Distribution and Occurrence of Distribution and Occurrence of Nitrate-Nitrogen and Total Nitrate-Nitrogen and Total

Phosphorus in the Water Resources Phosphorus in the Water Resources of the Suwannee River Water of the Suwannee River Water

Management DistrictManagement District

David HornsbyDavid Hornsby

Dissertation ProposalDissertation Proposal

May 27May 27thth, 2005, 2005

ObjectivesObjectives

• To determine the distribution and occurrences of nitrate-N and total phosphorus in the SRWMD

• Define the influence on water quality and quantity due to the interaction of ground and surface water in the Suwannee River basin

• Define ground water basins in the SRWMD• Integration of the findings with

landuse/landcover to assess influence on water quality

HypothesisHypothesis

• Impacts on the occurrence and distribution of nitrate-N and total phosphorus in the water resources of the Suwannee River Water Management District can be attributed to landuse/landcover

Floridan Aquifer SystemFloridan Aquifer System

KarstKarst

• Terrain formed by the Terrain formed by the dissolution of dissolution of underlying limestoneunderlying limestone

• Internal Drainage: Internal Drainage: SW=GWSW=GW

• Characterized by Characterized by caves, caverns, caves, caverns, sinkholes, sinking sinkholes, sinking streams, springs, etc.streams, springs, etc.

Sinking Streams

Underwater CavesUnderwater Caves

SpringsSprings

Floridan Floridan Aquifer Aquifer SystemSystem

Confined

Unconfined

Aquifer VulnerabilityAquifer Vulnerability

Physiographic ProvincesPhysiographic Provinces

Cody Scarp

Karst FeaturesKarst Features

Water

Movement

Provide by Karst Productions

Suwannee Suwannee River River BasinBasin

Total Area 9,950 Square Miles

Georgia

Florida

Surfacewater Surfacewater Quality Quality Monitoring Monitoring NetworkNetwork

Nitrate-N TrendsNitrate-N Trends• Suwannee River Suwannee River

Increasing trend for Nitrate-N concentration in Increasing trend for Nitrate-N concentration in Suwannee River at Branford, FloridaSuwannee River at Branford, Florida

• Santa Fe River Santa Fe River Data from the Surfacewater Quality Monitoring Data from the Surfacewater Quality Monitoring shows an increase in Nitrate-N concentrations shows an increase in Nitrate-N concentrations in the Lower Santa Fe River in the Lower Santa Fe River

High/High/LowLow Flow FlowNitrate-N

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

S.R. at Gopher R.

Fowler's Bluff

Wilcox

Rock Bluff

Branford

Luraville

Dowling Park

Ellaville

S.R. Above Withla.

Suw.Springs

White Spring

S.R. at SR 6

NOx-N (mg/L)

June 1998 (Low)March 1998 (High)Georgia

Gulf of Mexico

Troy SpringsTroy SpringsFirst MagnitudeFirst Magnitude

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

No

v-6

0

Oc

t-7

3

No

v-9

2

Ju

n-9

3

Ju

l-9

3

Au

g-9

3

Se

p-9

3

Ju

n-9

4

Se

p-9

4

Ju

n-9

5

Ju

l-9

5

Au

g-9

5

Se

p-9

5

Ju

n-9

6

Ju

l-9

6

Au

g-9

6

Ju

n-9

7

Ju

l-9

7

Se

p-9

7

Ju

n-9

8

Ju

l-9

8

Au

g-9

8

NO

x-N

(m

g/L

)

USGS FGS SRWMD

WARN - WARN - Groundwater Groundwater

Quality Quality NetworkNetwork

Trend WellsTrend Wells

Status WellsStatus Wells

Mean Total Phosphorus Concentration (mg/L)October 2002 to September 2003

TP (mg/L)is a measure of the amount of total phosphorus in the ground water.

>10

1 to 5

0.5 to 1

0.1 to 0.5

0.05 to 0.1

0.01 to 0.05

0 to 0.01

N ote:This m ap represents a genera lizationof groundw ater qua lity data.

5 to 10

Mean Nitrate-Nitrogen Concentration (mg/L)October 2002 to September 2003

N ote:This m ap represents a genera lizationof groundw ater qua lity data.

>4.0

2.0 to 4 .0

1.0 to 2 .0

0.5 to 1.0

0.05 to 0.5

0 to 0.05

Nitrate-nitrogen (mg/L)is a measure of the amountof nitrate dissolved in theground water expressed interms of the amount ofnitrogen in the form ofnitrate.

SuwanneeSuwanneeBasinBasin

Nitrate-N Nitrate-N and TPand TPLoadsLoads

ByByBasinBasin

23.8%23.7%

0.8%54.1%

0.7%8.9%

15.5% 5.9%

34.4%10.8%

-4.6%-8.3%

-1.6%-10.0%

Total Loadingsfor Water year 20034,485 tons Nitrate-N1,627 tons TP

18.9%-3.7%

12.2%18.5%

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

30,000,000

Su

w

La

f

Gil

Ala

Co

l

Un

ion

Ma

d

Le

vy

Jef

Bra

d

Ha

m

Ta

ylo

r

Dix

ie

Po

un

ds

of

N p

er

Ye

ar

29

1413

119 8 7 7 6 5 4 3 3

Estimated Annual Nitrogen InputsEstimated Annual Nitrogen InputsSRWMDSRWMD

Beef Cows5.8%

Dairy Cows5.4%

Poultry34.1%

People1.0%

Fertilizer48.9%

Atmospheric4.8%

Estimated Nitrogen InputsEstimated Nitrogen InputsSuwannee CountySuwannee County

Total28,992,636pounds of N

ExampleExample

Suwannee

ColumbiaBaker

Union

5040

30

20

1060

70

1995 Potentiometric Surface Map

Potentiometric Surface Potentiometric Surface September 2002September 2002

5050

4040

30303535

4545

2525

20201515

GroundwaGroundwater ter DomainsDomains

Spring and Inner Spring and Inner Basin Basin Groundwater Groundwater QualityQuality

Outcomes/ProductsOutcomes/Products• Temporal and spatial distribution of nitrate-N

and total phosphorus.• GIS coverage of groundwater basins with

landuse/landcover.• A comparison of water quality to

landuse/landcover by groundwater basin.• A correlation of landuse/landcover in

groundwater basins to water quality.• Impacts of landuse/landcover on the ground

and surface water quality in the middle Suwannee and lower Santa Fe rivers.

• Develop a ranking of landuse/landcover to ground and surface water quality.

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

• Committee Dr. Donald Graetz (Chair) Dr. Tom Obreza Dr. Vimala Nair Dr. Wendy Graham

• Assistance Suwannee River Water Management

District