator bacteria. Chemical oxygen demand 

and volatile organic compounds were analyzed in a sample 

from one monitoring well located near a construction and demolition landfill on the reservation. 

Previous reports published as a part of this ongoing study 

identified total phosphorus, triazine herbicides, and fecal 

coliform bacteria as exceeding their respective water-quality 

criteria in surface water on the reservation. Previous groundwater assessments identified occasional sample concentrations 

of dissolved solids, sodium, sulfate, boron, iron, and manganese 

as exceeding their respective water-quality criteria. 

Forty percent of the 65 surface-water samples analyzed for 

total phosphorus exceeded the aquatic-life goal of 0.1 mg/L 

(milligrams per liter) established by the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (USEPA). Concentrations of dissolved 

solids and sodium occasionally exceeded USEPA Secondary 

Drinking-Water Regulations and Drinking-Water Advisory 

Levels, respectively. One of the 20 samples analyzed for atrazine concentrations exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level 

(MCL) of 3.0 μg/L (micrograms per liter) as an annual average 

established for drinking water by USEPA. A triazine herbicide 

screen was used on 63 surface-water samples, and triazine compounds were frequently detected. Triazine herbicides and their 

degradates are listed on the USEPA Contaminant 

Candidate List. 

Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in two ground-water 

samples from one monitoring well exceeded the MCL of 

10 mg/L established by USEPA for drinking water. Arsenic 

concentrations in two samples from one monitoring well also 

exceeded the proposed MCL of 10 μg/L established by the 

USEPA for drinking water. Concentrations of dissolved solids 

and sulfate in some ground-water samples exceeded their 

respective Secondary Drinking-Water Regulations, and concentrations exceeded the taste threshold of the USEPA’s 

Drinking-Water Advisory Level for sodium. Consequently, in 

the event that ground water on the reservation is to be used as a 

drinking-water source, additional treatment may be necessary 

to remove excess dissolved solids, sulfate, and sodium.

Introduction

Water quality is very important to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Three of the four creeks draining the reservation in northeastern Kansas, Soldier (locally referred to as Big 

Soldier Creek), Little Soldier, and South Cedar Creeks, provide 

for the fishing and hunting needs of tribal members (fig. 1). 

Therefore, the quality of the surface water needs to be maintained at a level that poses no danger to human health and protects the wildlife resources on the reservation. Ground water is 

used as a domestic water supply throughout the reservation. The 

potential of developing a stable ground-water supply also is 

important as the tribe develops an economic base on the reservation; therefore, establishing a baseline for ground-water 
2 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Mayetta

Hoyt

75

75

10

R. 13 E. R. 14 E. R. 15 E. R. 16 E. 

T.

7

S.

T.

8

S.

T.

9

S.

Creek

Soldier

Little

Creek

Creek

James

Crow

Creek

Creek

South

Cedar

Bills

Soldier

Creek

Big Elm

Little Elm

Creek

Creek

95°55' 50' 45' 95°40’

39°15'

39°25'

20'

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1991

Albers Equal Area Conic projection

Standard parallels 29°30' and 45°30; central meridian 96° 

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American

 Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

0 1 2 3 4 5 KILOMETERS

0 1 2 3 4 5 MILES

EXPLANATION

Boundary of drainage basin

Boundary of reservation

U.S. Geological Survey surface-water-

 quality monitoring site and identifier

U.S. Geological Survey ground-water-

 quality monitoring site and identifier

Asterisk indicates quarterly samples

 collected at site

K Rd.

H Rd.

J Rd.

G

F Rd.

 Rd.

E Rd.

M Rd.

N Rd.

Q Rd.

158 Rd.

150 Rd.

142 Rd.

134 Rd.

126 Rd.

118 Rd.

110 Rd.

166 Rd.

174 Rd.

182 Rd.

190 Rd.

196 Rd.

158 Rd.

158 Rd.

*SC03

SC04

SC05

SC06

SC08

SCC01

SC09

SC01

SC02

MW09

MW10 MW11

LSC01

LSC02

BC01

MW06

MW07

MW08 S28-4

pumping

well

MW03

MW01

MW04

MW02

MW02

* 

MW05

*LSC03

*LSC06

*LSC04

LSC05

LSC07

LSC09 LSC08

LSC04

Jackson

County

Prairie Band

Potawatomi

Reservation

Delaware

River

Basin

Perry

Lake

Topeka

Index map

KANSAS

Prairie Band Potawatomi

Nation Indian Reservation

*SC07

Figure 1. Location of water-quality monitoring sites on and near the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern 

Kansas.
Introduction 3

quality on the reservation will help identify any potential treatment concerns for this potential water source (Trombley, 2001).

Nonpoint sources such as runoff from agricultural lands 

and seepage from septic systems or sewage lagoons servicing a 

rural population are considered the primary sources of potential 

water-quality problems on the reservation (Trombley, 2001). 

Three wastewater facilities are operated by the tribe on the reservation and are potential sources of point-source wastewater 

discharge (Latane Donelin, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, 

Department of Planning and Environmental Protection, oral 

commun., 2004). 

Under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, which later were amended in 1977 and became 

known as the Clean Water Act, an Indian tribe is sovereign for 

the purposes of delegating the authority to regulate water within 

reservation boundaries. Therefore, establishing water-quality 

baseline concentrations as well as continued water-quality monitoring will aid the tribe with establishing water-quality criteria 

for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation. To address their 

needs, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, in cooperation with 

the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), began a water-quality 

monitoring program in 1996 to begin steps toward establishing 

water-quality standards for the reservation. The monitoring program began as a surface-water assessment focused on nutrients, 

pesticides, bacteria, and total suspended solids and now 

includes major ions, dissolved solids, trace elements, and suspended-sediment analysis of surface-water samples as well as 

the addition of a ground-water-quality monitoring component 

using dedicated ground-water monitoring wells. The groundwater-quality monitoring includes analysis of major ions, dissolved solids, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, and fecal 

indicator bacteria, as well as chemical oxygen demand (COD) 

and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for one monitoring 

well.

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report is to describe surface- and 

ground-water quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation from May 2001 through August 2003 and to compare 

results from this study period to results in previous water-quality reports published as a part of this ongoing study. Surfacewater samples were collected approximately every 3 months 

from May 2001 through August 2003, and ground-water samples were collected twice (April–May 2003 and August 2003) 

to describe the distribution of inorganic and organic constituents and bacteria in the water on the reservation. 

This report is the third in a series of reports resulting from 

the ongoing cooperative study with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Previous reports describe surface-water quality 

on the reservation from June 1996 through November 1998 

(Trombley, 1999) and surface- and ground-water quality on the 

reservation from February 1999 through February 2001 

(Trombley, 2001).

Principal Results from Previous Studies

Total phosphorus, triazine herbicides, and fecal coliform 

bacteria concentrations in surface water were identified as 

exceeding water-quality criteria established by USEPA and the 

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) during 

the June 1996 through November 1998 reporting period (Trombley, 1999). The same constituents in surface water exceeded 

water-quality criteria established by USEPA and KDHE during 

the reporting period February 1999 through February 2001 

(Trombley, 2001). Dissolved solids, sodium, sulfate, boron, 

iron, and manganese concentrations in some samples exceeded 

their respective water-quality criteria established by USEPA for 

drinking water as part of the February 1999 through February 

2001 ground-water assessment and were related to large mineral concentrations resulting from dissolution of the surrounding sedimentary rocks (Trombley, 2001). 

Description of Study Area

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation is located 

approximately 20 mi north of the city of Topeka in northeastern 

Kansas and encompasses approximately 121 mi2

 in Jackson 

County (fig. 1). Primary land uses in the two major drainage 

basins (Soldier and Little Soldier Creek Basins) are cropland 

(26–27 percent) and pastureland (64-69 percent), with cropland 

mostly along the streams and pastureland in upland areas 

(table 1, fig. 2). 

Physically, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation is 

located within the Kansas Drift Plains section of the Central 

Lowland Province of the Interior Plains (Fenneman, 1938; Fenneman and Johnson, 1946; Schoewe, 1949). The topography of 

the Kansas Drift Plains reflects a gently undulating, glacialdrift-dominated, erosional surface. The broad, smooth, wellrounded, interstream areas are remnants of the uneroded original basal till deposited by the last retreating glacial ice sheet.

Table 1. Drainage area and land-use percentages in Soldier and 

Little Soldier Creek Basins within the Prairie Band Potawatomi 

Reservation, northeastern Kansas. 

[Land-use data from Kansas Geological Survey, Data Access and Support 

Center (DASC), digitial land-use data, 1993]

Soldier Creek 

Basin

Little Soldier Creek 

Basin

Drainage area (acres) 43,720 23,090

Land-use classes Land use (percent)

Cropland 25.6 27.0

Pastureland 68.5 63.7

Woodland 5.7 8.9

Water .15 .33

Other .05 .07
4 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Creek

Land use from Landsat Thematic Mapper imagery

Kansas Geological Survey, 1993

0 1 2 3 4 MILES

Cropland 0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS

Pastureland

Woodland

Water

Other

Reservation boundary

Drainage basin boundary

Land-use classes

EXPLANATION

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1991

Albers Equal Area Conic projection

Standard parallels 29°30' and 45°30; central meridian 96° 

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American

 Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

39°25'

20'

39°15'

James Creek

Dutch

Creek

Crow

Creek

Soldier

Creek

Soldier

Little

Soldier Creek

Big

E

ml Creek

Hoyt

Delia

Mayetta

95°55' 50' 95°45'

Figure 2. Land use in the Soldier and Little Soldier Creek Basins within the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, 1993 (Kansas 

Geological Survey, 1993).
Introduction 5

Glacial deposits of boulder till, sand and gravel, silt, and clay lie 

beneath the erosional surface. A preglacial bedrock valley, 

buried by glacial deposits, lies along the course of Soldier Creek 

within the reservation (Dreeszen and Burchett, 1971).

Geologically, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 

lies within the stable interior of the North American Continent. 

Since Precambrian time (about 600 million years ago), most of 

this part of the continent has undergone gentle upwarp and 

downwarp of the Earth's crust over large areas. Structurally, this 

part of the continent is characterized by broad basins and 

arches, with subtle folding of sedimentary rocks and few major 

fault zones (Jorgensen and others, 1993). Uppermost bedrock 

within the reservation consists mostly of limestone and shale of 

Permian and Pennsylvanian age (about 245 to 320 million years 

ago) (Walters, 1953). Unconsolidated glacial and stream (alluvial) deposits overlie the erosional surface of sedimentary rocks 

(fig. 3). The composition of these unconsolidated deposits varies vertically and horizontally and ranges from fine-grained 

sediment consisting of till, silt, and clay to coarse-grained sediment consisting of sand, gravel, pebbles, cobbles, and boulders 

(Trombley and others, 1996). The unconsolidated glacial and 

alluvial deposits are the primary source of ground water on the 

reservation. Well yields from these deposits are variable and 

generally less than 300 gal/min (Trombley and others, 1996). 

20'

95°55' 50' 95°45'

39°15'

39°25'

0 1 2 3 4 5 MILES

0 1 2 3 4 5 KILOMETERS

Geology modified from Walters, 1953

Established

1846

Established

1861

EXPLANATION

Alluvial deposits

Glacial deposits

Limestone and shale

Boundary of reservation

Soldier

Creek

Soldier

Little

Creek

Creek

South

Cedar

Bills

Mayetta

Delia Hoyt

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1991

Albers Equal Area Conic projection

Standard parallels 29°30' and 45°30; central meridian 96° 

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American

 Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

Figure 3. Generalized geology underlying the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation (modified from 

Walters, 1953).
6 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Methods of Sample Collection and Analysis

Sample Collection

Surface Water

A network of 20 surface-water monitoring sites (referred 

to herein as “synoptic sites”) was established on or near the reservation to evaluate the spatial and temporal variability of surface-water quality on the reservation (fig. 1, table 2). Eighteen 

of the 20 sites were located within the two major drainage 

basins on the reservation, Soldier Creek and Little Soldier 

Creek. Surface-water-quality monitoring sites were selected to 

represent areal distribution across the reservation, surface water 

flowing into and out of the reservation, as well as surface water 

downstream from potential sources of contamination. Two sites 

were located on streams that flow into the Delaware River Basin 

located to the east of the reservation. All 20 sites were sampled 

once during this study period and had been sampled annually 

since 1996 as a part of previous studies (results from these previous studies are published in Trombley, 1999, 2001). The last 

of six synoptic sample collections conducted as a part of the 

ongoing study occurred in June 2001, and the data are published 

in this report.

Since November 1996, a subset of 5 of the 20 synoptic 

sites was sampled approximately quarterly (referred to herein 

after as "quarterly sites"). Two sites are located on Soldier 

Creek (sites SC03 and SC07), two are located on Little Soldier 

Creek (sites LSC03 and LSC04), and one is located on Big Elm 

Creek (LSC06) (fig. 1) downstream from a sewage treatment 

lagoon in operation on the reservation (Latane Donelin, Prairie 

Band Potawatomi Nation, Department of Planning and Environmental Protection, oral commun., 2004) and approximately 

1 mi upstream from Big Elm Creek’s confluence with Little 

Soldier Creek.

Surface-water-quality samples were collected in June 

2001 at the 20 synoptic sites (fig. 1, table 2), after seasonal herbicide application on fields in the area. A total of 45 samples 

were collected from May 2001 through August 2003 from the 

five quarterly sites. The quarterly samples were collected during the months of February, May, August, and November. From 

May through August 2001, all surface-water samples were analyzed for physical properties, nutrients, pesticides, bacteria, and 

total suspended solids. Beginning in November 2001, quarterly 

surface-water samples were analyzed for physical properties, 

dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, bacteria, total suspended solids, and suspended sediment 

(table 3). 

Surface-water-quality sampling techniques are described 

in Wilde and others (1999). Streamflow was measured at each 

monitoring site along with each surface-water-quality sample. 

Streamflow measurement techniques are described in 

Buchanan and Somers (1976). 

Ground Water

Ground-water sampling from dedicated monitoring wells 

was added to the scope of the continuing study in November 

2001. A total of 11 ground-water monitoring wells within the 

reservation were sampled from April 26 through May 1, 2003, 

and August 12–14, 2003. The first round of ground-waterquality sampling (April–May 2003) included nine wells, and 

the second round (August 2003) included six wells. Four of the 

six wells sampled in August 2003 also were sampled in the first 

round in addition to two wells that were installed after the first 

round of sampling (monitoring wells MW01 and MW03). The 

ground-water samples were collected from recently (2003) 

installed wells that are dedicated for water-quality-monitoring 

purposes only; ground-water samples were collected from 

domestic and pumping wells in a previous ground-water assessment on the reservation (Trombley, 2001). Monitoring wells 

were located to provide a spatial assessment of the groundwater quality across the reservation. The monitoring wells were 

installed by private contractor through the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, consist of 2-in. polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe, 

and are completed at various depths (table 2). Wells were completed in the local water-bearing formation (Gregory Wold, 

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Department of Planning and 

Environmental Protection, oral commun, 2004). Water in these 

wells is derived from alluvial and glacial deposits as well 

as Permian- and Pennsylvanian-age carbonate deposits 

(Walters, 1953).

Ground-water-quality samples were analyzed for physical 

properties, dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, and bacteria. Additional analyses for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and volatile organic compounds 

(VOCs) were completed on the May 2003 sample from monitoring well MW04. Ground-water-quality samples were collected and processed in a mobile water-quality laboratory following ground-water-sampling protocols described in detail in 

Gibs and Wilde (1999). Each well was purged of at least three 

well volumes before samples were collected. Well purging was 

necessary to assure that the water samples were representative 

of aquifer conditions. During the purging period, physical properties of the water (specific conductance, pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential, and turbidity) were observed and recorded every 5 minutes. Waterquality samples were collected after the three-volume purge 

was complete and physical properties stabilized (Gibs and 

Wilde, 1999).

After onsite processing, all water-quality samples were 

chilled to a temperature of 4 oC during transport to the USGS 

laboratory in Lawrence, Kansas. Samples then were shipped to 

either the USGS National Water-Quality Laboratory (NWQL) 

in Denver, Colorado; the Organic Geochemistry Research 

Laboratory (OGRL) in Lawrence, Kansas; or the USGS 

Sediment Laboratory in Iowa City, Iowa, according to 

the desired analysis.
Table 2. Surface- and ground-water-quality monitoring sites on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas.[ --, not determined; *, asterisk indicates quarterly samples collected at site]

Stream basin Map identifier (fig. 1)

U.S. Geological 

Survey site 

identification 

number

Local number 

(township, range, and 

section)1

Site name

A

Surface-water monitoring sites

Bills Creek Basin BC01 392425095445100 7S 15E 28CDD Bills Creek, U.S. Highway 75 near Holton Little Soldier Creek Basin LSC01 392328095490300 7S 14E 35DCDC Little Soldier Creek, 190 Road near Mayetta 

LSC02 392143095482700 8S 14E 12CCDD Little Soldier Creek, 174 Road near Mayetta *LSC03 391915095463100 8S 15E 29CCBC Little Soldier Creek, O Road near Mayetta *LSC04 391720095454200 9S 15E 08ABAA Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta LSC05 391721095460900 9S 15E 05CDCD Little Soldier Creek tributary, 134 Road near Hoyt *LSC06 391720095445400 9S 15E 04CDDD Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt LSC07 391704095441700 9S 15E 10BCBB Little Elm Creek, Q Road near Hoyt LSC08 391629095452400 9S 15E 09CCCC Big Elm Creek, P Road near Hoyt LSC09 391628095452800 9S 15E 17AAAA Little Soldier Creek, 126 Road near Hoyt 

Soldier Creek Basin SC01 392603095563000 7S 13E 23BBBB Soldier Creek, 214 Road near Circleville 

SC02 392512095552800 7S 13E 23DDDD Soldier Creek tributary, G Road near Circleville *SC03 06889180 8S 13E 12BABB Soldier Creek near Saint Clere SC04 391956095544000 8S 13E 25ABAB Soldier Creek, 158 Road near Saint Clere SC05 392049095531300 8S 14E 18DDDD Crow Creek, 166 Road near Saint Clere SC06 391852095534500 8S 14E 31BADD South Branch Soldier Creek, H.5 Road near Saint Clere *SC07 391557095531100 9S 14E 17CBBC Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia SC08 391813095513200 8S 14E 33CDDD James Creek, 142 Road near Delia SC09 391630095520800 9S 14E 08DDDD James Creek, 126 Road near Delia 

South Cedar Creek Basin SCC01 392212095441800 8S 15E 09ADDA South Cedar Creek, U.S. Highway 75 near Mayetta 
Table 2. Surface- and ground-water-quality monitoring sites on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas.—Continued[ --, not determined; *, asterisk indicates quarterly samples collected at site]

Stream basin Map identifier (fig. 1)

U.S. Geological 

Survey site 

identification 

number

Local number 

(township, range, and 

section)1

1Local numbers are assigned according to a modification of the Bureau of Land Management's system of land subdivision. In this system, the first set of digits in the number 

or south (S) of the Kansas-Nebraska State line; the second set refers to the range east (E) or west (W) of the sixth principal meridian; and the third set refers to the section in w

terminal letters refer to the 160-acre, 40-acre, 10-acre, and 2.5-acre tracts within the section. The letters A, B, C, D are assigned in a counterclockwise direction beginning in th

example, the local number 7S 14E 35DCDC indicates a site located in the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of sec. 35

Site name

A

Ground-water monitoring sites

Little Soldier Creek Basin MW01 391707095445901 9S 15E 09BADC01 Monitoring well #1 Soldier Creek Basin MW02 391644095505601 9S 14E 10CBCC01 Monitoring well #2 Little Soldier Creek Basin MW03 391907095441901 8S 15E 28DDDD01 Monitoring well #3 Soldier Creek Basin MW04 391850095483801 8S 14E 36BCBD01 Monitoring well #4 

Do. MW05 391700095544601 9S 13E 12ACCA01 Monitoring well #5 Do. MW06 392010095552301 8S 13E 24CBCC01 Monitoring well #6 Do. MW07 391948095512201 8S 14E 28ABCA01 Monitoring well #7 

Little Soldier Creek Basin MW08 391955095465301 8S 15E 30ABAB01 Monitoring well #8 Soldier Creek Basin MW09 392325095542101 8S 13E 01AAAB01 Monitoring well #9 

Do. MW10 392315095505801 8S 14E 04AADD01 Monitoring well #10 

Little Soldier Creek Basin MW11 392310095473501 8S 14E 01ADAD01 Monitoring well #11 
Methods of Sample Collection and Analysis 9

Table 3. Constituents analyzed as part of the water-quality assessment on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, 

northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.

[Unless otherwise noted, constituents were analyzed in both surface- and ground-water samples]

Physical properties

Specific conductance Hardness

pH Oxidation-reduction potential1

Water temperature Acid neutralizing capacity as CaCO3, field, total2

Turbidity Acid neutralizing capacity as CaCO3, laboratory, total

Oxygen, dissolved Alkalinity as CaCO3, dissolved1

Dissolved solids

Major ions

Calcium, dissolved Carbonate as CaCO3, total, onsite

Magnesium, dissolved Sulfate, dissolved

Sodium, dissolved Chloride, dissolved

Potassium, dissolved Fluoride, dissolved

Bicarbonate as HCO3, dissolved Silica, dissolved

Nutrients

Nitrogen, nitrite, dissolved Phosphorus, dissolved

Nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved Phosphorus, total

Nitrogen, ammonia, dissolved Phosphorus, orthophosphate, dissolved

Nitrogen, ammonia plus organic nitrogen, dissolved

Trace elements

Arsenic, dissolved Iron, dissolved

Boron, dissolved Selenium, dissolved

Triazine pesticides or metabolites

Triazine screen (ELISA), dissolved2 Dimethenamid, dissolved

2-Chloro-4-isopropylamino-6-amino-s-triazine, dissolved Flufenacet, dissolved

2-Chloro-6-ethylamino-4-amino-s-triazine, dissolved 2-Hydroxy-4-isopropylamino-6-amino-s-triazine, dissolved2

Acetochlor, dissolved 2-Hydroxy-6-ethylamino-4-amino-s-triazine, dissolved2

Alachlor, dissolved Metolachlor, dissolved

Ametryn, dissolved Metribuzin, dissolved

Atrazine, dissolved Pendimethalin, dissolved

Chlorodiamino-s-triazine, dissolved2 Prometon, dissolved

Cyanazine, dissolved Prometryn, dissolved

Cyanazine amide, dissolved Propachlor, dissolved

Deethylcyanzine, dissolved2 Propazine, dissolved

Deethylcyanzine acid, dissolved2 Simazine, dissolved

Deethylcyanzine amide, dissolved2 Terbutryn, dissolved
10 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Table 3. Constituents analyzed as part of the water-quality assessment on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, 

northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[Unless otherwise noted, constituents were analyzed in both surface- and ground-water samples]

Other pesticides

alpha-HCH, dissolved2 Lindane, dissolved2

Azinphos-methyl, dissolved2 Linuron, dissolved2

Benfluralin, dissolved2 Malathion, dissolved2

Bromacil, dissolved2 Methyl parathion, dissolved2

Butylate, dissolved2 Molinate, dissolved2

Carbaryl, dissolved2 Napropamide, dissolved2

Carbofuran, dissolved2 p,p’-DDE, dissolved2

Chloropyrifos, dissolved2 Parathion, dissolved2

cis-Permethrin, dissolved2 Pebulate, dissolved2

DCPA, dissolved2 Phorate, dissolved2

Demethylfluometuron, dissolved2 Pronamide, dissolved2

Diazinon, dissolved2 Propanil, dissolved2

Dieldrin, dissolved2 Propargite, dissolved2

Disulfoton, dissolved2 Tebuthiuron, dissolved2

2,6- Diethylaniline, dissolved2 Terbacil, dissolved2

Diuron, dissolved2 Terbufos, dissolved2

EPTC, dissolved2 Thiobencarb, dissolved2

Ethoprop, dissolved2 Triallate, dissolved2

Fluometuron, dissolved2 Trifluralin, dissolved2

Fonofos, dissolved2

Chemical oxygen demand1

Volatile organic compounds1

Acetone, total 2-Ethyltoluene, total

Acrylonitrile, total Hexachlorobutadiene, total

Benzene, total Hexachloroethane, total

Bromobenzene, total Iodomethane, total

Bromochloromethane, total Isobutyl methyl ketone, total

Bromodichloromethane, total Isopropylbenzene, total

Bromoethene, total 4-Isopropyltoluene, total

n-Butylbenzene, total Methacrylonitrile, total

sec-Butylbenzene, total Methyl acrylate, total

tert-Butylbenzene, total Methyl methacrylate, total

n-Butyl methyl ketone, total Methyl tert-butyl ether, total

tert-Butyl ethyl ether, totalcis Naphtalene, total

Carbon disulfide, total n-Propylbenzene, total

Chlorobenzene, total Tetrachloroethane, total

Chloroethane, total 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, total

Chloromethane, total 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, total
Methods of Sample Collection and Analysis 11

1Sampled in ground water only.

2Sampled in surface water only.

Volatile organic compounds—Continued

3-Chloropropene, total Tetrachloromethane, total

2-Chlorotoluene, total Tetrahydrofuran, total

4-Chlorotoluene, total 1,2,3,4-Trimethylbenzene, total

Dibromochloromethane, total 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, total

Dibromomethane, total 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, total

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane, total 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, total

1,3-Dichloropropane, total Trichloroethene, total

2,2-Dichloropropane, total Trichlorofluoromethane, total

cis-1,3-Dichloropropene, total Trichloromethane, total

trans-1,3-Dichloropropene, total 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, total

Diethyl ether, total 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, total

Diisopropyl ether, total 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, total

Ethyl methacrylate, total Vinyl chloride, total

Ethyl methyl ketone, total m-Xylene plus p-xylene, total

Ethylbenzene, total o-Xylene, total

Fecal indicator bacteria

Fecal coliform bacteria Fecal streptococcus bacteria

Escherichia coli bacteria Enterococci bacteria

Sediment

Total suspended solids2 Suspended-sediment concentration2

Table 3. Constituents analyzed as part of the water-quality assessment on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, 

northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[Unless otherwise noted, constituents were analyzed in both surface- and ground-water samples]

Sample Analysis

Water-quality samples were analyzed at the NWQL for 

physical properties, major ions, nutrients, trace element concentrations, pesticides, COD, and VOC using methods described in 

Fishman and Friedman (1989), Zaugg and others (1995), Connor and others (1998), and Jones and Garbarino (1999). Pesticides, including herbicides and insecticides, were analyzed at 

the OGRL using two different methods. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for all surface-water samples to screen for triazine herbicides using procedures described 

in Thurman and others (1990). Selected surface-water and all 

ground-water samples were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for concentrations of specific 

triazine herbicides using methods described in Kish and others 

(2000). The suspended-sediment concentrations in surfacewater samples were determined at the USGS Sediment 

Laboratory in Iowa City, Iowa, using methods described in 

Guy (1977).

Fecal coliform, Escherichia coli (E. coli), fecal streptococcus, and enterococci bacteria in water samples were processed 

onsite by USGS or tribal personnel. Bacteria samples were 

returned to the USGS laboratory in Lawrence, Kansas, to complete incubation and subsequent determination of bacteria colonies in each water sample. All bacteria were processed within 

6 hours of collection using membrane-filtration methods presented in Myers and Wilde (2003). Fecal coliform bacteria 

were cultured using the mFC method (American Public Health 

Association and others, 1992), fecal streptococci bacteria were 

cultured using the KF membrane filtration method (Myers and 

Wilde, 2003), and enterococci bacteria were cultured using 

USEPA method 1600 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

2000a). Determination of E. coli bacteria was accomplished 

using two different agar types throughout the study. From 

May 15, 2001, through May 22, 2002, the mTec agar (American 

Public Health Association and others, 1992) was used to determine E. coli densities. This agar often had other bacterial 

growth on the plate that interfered with the growth of the E. coli

bacteria colonies thus creating difficulties with obtaining ideal 
12 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

counts of the E. coli colonies. To remedy this problem, the 

USGS laboratory in Lawrence, Kansas, began use of a modified 

mTec agar (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2002a) for 

determining E. coli after May 22, 2002.

Slightly different minimum reporting and detection levels 

are possible as a result of the same constituent being analyzed 

at different laboratories. Concentrations are reported as less 

than the minimum reporting level specific to the given laboratory for samples in which the constituent was either not detected 

or could not be identified. Constituents that were detected at 

concentrations less than the minimum reporting level and that 

could be identified are reported as estimated. Estimated concentrations are noted with a remark code of "E" preceding the value 

in the data tables and should be used with the knowledge that 

there are increased uncertainties associated with these data 

(Childress and others, 1999). The remark code "E" also is used 

in the reporting of bacterial data where calculations to determine concentrations were based on nonideal counts of colonies. 

Ideal counts are ranges of colony counts that are defined for the 

individual bacteria types. The maximum limit of the range is 

established because overcrowding of the colonies inhibits the 

full growth of individual colonies causing atypical growth and 

increased errors in counting colonies. The lower limit of the 

ideal range is set as a number below which statistical validity 

becomes questionable (Britton and Greeson, 1989). 

Quality Assurance and Quality Control 

Field blank and replicate samples are the two types of 

quality-control samples collected and analyzed to identify and 

document variability in the collection and processing of waterquality data as a part of this study. Water-quality samples are 

collected and processed in the field; therefore, field blank samples were collected throughout the study. Field blank samples 

are collected by passing blank water through the same sampling 

equipment as the actual samples and processing the blank sample in the same manner as an actual sample would be processed. 

The inorganic blank water used in this process is free of impurities and is provided by the USGS Ocala (Florida) Field Services Unit where the blank water is quality assured for use in 

testing of equipment and environmental conditions. The purpose of field blank samples is to determine the concentrations 

of target analytes that could be present in the environment in 

which the samples are collected and processed (Wilde and others, 1999). A field blank sample also will provide information 

regarding the cleanliness of the sample equipment and if equipment decontamination procedures are effective as well as the 

effects from laboratory handling. 

Replicate samples were collected to identify the variability 

in sample collection and analysis. A replicate sample is a set of 

samples collected close in time and space and in a matter so that 

the samples are thought to be representative of the ambient 

water composition at the time of the collection. Replicate samples also provide information on the variability introduced from 

collection, processing, shipping, and laboratory handling and 

analysis of the sample (Wilde and others, 1999). Qualitycontrol data are on file with the USGS office in Lawrence, 

Kansas, and are available upon request.

Six field blank samples were collected between May 2001 

through August 2003. Results from the field blank samples 

showed one detection of calcium of 0.02 mg/L (reporting level 

0.01 mg/L) in May 2002. The detected concentration of calcium 

is very small, especially when considering that the range of calcium concentrations in samples collected as a part of the study 

was 48 to 200 mg/L of calcium; therefore, the detection of calcium in the field blank sample was not considered to have 

affected the integrity of the sample data. A subsequent field 

blank analysis in February 2003 did not have any detections of 

analytes above their respective reporting levels.

Twenty-two replicate samples were collected from 

May 2001 through August 2003. Replicate samples were compared with their respective original sample as the relative percentage difference between the two samples. Relative percentage differences were calculated as the difference between the 

replicate and original sample concentrations divided by the 

average of the two values, multiplied by 100. Relative percentage differences ranged from 0 to 57 percent depending on the 

analyte. The largest relative percentage differences occurred in 

two replicate samples of suspended-sediment concentrations 

that had relative percentage differences greater than 50 percent. 

However, the majority of relative percentage differences 

between analytes were less than 10 percent. 

Water Quality on the Prairie Band 

Potawatomi Reservation

Physical Properties

Physical properties of water include specific conductance, 

pH, water temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, hardness, 

oxidation-reduction potential, and acid neutralizing capacity or 

alkalinity (table 3). Physical properties were measured onsite 

with a multiparameter water-quality monitor that measured specific conductance, pH, water temperature, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen in surface water. Specific conductance, pH, and 

turbidity also were measured in samples at NWQL. The acid 

neutralizing capacity of the surface water and the alkalinity of 

ground-water samples were determined onsite through titration, 

and the acid neutralizing capacity for each sample also was 

determined at the laboratory. 

It is important to consider the physical properties of a 

water sample because these properties are unique in a number 

of respects and sometimes are affected by other properties. For 

example, dissolved major ions (calcium, sodium, chloride, and 

sulfate) have a tendency to increase specific conductance values 

(Hem, 1992). The physical properties that have current (2004) 

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) waterquality criteria are pH and dissolved oxygen. A drinking-water 

standard has been established by USEPA for laboratory 
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 13

turbidity as well as onsite turbidity criteria that are based on the 

ecoregion of the collection site. 

Specific conductance is a measure of the capacity of a sample of water to transmit an electrical current, which is associated 

with the concentration of ionized substances in the water. 

Therefore, the specific conductance becomes greater as the 

amount of ionized substances in the water increases (Hem, 

1992). The reporting units for specific conductance in this 

report are microsiemens per centimeter at 25 oC (μS/cm). 

Specific conductance measurements made onsite in surface water ranged from 306 to 1,180 μS/cm, with a median concentration of 646 μS/cm (table 4). Generally, specific conductance measurements in surface water decreased as flow in the 

stream increased; however, the majority of samples collected 

during the reporting period were collected under relatively lowflow conditions, and it was difficult to establish a relation 

between specific conductance and streamflow for this set of 

samples. The largest specific conductance measurement, 

1,180 μS/cm, was made on February 19, 2003, at Big Elm 

Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt (site LSC06), when streamflow was 

0.18 ft3/s, and the smallest specific conductance of 306 μS/cm 

recorded during the reporting period was on August 28, 2002, 

for the Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta 

(site LSC04), when streamflow was 0.01 ft3

/s.

Specific conductance measurements made onsite in 

ground water ranged from 467 to 2,430 μS/cm (table 5). The 

median onsite specific conductance measurement in ground 

water was 743 μS/cm. The largest specific conductance was 

detected in water from monitoring well MW03, which also had 

the largest dissolved-solids concentration compared with water 

from other wells. Monitoring well MW03 is the deepest well 

sampled during the study period (table 2), and it is located next 

to a pumping well (S28–4, fig. 1) that was sampled during the 

previous study period (results reported in Trombley, 2001) 

where water sampled on September 22 and 25, 2000, had onsite 

specific conductance values of 2,650 and 2,560 μS/cm, respectively (Trombley, 2001, table 7). 

The pH of a water sample is a measure of the activity of the 

hydrogen ion and indicates the degree of acidity or alkalinity of 

a solution. A pH of less than 7.0 standard units is considered 

acidic and greater than 7.0 standard units is considered alkaline. 

Generally, the pH of natural stream water ranges from 6.0 to 

8.5 standard units (Hem, 1992). Extremes of pH in water can 

cause stress on aquatic organisms in addition to having effects 

on stream- or ground-water chemistry because the pH of water 

can increase the erosional ability of water. The Kansas surfacewater-quality standard established by KDHE (2001) is a range 

from 6.5 to 8.5 standard units and is established for support of 

aquatic life in the streams. Most ground water found in the 

United States has a pH ranging from about 6.0 to about 8.5 standard units (Hem, 1992).

Onsite pH measurements in streams on the reservation 

ranged from 6.9 to 8.5 standard units and were within the Kansas aquatic-life criteria (table 4). The median pH concentration 

in surface water was 7.9 standard units. Onsite pH measurements of ground-water samples from the Prairie Band 

Potawatomi Reservation ranged from 6.8 to 7.5 standard units, 

with a median concentration of 7.1 standard units (table 5) and 

were within the expected range for ground water.

The density, solubility of constituents, pH, specific conductance, the rate of chemical reactions and biological activity 

in water are all temperature dependent. Water temperature in 

surface water on the reservation ranged from 0.2 to 28.7 o

C, 

with a median concentration of 22 oC and varied seasonally 

(table 4). Water temperature in ground water ranged from 

11.3 to 18.1 oC, with a median concentration of 14 oC (table 5). 

The highest ground-water temperature was recorded in 

well MW11 on August 12, 2003. An open, hand-dug well, with 

a depth of about 10.5 ft below land surface, is located within a 

few feet of well MW11, and the warmer air temperatures that 

heat the water in the open well may account for the higher water 

temperatures in well MW11. Water temperatures in both water 

samples collected from well MW11 were higher than samples 

collected from other wells.

Turbidity is a water-quality term that refers to the cloudy 

appearance of water and is caused by particles or "suspended 

matter." Turbidity is measured by quantifying the amount of 

light scattered by particles in the water. Although turbid water 

generally is not harmful, it can be a sign of more serious problems because turbidity particles may absorb or be associated 

with other harmful contaminants. However, some suspended 

matter that causes turbidity in water is known to be harmful and 

includes asbestos, lead, bacteria, viruses, and protozoan cysts 

such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Turbidity also can interfere with the disinfection of drinking water. Turbidity measurements have been used to estimate bacteria densities using sitespecific regression equations developed for selected sites in 

Kansas where real-time turbidity data are available (Rasmussen 

and Ziegler, 2003). 

The water-quality criteria for turbidity established by 

USEPA (2004a) state that at no time can turbidity in finished 

drinking water exceed 5 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), 

and systems that filter must ensure that turbidity in finished 

drinking water does not exceed 1 NTU in at least 95 percent of 

daily turbidity samples. USEPA also has established waterquality criteria for onsite turbidity in streams and rivers according to ecoregions. An ecoregion is defined as an area of similar 

climate, landform, soil, potential natural vegetation, hydrology, 

or other ecologically relevant variables (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 2001). The Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation is located at the convergence of three of USEPA's 

defined Level III ecoregions; these are ecoregions IV, VI, and 

IX (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000b, 2000c, 

2001). Each ecoregion is assigned a unique turbidity criterion, 

the largest turbidity criterion on the reservation is established 

for ecoregion IV and is 6.4 NTU (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2001). 

Onsite turbidity is reported in two separate columns in 

table 4 because the differences in the measurement techniques 

that are encountered with the continuing advancement of technologies used to measure turbidity. The two turbidity sensors 

used during the study described in this report were the YSI 6026 
Table 4. Streamflow measurements and results of analysis of physical properties in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi R

Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.

[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; oC, degrees Celsius; YSI, Yellow Springs Instruments Incorporated, Yellow Springs, Ohi

Company, Loveland, Colorado; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L as CaCO3, milligrams per liter as calcium carbonate; --, not determined; E, 

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/

year)

Streamflow

(ft3/s)

Specific 

conductance, 

onsite 

(μS/cm)

Specific 

conductance, 

laboratory 

(μS/cm)

pH, 

onsite 

(standard 

units)

pH, 

laboratory 

(standard 

units)

Air 

temperature 

(oC)

Water 

temperature 

(oC)

Turbidity, 

onsite, 

YSI 6026 

(NTU)

Turbidity, 

onsite, 

YSI 6136 

(NTU)

Turbidity, 

laboratory, 

Hach 2100 

AN (NTU)

Dissolved 

oxygen 

(mg/L)

h

(

Water-quality criteria

-- -- --

16.5–8.5 -- -- -- -- -- 25 15 

Bills Creek Basin

BC01 Bills Creek, U.S Highway 75 near 

Holton

06/12/01 0.06 609 -- 7.5 -- 27.8 22.4 98 -- -- 6.2 

Little Soldier Creek Basin

LSC01 Little Soldier Creek, 190 Road near 

Mayetta

06/12/01 .10 542 -- 8.1 -- 32.4 25.6 140 -- -- 7.7 

LSC02 Little Soldier Creek, 174 Road near 

Mayetta

06/12/01 .50 625 -- 8.0 -- 30.2 24.5 26 -- -- 8.3 

LSC03 Little Soldier Creek, O Road near 

Mayetta

05/15/01 .70 636 -- 7.9 -- 21.0 21.4 -- -- -- 6.5 06/12/01 1.6 574 -- 8.1 -- 23.1 25.5 76 -- 37 -- 11/13/01 .83 704 723 8.0 8.1 16.0 12.1 1.4 -- 1.3 8.2 02/12/02 1.0 623 624 8.1 8.1 -- 2.6 4.6 -- 6.8 14 05/22/02 2.6 658 663 8.0 8.3 -- 16.1 -- 8.2 3.4 14 08/28/02 .01 355 331 7.8 7.9 22.0 23.8 -- 50 28 6.8 11/13/02 .40 332 332 7.7 7.8 14.0 6.8 -- 15 21 7.7 02/19/03 .59 575 575 7.7 8.0 2.5 .6 -- -- 15 9.3 05/14/03 1.6 640 640 7.6 8.1 26.0 20.1 -- 8.1 4.6 8.2 

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near 

Mayetta

05/15/01 .93 629 -- 7.8 -- 23.5 20.7 -- -- -- 6.0 06/12/01 2.1 570 -- 7.7 -- 25.0 23.4 48 -- 31 7.2 11/13/01 1.1 696 714 8.1 8.1 16.0 12.9 1.9 -- 1.7 12 02/12/02 1.5 640 638 8.1 8.1 4.0 .9 16 -- 3.2 15 05/22/02 3.7 675 681 8.0 8.2 -- 16.0 -- 11 7.1 11 
Table 4. Streamflow measurements and results of analysis of physical properties in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi R

Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; oC, degrees Celsius; YSI, Yellow Springs Instruments Incorporated, Yellow Springs, Ohi

Company, Loveland, Colorado; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L as CaCO3, milligrams per liter as calcium carbonate; --, not determined; E, 

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/

year)

Streamflow

(ft3/s)

Specific 

conductance, 

onsite 

(μS/cm)

Specific 

conductance, 

laboratory 

(μS/cm)

pH, 

onsite 

(standard 

units)

pH, 

laboratory 

(standard 

units)

Air 

temperature 

(oC)

Water 

temperature 

(oC)

Turbidity, 

onsite, 

YSI 6026 

(NTU)

Turbidity, 

onsite, 

YSI 6136 

(NTU)

Turbidity, 

laboratory, 

Hach 2100 

AN (NTU)

Dissolved 

oxygen 

(mg/L)

h

(

Little Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near 

Mayetta—Continued

08/28/02 0.01 306 325 7.5 8.0 -- 22.5 -- 33 20 7.6 11/13/02 .17 484 457 7.6 8.0 1.0 2.9 -- 5.0 8.6 9.7 02/19/03 .86 565 542 7.8 8.0 .2 .9 -- 1.1 2.5 15 05/14/03 1.8 622 588 7.6 8.1 18.5 17.8 -- 5.0 7.8 7.5 

LSC05 Little Soldier Creek tributary, 

134 Road near Hoyt

06/12/01 .56 553 -- 7.7 -- 27.0 23.4 24 -- -- 7.5 

LSC06 Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt 05/15/01 .38 870 -- 7.8 -- 19.2 -- -- -- -- 7.6 

06/12/01 .54 789 -- 7.5 -- 25.0 22.0 -- -- 7.8 7.4 08/21/01 .01 875 -- 7.6 -- 23.8 21.9 .6 -- 3.3 7.0 11/13/01 .39 1,010 1,030 7.9 8.0 14.0 11.8 1.5 -- 1.9 8.5 02/12/02 .36 1,091 1,060 7.9 8.1 4.0 1.2 4.3 -- 4.7 15 05/22/02 1.0 793 798 7.9 8.3 -- 14.7 -- 2.4 1.7 12 08/28/02 .20 964 906 7.2 7.9 19.4 22.3 -- 2.3 2.2 6.1 11/13/02 .06 1,080 1,020 7.1 8.0 -1.0 3.0 -- 1.0 2.4 9.4 02/19/03 .18 1,180 1,140 7.2 7.9 -1.5 .2 -- 2.7 8.9 15 05/14/03 .14 865 865 6.9 8.1 -- 16.3 -- 3.1 3.1 7.6 

LSC07 Little Elm Creek, Q Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 .21 584 -- 7.8 -- 28.0 24.1 22 -- -- 7.5 LSC08 Big Elm Creek, P Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 .98 646 -- 7.8 -- 31.5 28.7 1.7 -- -- 6.9 LSC09 Little Soldier Creek, 126 Road near 

Hoyt

06/12/01 3.6 598 -- 8.0 -- 30.0 27.5 68 -- -- 7.7 
Soldier Creek Basin

SC01 Soldier Creek, 214 Road near 

Circleville

06/13/01 12 637 -- 7.8 -- 28.0 24.1 22 -- -- 7.5 

SC02 Soldier Creek tributary, G Road near 

Circleville

06/13/01 1.4 749 -- 7.8 -- 31.5 28.7 1.7 -- -- 6.9 

SC03 Soldier Creek near Saint Clere 05/15/01 14 679 -- 8.0 -- 31.0 23.4 -- -- -- 8.2 

06/13/01 21 635 -- 7.9 -- 23.5 23.8 59 -- 29 7.8 08/21/01 3.2 618 -- 8.0 -- 27.0 24.0 23 -- 12 7.5 11/13/01 12 752 770 8.5 8.1 16.0 11.6 10 -- 5.4 10 02/12/02 9.1 735 731 8.0 8.2 10.0 5.0 12 -- 7.3 14 05/22/02 28 670 659 8.2 8.1 -- 19.1 -- 20 11 14 08/28/02 1.6 662 607 7.7 8.1 25.0 24.6 -- 4.5 20 9.8 11/13/02 3.3 746 719 7.9 8.0 13.0 5.3 -- 3.4 6.8 12 02/19/03 3.9 771 745 8.0 8.0 5.5 4.1 -- 2.5 3.5 12 05/14/03 11 608 596 7.6 8.1 24.0 19.6 -- 16 36 8.3 08/20/03 .03 669 626 7.9 7.9 30.5 26.1 -- 18 32 7.2 

SC04 Soldier Creek, 158 Road near 

Saint Clere

06/13/01 23.2 633 -- 8.1 -- 31.0 26.8 65 -- -- 8.7 

SC05 Crow Creek, 166 Road near 

Saint Clere

06/13/01 .91 617 -- 7.9 -- 33.0 24.7 28 -- -- 7.3 

SC06 South Branch Soldier Creek, H.5 

Road near Saint Clere

06/13/01 .33 727 -- 8.0 -- 32.5 24.1 23 -- -- 7.0 

Table 4. Streamflow measurements and results of analysis of physical properties in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi R

Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; oC, degrees Celsius; YSI, Yellow Springs Instruments Incorporated, Yellow Springs, Ohi

Company, Loveland, Colorado; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L as CaCO3, milligrams per liter as calcium carbonate; --, not determined; E, 

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/

year)

Streamflow

(ft3/s)

Specific 

conductance, 

onsite 

(μS/cm)

Specific 

conductance, 

laboratory 

(μS/cm)

pH, 

onsite 

(standard 

units)

pH, 

laboratory 

(standard 

units)

Air 

temperature 

(oC)

Water 

temperature 

(oC)

Turbidity, 

onsite, 

YSI 6026 

(NTU)

Turbidity, 

onsite, 

YSI 6136 

(NTU)

Turbidity, 

laboratory, 

Hach 2100 

AN (NTU)

Dissolved 

oxygen 

(mg/L)

h

(
1Water-quality criteria established for aquatic life by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (2001).2Water-quality criteria established for drinking water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a).

Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia 05/15/01 20 646 -- 8.1 -- 32.0 26.1 -- -- -- 7.7 

06/13/01 30 631 -- 8.2 -- 32.0 25.9 87 -- 38 7.0 08/21/01 3.2 576 -- 8.3 -- 30.0 26.7 29 -- 16 9.3 11/13/01 17 726 700 8.3 8.1 17.0 11.4 7.5 -- 3.7 -- 02/12/02 16 704 690 8.3 8.1 8.0 4.0 21 -- 12 17 05/22/02 32 689 684 8.2 8.2 -- 18.4 -- 40 27 12 08/28/02 4.2 564 513 8.0 8.2 -- 27.7 -- 60 33 9.1 11/13/02 6.8 686 659 8.0 8.1 13.0 7.4 -- 5.9 9.7 11 02/19/03 8.5 657 636 8.2 8.0 8.5 3.3 -- 3.2 5.1 9.8 05/14/03 20 608 573 7.7 8.2 25.0 22.3 -- 56 25 8.9 08/20/03 .08 669 599 7.5 8.0 28.5 24.7 -- 27 32 5.2 

SC08 James Creek, 142 Road near Delia 06/13/01 .05 662 -- 7.8 -- 32.0 22.8 -- -- -- 6.1 SC09 James Creek, 126 Road near Delia 06/13/01 .37 614 -- 7.9 -- -- 22.6 19 -- -- 6.9 

South Cedar Creek Basin 

SCC01 South Cedar Creek, U.S. Highway 75 

near Mayetta

06/12/01 .62 610 -- 8.0 -- 27.0 22.7 36 -- -- 8.0 

Table 4. Streamflow measurements and results of analysis of physical properties in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi R

Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; oC, degrees Celsius; YSI, Yellow Springs Instruments Incorporated, Yellow Springs, Ohi

Company, Loveland, Colorado; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L as CaCO3, milligrams per liter as calcium carbonate; --, not determined; E, 

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/

year)

Streamflow

(ft3/s)

Specific 

conductance, 

onsite 

(μS/cm)

Specific 

conductance, 

laboratory 

(μS/cm)

pH, 

onsite 

(standard 

units)

pH, 

laboratory 

(standard 

units)

Air 

temperature 

(oC)

Water 

temperature 

(oC)

Turbidity, 

onsite, 

YSI 6026 

(NTU)

Turbidity, 

onsite, 

YSI 6136 

(NTU)

Turbidity, 

laboratory, 

Hach 2100 

AN (NTU)

Dissolved 

oxygen 

(mg/L)

h

(
Table 5. Results of analysis of physical properties in ground-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kans

August 2003.

[μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; oC, degrees Celsius; NTU, nephelometric turbidity units; mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L as CaCO3, milligrams pe

millivolts; --, not determined; E, estimated]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection

(month/

day/

year)

Specific 

conductance, 

onsite 

(μS/cm)

Specific 

conductance, 

laboratory 

(μS/cm)

pH, onsite 

(standard 

units)

pH, 

laboratory 

(standard 

units)

Air 

temperature

(oC)

Water 

temperature

(oC)

Turbidity, 

onsite,

Lamotte 

2020 

turbidity 

meter (NTU)

Dissolved 

oxygen 

(mg/L)

Total 

calculated 

hardness 

(mg/L as 

CaCO3)

Oxid

redu

(re

pot

(m

Water-quality criteria

-- -- --

16.5–8.5

1Water-quality criteria established for aquatic life by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (2001).

-- --

25

2Water-quality criteria established for drinking water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a).

15 -- 

Ground-water quality

MW01 Monitoring well #1 08/13/03 686 675 7.1 7.3 29.0 13.8 0.20 0.14 320 1MW02 Monitoring well #2 04/30/03 467 455 6.8 7.2 28.0 11.3 .34 1.9 240 5

08/14/03 492 468 6.9 7.2 -- 14.4 4.3 2.9 230 2

MW03 Monitoring well #3 08/13/03 2,430 2,440 6.9 7.0 -- 14.4 .32 .14 800 1MW04 Monitoring well #4 05/2/03 851 665 7.3 7.4 22.0 14.0 36 3.0 280 

08/14/03 735 643 7.5 7.5 -- 14.0 14 E8.5 250 1

MW05 Monitoring well #5 04/29/03 743 736 7.2 7.5 23.9 12.3 84 2.6 360 3MW06 Monitoring well #6 04/30/03 770 740 6.9 7.1 -- 14.2 .30 1.2 380 1

08/13/03 775 754 6.9 7.0 28.5 14.3 .15 .21 400 

MW07 Monitoring well #7 04/29/03 576 557 7.1 7.4 26.0 13.7 2.5 .34 310 4MW08 Monitoring well #8 04/30/03 875 857 6.9 7.1 -- 13.5 .64 .37 440 3MW09 Monitoring well #9 05/1/03 517 484 7.4 7.8 -- 12.9 2.6 9.9 270 5MW10 Monitoring well #10 05/2/03 621 603 7.1 7.5 22.0 14.6 5.2 5.4 330 2MW11 Monitoring well #11 05/2/03 836 797 7.1 7.4 22.0 16.0 18 1.3 400 3

08/12/03 813 826 7.0 7.1 -- 18.1 100 1.0 410 2
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 19

and the YSI 6136 turbidity sensors (Yellow Springs Instruments 

Incorporated, Yellow Springs, Ohio). The two sensors have different ranges and ability to measure turbidity; therefore, the 

measurements obtained by the different sensors cannot be compared directly. The instrument used to measure turbidity can 

have a substantial effect on the measured turbidity level 

(Ziegler, 2003). 

The YSI 6026 sensor was used for surface-water onsite 

turbidity measurements from June 2001 through February 

2002, and the YSI 6136 sensor was used to measure onsite turbidity for the remainder of the study. Surface-water onsite turbidity measured by the YSI 6026 sensor ranged from 0.6 to 

140 NTU (table 4), with a median concentration of 22 NTU. 

The largest turbidity was measured at site LSC01 on June 12, 

2001. This turbidity value (140 NTU) corresponds to the second 

largest total suspended-solids concentration (58 mg/L, table 18, 

results presented in the “Sediment” section). Surface-water 

onsite turbidity measured by the YSI 6136 sensor ranged from 

1.0 to 60 NTU (table 4), with a median concentration of 7 NTU. 

Turbidity samples measured at the laboratory using a HACH 

2100AN turbidity meter in differential mode (HACH Company, Loveland, Colorado) ranged from 1.3 to 38 NTU 

(table 4), with a median concentration of 7.8 NTU. The largest 

concentration of laboratory turbidity occurred in a sample from 

site SC07 collected on June 13, 2001, and corresponded to the 

largest concentration of total suspended solids detected during 

this study (table 18, results presented in the “Sediment” section). Turbidity concentrations in nearly all surface-water samples often exceeded both the water-quality criterion for ecoregion IV and the criterion of 5 NTU established for drinking 

water by USEPA (2004a).

Turbidity measurements in ground water were made using 

a LaMotte 2020 turbidity meter (LaMotte Company, Chestertown, Maryland). Turbidity concentrations in ground-water 

samples ranged from 0.15 to 100 NTU in (table 5). The largest 

turbidity concentration was measured in a sample from 

well MW11 collected on August 12, 2003. The larger turbidity 

values occurred in water from wells that had slow recovery rates 

during pumping and were difficult to sample with the submersible pump. Monitoring wells MW04, MW05, and MW09 were 

sampled using a Teflon bailer because recovery rates could not 

maintain ground-water levels necessary for sampling water 

with the submersible pump. Water sampled from wells MW04 

and MW05 recorded the second and third largest turbidity values. Monitoring well MW11 was not bailed, but it was very difficult to maintain flow without substantial drawdown in the 

well. This difficulty in maintaining consistent flow conditions 

probably contributed to the large turbidity values in water from 

this well. The median concentration of turbidity was 2 NTU in 

the remainder of the wells (table 5).

The concentration of dissolved oxygen in surface water is 

related to atmospheric reaeration, photosynthetic activity of 

aquatic plants, temperature, and salinity of the water (Radtke 

and others, 1998). Dissolved oxygen contributes to chemical 

reactions in water and in the survival of aquatic organisms. 

KDHE (2001) has established an aquatic-life support standard 

of not less than 5.0 mg/L dissolved oxygen. 

Dissolved oxygen concentrations in ground water are one 

indicator of the oxidation-reduction (redox) environment of the 

ground water in the vicinity of the monitoring well. Oxygen is 

supplied to ground water through recharge and by movement of 

air through the unsaturated zone above the water table. As the 

oxygen moves through the system it reacts with oxidizable 

material. Measurable amounts of dissolved oxygen in ground 

water may persist for long distances if little reactive material is 

available along the flow path (Hem, 1992).

The range of onsite dissolved oxygen measurements in 

surface water collected during the reporting period was 5.2 to 

17 mg/L (table 4) and is within the standard. The median dissolved oxygen concentration for surface water was 8.2 mg/L. 

Dissolved oxygen concentrations in ground water ranged from 

0.14 to 9.9 mg/L, and the median concentration was 1.3 mg/L. 

The largest dissolved oxygen concentrations in ground water 

were detected in monitoring wells MW04 and MW09 (table 5).

The oxidation-reduction (redox) potential (Eh) is a numerical index of the intensity of oxidizing or reducing conditions 

within a system (Hem, 1992). Eh was measured as a part of the 

ground-water-quality sampling to determine the redox conditions of the ground-water environment in the vicinity of the 

well. The redox potential of a system is important because the 

amount of oxygen in an environmental system is one of the factors affecting the chemical precipitation and dissolution of 

rocks and minerals. Some water-quality constituents such as 

arsenic, iron, and selenium are sensitive to the redox environment, and any change to the redox potential in an environment 

potentially could cause these constituents to dissolve into solution from surrounding aquifer material or to precipitate out of 

solution into the aquifer. Both situations eventually could affect 

the permeability of the aquifer material in addition to releasing 

potentially harmful constituents such as arsenic. Positive 

potentials indicate that the system is relatively oxidizing, and 

negative potentials indicate that it is relatively reducing 

(Hem, 1992). 

The Eh measurements in samples from the monitoring 

wells ranged from 50 to 570 mV, with a median value of 

240 mV (table 5). The smallest redox potential was measured in 

a sample from monitoring well MW04 collected on May 2, 

2003, and the largest potential was measured in a sample from 

monitoring well MW09 collected on May 1, 2003.

Hardness is a characteristic of water that causes an 

increase in soap consumption in water used for cleaning. The 

presence of calcium as well as magnesium (discussed in the section on "Major Ions") contributes to the “hardness” of water. 

Hard water is typical in regions largely dominated by carbonate 

rocks at the land surface and causes increased expense in water 

treatment as well as sometimes requiring further treatment by 

consumers in the form of water softeners. The hardness of water 

is computed by multiplying the sum of milliequivalents per liter 

(meq/L) of calcium and magnesium by 50. The resulting hardness value is expressed as "hardness as CaCO3" (Hem, 1992). 

Milligrams-per-liter values may be converted to milliequiva-
20 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

lents per liter by multiplying the milligrams per liter by the 

reciprocals of the combining weights of the appropriate ions 

(Hem, 1992). Water with total calculated hardness concentrations of 0 to 60 is considered “soft,” from 61 to 120 mg/L is considered “moderately hard,” from 121 to 180 mg/L is considered 

“hard,” and greater than 180 mg/L, “very hard” (Hem, 1992).

Total calculated hardness in surface-water samples ranged 

from 160 to 390 mg/L as CaCO3 (table 4), with a median concentration of 310 mg/L, and total calculated hardness in groundwater samples ranged from 230 to 800 mg/L as CaCO3 (table 5) 

with a median concentration of 330 mg/L. 

The acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) or alkalinity of a 

solution is defined as the capacity of solutes it contains to react 

with and neutralize acid (Hem, 1992). The properties of alkalinity evaluate the potential of the solution for some kinds of 

water-rock interaction or interaction with other material the 

water may contact (Hem, 1992). ANC is determined by titration 

of an unfiltered sample, whereas alkalinity is determined by 

titration of a filtered water sample.

The range of laboratory measurements of the ANC of surface-water samples collected as a part of this study was an estimated 140 to 380 mg/L as CaCO3, with a median concentration 

of 260 mg/L as CaCO3 (table 4). The range of laboratory ANC 

measurements in ground-water samples collected as a part of 

this study was 190 to 420 mg/L as CaCO3, with a median concentration of 350 mg/L as CaCO3 (table 5). 

Dissolved Solids

Dissolved solids in natural water consist primarily of the 

cations calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium and the 

anions bicarbonate, sulfate, and chloride. Dissolved solids in 

surface water are a result of natural dissolution of rocks and 

minerals or of discharges from municipal or industrial sources 

(Hem, 1992). Dissolved-solids concentrations are used widely 

as an evaluation of water quality. Freshwater has dissolvedsolids concentrations less than 1,000 mg/L, whereas slightly 

saline water ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 mg/L (Hem, 1992). 

According to USEPA (1986), excess dissolved solids are objectionable in drinking water because of possible physiological 

effects, unpalatable mineral tastes, and higher costs because of 

corrosion or the necessity for additional treatment. Consequently, USEPA established a Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation (SDWR) for dissolved solids of 500 mg/L.

Dissolved-solids concentrations in surface-water samples 

collected for this study ranged from 204 to 671 mg/L, with the 

largest concentration occurring in a sample from site LSC06 

(table 6, fig. 4A). The median concentration for dissolved solids 

in surface water was 389 mg/L. Six of seven samples from 

site LSC06 exceeded the SDWR of 500 mg/L for dissolved solids and corresponds to large concentrations of major ions in 

water samples from site LSC06 (table 6, major ion results discussed in following “Major Ions” section). Site LSC06 is 

located downstream from a discharging sewage-treatment 

lagoon, and larger concentrations of dissolved ions and dissolved solids generally are found downstream of treated sewage 

effluent when compared to upstream concentrations. Six of 

37 surface-water samples (16 percent) exceeded the 500-mg/L 

SDWR. 

The range of dissolved-solids concentrations in groundwater samples was 280 to 1,840 mg/L. The largest concentration was in a sample from well MW03, which was approximately four times larger than the median concentration of 

442 mg/L from all the ground-water samples (table 7, fig. 4B), 

and also corresponds to large concentrations of major ions in the 

water sample from this monitoring well (table 7, discussion of 

results in following “Major Ions” section). Twenty percent of 

the ground-water samples had dissolved-solids concentrations 

equal to or greater than the SDWR of 500 mg/L (fig. 4B). Dissolved solids were identified as exceeding the SDWR by Trombley (2001) and continue to exceed the SDWR in the current 

ground-water assessment in three of the monitoring wells. 

Treatment to remove the dissolved solids may be needed in the 

event water resources on the reservation are used as a source for 

public drinking-water supply.

Major Ions

Major ions in natural water typically are a result of the dissolution of rocks and minerals but also can occur in discharge 

from municipal or industrial sources (Hem, 1992). Excessively 

large concentrations of major ions are objectionable in drinking 

water because of possible physiological effects, unpleasant 

taste, and greater costs due to corrosion or the need for additional treatment (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

1986). The major ions analyzed for this study included calcium, 

magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfate, chloride, fluoride, and silica. Secondary Drinking-Water 

Regulations have been established by USEPA (2004a) for sulfate (250 mg/L) and chloride (250 mg/L) concentrations in finished drinking water, and a Drinking-Water Advisory has been 

established by USEPA (2004a) for sodium concentrations 

(20 mg/L) in finished drinking water. Results of analyses for 

major ions in surface- and ground-water samples are reported in 

tables 6 and 7, respectively. 

Calcium is a major constituent of carbonate rocks such as 

limestone and dolomite, and it dissolves readily in water; therefore, the calcium concentration in water from areas with carbonate rocks and associated deposits tends to be larger than in other 

areas (Hem, 1992). Carbonate rocks predominate the surface 

and near-surface geology in Kansas including the Prairie Band 

Potawatomi Reservation (fig. 3). Large concentrations of calcium are objectionable in domestic water supplies because they 

contribute to the hardness of the water and tend to cause encrustations on cooking utensils, pipes, and in water heaters. 

Calcium concentrations in surface-water samples ranged 

from 48 to 120 mg/L, with a median concentration of 90 mg/L 

(table 6). Calcium concentrations in ground-water samples 

ranged from 67 to 200 mg/L (table 7). The median calcium 

concentration in ground-water samples was 96 mg/L and is typical of ground water from a carbonate setting.
Table 6. Results of analysis of dissolved solids and major ions in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeas

through August 2003.

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986, 2003, 2004a); mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L as HCO3, milligrams per liter as bicarbonate

liter as calcium carbonate; SDWR, Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation; DWA, Drinking-Water Advisory; --, not determined]

Map 

identifier

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day

/year)

Dissolved 

solids 

(mg/L)

Calcium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L

Magnesium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Sodium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Potassium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Bicarbonate, 

total, 

onsite 

(mg/L as 

HCO3)

Carbonate, 

total, 

onsite 

(mg/L as 

CaCO3)

Sulfate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L) 

Water-quality criteria

500 

(SDWR)

-- -- 20

(DWA)

-- -- -- 250 

(SDWR)

(

Little Soldier Creek Basin

LSC03 Little Soldier Creek, O Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

06/12/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 360 110 26 18 3.6 -- -- 49 02/12/02 382 87 22 16 2.0 -- -- 51 05/22/02 373 100 24 16 3.0 380 0 47 08/28/02 206 48 11 8.1 1.1 190 0 18 11/13/02 327 71 17 11 3.2 220 0 32 02/19/03 340 81 21 14 2.3 -- -- 41 05/14/03 373 90 24 17 3.3 380 0 41 

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

06/12/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 366 100 24 18 4.0 -- -- 45 02/12/02 388 87 22 17 2.2 -- -- 56 05/22/02 397 94 21 15 2.9 310 0 49 08/28/02 204 49 10 7.8 3.9 180 0 17 11/13/02 302 68 16 11 4.6 280 0 28 02/19/03 294 78 20 15 2.7 -- -- 36 05/14/03 363 88 23 17 3.5 350 0 41 

LSC06 Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

06/12/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 08/21/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 630 100 21 84 5.4 -- -- 88 
Table 6. Results of analysis of dissolved solids and major ions in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeas

through August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986, 2003, 2004a); mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L as HCO3, milligrams per liter as bicarbonate

liter as calcium carbonate; SDWR, Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation; DWA, Drinking-Water Advisory; --, not determined]

Map 

identifier

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day

/year)

Dissolved 

solids 

(mg/L)

Calcium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L

Magnesium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Sodium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Potassium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Bicarbonate, 

total, 

onsite 

(mg/L as 

HCO3)

Carbonate, 

total, 

onsite 

(mg/L as 

CaCO3)

Sulfate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L) 

Little Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

LSC06 Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt—

Continued

02/12/02 656 98 21 92 4.4 -- -- 98 05/22/02 488 98 20 46 3.8 440 0 86 08/28/02 556 86 17 76 4.6 280 0 70 11/13/02 636 89 19 99 6.3 300 0 88 02/19/03 671 89 19 110 7.6 -- -- 99 05/14/03 521 92 20 73 6.4 320 0 86 

Soldier Creek Basin 

SC03 Soldier Creek near Saint Clere 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

06/13/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 08/21/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 398 110 25 20 2.9 -- -- 100 02/12/02 456 100 24 21 2.0 -- -- 110 05/22/02 389 100 22 16 2.9 320 0 81 08/28/02 424 93 22 16 3.0 350 0 110 11/13/02 491 110 25 20 2.6 340 0 120 02/19/03 495 120 25 21 2.2 -- -- 150 05/14/03 362 89 20 17 3.5 320 0 69 08/20/03 413 81 24 27 3.3 -- -- 85 

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 

06/13/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 08/21/01 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 372 100 26 23 2.6 -- -- 84 02/12/02 410 97 23 21 1.9 -- -- 90 
Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia— 

Continued

05/22/02 403 110 23 18 2.9 380 0 66 08/28/02 340 74 18 16 3.7 250 0 62 11/13/02 399 100 25 18 2.8 370 0 60 02/19/03 422 86 21 18 1.8 -- -- 93 05/14/03 317 85 21 19 3.2 310 0 49 08/20/03 297 64 23 37 3.8 -- -- 50 

Table 6. Results of analysis of dissolved solids and major ions in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeas

through August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986, 2003, 2004a); mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L as HCO3, milligrams per liter as bicarbonate

liter as calcium carbonate; SDWR, Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation; DWA, Drinking-Water Advisory; --, not determined]

Map 

identifier

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day

/year)

Dissolved 

solids 

(mg/L)

Calcium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L

Magnesium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Sodium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Potassium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Bicarbonate, 

total, 

onsite 

(mg/L as 

HCO3)

Carbonate, 

total, 

onsite 

(mg/L as 

CaCO3)

Sulfate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L) 
24 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Surface-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

Dissolved-solids concentration, in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

LSC03 LSC04 LSC06 SC03 SC07

U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (2004a) Secondary DrinkingWater Regulation (500 mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (2004a) Secondary DrinkingWater Regulation (500 mg/L) 

2 samples

(A) Surface-water samples

 

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

2,000

Ground-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

MW01 MW02 MW03 MW04 MW05 MW06 MW07 MW08 MW09 MW10 MW11

(B) Ground-water samples

Figure 4. Concentrations of dissolved solids in (A) surface-water-quality samples and (B) ground-water-quality 

samples, May 2001 through August 2003. Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation from U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (2004a).
Table 7. Results of analysis of dissolved solids and major ions in ground-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, north

through August 2003.

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a). mg/L, milligrams per liter; mg/L as HCO3, milligrams per liter as bicarbonate; mg/L 

calcium carbonate; SDWR, Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation; DWA, Drinking-Water Advisory; --, not determined]

Map 

identifier

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of 

sample 

collection 

(month/

day/year)

Dissolved 

solids, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Calcium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Magnesium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Sodium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Potassium, 

dissolved 

(mg/L)

Bicarbonate, 

total, onsite 

(mg/L as 

HCO3)

Carbonate, 

total, onsite 

(mg/L as 

CaCO3)

Sulfate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L) 

Chlor

disso

(mg

Water-quality criteria

500 

(SDWR)

-- -- 20

(DWA)

-- -- -- 250

(SDWR)

250

(SDW

Ground-water quality

MW01 Monitoring well #1 08/13/03 442 96 19 30 1.4 350 0 86 12 MW02 Monitoring well #2 04/30/03 280 73 14 14 .56 270 0 27 

08/14/03 299 69 13 14 .62 300 0 27 3

MW03 Monitoring well #3 08/13/03 1,840 200 74 190 7.0 490 0 700 220 MW04 Monitoring well #4 05/02/03 429 76 21 53 1.2 370 0 45 1

08/14/03 410 67 20 54 1.0 380 0 38 1

MW05 Monitoring well #5 04/29/03 483 100 24 26 4.5 320 0 82 5MW06 Monitoring well #6 04/30/03 472 100 31 17 1.1 460 0 51 3

08/13/03 481 110 32 18 .94 490 0 51 5

MW07 Monitoring well #7 04/29/03 340 82 25 8.8 .93 320 0 15 2MW08 Monitoring well #8 04/30/03 531 130 30 32 1.0 400 0 46 29 MW09 Monitoring well #9 05/01/03 300 84 14 2.2 .58 330 0 9.6 MW10 Monitoring well #10 05/02/03 403 96 21 16 .81 350 0 53 MW11 Monitoring well #11 05/02/03 497 100 36 22 2.5 420 0 26 14 

08/12/03 516 100 37 24 2.2 430 0 36 16 
26 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Magnesium is a common alkaline-earth metal and is essential for plant and animal nutrition (Hem, 1992). The principal 

sources for magnesium on the reservation are carbonate rocks. 

Magnesium also contributes to the total hardness of water and 

may cause encrustation and increase soap or detergent consumption in water used for cleaning. 

Magnesium concentrations in the surface-water samples 

collected for this study ranged from 10 to 26 mg/L, with a 

median concentration of 22 mg/L (table 6). Concentrations in 

ground-water samples ranged from 13 to 74 mg/L, with a 

median concentration of 24 mg/L (table 7).

Sodium is the most abundant member of the alkali-metal 

group of elements and, once dissolved, tends to remain in solution. Natural sources of sodium include the weathering of plagioclase feldspar and the dissolution of sodium salts from sedimentary rocks (Hem, 1992). Human-related sources include 

road salt, seepage from septic systems, and a by-product of 

water treatment (it is discharged by water softeners and reverseosmosis units) (U.S Environmental Protection Agency, 2003). 

Sodium in drinking water may impart a salty taste and may be 

harmful to persons suffering from heart, kidney, and circulatory 

diseases and women with toxemias of pregnancy (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003). Therefore, USEPA has 

established a Drinking-Water Advisory (DWA) of 20 mg/L in 

finished drinking water for people who are on restricted sodium 

diets (500 milligrams per day) and a taste threshold of 30 to 

60 mg/L in finished drinking water (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004a). 

Sodium concentrations in surface-water samples ranged 

from 7.8 to 110 mg/L, with a median concentration of 18 mg/L 

(table 6). The largest sodium concentrations were detected in 

samples from site LSC06. Six of seven samples at this site 

exceeded the maximum taste threshold of 60 mg/L. Sodium 

concentrations at the other quarterly sites were generally about 

20 mg/L or less (fig. 5A). 

Sodium concentrations in ground water ranged from 2.2 to 

190 mg/L (table 7). The largest concentration was detected in a 

water sample from well MW03 (fig. 5B) and was approximately 

nine times larger than the median concentration of 22 mg/L of 

sodium concentrations from all samples collected from groundwater monitoring wells. 

Potassium is an essential element for both plants and animals. Maintenance of optimal soil fertility depends on a supply 

of available potassium. Potassium is present in plant material 

and is lost from agricultural soil by crop harvesting and by 

leaching and runoff acting on organic residues (Hem, 1992). 

Concentrations of potassium in surface-water samples collected for this study ranged from 1.1 to 7.6 mg/L, with a median 

concentration of 3.2 mg/L (table 6). The largest concentration 

of 7.6 mg/L occurred in a water sample from site LSC06, and 

potassium concentrations from this site were generally larger 

than from other surface-water sites. 

Potassium concentrations in ground-water samples ranged 

from 0.56 to 7.0 mg/L, with a median concentration of 

1.0 mg/L. The largest concentration in ground water was 

detected in water from monitoring well MW03 (table 7). 

In most surface streams, bicarbonate concentrations are 

much less than 200 mg/L, but larger concentrations in ground 

water are not uncommon (Hem, 1992). The primary source for 

bicarbonate on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation is the 

dissolution of carbonate rocks and deposits. 

Bicarbonate concentrations in surface-water samples 

ranged from 180 to 440 mg/L (table 6). The largest concentration of bicarbonate occurred in water sampled from site LSC06 

on May 22, 2002. The median bicarbonate concentration in surface-water samples was 320 mg/L. 

Bicarbonate concentrations in ground-water samples 

ranged from 270 to 490 mg/L, with a median concentration of 

370 mg/L (table 7). The largest bicarbonate concentration in 

ground water was detected in samples from wells MW03 and 

MW06. 

Natural sources of sulfate in water include the weathering 

of sulfur-bearing minerals, such as pyrite and gypsum, volcanic 

discharges to the atmosphere, and biologic and biochemical 

processes (Hem, 1992). Human-related sources include industrial discharges to both streams and the atmosphere and the 

combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal and gasoline. USEPA 

(2004a) established a SDWR of 250 mg/L in drinking water to 

avoid laxative effects that can result from excessive sulfate concentrations in drinking water.

Sulfate concentrations in surface-water samples ranged 

from 17 to 150 mg/L, with a median concentration of 66 mg/L. 

Sulfate concentrations were less than the SDWR of 250 mg/L 

(table 6, fig. 6A). 

The range of sulfate concentrations in ground-water samples was 9.6 to 700 mg/L, with a median concentration of 

45 mg/L (table 7, fig. 6B). The largest sulfate concentration was 

detected in water from well MW03 and was approximately 

15 times the median concentration from all ground-water samples and almost three times the SDWR. The large sulfate concentration in water from this well corresponds to large specific 

conductance values and large concentrations of other dissolved 

ions in the water from the well. Treatment to remove excess dissolved ion concentrations would be required in the event this 

water should become a drinking-water source for the tribe.

Chloride is present in all natural water but is generally 

found in small concentrations in surface water (Hem, 1992). 

The probable natural source of chloride on the reservation is 

dissolution of halite from sedimentary rocks. The discharge of 

human, agricultural, animal, or industrial wastes also may add 

substantial quantities of chloride to surface and ground water. 

Chloride can impart a salty taste to drinking water and may 

accelerate the corrosion of metals used in water-supply systems. 

On the basis of taste, USEPA (2004a) established a SDWR of 

250 mg/L in finished drinking water. KDHE (2001) has established an aquatic-life criterion of 352 mg/L for chronic exposure to chloride. 
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 27

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Dissolved sodium concentration, in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a)

Drinking Water Advisory (20 mg/L)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a)

Drinking Water Advisory (20 mg/L)

2 samples

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Surface-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

LSC03 LSC04 LSC06 SC03 SC07

(A) Surface-water samples

Ground-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

MW01 MW02 MW03 MW04 MW05 MW06 MW07 MW08 MW09 MW10 MW11

(B) Ground-water samples

Figure 5. Concentrations of dissolved sodium in (A) surface-water-quality samples and (B) ground-water-quality 

samples, May 2001 through August 2003. Drinking-Water Advisory from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(2004a).
28 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a) 

Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation (250 mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a) 

Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation (250 mg/L) 

MW01 MW02 MW03 MW04 MW05 MW06 MW07 MW08 MW09 MW10 MW11

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Dissolved sulfate concentration, in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

Ground-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

Surface-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

LSC03 LSC04 LSC06 SC03 SC07

(A) Surface-water samples

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

(B) Ground-water samples

Figure 6. Concentrations of dissolved sulfate in (A) surface-water-quality samples and (B) ground-water-quality 

samples, May 2001 through August 2003. Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation from U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (2004a).
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 29

Chloride concentrations in surface-water samples collected during this study ranged from 3.8 to 170 mg/L and were 

substantially less than the SDWR (table 6, fig. 7A). The median 

concentration of chloride in the surface-water samples was 

13 mg/L. The largest chloride concentrations occurred in surface-water samples from site LSC06, but these concentrations 

were less than the SDWR. Relatively large chloride concentrations at this site probably are attributable to its location downstream from a discharging sewage-treatment lagoon. 

Chloride concentrations in ground-water samples ranged 

from 1.1 to 220 mg/L, with a median concentration of 5.9 mg/L 

(table 7). The largest chloride concentration, detected in water 

from well MW03, was slightly less than the SDWR (fig. 7B).

Nutrients

Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential for the growth and 

reproduction of plants (Hem, 1992). Rooted aquatic plants and 

algae, for example, require dissolved forms of nitrogen and 

phosphorus as nutrients. Compounds of nitrogen, such as 

nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia, are the basic building blocks for 

protein synthesis, and phosphorus serves as an energy source in 

cellular chemical reactions. However, large inputs of nitrogen 

and phosphorus compounds to waterbodies can cause excessive 

algal growth (Hem, 1992). This may result in taste-and-odor 

problems in drinking water, reduce the aesthetic and recreational value of water, and stress aquatic organisms due to 

decreased dissolved oxygen concentrations after the algal 

blooms die. Therefore, it is desirable to prevent or mitigate the 

introduction of excessive nutrient concentrations into surface 

water used as public supply or where sensitive aquatic organisms may be present (Trombley, 1999, 2001).

Major sources of nutrients in and around the reservation 

include agricultural activities such as the application of fertilizers to enhance crop production and the pasturing and confined 

feeding of livestock. Common fertilizers used include, among 

others, anhydrous ammonia, ammonium nitrate, urea, and 

mono- and diammonium phosphates. The amount of fertilizer 

sold in Kansas has increased substantially during the last four 

decades. In 1950, about 180,000 tons of fertilizer were sold in 

Kansas, whereas by 2003 sales increased to more than 

1,100,000 tons during a 6-month period (January through 

June 2003) (Kansas Department of Agriculture, 2004). It is 

likely that this statewide increasing trend in fertilizer use also 

occurred on and near the reservation. Additionally, farm livestock such as cattle and buffalo can produce considerable 

amounts of nitrogenous waste (urine and manure) that can concentrate in areas where large numbers of animals are pastured 

or confined. Decomposition of large amounts of fertilizers and 

manure can release nutrients to surface runoff or to shallow 

ground water with the potential for discharge to nearby streams 

(Trombley, 1999, 2001).

Another potential source of nutrients on the reservation is 

bacterial decomposition of plant and animal protein and seepage from septic systems or sewage lagoons. Nutrients, 

particularly nitrate and ammonia, also may be components of 

precipitation (Christensen and Pope, 1997); however, because 

of dominant agricultural land use in the area, precipitation is 

probably a relatively minor contributor of nutrients to surface 

water and ground water on the reservation.

Nitrate is formed by complete oxidation of ammonium 

ions by microorganisms found in soil, water, sewage, and the 

digestive tract (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1986). 

In most oxygenated surface water, nitrate is by far the dominant 

ion due to rapid oxidation of nitrite. Nitrate nitrogen is the form 

of nitrogen most easily used by most rooted green plants and 

algae. Nitrate nitrogen generally occurs in uncontaminated surface water, with a worldwide mean concentration of 0.30 mg/L 

(Reid and Wood, 1976). Larger nitrate nitrogen concentrations 

may stimulate growth of rooted plants or accelerate algal production to an extent that may result in taste-or-odor problems in 

finished drinking water. Because most aquatic organisms can 

tolerate nitrite plus nitrate concentrations far in excess of what 

normally might be found even in contaminated surface water, 

no water-quality criteria have been established for protection of 

aquatic life. However, a MCL in drinking water of 10 mg/L 

nitrate as nitrogen was established by USEPA (2004a) because 

of possible toxic effects to infants.

Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations ranged from an estimated 0.03 to 0.93 mg/L in the surface-water samples collected 

from the reservation (table 8, fig. 8A) and were substantially 

less than the MCL of 10 mg/L. The median surface-water concentration was 0.1 mg/L. 

Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in ground-water samples 

ranged from an estimated 0.05 to 14 mg/L (table 9), with a 

median concentration of 0.47 mg/L. The largest concentration 

was in water from well MW11; the well was sampled in both 

rounds of ground-water sampling and had similar values both 

times (fig. 8B). The nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in water 

from well MW11 exceeded the USEPA MCL. The well is 

located adjacent to an open hand-dug well that could provide a 

conduit for contaminants into the ground water in that localized 

area. Primary land use near the well is pastureland and cropland, 

and agricultural activities in the area could contribute to elevated nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in this well.

Ammonia toxicity is dependent on the pH and temperature 

of the water; as the pH and temperature increase, the chronic 

exposure criterion for ammonia decreases (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1999). Acute toxicity of ammonia in fish 

causes increased respiration, oxygen uptake, and heart rate; 

reduction in hatching success and growth and morphologic 

development; and injuries to gills, liver, and kidneys. At larger 

concentrations, fish may experience convulsions, coma, and 

death. Small ammonia concentrations can cause reduction in 

hatching success, reduction in growth rate or morphological 

development, and pathologic changes in tissues of the gills, livers, and kidneys (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

1986). The pH in surface water on the reservation ranged from 

6.9 to 8.5 standard units, and the water temperature ranged from 

0.2 to 28.7 o

C (table 3). For these pH and water temperature 

conditions, the range of the chronic ammonia criteria for 
30 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

50

100

150

200

250

300

Dissolved chloride concentration, in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a) 

Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation (250 mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a) 

Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation (250 mg/L) 

0

Ground-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

MW01 MW02 MW03 MW04 MW05 MW06 MW07 MW08 MW09 MW10 MW11

Surface-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

LSC03 LSC04 LSC06 SC03 SC07

(A) Surface-water samples

(B) Ground-water samples

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Figure 7. Concentrations of dissolved chloride in (A) surface-water-quality samples and (B) ground-water-quality 

samples, May 2001 through August 2003. Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation from U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (2004a).
Table 8. Results of analysis of nutrients in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May 2[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986, 2004a). mg/L as N, millgrams per liter as nitrogen; mg/L as P, millgrams per liter as phContaminant Level; --, not determined; <, less than; E, estimated]

Map 

identifier

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/year)

Nitrite, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite plus 

nitrate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

dissolved

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

total

(mg/L as N)

Phosphor

dissolve

(mg/L)

Water-quality criteria

-- 10 mg/L 

(MCL)

-- -- -- -- 

Bills Creek Basin

BC01 Bills Creek, U.S Highway 75 near Holton 06/12/01 0.02 0.12 0.07 -- 0.58 -- 

Little Soldier Creek Basin

LSC01 Little Soldier Creek, 190 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01 <.01 <.05 <.04 -- 1.0 -- LSC02 Little Soldier Creek, 174 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01 <.01 .06 <.04 -- .43 -- LSC03 Little Soldier Creek, O Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 .01 .10 .08 -- .43 -- 

06/12/01 .02 .30 E.04 -- .79 -- 11/13/01 <.01 <.05 <.04 0.21 .83 0.08 02/12/02 <.01 E.03 <.04 .16 .21 <.06 05/22/02 <.01 <.05 <.04 .19 .21 <.06 08/28/02 <.01 .11 <.04 .44 .64 E.05 11/13/02 <.01 <.06 <.04 .28 .44 .13 02/19/03 <.01 <.05 <.04 .20 .20 <.06 05/14/03 <.01 <.06 <.04 .23 .32 <.04 

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 .01 .10 .06 -- .37 -- 

06/12/01 .02 .41 .07 -- .56 -- 11/13/01 <.01 E.03 <.04 .26 .26 .07 02/12/02 <.01 E.04 <.04 .16 .22 <.06 05/22/02 <.01 .08 <.04 .21 .26 E.03 
Table 8. Results of analysis of nutrients in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May 2

August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986, 2004a). mg/L as N, millgrams per liter as nitrogen; mg/L as P, millgrams per liter as phContaminant Level; --, not determined; <, less than; E, estimated]

Map 

identifier

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/year)

Nitrite, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite plus 

nitrate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

dissolved

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

total

(mg/L as N)

Phosphor

dissolve

(mg/L)

Little Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta—

Continued

08/28/02 0.02 0.05 <0.1 0.49 E0.05 11/13/02 <.01 <0.06 <.04 .29 .39 .10 02/19/03 <.01 <.05 <.04 .16 .24 <.06 05/14/03 <.01 <.06 <.04 .23 .33 E.02 

LSC05 Little Soldier Creek tributary, 134 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 .01 .93 <.04 -- .30 -- LSC06 Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt 05/15/01 .01 .24 E.04 -- .34 -- 

06/12/01 .01 .33 .05 -- .41 -- 08/21/01 <.01 E.04 <.04 -- .21 -- 11/13/01 <.01 E.04 <.04 .41 .51 .38 02/12/02 E.01 E.58 E.09 .53 1.1 .31 05/22/02 <.01 .07 <.04 .23 .34 .19 08/28/02 <.01 .12 .04 .26 .26 .16 11/13/02 <.01 <.06 <.04 .19 .45 .20 02/19/03 .02 .74 2.4 3.2 4.3 .87 05/14/03 <.01 <.06 <.04 .34 .38 .31 

LSC07 Little Elm Creek, Q Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 .04 .38 .07 -- 1.0 -- LSC08 Big Elm Creek, P Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 .01 .85 <.04 -- .77 -- LSC09 Little Soldier Creek, 126 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 .01 .50 E.03 -- .47 -- 

Soldier Creek Basin 

SC01 Soldier Creek, 214 Road near Circleville 06/13/01 .02 .80 <.04 -- .54 -- SC02 Soldier Creek tributary, G Road near Circleville 06/13/01 .01 .30 E.02 -- .27 -- 
Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC03 Soldier Creek near Saint Clere 05/15/01 0.01 0.13 <0.04 -- 0.42 -- 

06/13/01 .01 .72 <.04 -- .50 -- 08/21/01 <.01 .07 <.04 -- .34 -- 11/13/01 <.01 .18 <.04 0.22 .31 E0.03 02/12/02 <.01 E.41 E.03 .18 .24 <.06 05/22/02 <.01 .11 <.04 .19 .36 <.06 08/28/02 <.01 <.05 <.04 .16 .51 <.06 11/13/02 E.01 <.06 <.04 .15 .31 <.04 02/19/03 <.01 <.05 <.04 .12 .30 <.06 05/14/03 .02 .49 <.04 .36 .61 E.03 08/20/03 <.01 <.06 <.04 .31 .84 .05 

SC04 Soldier Creek, 158 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 .01 .68 <.04 -- .52 -- SC05 Crow Creek, 166 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 .01 .12 <.04 -- .28 -- SC06 South Branch Soldier Creek, H.5 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 .03 .18 .04 -- .45 -- SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia 05/15/01 .01 .06 <.04 -- .53 -- 

06/13/01 .01 .87 <.04 -- .49 -- 08/21/01 <.01 E.04 <.04 -- .38 -- 11/13/01 <.01 E.04 <.04 .19 .29 <.06 02/12/02 <.01 <.05 <.04 .20 .24 E.03 05/22/02 <.01 .36 <.04 .19 .39 E.06 08/28/02 <.01 <.05 <.04 .27 .59 E.04 11/13/02 <.01 <.06 <.04 .21 .30 .05 02/19/03 <.01 <.05 <.04 .16 .25 <.06 

Table 8. Results of analysis of nutrients in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May 2

August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986, 2004a). mg/L as N, millgrams per liter as nitrogen; mg/L as P, millgrams per liter as phContaminant Level; --, not determined; <, less than; E, estimated]

Map 

identifier

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/year)

Nitrite, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite plus 

nitrate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

dissolved

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

total

(mg/L as N)

Phosphor

dissolve

(mg/L)
Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia—Continued 05/14/03 0.01 0.33 <0.04 0.31 0.52 0.04 

08/20/03 <.01 .19 <.04 .59 .86 .07 

SC08 James Creek, 142 Road near Delia 06/13/01 <.01 .14 <.04 -- .39 -- SC09 James Creek, 126 Road near Delia 06/13/01 <.01 .09 <.04 -- .31 -- 

South Cedar Creek Basin 

SCC01 South Cedar Creek, U.S. Highway 75 near Mayetta 06/12/01 .015 .47 .05 -- .47 -- 

Table 8. Results of analysis of nutrients in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May 2

August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986, 2004a). mg/L as N, millgrams per liter as nitrogen; mg/L as P, millgrams per liter as phContaminant Level; --, not determined; <, less than; E, estimated]

Map 

identifier

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/year)

Nitrite, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Nitrite plus 

nitrate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

dissolved

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

total

(mg/L as N)

Phosphor

dissolve

(mg/L)
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 35

MW01 MW02 MW03 MW04 MW05 MW06 MW07 MW08 MW09 MW10 MW11

Ground-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

Surface-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10

12

14

16

Dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a) 

Maximum Contaminant Level (10 mg/L) 

(A) Surface-water samples

(B) Ground-water samples

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.0

BC01

LSC01

SC09

SC08

SC07

SC06

SC05

SC04

SC03

SC02

SC01

LSC09

LSC08

SCC01

LSC07

LSC06

LSC05

LSC04

LSC03

LSC02

Figure 8. Concentrations of dissolved nitrite plus nitrate in (A) surface-water-quality samples and (B) groundwater-quality samples, May 2001 through August 2003. Maximum Contaminant Level from U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (2004a).
Table 9. Results of analysis of nutrients in ground-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, April th[Water-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (1986). mg/L as N, millgrams per liter as nitrogen; mg/L as P, milligrams per liter as phosphorus; MCL, M

not determined; <, less than; E, estimated]

Map 

identifier

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day/

year)

Nitrite, 

dissolved

 (mg/L as N)

Nitrite plus 

nitrate, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia plus 

organic 

nitrogen, 

dissolved 

(mg/L as N)

Ammonia 

plus organic 

nitrogen, 

total 

(mg/L as N)

Phosphorus, 

dissolved (mg/L)

Phospho

 (m

Water-quality criterion

-- 10 mg/L 

(MCL)

-- -- -- -- -

Ground-water quality

MW01 Monitoring well #1 08/13/03 <0.008 <0.06 0.08 E0.10 0.16 0.06 0.08 MW02 Monitoring well #2 04/30/03 <.008 <.06 <.04 E.07 .11 .04 E.02 

08/14/03 <.008 <.06 <.04 E.05 .11 E.03 .05 

MW03 Monitoring well #3 08/13/03 <.008 <.06 1.3 1.4 1.8 .11 .15 MW04 Monitoring well #4 05/2/03 <.008 3.3 <.04 .11 .63 E.03 .29 

08/14/03 <.008 3.2 <.04 .11 .55 E.03 .38 

MW05 Monitoring well #5 04/29/03 <.008 .71 .10 .26 1.2 E.03 .76 MW06 Monitoring well #6 04/30/03 <.008 E.05 .16 .21 .26 .13 .15 

08/13/03 <.008 <.06 .20 .22 .29 .16 .20 

MW07 Monitoring well #7 04/29/03 <.008 .19 <.04 <.10 <.10 <.03 .05 MW08 Monitoring well #8 04/30/03 <.008 .47 .23 .30 .36 .09 .28 MW09 Monitoring well #9 05/1/03 <.008 1.0 <.04 .10 .14 <.03 E.03 MW10 Monitoring well #10 05/2/03 <.008 2.0 <.04 <.10 .14 <.03 .04 MW11 Monitoring well #11 05/2/03 .04 13 .13 .23 .54 .10 .33 

08/12/03 .02 14 <.04 .11 .59 .09 .50 
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 37

streams that have fish early-life stages present is 0.4 to 

6.12 mg/L (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1999) 

The most likely source for ammonia on the reservation 

probably is related to agricultural land use or wastewater. 

Ammonia concentrations in the surface-water samples 

ranged from an estimated 0.02 to 2.4 mg/L, with a median concentration of less than 0.04 mg/L (table 8). The largest concentration of 2.4 mg/L occurred on February 19, 2003, in a water 

sample from site LSC06, which is located downstream from a 

discharging sewage-treatment lagoon. The chronic exposure 

criterion for this sample (pH of 7.2 and temperature of 0.2 oC) 

is 5.39 mg/L. This ammonia concentration was substantially 

larger than other concentrations from that site as well as all the 

other surface-water sites. 

Ammonia concentrations in ground-water samples ranged 

from less than 0.04 to 1.3 mg/L, with a median concentration of 

less than 0.04 mg/L (table 9), none of which exceeded the 

USEPA (1999) water-quality criterion, which is not directly 

applicable to ground water as it is a chronic exposure criterion; 

however, in cases where ground water provides the base flow to 

the streams on the reservation, this criterion could apply.

Total phosphorus includes all forms of phosphorus (Hem, 

1992). Excessive concentrations of phosphorus in water may 

contribute to eutrophication of water bodies. Eutrophication 

(nutrient enrichment) is characterized by excessive nutrient 

concentrations, decreasing dissolved oxygen concentrations, 

and dense growths of algae (Reid and Wood, 1976). Domestic, 

municipal, and industrial sewage effluents are substantial 

sources of phosphorus in surface water because phosphorus is 

essential in metabolism and always present in human and animal metabolic waste (Hem, 1992). 

USEPA (1986) established a goal for total phosphorus 

concentration of 0.10 mg/L to limit cultural eutrophication of 

flowing water. Larger concentrations also may interfere with 

coagulation in water-treatment plants. To prevent excessive 

algal growth in impounded water, concentrations of total phosphates (as phosphorus) should not exceed 0.05 mg/L in any 

stream at the point where it enters a lake or reservoir (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1986). USEPA also has recommended water-quality criteria for total phosphorus that are 

based on the aggregate nutrient ecoregions. The total phosphorus criterion for ecoregion IV is 0.02 mg/L; for ecoregion VI, it 

is 0.08 mg/L; and for ecoregion IX, it is 0.04 mg/L (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000a, 2000b, 2001). Ecoregions 

are defined in the previous section on "Physical Properties." 

Potential sources for large concentrations of phosphorus in 

streams on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation include 

human or animal waste and fertilizers applied to agricultural 

lands. Total phosphorus was identified as exceeding waterquality criteria on the reservation in the two previous reports 

published as a part of this cooperative study (Trombley, 1999, 

2001).

The concentrations of total phosphorus in surface-water 

samples ranged from an estimated 0.03 to 1.2 mg/L, with a 

median concentration of 0.12 mg/L (table 8). All 10 samples 

from site LSC06 exceeded the water-quality goal of 0.10 mg/L, 

and the largest concentration of 1.2 mg/L occurred on 

February 19, 2003, in a sample from site LSC06 (fig. 9). Other 

nutrient concentrations also were large in the February 19, 

2003, sample from site LSC06. Overall, 40 percent of the 

65 surface-water samples that were analyzed for total phosphorus exceeded the aquatic-life goal of 0.10 mg/L (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1986). 

Total phosphorus concentrations in ground-water samples 

ranged from an estimated 0.02 to 0.76 mg/L, with a median concentration of 0.15 mg/L (table 9). The aquatic-life goal does not 

apply to ground water.

Trace Elements

A trace element is an element that is not essential in a mineral (generally less than 1 percent) but is found in small quantities in its structure or adsorbed on its surfaces (Bates and Jackson, 1980). Trace elements generally are found in the 

environment at relatively small concentrations (less than 

1.0 mg/L), but some of them are vital for human and plant 

health. However, the concentrations of trace elements in surface 

and ground water can be increased as a result of human activities such as mining and industrial activities. Water samples for 

this study were analyzed for the trace elements arsenic, boron, 

iron, and selenium, and all have water-quality criteria. 

Arsenic is a trace element that occurs naturally in the environment, but the presence of arsenic in water also can be a result 

of mining activity or application of pesticides. Arsenic also can 

occur in water as a result of an arsenic-bearing formation dissolving naturally over time (Haack and Rachol, 2000). Large 

concentrations of arsenic have shown to be detrimental to 

human health (Hem, 1992). In 2001, USEPA revised the drinking-water MCL for arsenic from 50 to 10 μg/L (effective in 

2006) (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004a). 

Arsenic concentrations in the surface-water samples collected for this study ranged from an estimated 1 to 7 μg/L 

(table 10) and were less than the MCL for arsenic. The median 

concentration in surface-water samples was less than 2 μg/L. 

Ground-water concentrations ranged from an estimated 

1 to 26 μg/L (table 11), with a median concentration of less than 

2 μg/L. The two ground-water samples from well MW06 had 

arsenic concentrations of 19 and 26 μg/L (table 11), which were 

about twice the MCL for arsenic (fig. 10). Arsenic also was 

detected in water from wells MW03, MW08, and MW11, but 

the concentrations were substantially less than the MCL.

Boron is a minor constituent in ground water and usually 

is found in evaporate deposits as sodium or calcium borate salt 

(Hem, 1992). Boron is an essential element for the growth of 

plants, but there is no evidence that it is required by animals 

(Pais and Jones, 1997). USEPA (2004a) established a lifetime 

DWA of 600 μg/L (concentration in drinking water that is not 

expected to cause any adverse effects for a lifetime of exposure). 

Boron concentrations in surface-water samples collected 

for this study ranged from 40 to 120 μg/L, with a median 
38 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

Surface-water-quality monitoring sites (fig. 1)

Total phosphorus concentration, in milligrams per liter (mg/L)

BC01

LSC01

SC09

SC08

SC07

SC06

SC05

SC04

SC03

SC02

SC01

LSC9

LSC08

SCC01

LSC07

LSC06

LSC05

LSC04

LSC03

LSC02

U.S Environmental Protection

Agency (1986) recommended

aquatic-life goal (0.10 mg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (2000b) recommended

Ecoregion VI total phosphorus

criterion (0.08 mg/L) 

Figure 9. Concentrations of total phosphorus in surface-water-quality samples, May 2001 through August 2003. 

Recommended goal for aquatic life from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1986). 

concentration of 60 μg/L (table 10). The largest detection of 

120 μg/L occurred on August 20, 2003, in a water sample from 

site SC07. 

Concentrations in ground-water samples ranged from 30 to 

600 μg/L, with a median concentration of 80 μg/L (table 11). 

The largest concentration was in a sample from well MW03 on 

August 13, 2003, and corresponds to the large concentrations of 

calcium and sodium and other anions contributing to the large 

dissolved-solids concentration in water from that well.

Iron is an abundant element in the Earth's outer crust, but 

it typically occurs in small concentrations in water (Hem, 

1992). Iron's chemical activity and its solubility in water depend 

strongly on the oxygen in the system as well as the pH of the 

water (Hem, 1992). Large amounts of iron are undesirable in 

water supplies because it forms a red oxyhydroxide precipitate 

that stains laundry and plumbing fixtures (Hem, 1992). USEPA 

(2004a) has established a SDWR of 300 μg/L for iron in treated 

drinking water. 

Iron concentrations in surface-water samples ranged from 

an estimated 5 to 30 μg/L, with a median concentration of 

6 μg/L (table 10). All concentrations in surface-water samples 

were substantially less than the USEPA SDWR. 

Concentrations in ground-water samples ranged from an 

estimated 5 to 4,600 μg/L, with a median concentration of 

30 μg/L (table 11, fig. 11). The largest iron concentration was 

detected in the August 13, 2003, sample from well MW06, 

which corresponds to the largest arsenic concentration. Iron 

concentrations in water from wells MW01, MW03, MW06 

(two samples), and MW08 exceeded the USEPA SDWR of 

300 μg/L. Iron concentrations in samples from the remainder of 

the wells were substantially less than the SDWR.

Selenium is a naturally occurring mineral element that is 

relatively rare, and geochemical factors tend to limit its aqueous 

mobility (Hem, 1992). Selenium was not detected at concentrations greater than the reporting limit in any surface- or groundwater sample (tables 10 and 11) but did have small estimated 

concentrations in several surface-water samples. The MCL for 

selenium is 50 μg/L (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

2004a). 

Pesticides

The use of pesticides on the reservation is typical of pesticide use in all agricultural regions throughout Kansas. Atrazine, 

one of the triazine herbicides, has been used since the 1950s in 

the production of corn and grain sorghum in the area. Another 

potential source of atrazine may be its use in controlling weeds 

along railroad rights-of-way and along roads and highways. It is 

the most frequently detected herbicide in Kansas (Stamer and 

Zelt, 1994). 

The triazine herbicides were analyzed in both surface- and 

ground-water samples. Triazine herbicides and their degradates 

are listed on the USEPA Contaminant Candidate List (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2004b). The herbicides are 

applied pre- and post-emergence and are subject to runoff if 

applied before large rainfalls. Sixty-three surface-water samples collected during May 2001 through August 2003 were 
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 39

Table 10. Results of analysis of trace elements in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, 

northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a). μg/L, micrograms per liter; MCL, Maximum Contaminant Level; DWA, 

Drinking-Water Advisory; SDWR, Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of 

sample 

collection 

(month/day/

year)

Arsenic, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Boron, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Iron, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Selenium, 

dissolved

(μg/L)

Water-quality criteria

10 (MCL) 600 

(DWA)

300

(SDWR)

50 

(MCL)

Little Soldier Creek Basin

LSC03 Little Soldier Creek, O Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 -- -- -- --

06/12/01 -- -- -- --

11/13/01 3 70 <10 <2

02/12/02 <2 60 E9 <2

05/22/02 <5 70 <10 <6

08/28/02 E1 70 <10 <2

11/13/02 <2 60 10 <3

02/19/03 <2 50 <10 <2

05/14/03 E2 70 E6 <3

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 -- -- -- --

06/12/01 -- -- -- --

11/13/01 2 70 10 E1

02/12/02 <2 50 <10 <2

05/22/02 E1 70 <10 <2

08/28/02 4 60 <10 E2

11/13/02 <2 70 20 <3

02/19/03 <2 50 E6 <2

05/14/03 2 70 <10 E1

LSC06 Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt 05/15/01 -- -- -- --

06/12/01 -- -- -- --

08/21/01 -- -- -- --

11/13/01 3 60 11 <2

02/12/02 E1 50 20 E1

05/22/02 <5 60 20 <6

08/28/02 2 80 <10 <2

11/13/02 E1 70 30 <3

02/19/03 <2 60 20 <4

05/14/03 3 70 E10 <3
40 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Table 10. Results of analysis of trace elements in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, 

northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a). μg/L, micrograms per liter; MCL, Maximum Contaminant Level; DWA, 

Drinking-Water Advisory; SDWR, Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of 

sample 

collection 

(month/day/

year)

Arsenic, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Boron, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Iron, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Selenium, 

dissolved

(μg/L)

Soldier Creek Basin

SC03 Soldier Creek near Saint Clere 05/15/01 -- -- -- --

06/13/01 -- -- -- --

08/21/01 -- -- -- --

11/13/01 2 60 10 E1

02/12/02 <2 60 10 <2

05/22/02 2 60 <10 E1

08/28/02 3 70 <10 <2

11/13/02 E1 70 10 <3

02/19/03 <2 50 10 <2

05/14/03 3 50 <10 <3

08/20/03 7 90 E5 <3

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia 05/15/01 -- -- -- --

06/13/01 -- -- -- --

08/21/01 -- -- -- --

11/13/01 3 60 20 E2

02/12/02 E2 50 E6 <2

05/22/02 2 60 <10 E2

08/28/02 3 60 <10 <2

11/13/02 E2 70 E7 <3

02/19/03 <2 40 E6 <2

05/14/03 4 50 <10 E1

08/20/03 5 120 <8 <3

analyzed using the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent 

assay) triazine herbicide screen. The triazine herbicide screen 

ELISA is a reliable indicator of atrazine. Christensen and Ziegler (1998) found that at least 80 percent of the triazine herbicide concentration determined by ELISA is atrazine. 

From June 1996 through August 2003, 227 surface-water 

samples from the reservation were analyzed for triazine herbicides by ELISA; 74 of these had atrazine concentrations confirmed by GC/MS (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) 

analysis (see previous "Methods" section). Data from June 1996 

through November 1998 are presented in Trombley (1999, 

table 5), and data from February 1999 through February 2001 

are presented in Trombley (2001, table 11). 

The relation between the triazine herbicide screen and 

atrazine is presented in figure 12; the correlation between 

results obtained from ELISA analysis and GC/MS analysis is 

apparent and has a correlation coefficient of 0.91. Therefore, 

results from the triazine screen can be compared to the drinkingwater MCL of 3.0 μg/L as an annual average established by 

USEPA for atrazine. 

Of 63 surface-water samples collected from May 2001 

through August 2003 and analyzed for ELISA, 46 had concentrations of triazine herbicides ranging from 0.1 to 11 μg/L, with 

a median concentration of 0.40 μg/L (table 12). Triazine herbicides were detected in two surface-water samples using ELISA 
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 41

Table 11. Results of analysis of trace elements in ground-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, April through August 2003.

[Water-quality criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a). μg/L, micrograms per liter; MCL, Maximum Contaminant Level; DWA, 

Drinking-Water Advisory; SDWR, Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Map identifier

(fig. 1) Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day/year)

Arsenic, 

dissolved

(μg/L)

Boron, dissolved 

(μg/L)

Iron, dissolved 

(μg/L)

Selenium, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Water-quality criteria

10

(MCL)

600

(DWA)

300

(SDWR)

50

(MCL)

Ground-water quality

MW01 Monitoring well #1 08/13/03 <2 80 1,100 <3

MW02 Monitoring well #2 04/30/03 <2 80 30 <3

08/14/03 <2 100 30 <3

MW03 Monitoring well #3 08/13/03 E1 600 3,400 <3

MW04 Monitoring well #4 05/02/03 <2 60 <10 <3

08/14/03 <2 80 E5 <3

MW05 Monitoring well #5 04/29/03 <2 80 <10 <3

MW06 Monitoring well #6 04/30/03 19 100 3,600 <3

08/13/03 26 120 4,600 <3

MW07 Monitoring well #7 04/29/03 <2 80 30 <3

MW08 Monitoring well #8 04/30/03 4 90 1,000 <3

MW09 Monitoring well #9 05/01/03 <2 30 <10 <3

MW10 Monitoring well #10 05/02/03 <2 40 <10 <3

MW11 Monitoring well #11 05/02/03 E2 70 <10 <3

08/12/03 E1 80 <8 <3

at concentrations greater than the MCL of 3.0 μg/L for atrazine 

(fig. 13). The samples were collected from the two sites on Soldier Creek on May 14, 2003. 

Five surface-water samples collected from May 2001 

through August 2001 were analyzed for specific triazine herbicides and other pesticides, and 22 surface-water samples collected from November 2001 through August 2003 were analyzed for specific triazine herbicides by GC/MS (table 12). 

Thirteen of the triazine herbicides and other pesticides analyzed 

were detected in surface-water samples. The results for detected 

pesticides are presented in table 12. Atrazine was detected in all 

samples analyzed by GC/MS, and concentrations ranged from 

0.07 to 9.8 μg/L, with an median of 0.50 μg/L. There were multiple detections of atrazine metabolites, acetochlor, alachlor, 

metolachlor, and simazine in surface-water samples as well. 

Atrazine, atrazine metabolites, and simazine were detected in 

one ground-water sample from monitoring well MW02 in 

August 2003 (table 13); there were no detections of pesticides 

in water from this well when it was sampled in April 2003.

Chemical Oxygen Demand and Volatile Organic 

Compounds

The chemical oxygen demand of a water sample is a measure of the amount of oxygen needed to oxidize the reactive 

chemicals in a water system (Hem, 1992). If the chemical oxygen demand of a sample is high, as that water moves through a 

system, it will consume dissolved oxygen from the surrounding 

water to complete chemical reactions. Decreases in dissolved 

oxygen in a system can destroy aerobic organisms and cause 

changes in the redox environment of a system, which could 

release redox sensitive chemicals such as arsenic and iron into 

the water. Chemical oxygen demand also is used as a quantitative measure of organic pollution in a water sample (Hem, 

1992). The chemical oxygen demand in the water sample from 

well MW04 was less than 10 mg/L (table 14). As this water 

moves through the ground-water system, it should not substantially alter the dissolved oxygen concentrations in the aquifer 

downgradient from the well.
42 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

MW01 MW02 MW03 MW04 MW05 MW06 MW07 MW08 MW09 MW10 MW11

Ground-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Dissolved arsenic concentration, in micrograms per liter (μg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a)

Maximum Contaminant Level (10 μg/L) 

Figure 10. Concentrations of dissolved arsenic in ground-water-quality samples, April through August 2003. 

Maximum Contaminant Level from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a). 

MW01 MW02 MW03 MW04 MW05 MW06 MW07 MW08 MW09 MW10 MW11

Ground-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

Dissolved iron concentration, in micrograms per liter (μg/L)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a)

Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation 

(300 μg/L) 

Figure 11. Concentrations of dissolved iron in ground-water-quality samples, April through August 2003. Secondary 

Drinking-Water Regulation from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a). 
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 43

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are compounds that 

have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. Many 

VOCs are human-made chemicals that are used and produced in 

the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants. 

VOCs typically are industrial solvents, fuel oxygenates, or byproducts produced by chlorination in water treatment. VOCs 

often are components of petroleum fuels, hydraulic fluids, paint 

thinners, and dry cleaning agents (Daly and Lindsey, 1996). 

The May 2, 2003, water sample from well MW04 was analyzed for the presence of VOCs because of the proximity of the 

well to a construction and demolition landfill. Of the 85 VOCs 

analyzed, three compounds were detected; these were carbon 

disulfide (0.15 μg/L), ethyl methyl ketone (estimated 

0.96 μg/L), and tetrahydrofuran (11 μg/L) (table 14). There are 

no USEPA drinking-water criteria established for these compounds. Tetrahydrofuran is a solvent found in PVC cement 

(National Library of Medicine, 2004) and may be an artifact of 

the well construction. Similarly, carbon disulfide is associated 

with PVC but also can be found in grain fumigants (National 

Safety Council, 2004a). Methyl ethyl ketone is used as a solvent 

in pesticide formulations and can be used in varnishing and in 

cleaning fluids (National Safety Council, 2004b).

Bacteria

Fecal coliform, Escherichia coli (E. coli), fecal streptococcus, and enterococci bacteria are indigenous to the intestinal 

tract of warmblooded animals (Holt and others, 1993). The 

fecal coliform bacteria group can include any combination of 

E. coli and species of the Klebsiella, Enterbacter, and Citrobacter genera (Gleeson and Gray, 1997). The presence of large 

concentrations of these organisms in surface water indicates 

fecal contamination and also may indicate the presence of 

disease-causing organisms. Potential sources of these bacteria 

on the reservation include sewage lagoons, runoff, and seepage 

from livestock areas, such as pastures and confined feedlots, 

and from wildlife populations.

USEPA (2002b) recommended criteria for E. coli and (or) 

enterococci bacteria in water designated for primary contact 

recreational use that are based on geometric-mean density and 

single-sample density (table 15). The ranges of the geometricmean (table 15) criteria vary on the basis of the illness rate (8 to 

14 illnesses per 1,000 swimmers). The geometric mean is calculated from at least five samples collected during separate 

24-hour periods within a 30-day period. USEPA (2002b) also 

has established criteria on the basis of full-body contact and single-sample allowable density for water bodies defined as designated beach areas, moderately used, lightly used, and infrequently used (table 15). Primary contact use is defined as activities where the body is immersed into water to the extent that 

some inadvertent ingestion of the water is probable. These 

activities include boating, mussel harvesting, swimming, skin 

diving, water skiing, and wind surfing (Kansas Department of 

Health and Environment, 2001). USEPA currently (2004) has 

no recommended criteria for secondary contact (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2002b). Secondary contact activities include wading, fishing, trapping, and hunting, where the 

ingestion of water is not probable (Kansas Department of 

Health and Environment, 2001). Tribal members primarily use 

the streams on the reservation for hunting and fishing; therefore, 

ingestion of water is not probable.

Fecal coliform bacteria densities range from less than 1 to 

2,000 col/100 mL in surface-water samples from the reservation 

(table 16). The largest density of fecal coliform colonies was in 

a sample collected on June 12, 2001, from site LSC05 (fig. 1). 

The median density of fecal coliform bacteria for all the surface-water sites was 190 col/100 mL. Fecal coliform bacteria 

were detected twice in ground-water samples from monitoring 

wells MW02 and MW10 at estimated densities of 4 and 

5 col/100 mL, respectively (table 17). 

E. coli is the dominant bacteria of the fecal coliform group 

(Rasmussen and Ziegler, 2003). Rasmussen and Ziegler (2003) 

found that the ratio of E. coli to fecal coliform in the Soldier 

Creek Basin is 0.73, meaning that out of every 100 colonies of 

fecal coliform in a surface-water sample, 73 of the colonies are 

E. coli bacteria. This relation is important when comparing historic fecal coliform bacteria densities to the current (2004) 

USEPA bacteria water-quality criteria, which are based on 

E. coli densities. 

The densities of E. coli colonies in surface-water samples 

ranged from less than 1 to 1,500 col/100 mL, and the median 

density in surface-water samples was 163 col/100 mL 

(table 16). Criteria that were based on an illness rate of 8 per 

1,000 swimmers and the single-sample maximum allowable 

density were used for comparison purposes because the 

y = 0.80x + 0.11

 R2 = 0.91

0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10

12

0 5.0 10 15

Triazine screen (ELISA), in micrograms per liter (μg/L) 

Atrazine concentrations determined by GC/MS, 

in micrograms per liter (μg/L)

Figure 12. Relation between triazine herbicide concentrations 

determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) 

and atrazine concentrations determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for samples collected from 

surface-water monitoring sites from June 1996 through 

August 2003.
Table 12. Results of analysis of pesticides in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May [Water-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; <, l

Maximum Contamiant Level]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/year)

Triazine 

screen, 

ELISA, 

dissolved 

(μg/L) as 

atrazine

2-Chloro-4-

isopropylamino-6-

amino-striazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

2-Chloro-6-

ethylamino4-amino-striazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Acetochlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Alachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Atraz

dissol

(μg/

Water-quality criterion

-- -- -- -- -- 3.0 (M

Bills Creek Basin

BC01 Bills Creek, U.S Highway 75 near Holton 06/12/01 <0.1 -- -- -- -- -- 

Little Soldier Creek Basin

LSC01 Little Soldier Creek, 190 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01 1.5 -- -- -- -- --LSC02 Little Soldier Creek, 174 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01 .9LSC03 Little Soldier Creek, O Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 .2 -- -- -- -- -- 

06/12/01 1.2 -- -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 02/12/02 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 05/22/02 .5 0.06 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 0.408/28/02 1.4 .35 .24 <.05 .05 1.11/13/02 .7 -- -- -- -- -- 02/19/03 .2 -- -- -- -- -- 05/14/03 .4 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 .2

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 .2 -- -- -- -- -- 

06/12/01 1.7 -- -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 02/12/02 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 05/22/02 .6 .07 <.05 <.05 <.05 .4
Table 12. Results of analysis of pesticides in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May 

August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; <, l

Maximum Contamiant Level]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/year)

Triazine 

screen, 

ELISA, 

dissolved 

(μg/L) as 

atrazine

2-Chloro-4-

isopropylamino-6-

amino-striazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

2-Chloro-6-

ethylamino4-amino-striazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Acetochlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Alachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Atraz

dissol

(μg/

Little Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta—Continued 08/28/02 1.3 0.31 0.20 <0.05 0.05 0.

11/13/02 -- -- -- -- -- -- 02/19/03 -- -- -- -- -- -- 05/14/03 .6 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 .3

LSC05 Little Soldier Creek tributary, 134 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 1.0 -- -- -- -- -- LSC06 Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt 05/15/01 .1 -- -- -- -- -- 

06/12/01 .2 -- -- -- -- -- 08/21/01 .2 -- -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 02/12/02 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 05/22/02 <.1 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 .08/28/02 <.1 .07 <.05 <.05 <.05 .011/13/02 .4 -- -- -- -- -- 02/19/03 .2 -- -- -- -- -- 05/14/03 .2 -- -- -- -- -- 

LSC07 Little Elm Creek, Q Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- LSC08 Big Elm Creek, P Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 .4 -- -- -- -- -- LSC09 Little Soldier Creek, 126 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 1.6 E.14 .06 .13 1.

Soldier Creek Basin 

SC01 Soldier Creek, 214 Road near Circleville 06/13/01 1.6 E.29 -- .09 .18 2.SC02 Soldier Creek tributary, G Road near Circleville 06/13/01 .2 -- -- -- -- -- 
Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC03 Soldier Creek near Saint Clere 05/15/01 1.6 -- -- -- -- -- 

06/13/01 1.4 -- -- -- -- -- 08/21/01 .3 E0.06 -- <0.05 <0.05 0.211/13/01 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 02/12/02 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 05/22/02 1.8 .18 0.06 .05 .06 1.6 08/28/02 .3 .07 <.05 <.05 <.05 .11/13/02 .1 -- -- -- -- -- 02/19/03 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 05/14/03 11 .53 .23 1.3 .75 9.08/20/03 .7 .21 .11 <.05 <.05 .5

SC04 Soldier Creek, 158 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 1.5 -- -- -- -- -- SC05 Crow Creek, 166 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 1.0 -- -- -- -- -- SC06 South Branch Soldier Creek, H.5 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 1.3 -- -- -- -- -- SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia 05/15/01 1.5 -- -- -- -- -- 

06/13/01 1.7 E.26 -- .08 .20 2.4 08/21/01 .3 -- -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 02/12/02 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 05/22/02 1.6 .18 .06 .05 .06 1.5 08/28/02 .2 .08 <.05 <.05 <.05 .

Table 12. Results of analysis of pesticides in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May 

August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; <, lMaximum Contamiant Level]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/year)

Triazine 

screen, 

ELISA, 

dissolved 

(μg/L) as 

atrazine

2-Chloro-4-

isopropylamino-6-

amino-striazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

2-Chloro-6-

ethylamino4-amino-striazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Acetochlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Alachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Atraz

dissol

(μg/
Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia 11/13/02 <0.1 -- -- -- -- -- 

02/19/03 <.1 -- -- -- -- -- 05/14/03 11 -- -- -- -- -- 08/20/03 .7 0.22 -- -- -- 0.4

SC08 James Creek, 142 Road near Delia 06/13/01 1.0 -- -- -- -- -- SC09 James Creek, 126 Road near Delia 06/13/01 1.1 E.14 -- 0.01 0.07 1.2 

South Cedar Creek Basin 

SCC01 South Cedar Creek, U.S. Highway 75 near Mayetta 06/12/01 1.4 -- -- -- -- -- 

Table 12. Results of analysis of pesticides in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May 

August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; <, lMaximum Contamiant Level]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/

day/year)

Triazine 

screen, 

ELISA, 

dissolved 

(μg/L) as 

atrazine

2-Chloro-4-

isopropylamino-6-

amino-striazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

2-Chloro-6-

ethylamino4-amino-striazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Acetochlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Alachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Atraz

dissol

(μg/
Table 12. Results of analysis of pesticides in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May August 2003.—ContinuedWater-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; <, l

Maximum Contamiant Level]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Stream basin and site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day/

year)

Metolachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Metribuzin, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Propazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Simazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

d

Water-quality criterion

-- -- -- -- 

Bills Creek Basin

BC01 Bills Creek, U.S Highway 75 near Holton 06/12/01 -- -- -- -- 

Little Soldier Creek Basin

LSC01 Little Soldier Creek, 190 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01 -- -- LSC02 Little Soldier Creek, 174 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01LSC03 Little Soldier Creek, O Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- 

06/12/01 -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 -- -- -- -- 02/12/02 -- -- -- -- 05/22/02 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 08/28/02 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 11/13/02 -- -- -- -- 02/19/03 -- -- -- -- 05/14/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- 

06/12/01 -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 -- -- -- -- 02/12/02 -- -- -- -- 05/22/02 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.0508/28/02 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.0511/13/02 -- -- -- -- 02/19/03 -- -- <.05 <.05 05/14/03 <.05 <.05 -- -- 
Little Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

LSC05 Little Soldier Creek tributary, 134 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 -- -- -- -- LSC06 Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- 

06/12/01 -- -- -- -- 08/21/01 -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 -- -- <0.05 <0.05 02/12/02 -- -- <.05 <.05 05/22/02 <0.05 <0.05 -- -- 08/28/02 <.05 <.05 -- -- 11/13/02 -- -- -- -- 02/19/03 -- -- -- -- 05/14/03 -- -- -- -- 

LSC07 Little Elm Creek, Q Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 -- -- -- -- LSC08 Big Elm Creek, P Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 -- -- -- -- LSC09 Little Soldier Creek, 126 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 .12 <.01 <.01

Soldier Creek Basin 

SC01 Soldier Creek, 214 Road near Circleville 06/13/01 .58 <.01 -- .01 SC02 Soldier Creek tributary, G Road near Circleville 06/13/01 -- -- -- -- SC03 Soldier Creek near Saint Clere 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- 

06/13/01 -- -- -- -- 08/21/01 .05 <.01 -- <.01 11/13/01 -- -- -- -- 

Table 12. Results of analysis of pesticides in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May August 2003.—ContinuedWater-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; <, lMaximum Contamiant Level]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Stream basin and site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day/

year)

Metolachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Metribuzin, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Propazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Simazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

d
Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC03 Soldier Creek near Saint Clere—Continued 02/12/02 -- -- -- -- 

05/22/02 0.15 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 08/28/02 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 11/13/02 -- -- -- -- 02/19/03 -- -- -- -- 05/14/03 1.1 <.05 .12 <.05 08/20/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 .10 

SC04 Soldier Creek, 158 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 -- -- -- -- SC05 Crow Creek, 166 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 -- -- -- -- SC06 South Branch Soldier Creek, H.5 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 -- -- -- -- SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia 05/15/01 -- -- -- -- 

06/13/01 .54 .01 -- .01 08/21/01 -- -- -- -- 11/13/01 -- -- -- -- 02/12/02 -- -- -- -- 05/22/02 .16 <.05 <.05 <.05 08/28/02 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 11/13/02 -- -- -- -- 02/19/03 -- -- -- -- 05/14/03 -- -- -- -- 08/20/03 -- -- <.03 <.03 

Table 12. Results of analysis of pesticides in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May August 2003.—ContinuedWater-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; <, lMaximum Contamiant Level]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Stream basin and site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day/

year)

Metolachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Metribuzin, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Propazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Simazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

d
Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC08 James Creek, 142 Road near Delia 06/13/01 -- -- -- -- SC09 James Creek, 126 Road near Delia 06/13/01 0.10 <0.01 -- E0.01 

South Cedar Creek Basin 

SCC01 South Cedar Creek, U.S. Highway 75 near Mayetta 06/12/01 -- -- -- -- 

Table 12. Results of analysis of pesticides in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern Kansas, May August 2003.—ContinuedWater-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; <, lMaximum Contamiant Level]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Stream basin and site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day/

year)

Metolachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Metribuzin, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Propazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Simazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

d
52 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Surface-water-quality monitoring site (fig. 1)

BC01

LSC01

SC09

SC08

SC07

SC06

SC05

SC04

SC03

SC02

SC01

LSC9

LSC08

SCC01

LSC07

LSC06

LSC05

LSC04

LSC03

LSC02

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Concentrations of triazine herbicide screen (ELISA),

 in micrograms per liter as atrazine (μg/L) 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a)

Maximum Contaminant Level for atrazine 

(3.0 μg/L as an annual average) 

Figure 13. Concentrations of triazine herbicide screen (ELISA) in surface-water-quality samples, May 2001 through 

August 2003. Maximum Contaminant Level from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2004a).

collection schedule of samples did not allow for calculation of 

the geometric mean. Of 65 surface-water samples analyzed for 

E. coli bacteria, 12 samples exceeded the criterion for primary 

contact in moderately used water bodies (298 col/100 mL), 

10 samples exceeded the primary contact criterion for lightly 

used water bodies (406 col/100 mL), and 6 samples exceeded 

the primary contact criterion for infrequently used water bodies 

(576 col/100 mL). 

There was one detection of E. coli in ground-water samples. An estimated density of 5 col/100 mL was detected in a 

sample from well MW02 on April 30, 2003; the quantity was 

estimated because there was not an ideal count of the colonies 

present (table 17). 

Fecal streptococci bacteria densities in surface-water samples ranged from less than 1 to an estimated 5,800 col/100 mL, 

with a median density of 330 col/100 mL (table 16). The largest 

density occurred in the November 13, 2002, sample from 

site LSC03. The only time fecal streptococci bacteria was not 

detected in surface-water samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation was on November 13, 2001, at site LSC04. 

Fecal streptococci bacteria were detected in seven groundwater samples. The largest estimated density of 230 col/100 mL 

was in water from monitoring well MW10 (table 17). 

Enterococci bacteria are a subgroup of the fecal streptococci bacteria and are a valuable bacterial indicator for determining the extent of fecal contamination of recreational surface 

water. Studies at marine and freshwater bathing beaches indicated that swimming-associated gastroenteritis is related 

directly to the quality of the bathing water, and enterococci are 

the most efficient bacterial indicator of water quality (American 

Public Health Association and others, 1992). USEPA has established water-quality criteria that are based on enterococci bacteria densities in recreational water (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2002b). 

Enterococci bacteria densities in surface-water samples 

from the reservation ranged from an estimated 40 to an 

estimated 8,100 col/100 mL, with a median density of 

470 col/100 mL (table 16). The largest density was detected 

in a sample from site SC03 on August 20, 2003. Criteria that are 

based on an illness rate of 8 per 1,000 swimmers and the singlesample maximum allowable density were used for comparison 

purposes. Of 36 surface-water samples analyzed for enterococci 

bacteria, 33 samples exceeded the criterion for primary contact 

in moderately used water bodies (78 col/100 mL), 31 samples 

exceeded the primary contact criterion for lightly used water 

bodies (107 col/100 mL), and 28 samples exceeded the 

primary contact criterion for infrequently used water bodies 

(151 col/100 mL). 

Enterococci bacteria were the most frequently detected 

bacteria in the ground-water samples (table 17). Enterococci 

were detected in 10 of 15 water samples, and densities ranged 

from less than 1 to an estimated 480 col/100 mL. The largest 

density of enterococci bacteria was in a water sample from 

monitoring well MW10 and corresponds to the largest density 

of fecal streptococci bacteria. 

Figure 14 shows median densities of the different types of 

bacteria during the seasons as well median streamflow measured at the time of sample collection. Only quarterly samples 
Table 13. Results of analysis of selected triazine herbicides and metabolites in ground-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reserv

April through August 2003.

[Water-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; MCL, Maximum Contaminant Level; <, less than

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day/

year)

2-Chloro-4-

isopropylamino-6-

amino-s-triazine, 

dissolved (μg/L)

2-Chloro-6-

ethylamino-4-

amino-s-triazine, 

dissolved (μg/L)

Acetochlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Alachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Ametryn, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Atrazine, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Water-quality criterion

-- -- -- -- -- 3.0 (MCL) 

Ground-water quality

MW01 Monitoring well #1 08/13/03 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 MW02 Monitoring well #2 04/30/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 

08/14/03 .28 .15 <.05 <.05 <.05 .53 

MW03 Monitoring well #3 08/13/03 .05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 MW04 Monitoring well #4 05/02/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 

08/14/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 

MW05 Monitoring well #5 04/29/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 MW06 Monitoring well #6 04/30/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 

08/13/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 

MW07 Monitoring well #7 04/29/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 MW08 Monitoring well #8 04/30/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 MW09 Monitoring well #9 05/01/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 MW10 Monitoring well #10 05/02/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 MW11 Monitoring well #11 05/02/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 

08/12/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 
Table 13. Results of analysis of selected triazine herbicides and metabolites in ground-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reserv

April through August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Agency (2004a). μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; MCL, Maximum Contamiant Level; <, less than]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of sample 

collection 

(month/day/

year)

Dimethenamid, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Flufenacet, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Metolachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Metribuzin, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Pendimethalin, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Prometon, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Prometryn, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Propachlor, 

dissolved 

(μg/L)

Propa

disso

(μg

Water-quality criterion

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -

Ground-water quality

MW01 Monitoring well #1 08/13/03 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0MW02 Monitoring well #2 04/30/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <

08/14/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <

MW03 Monitoring well #3 08/13/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <MW04 Monitoring well #4 05/02/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <

08/14/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <

MW05 Monitoring well #5 04/29/03

<.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <

MW06 Monitoring well #6 04/30/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <

08/13/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <

MW07 Monitoring well #7 04/29/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <MW08 Monitoring well #8 04/30/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <MW09 Monitoring well #9 05/01/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <MW10 Monitoring well #10 05/02/03

<.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <

MW11 Monitoring well #11 05/02/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <

08/12/03 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <.05 <
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 55

Table 14. Results of analysis of chemical oxygen demand and volatile 

organic compounds in a ground-water-quality sample from monitoring 

well MW04 on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern

Kansas, May 2, 2003.

[Location of monitoring well shown in figure 1. mg/L, milligrams per liter; 

μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated]

Constituent Concentration

Chemical oxygen demand, total, mg/L <10

1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, total, μg/L <.03

1,1,1-Trichloroethane, total, μg/L <.032

1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, total, μg/L <.09

1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, total, μg/L <.06

1,1,2-Trichloroethane, total, μg/L <.06

1,1-Dichloroethane, total, μg/L <.035

1,1-Dichloroethene, total, μg/L <.04

1,1-Dichloropropene, total, μg/L <.05

1,2,3,4-Tetramethylbenzene, total, μg/L <.23

1,2,3,5-Tetramethylbenzene, total, μg/L <.2

1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene, total, μg/L <.27

1,2,3-Trichloropropane, total, μg/L <.16

1,2,3-Trimethylbenzene, total, μg/L <.12

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, total, μg/L <.12

1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, total, μg/L <.056

1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane, total, μg/L <.5

1,2-Dibromoethane, total, μg/L <.036

1,2-Dichlorobenzene, total, μg/L <.031

1,2-Dichloroethane, total, μg/L <.13

1,2-Dichloropropane, total, μg/L <.029

1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, total, μg/L <.044

1,3-Dichlorobenzene, total, μg/L <.03

1,3-Dichloropropane, total, μg/L <.12

1,4-Dichlorobenzene, total, μg/L <.05

2,2-Dichloropropane, total, μg/L <.05

2-Chlorotoluene, total, μg/L <.04

2-Ethyltoluene, total, μg/L <.06

3-Chloropropene, total, μg/L <.12

4-Chlorotoluene, total, μg/L <.05

4-Isopropyltoluene, total, μg/L <.12

Acetone, total, μg/L <7

Acrylonitrile, total, μg/L <1.2

Benzene, total, μg/L <.035

Bromobenzene, total, μg/L <.036
56 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Table 14. Results of analysis of chemical oxygen demand and volatile 

organic compounds in a ground-water-quality sample from monitoring 

well MW04 on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern

Kansas, May 2, 2003.—Continued

[Location of monitoring well shown in figure 1. mg/L, milligrams per liter; 

μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated]

Constituent Concentration

Bromochloromethane, total, μg/L <0.12

Bromodichloromethane, total, μg/L <.048

Bromoethene, total, μg/L <.11

Bromomethane, total, μg/L <.26

Carbon disulfide, total, μg/L .15

Chlorobenzene, total, μg/L <.028

Chloroethane, total, μg/L <.12

Chloromethane, total, μg/L <.17

cis-1,2-Dichloroethene, total, μg/L <.038

cis-1,3-Dichloropropene, total, μg/L <.09

Dibromochloromethane, total, μg/L <.18

Dibromomethane, total, μg/L <.05

Dichlorodifluoromethane, total, μg/L <.18

Dichloromethane, total, μg/L <.16

Diethyl ether, total, μg/L <.17

Diisopropyl ether, total, μg/L <.1

Ethyl methacrylate, total, μg/L <.18

Ethyl methyl ketone, total, μg/L E.96

Ethylbenzene, total, μg/L <.03

Hexachlorobutadiene, total, μg/L <.14

Hexachloroethane, total, μg/L <.19

Iodomethane, total, μg/L <.35

Isobutyl methyl ketone, total, μg/L <.37

Isopropylbenzene, total, μg/L <.06

Methacrylonitrile, total, μg/L <.6

Methyl acrylate, total, μg/L <2

Methyl methacrylate, total, μg/L <.35

Methyl tert-pentyl ether, total, μg/L <.08

m-Xylene plus p-xylene, total, μg/L <.06

Naphthalene, total, μg/L <.5

n-Butyl methyl ketone, total, μg/L <.7

n-Butylbenzene, total, μg/L <.19

n-Propylbenzene, total, μg/L <.042

o-Xylene, total, μg/L <.07

sec-Butylbenzene, total, μg/L <.06
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 57

Styrene, total, μg/L <0.042

tert-Butyl ethyl ether, total, μg/L <.05

Methyl tert-butyl ether, total, μg/L <.17

tert-Butylbenzene, total, μg/L <.1

Tetrachloroethene, total, μg/L <.027

Tetrachloromethane, total, μg/L <.06

Tetrahydrofuran, total, μg/L 11

Toluene, total, μg/L <.05

trans-1,2-Dichloroethene, total, μg/L <.032

trans-1,3-Dichloropropene, total, μg/L <.09

trans-1,4-Dichloro-2-butene, total, μg/L <.7

Tribromomethane, total, μg/L <.1

Trichloroethene, total, μg/L <.038

Trichlorofluoromethane, total, μg/L <.09

Trichloromethane, total, μg/L <.024

Vinyl chloride, total, μg/L <.11

Table 14. Results of analysis of chemical oxygen demand and volatile 

organic compounds in a ground-water-quality sample from monitoring 

well MW04 on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern 

Kansas, May 2, 2003.—Continued

[Location of monitoring well shown in figure 1. mg/L, milligrams per liter; 

μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated]

Constituent Concentration
58 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Table 15. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2002b) recommended indicator bacteria criteria (modified from Rasmussen and Ziegler, 

2003).

[Criteria established by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2002b). All values are in colonies per 100 milliliters of water. E. coli, Escherichia coli bacteria]

Indicator bacteria type

Primary contact recreation1

1

Recreation during which the body is immersed in surface water to the extent that some inadvertent ingestion of water is probable.

Illness rate 

(per 1,000 

swimmers)

Geometric mean2

2Geometric mean of at least five samples collected during separate 24-hour periods within a 30-day period. 

Single-sample maximum allowable density

Designated 

beach area

Moderately used 

full-body contact

Lightly used fullbody contactInfrequently used 

full-body contact 

E. coli 8 126 235 298 406 576

9 160 300 381 524 736

10 206 383 487 669 941

11 263 490 622 855 1,202

12 336 626 795 1,092 1,536

13 429 799 1,016 1,396 1,962

14 548 1,021 1,298 1,783 2,507

Enterococci 8 33 62 78 107 151

9 42 79 100 137 193

10 54 100 128 175 246

11 69 128 163 224 315

12 88 164 208 286 402

13 112 209 266 365 514

14 144 267 340 467 656

were used in this comparison with the May samples defined as 

“spring,” August samples defined as “summer,” November samples defined as “fall,” and February samples defined as “winter.” 

Median densities of all bacteria types were largest during the 

summer months and not necessarily larger during times of 

larger median streamflow.

Sediment 

Fluvial sediment is defined as fragmentary material that 

originates mostly from weathering rocks and is transported by, 

suspended in, or deposited from water; it includes chemical and 

biological precipitates and decomposed organic material, such 

as humus (Federal Inter-Agency Sedimentation Project, 1963). 

Fluvial sediment in surface-water samples collected for 

this study was measured by two different analytical methods— 

total suspended solids (TSS) and suspended-sediment concentration (SSC). TSS data were determined by measuring the dry 

weight of sediment from a known volume of a subsample of the 

original sample (Gray and others, 2000). SSC data were produced by measuring the dry weight of all the sediment from a 

known volume of a water-sediment mixture (Gray and others, 

2000). 

TSS were analyzed for in all surface-water samples collected during this study as well as in samples collected during 

the two previous periods of the ongoing cooperative study. TSS 

concentrations ranged from 7 to 66 mg/L, with a median concentration of 17 mg/L (table 18). The largest concentration 

occurred in a water sample collected on June 13, 2001, from 

site SC07 (table 18) and correlates to the second largest streamflow recorded during the study period (table 4). TSS were 

detected in 49 percent of all samples. SSC was analyzed in 

samples from the quarterly surface-water-quality monitoring 

sites that were collected from November 2001 through August 

2003. SSC ranged from 1 to 93 mg/L, with a median concentration of 26 mg/L in all samples (table 18). The largest SSC was 

detected in a sample from site SC03 on August 28, 2002. 

Concentrations of TSS and SSC were generally larger in 

the Soldier Creek Basin than in the Little Soldier Creek Basin 

(fig. 15). Median concentrations of TSS and SSC in water from 

monitoring sites on the main stem of Soldier Creek (sites SC03 

and SC07, fig. 1) were larger than in water from monitoring 

sites on the main stem of Little Soldier Creek (sites LSC03 and 

LSC04, fig. 1) (fig. 15). The larger sediment concentrations 

may be attributed to Soldier Creek's larger drainage area as well 

as 4 percent more cropland in the basin that is in proximity to 

the main stream channel (fig. 2, table 1). 
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 59

Table 16. Results of analysis of fecal indicator bacteria in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation,

northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.

[Water-quality criteria listed in table 15. col/100 mL, colonies per 100 mL of water; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of 

sample 

collection

(month/

day/year)

Bacteria

Fecal 

coliform 

Escherichia 

coli

Fecal 

streptococci Enterococci 

Bills Creek Basin

BC01 Bills Creek, U.S Highway 75 near Holton 06/12/01 157 168 391 --

Little Soldier Creek Basin

LSC01 Little Soldier Creek, 190 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01 430 450 110 --

LSC02 Little Soldier Creek, 174 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01 270 250 250 --

LSC03 Little Soldier Creek, O Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 520 350 294 --

06/12/01 1,680 1,500 590 --

11/13/01 90 93 E60 220

02/12/02 E16 E10 110 E260

05/22/02 113 133 520 E720

08/28/02 410 370 750 580

11/13/02 196 198 E5,800 E6,300

02/19/03 E42 E13 610 460

05/14/03 E218 40 450 530

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 168 189 800 --

06/12/01 667 610 838 --

11/13/01 E20 E13 <1 --

02/12/02 E18 E13 80 280

05/22/02 183 97 531 800

08/28/02 E235 200 E4,400 E2,700

11/13/02 70 67 107 130

02/19/03 E3 <3 E44 90

05/14/03 460 143 530 770

LSC05 Little Soldier Creek tributary, 134 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 2,000 243 370 --

LSC06 Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt 05/15/01 168 151 692 --

06/12/01 590 550 105 --

08/21/01 168 250 769 --

11/13/01 E38 E30 120 220

02/12/02 766 1,170 198 210

05/22/02 438 220 348 480

08/28/02 E854 815 E3,800 E4,500

11/13/02 E50 E45 290 410

02/19/03 E41 E44 450 630

05/14/03 490 E260 312 E2,500
60 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Table 16. Results of analysis of fecal indicator bacteria in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation,

northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criteria listed in table 15. col/100 mL, colonies per 100 mL of water; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of 

sample 

collection

(month/

day/year)

Bacteria

Fecal 

coliform 

Escherichia 

coli

Fecal 

streptococci Enterococci 

Little Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

LSC07 Little Elm Creek, Q Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 250 120 228 --

LSC08 Big Elm Creek, P Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 431 218 815 --

LSC09 Little Soldier Creek, 126 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 900 792 2,550 --

Soldier Creek Basin 

SC01 Soldier Creek, 214 Road near Circleville 06/13/01 170 163 413 --

SC02 Soldier Creek tributary, G Road near Circleville 06/13/01 470 263 862 --

SC03 Soldier Creek near Saint Clere 05/15/01 180 192 110 --

06/13/01 300 250 630 --

08/21/01 66 E80 225 --

11/13/01 E56 E23 E50 170

02/12/02 E3 <1 E40 E40

05/22/02 107 70 330 560

08/28/02 733 510 530 1,370

11/13/02 156 68 67 120

02/19/03 <1 <3 E22 E40

05/14/03 240 203 230 770

08/20/03 198 123 692 E8,100

SC04 Soldier Creek, 158 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 195 240 310 --

SC05 Crow Creek, 166 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 E210 230 892 --

SC06 South Branch Soldier Creek, H.5 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 310 270 577 --

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia 05/15/01 76 E20 131 --

06/13/01 310 185 510 --

08/21/01 E45 E33 150 --

11/13/01 E26 E23 E46 90

02/12/02 <1 <1 163 E3,300

05/22/02 110 E20 430 610

08/28/02 173 210 310 300

11/13/02 E18 E10 E28 E60

02/19/03 <3 <3 E7 120

05/14/03 212 113 230 250
Water Quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 61

Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia—Continued 08/20/03 666 592 1,100 2,700

SC08 James Creek, 142 Road near Delia 06/13/01 280 250 106 --

SC09 James Creek, 126 Road near Delia 06/13/01 190 E160 1,900 --

South Cedar Creek Basin 

SCC01 South Cedar Creek, U.S. Highway 75 near Mayetta 06/12/01 500 523 870 --

Table 17. Results of analysis of fecal indicator bacteria in ground-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, 

northeastern Kansas, April through August 2003.

[Water-quality criteria listed in table 15. col/100 mL, colonies per 100 mL of water; <, less than; E, estimated]

Map identifier 

(fig. 1) Site name

Date of sample 

collection

(month/day/year)

Bacteria

Fecal coliform Escherichia coli Fecal 

streptococci Enterococci

MW01 Monitoring well #1 08/13/03 <1 <1 <1 <1

MW02 Monitoring well #2 04/30/03 E4 E5 44 E76

08/14/03 <1 <1 E2 E4

MW03 Monitoring well #3 08/13/03 <1 <1 <1 E1

MW04 Monitoring well #4 05/02/03 <1 <1 <1 E5

08/14/03 <1 <1 <1 <1

MW05 Monitoring well #5 04/29/03 <1 <1 <1 E91

MW06 Monitoring well #6 04/30/03 <1 <1 35 40

08/13/03 <1 <1 <1 <1

MW07 Monitoring well #7 04/29/03 <1 <1 E2 E4

MW08 Monitoring well #8 04/30/03 <1 <1 <1 <1

MW09 Monitoring well #9 05/01/03 <1 <1 E2 E7

MW10 Monitoring well #10 05/02/03 E5 <1 E230 E480

MW11 Monitoring well #11 05/02/03 <1 <1 E4 <1

08/12/03 <1 <1 <1 E16

Table 16. Results of analysis of fecal indicator bacteria in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation,

northeastern Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[Water-quality criteria listed in table 15. col/100 mL, colonies per 100 mL of water; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Map 

identifier 

(fig. 1)

Site name

Date of 

sample 

collection

(month/

day/year)

Bacteria

Fecal 

coliform 

Escherichia 

coli

Fecal 

streptococci Enterococci 
62 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Streamflow

(ft3/s)

Enterococci

(col/100 mL)

Escherichia coli

(col/100 mL)

Fecal coliform

(col/100 mL)

Fecal streptococci

(col/100 mL)

Median streamflow, in cubic feet per second (ft3/s) 

Median bacteria density, in colonies per 100 milliliters (col/100 mL)

Spring

Fall

Winter

0.1

1.0

10

100

1,000

10,000

Summer

Figure 14. Seasonal distribution of median streamflow and median densities of all types of bacteria sampled during 

May 2001 through August 2003.

Comparison of Water-Quality Results to 

Previous Studies

This report describes surface- and ground-water quality on 

the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation from May 2001 

through August 2003, and a comparison of results from this 

study period to results in previous water-quality reports published as a part of this ongoing study is presented in this section. 

Previous studies collected surface-water samples for analysis of 

physical properties, nutrients, pesticides, and fecal indicator 

bacteria (Trombley, 1999, 2001). These studies found total 

phosphorus, triazine herbicides, and fecal indicator bacteria as 

exceeding their respective water-quality criteria. Previous 

ground-water assessments collected ground-water samples 

from domestic supply wells and a pumping well installed for a 

pump test conducted as a part of exploration for development of 

the tribe’s water supply. These ground-water samples were analyzed for physical properties, major ions, dissolved solids, 

nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, and bacteria, and results 

identified dissolved solids, sodium, and sulfate as exceeding 

their respective water-quality criteria (Trombley, 2001). 

The May 2001 through August 2003 study found that total 

phosphorus and triazine herbicide concentrations and fecal indicator bacteria densities continue to occasionally exceed their 

respective water-quality criteria at some surface-water monitoring sites on the reservation. Ranges of total phosphorus concentrations generally remained similar to the previous reporting 

periods with occasional samples exceeding the water-quality 

criteria. However, total phosphorus concentrations did increase 

at site LSC06 from the June 1996 through November 1998 (figure 10, in Trombley, 1999) reporting period to the February 

1999 through February 2001 reporting period (figure 9, in 

Trombley, 2001). The range in concentrations remained similar 

from the February 1999 through February 2001 reporting 

period to the May 2001 through August 2003 reporting period. 

The increase in total phosphorus could be attributed to installation of sewage treatment lagoons upstream from the monitoring 

site in 1998.

The median of triazine herbicide concentrations was similar during the May 2001 through August 2003 (current) reporting period to both the previous reporting periods—0.20 μg/L 

reported in Trombley (1999), 0.50 μg/L reported in Trombley 

(2001), and 0.40 μg/L during the current reporting period. However, there were fewer occurrences of surface-water samples 

exceeding the USEPA’s MCL of 3.0 μg/L for atrazine as an 

annual average during the current reporting period. Four surface-water samples collected during the first reporting period 

and nine surface-water samples collected during the second 

reporting period exceeded USEPA’s MCL for atrazine. Only 

two surface-water samples collected during the current reporting period exceeded the MCL. 

The median concentration for fecal coliform bacteria 

decreased during the May 2001 through August 2003 reporting 

period when compared to results presented in Trombley (1999, 

2001). The median concentration for the June 1996 through 

November 1998 reporting period was 570 col/100 mL, and the 

median concentration for the February 1999 through 
Comparison of Water-Quality Results to Previous Studies 63

Table 18. Results of analysis of sediment in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern 

Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not determined; <, less than]

Map identifier 

(fig. 1) Site name

Date of 

sample 

collection

(month/day/

year)

Total suspended 

solids 

(mg/L)

Suspendedsediment 

concentration 

(mg/L)

Bills Creek Basin

BC01 Bills Creek, U.S Highway 75 near Holton 06/12/01 24 --

Little Soldier Creek Basin

LSC01 Little Soldier Creek, 190 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01 58 --

LSC02 Little Soldier Creek, 174 Road near Mayetta 06/12/01 20 --

LSC03 Little Soldier Creek, O Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 <10 --

06/12/01 63 --

11/13/01 <10 10

02/12/02 <10 26

05/22/02 <10 5

08/28/02 17 32

11/13/02 18 26

02/19/03 17 84

05/14/03 <10 18

LSC04 Little Soldier Creek, 134 Road near Mayetta 05/15/01 <10 --

06/12/01 33 --

11/13/01 <10 46

02/12/02 <10 32

05/22/02 <10 11

08/28/02 17 26

11/13/02 <10 5

02/19/03 <10 23

05/14/03 <10 13

LSC05 Little Soldier Creek tributary, 134 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 16 --

LSC06 Big Elm Creek, 134 Road near Hoyt 05/15/01 <10 --

06/12/01 <10 --

08/21/01 <10 --

11/13/01 <10 7

02/12/02 <10 6

05/22/02 <10 3

08/28/02 <10 5

11/13/02 <10 2

02/19/03 18 16

05/14/03 <10 2
64 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

Table 18. Results of analysis of sediment in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern 

Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not determined; <, less than]

Map identifier 

(fig. 1) Site name

Date of 

sample 

collection

(month/day/

year)

Total suspended 

solids 

(mg/L)

Suspendedsediment 

concentration 

(mg/L)

Little Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

LSC07 Little Elm Creek, Q Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 <10 --

LSC08 Big Elm Creek, P Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 <10 --

LSC09 Little Soldier Creek, 126 Road near Hoyt 06/12/01 44 --

Soldier Creek Basin 

SC01 Soldier Creek, 214 Road near Circleville 06/13/01 15 --

SC02 Soldier Creek tributary, G Road near Circleville 06/13/01 <10 --

SC03 Soldier Creek near Saint Clere 05/15/01 27 --

06/13/01 39 --

08/21/01 14 --

11/13/01 10 37

02/12/02 <10 59

05/22/02 28 31

08/28/02 13 93

11/13/02 <10 29

02/19/03 <10 1

05/14/03 55 57

08/20/03 20 23

SC04 Soldier Creek, 158 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 60 --

SC05 Crow Creek, 166 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 7 --

SC06 South Branch Soldier Creek, H.5 Road near Saint Clere 06/13/01 15 --

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia 05/15/01 50 --

06/13/01 66 --

08/21/01 21 --

11/13/01 10 13

02/12/02 <10 37

05/22/02 38 54

08/28/02 <10 44

11/13/02 <10 20

02/19/03 <10 59

05/14/03 33 39
Comparison of Water-Quality Results to Previous Studies 65

Soldier Creek Basin—Continued

SC07 Soldier Creek, I Road near Delia—Continued 08/20/03 42 53

SC08 James Creek, 142 Road near Delia 06/13/01 18 --

SC09 James Creek, 126 Road near Delia 06/13/01 <10 --

South Cedar Creek Basin 

SCC01 South Cedar Creek, U.S. Highway 75 near Mayetta 06/12/01 <10 --

Table 18. Results of analysis of sediment in surface-water-quality samples from the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, northeastern 

Kansas, May 2001 through August 2003.—Continued

[mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, not determined; <, less than]

Map identifier 

(fig. 1) Site name

Date of 

sample 

collection

(month/day/

year)

Total suspended 

solids 

(mg/L)

Suspendedsediment 

concentration 

(mg/L)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

LSC03 LSC04

Little Soldier Creek Basin Soldier Creek Basin

LSC06 SC03 SC07

Concentration, in milligrams per liter

Median suspendedsediment concentration

Median total suspended 

solids concentration

Surface-water-quality monitoring site and basin (fig. 1)

Figure 15. Median concentrations of total suspended solids and suspended sediment in surface-water-quality 

samples, May 2001 through August 2003.
66 Quality of Water on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation, Northeastern Kansas, May 2001 Through August 2003

February 2001 reporting period was 290 col/100 mL. The 

median concentration during the current reporting period was 

190 col/100 mL. 

Trombley (2001) found dissolved solids, sodium, sulfate, 

boron, iron, and manganese concentrations in some groundwater samples exceeding their respective water-quality criteria. 

The May 2001 through August 2003 study also found that 

dissolved solids, sodium, and sulfate were present in groundwater samples at concentrations greater than their respective 

water-quality criteria. It was not possible to infer trends in 

ground-water quality because the previous study consisted of 

ground-water samples collected from domestic wells and one 

pumping well. Ground-water sample results presented herein 

were collected from dedicated monitoring wells installed across 

the reservation.

Summary

Water quality is very important to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation both for the hunting and fishing needs of tribal 

members as well as a part of developing the economic base for 

the tribe. Under the Federal Clean Water Act of 1977, an Indian 

tribe is sovereign for the purposes of delegating the authority to 

regulate water within the reservation boundaries. To establish 

water-quality baseline concentrations with a goal of developing 

water-quality criteria to help manage the water resources on the 

reservation, the tribe, in cooperation with the U.S. Geological 

Survey (USGS), began a water-quality monitoring program in 

1996. 

A network of 20 surface-water monitoring sites was sampled in June 2001, and a subset of 5 of the 20 sites was sampled 

approximately quarterly from May 2001 through August 2003. 

All surface-water samples were analyzed for physical properties, nutrients, pesticides, fecal indicator bacteria, and total suspended solids. Dissolved solids, major ions, trace elements, and 

suspended-sediment concentration were added to the sample 

analysis in November 2001. Ground water was sampled twice 

during the study period from 11 dedicated ground-water monitoring wells completed on the reservation in August 2002 and in 

July 2003. Nine monitoring wells were sampled during April–

May 2003, and six monitoring wells were sampled during 

August 2003. The second round of sampling included four wells 

that were sampled during the previous round as well as two new 

monitoring wells completed in July 2003. All ground-water 

samples were analyzed for physical properties, dissolved solids, 

major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, and fecal indicator bacteria. One ground-water monitoring well located near 

a construction and demolition landfill was sampled for chemical oxygen demand and volatile organic compounds in the first 

round of sampling. 

Dissolved-solids concentrations exceeded the Secondary 

Drinking-Water Regulation of 500 mg/L established by the 

U.S. Environmental Agency (USEPA) in surface-water 

samples from LSC06 located on Big Elm Creek downstream 

from a wastewater-treatment lagoon. In general, larger concentrations of dissolved solids can occur downstream from wastewater-treatment facilities when compared to upstream. 

Dissolved-solids concentrations in ground-water samples from 

well MW03 also exceeded the Secondary Drinking-Water 

Regulation.

Sodium concentrations exceeded the Drinking-Water 

Advisory of 20 mg/L established by USEPA in surface-water 

samples from site LSC06 and in ground-water samples from 

wells MW03, MW04, MW05, MW08, AND MW11. Sulfate 

concentrations in ground-water samples from well MW03 also 

exceeded the Secondary Drinking-Water Regulation of 

250 mg/L established by USEPA.

Detections of nitrite plus nitrate in ground-water samples 

from well MW11 exceeded the USEPA Maximum Contaminant Level of 10 mg/L. Forty percent of the 65 surface-water 

samples analyzed for total phosphorus exceeded the waterquality goal of 0.1 mg/L established by USEPA. Two detections of arsenic in ground-water samples from well MW6 also 

exceeded the USEPA Maximum Contaminant Level of 

10 μg/L.

Triazine herbicides, specifically atrazine, were detected 

frequently in surface-water samples, although the annual average of the collected samples did not exceed the USEPA Maximum Contaminant Level of 3.0 μg/L as an annual average. Triazine herbicide compounds were not detected frequently in 

samples collected from ground-water monitoring wells.

Three volatile organic compounds, carbon disulfide, ethyl 

methyl ketone, and tetrahydrofuran, were detected in water 

samples collected from well MW04. There are no USEPA 

drinking-water regulations for these compounds.

Fecal indicator bacteria (fecal coliform, E. coli, fecal streptococci, and enterococci) were detected in the majority of surface-water samples. Water-quality criteria have been established by USEPA for densities of E. coli. Densities of E. coli

exceeded water-quality criteria in 12 samples. Total suspended 

solids and suspended-sediment concentrations were larger in 

surface-water samples from the Soldier Creek Basin when compared to samples from the Little Soldier Creek Basin.

Water quality on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation 

generally meets water-quality criteria established by USEPA. 

Surface-water quality on the reservation is affected by 

agricultural runoff (triazine herbicides and fecal indicator bacteria), seepage from septic systems or sewage lagoons serving a 

rural population, and wastewater discharge from documented 

point sources (dissolved solids and sodium). Sources of total 

phosphorus in streams can be attributed to both agricultural 

activities and human and animal waste. Ground-water quality 

on the reservation probably is affected by agricultural practices 

with the detections of nitrite plus nitrate, and elevated 

dissolved-solids and arsenic concentrations in the water likely 

are affected by dissolution of sedimentary rocks. Concentrations of dissolved solids and sulfate in some ground-water samples exceeded their respective Secondary Drinking-Water Regulations, and concentrations exceeded the taste threshold of the 
References 67

USEPA’s Drinking-Water Advisory Level for sodium. Consequently, in the event that ground water on the reservation is to 

be used as a drinking-water source, additional treatment may be 

necessary to remove excess dissolved solids, sulfate, sodium, 

nitrite plus nitrate, and arsenic.

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