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Below, you can link to project information and proposal abstracts:
- Title:
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Discharge, source areas, and water ages of spring-fed streams and implications
for water management in the McKenzie River basin
- Project Type:
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Research
- Principle Investigators:
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Gordon Grant, Associate Professor (Courtesy), Departments of Geosciences
and Forest Science, Oregon State University, gordon.grant@orst.edu, 541-750-7328
- Abstract:
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Long-term sustainable management of the McKenzie River requires an understanding
of sources of water and discharge patterns from tributary streams. The
McKenzie River receives water from two distinct geologic provinces: the
High and Western Cascades. Preliminary analyses of seasonal and event-based
hydrographs demonstrate that High Cascade streams contribute disproportionately
to the maintenance of summer flow and cold stream temperatures. Most of
this High Cascade water comes from springs fed by deep groundwater systems
rather than shallow sub-surface flow, as in the Western Cascades. The dynamics
of these springs, however, are poorly understood and the focus of this
proposal. This project will combine field measurements of discharge with
laboratory analysis of spring water isotopes to improve our understanding
of spatial and temporal recharge and discharge patterns of spring-fed streams.
We will concentrate our efforts on the largest springs, because they contribute
the most flow to the McKenzie River, but will also examine smaller springs,
which are important for understanding controls on flow volumes. Our findings
will allow us to discuss how water resource management decisions in the
McKenzie River basin should account for differences between High and Western
Cascade discharge regimes and recharge processes.
- Title:
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Investigation of Nitrate Transport Across the Willamette Silt of the Southern
Willamette Valley
- Project Type:
- Research
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- Principal Investigator:
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Roy Haggerty, Associate Professor, Oregon State University, haggertr@geo.orst.edu,
541-737-1210
- Abstract:
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Nitrate in groundwater in Oregon’s Southern Willamette Valley has
been a concern for several years, with more than 7% of domestic wells in
2001 reporting concentrations exceeding the USEPA's Maximum Contaminant
Level of 10 ppm [ODEQ, pers. comm., 2002]. However, not all groundwater
is equally affected, due to differences in land use, agricultural practices,
and particularly geology. The Willamette Silt, which overlies much of the
Willamette Aquifer, acts as a hydraulic barrier to nitrate transport and,
more importantly, acts as a natural biogeochemical "reactor-bed" for
denitrification. Prior work [Iverson and Haggerty, 2002; Iverson, 2002]
in the Northern Willamette Valley shows that nitrate does not penetrate
beyond a redox front in the Silt approximately 25 ft below ground surface,
providing very effective protection to the Aquifer. Across the Willamette
Valley wherever the Willamette Aquifer is overlain by the Willamette Silt
nitrate concentrations are generally low [see data in Hinkle, 1997, p.
23]. This appears to be less true, however, in the Southern Willamette
Valley, where the Silt is thinner and there may be geochemical differences
that do not allow the Silt to protect the Aquifer to the same degree as
in the Northern Valley.
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- We will investigate the extent to which the Willamette Silt in the Southern
Valley protects groundwater in the underlying Willamette Aquifer from nitrate
contamination. We will drill 30 boreholes through the Willamette Silt in
the region bounded by Corvallis, Albany, Coburg and Junction City. Many (12-15)
of the boreholes will be placed in and around areas with known elevated nitrate
concentrations in the underlying aquifer, and will be selected in consultation
with cooperators ODEQ and ChevronTexaco. A subset (2-4) of the wells boreholes
will be developed and maintained as monitoring wells in conjunction with
ongoing monitoring of nitrate in nearby, deeper wells already installed.
All boreholes will produce continuous core samples that will be analyzed
for nitrate, redox conditions (as indicated by Fe2+/Fe3+), pH, and organic
carbon. Core will be logged, frozen, and stored for future geochemical work.
Two maps will be produced showing the thickness of the Willamette Silt across
the Southern Willamette Valley and the depth to the redox front. Since the
redox front is likely to be the lower limit of nitrate penetration, the maps
will be invaluable to management in the area. All maps, geologic and geochemical
data will be made publicly available via the PI's Willamette Silt website
(http://my.science.orst.edu/~haggertr/WS/).
- Title:Environmental analysis of wastewater effluents and biosolids
derived endocrine disrupting chemicals in the Willamette River
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- Project Type:
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Research
- Principal Investigator:
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Tarek A. Kassim, Research Associate, Department of Civil, Construction
and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State University, (541) 737 6884,
Tarek.Kassim@orst.edu
Abstract:
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Some compounds released into the environment through wastewater effluents
and/or biosolids applied as soil amendments can mimic or modulate endogenous
hormones and have been termed endocrine-disrupting chemcials (EDCs). EDCs
have been defined as exogenous agents that interfere with the "synthesis,
secretion, transport, binding, action, or elimination of natural hormones
in the body that are responsible for the maintenance of homeostasis, reproduction,
development, and/or behavior". It has been hypothesized that such
compounds may elicit a variety of adverse effects in both humans and wildlife,
including promotion of hormone-dependent cancers, reproductive tract disorders,
and reduction in reproductive fitness.
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- The generation and disposal of biosolids and wastewater effluents produced
at municipal wastewater treatment plants is a major environmental issue.
For example, approximately 900 kg of biosolids on a dry basis are produced
from the treatment of 1 million gallons of wastewater. These solids are typically
dewatered on site and disposed of at landfills, incinerators or on agricultural
fields. Disposal of sewage sludge on agricultural fields recycles the nutrients
captured from municipal wastewater into agricultural soils. However, biosolids
applied as soil amendments can contain significant quantities of endocrine
disrupting chemicals derived from the municipal wastewater or organic metabolites
produced during waste treatment. These organics have the potential to adversely
impact soil receiving the biosolids, surface and groundwater in the vicinity
of application, on crops grown on sludge-amended soils, and on animals and
humans that may consume the crops grown on the soils. In addition, wastewater
effluents are considered to be the main contributors of EDCs to the aquatic
environment.
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- The Willamette River is the 10th largest river in the United States and
the heart of Oregon. A recent investigation by the USGS National Water Quality
Assessment (NAWQA) program has found that several fish species are dying
or have deformations, as well as evidence of endocrine disruption in common
carp and largemouth bass collected from the river. In additon, another investigation,
carried out by the Principal Investigator and funded by the USGS, has indicated
the presence of several EDCs in the river. Accordingly, the present proposal
aims at analyzing the occurrence and characterizing a comprehensive list
of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that are introduced into Willamette
River through both effluents and biosolids generated from five major wastewater
treatment plants (e.g., Eugene, Corvallis, Albany, Salem and North Portland).
The expected findings of the proposed study will complement the understanding
of the chemodynamics and control of EDCs in the river.
- Title:
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Development of a relationship between water quality data and land
use in the Oak Creek Watershed
- Project Type:
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Information Transfer
- Principal Investigator:
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Peter O. Nelson, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental
Engineering, Oregon State University, Peter.Nelson@orst.edu, 541-737-6835
- Abstract:
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This proposed research addresses the issue of water quality impacts of
various land uses in a mesoscale watershed. The Oak Creek Watershed of
Benton County is managed for multiple uses by Oregon State University (over
40% ownership), the City of Corvallis, and Benton County, and includes
rural and urban private residential housing. The goal of Oregon State University
is to develop the watershed as a teaching and research model as well as
to improve the water quality in Oak Creek. This research will continue
recent work in the Oak Creek Watershed that includes synoptic water quality
sampling and analysis, detailed land use characterization, and hydrological
monitoring. The overall objectives of this project are to establish baseline
water quality data, to relate land use with water quality, and to recommend
land use management improvements for the Oak Creek Watershed. This project
will collaborate with basin managers and develop a land use management
plan that will include recommendations to improve water quality in the
Oak Creek Watershed. A monitoring plan will also be developed for the watershed.
Input from stakeholders in the watershed will be sought during this phase
of the project. Results of the research will be added to Oak Creek website
to make the information available to the various user groups. The project
will also help position OSU to apply for national grants studying watershed-scale
nutrient processes and management of land uses.
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