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Title:	Investigation of water quality and plankton in selected aquatic habitats on the Lower Mississippi River
Authors:	Environmental and Water Quality Operational Studies (U.S.) Sabol, Bruce M. Winfield, Linda Toczydlowski, David G.
Keywords:	Aquatic biology Water quality Habitats Mississippi River Plankton Ecology Mississippi River Valley
Publisher:	Environmental Laboratory (U.S.) Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)
Description:	Technical Report Abstract: Water quality and plankton samples were collected monthly at selected stations in the main channel, a dike field, an abandoned channel, and a secondary channel in the Lower Mississippi River near Greenville, Miss., from November 1979 to September 1980, and in additional dike fields during a low water period in September 1980. The main channel was characterized by high current velocities, high suspended solids, low light penetration, relatively high nutrient concentrations, generally low chlorophyll and zooplankton concentrations, stable and slightly alkaline pH levels, and stable oxygen saturation (~90 percent). Detrital particulate organic matter (POM) comprised over 80 percent of the total POM for all sampling periods except August when algal POM comprised over half the total. The abandoned channel was characterized by quiescent, generally stratified eutrophic waters low in suspended solids and high in chlorophyll and zooplankton concentrations with moderately fluctuating pH levels and widely fluctuating oxygen saturation levels. Water quality and plankton conditions observed in the secondary channel were indistinguishable from the main channel during periods of flow. During quiescent periods, suspended solids and turbidity decreased although other variables showed no appreciable difference from the main channel. Dike fields were transient lentic environments. During lotic periods, water quality was indistinguishable from the main channel. During isolation from the main channel, water clarity increased, soluble nutrients decreased, chlorophyll and zooplankton concentrations increased, and high pH and oxygen saturation levels were often observed. During the long period of isolation from the main channel, the dike fields became increasingly different from the main channel and from one another.
Rights:	Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/11681/4556
Appears in Collections:	Technical Report