USGS - NAWQA - Water Quality in the Santee River Basin and Coastal Drainages

APPENDIX—WATER-QUALITY DATA FROM THE SANTEE RIVER BASIN AND COASTAL DRAINAGES IN A NATIONAL CONTEXT

For a complete view of Santee River Basin and coastal drainages data and for additional information about specific benchmarks used, visit our Web site at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/. Also visit the NAWQA Data Warehouse for access to NAWQA data sets at http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/wdbctx/nawqa/nawqa.home.

This appendix is a summary of chemical concentrations and biological indicators assessed in the Santee River Basin and coastal drainages. Selected results for thisStudy Unit are graphically compared to results from asmany as 36 NAWQA Study Units investigated from 1991 to1998 and to national water-quality benchmarks for human health, aquatic life, or fish-eating wildlife. The chemical and biological indicators shown were selected on the basis of frequent detection, detection at concentrations above a national benchmark, or regulatory or scientific importance. The graphs illustrate how conditions associated with each land use sampled in the Santee River Basin and coastal drainages compare to results from across the Nation, and how conditions compare among the several land uses. Graphs for chemicals show only detected concentrations and, thus, care must be taken to evaluate detection frequencies in addition to concentrations when comparing study-unit and national results. For example, tebuthiuron concentrations in Santee River Basin and coastal drainages agricultural streams were similar to the national distribution, but the detection frequency was much higher (66 percent compared to 22 percent). -- Graph showing CHEMICALS IN WATER Concentrations and detection frequencies, Santee River Basin and coastal drainages, 1995–98—Detection sensitivity varies among chemicals and, thus, frequencies are not directly comparable. Pesticides in water—Herbicides.

Graph showing Pesticides in water—Insecticides and Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground water

Graph showing Dissolved solids in water, Trace elements in ground water and CHEMICALS IN FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT: Concentrations and detection frequencies, Santee River Basin and coastal drainages, 1995–98—Detection sensitivity varies among chemicals and, thus, frequencies are not directly comparable among chemicals. Study-unit frequencies of detection are based on small sample sizes; the applicable sample size is specified in each graph. and Organochlorines in fish tissue (whole body) and bed sediment

Graph showing Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in bed sediment

Graph showing Trace elements in fish tissue (livers) and bed sediment

Graph showing BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS Higher national scores suggest habitat disturbance, water-quality degradation, or naturally harsh conditions. The status of algae, invertebrates (insects, worms, and clams), and fish provide a record of water-quality and stream conditions that water-chemistry indicators may not reveal. Algal status focuses on the changes in the percentage of certain algae in response to increasing siltation, and it often correlates with higher nutrient concentrations in some regions. Invertebrate status averages 11 metrics that summarize changes in richness, tolerance, trophic conditions, and dominance associated with water-quality degradation. Fish status sums the scores of four fish metrics (percent tolerant, omnivorous, non-native individuals, and percent individuals with external anomalies) that increase in association with water-quality degradation.

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U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1206

Suggested citation:

Hughes, W.B., Abrahamsen, T.A., Maluk, T.L., Reuber, E.J., and Wilhelm, L.J., 2000, Water Quality in the Santee River Basin and Coastal Drainages, North and South Carolina, 1995–98: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1206, 32 p., on-line at http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/circ1206/

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