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Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5203

Pubs Warehouse

### Prepared in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Division of Water, Assessment Branch

## Occurrence and Distribution of Algal Biomass and Its Relation to Nutrients and Selected Basin Characteristics in Indiana Streams, 2001-2005

#### By B. Scott Lowe, Donald R. Leer, Jeffrey W. Frey, and Brian J. Caskey

| ABSTRACT 
Algal biomass and nutrient  data were gathered at 322 randomly selected sites on 261 streams in the West  Fork White River, Whitewater River, East Fork White River, Upper Wabash River,  Kankakee River, Lower Wabash River, Tributaries to the Great Lakes, and  Tributaries to the Ohio River Basins in Indiana from May through October for  years 2001 through 2005. Basin characteristics (land use and drainage area),  substrate, turbidity, and nutrient concentrations were determined for the basin  and sampling sites. The relations of the seasonal algal biomass parameters  periphyton chlorophyll *a* (CHLa), ash-free dry mass (AFDM), seston CHLa, and particulate organic carbon  (POC) to concentrations of the seasonal nutrients nitrate, total Kjeldahl  nitrogen (TKN), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) were determined  using Spearman’s rho. The effects of streamflow were determined using data  collected at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow-gaging stations spatially  located throughout the study basins.

Throughout the 5-year  study, the magnitude and frequency of stream discharge varied monthly and  annually and greatly influenced algal biomass concentrations through scour and  algal drift. Algal biomass median concentrations in Indiana streams consisted  of periphyton CHLa, 41.2 milligrams per square meter (mg/m); AFDM, 52.1 grams per square meter (g/m2); seston CHLa, 2.44 micrograms per liter (μg/L); and  POC, 0.75 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Approximately 32 percent of the  periphyton CHLa and 6 percent of the seston CHLa samples would be considered  eutrophic (nutrient enriched).

To ascertain seasonal  variability, samples were collected in the spring (May), summer (June through  August), and fall (September through October). The highest median concentration  of periphyton CHLa was in the spring, 63.2 mg/m2,  while the highest median concentrations of AFDM, seston CHLa, and POC were in  the summer 55.4 g/m2, 2.96 μg/L, and 0.81 mg/L  respectively. There were no significant differences among seasons for  periphyton CHLa and AFDM; there were significant differences among seasons for  seston CHLa and POC.

There were no significant  relations with nutrients and periphyton or seston CHLa parameters. The only  significant positive relations were observed between summer POC and summer TP  as well as summer POC and summer TKN. Positive relations also related spring  POC and spring TP. These significant relations with TP are most likely related  to phosphorus associated within seston algal cells and attached to sediment.

Drainage area and land use  were analyzed to understand the effect of site location on algal growth. Study  basins varied in size (headwater streams, 0–51 km2;  wadable streams, 52–2,590 km2; and boatable  streams, 2,591–38,900 km2) and were dominated by  agricultural land use. Basin characteristics (land use, drainage area) as well  as substrate type, turbidity, and nutrients, affected the concentration of  algal biomass parameters. Of the eight basins in which samples were collected  during the 5-year study, the Whitewater River Basin (2002) had the highest  median concentration of periphyton CHLa (63.1 mg/m2), the  Tributaries to the Great Lakes (2005) exhibited the highest median  concentration for AFDM (160 g/m2), the East Fork  White River Basin (2002) had nearly twice the median concentration (4.01 μg/L)  of seston CHLa as the other basins, and the West Fork White River Basin (2001)  exhibited the highest median concentration of POC (1.10 mg/L). Of the eight  major basins sampled, 15–45 percent of the periphyton CHLa and up to 20 percent  of the seston CHLa samples were eutrophic. Samples collected at headwater and  wadable streams were the most eutrophic for periphyton CHLa (31–36 percent) and  28 percent of samples collected at boatable streams were eutrophic for seston  CHLa.

As basin size increased,  seston CHLa and POC concentrations increased while periphyton CHLa and AFDM  concentrations decreased. The median turbidity values ranged from 6.95 NTU for  headwater streams to 8.27 NTU for wadable streams, and 17.0 NTU for boatable  streams. In addition, the types and availability of periphytic substrates  (epilithic, epipsammic, or epidendric) were an important factor when comparing  periphyton CHLa and AFDM concentrations in the study due to the periphytic  substrates individual susceptibility to bed movement and scouring. Periphyton  CHLa median concentrations ranged from 53.8 mg/m2 for epilithic substrates, to 41.8 mg/m2 for  epipsammic substrates, and 17.2 mg/m2 for  epidendric substrates. Higher AFDM concentrations were collected from  epipsammic substrates during years of low stream discharge velocity, which  enhanced the settling of organic matter on epipsammic substrates. AFDM median  concentrations ranged from 141 g/m2 for  epipsammic to 28.8 g/m2 for epilithic and 22.9  g/m2 for epidendric substrates.

The seasonal values for  nutrients (nitrate, TKN, TN, and TP) and algal biomass (periphyton  CHLa, AFDM, seston CHLa, and POC) were compared to published U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) values for their respective ecoregions.  Algal biomass values either were greater than the 25th percentile published USEPA values or extended the range of data in Aggregate  Nutrient Ecoregions VI, VII, IX and USEPA Level III Ecoregions 54, 55, 56, 71,  and 72. If the values for the 25th percentile  proposed by the USEPA were adopted as nutrient water-quality criteria, then  about 71 percent of the nutrient samples and 57 percent of the CHLa samples  within the eight study basins would be considered nutrient enriched.

                 | Revised January 16, 2009

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**For additional information contact:**Director, Indiana Water Science Center          U.S. Geological Survey          5957 Lakeside Boulevard          Incianapolis, Indiana 46278-1996http://in.water.usgs.gov/

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### Suggested citation:

Lowe, B.S., Leer, D.R., Frey, J.W., and Caskey, B.J., 2008, Occurrence and distribution of algal biomass and its relation to nutrients and basin characteristics in Indiana streams: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5203, 146 p.

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### Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Study Methods

Occurrence and Distribution of  Algal Biomass in Indiana Streams

Relations of Algal Biomass to  Nutrients and Selected Basin Characteristics

Comparison of Data to U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency Ecoregion Nutrient Criteria

Summary

Acknowledgments

References Cited

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