Water-Quality Assessment of Lakes Maumelle and
Winona, Arkansas, 1991 Through 2003
By Joel M. Galloway and W. Reed Green
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Abstract
Lakes Maumelle and Winona are water-supply reservoirs
for the Little Rock and North Little Rock metropolitan areas in
central Arkansas. In addition to water supply, the reservoirs are
used for recreation and fish and wildlife habitat. The purpose of
this report is to describe the hydrology and water quality of
Lakes Maumelle and Winona and their inflows from data collected
by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Central
Arkansas Water for calendar years 1991 through 2003.
The main inflows into Lakes Maumelle and Winona, the
Maumelle River and Alum Fork Saline River, exhibited typical
seasonal variability in streamflow with high flows usually
occurring in the late fall, winter, and early spring, and low or no
flow in the summer and early fall. The highest annual mean
streamflow occurred in 1991 and the lowest annual mean
streamflow occurred in 1992 for the Maumelle River and 1995
for the Alum Fork Saline River.
Water quality measured in Lakes Maumelle and Winona
varied spatially and temporally. Although total phosphorus concentrations
were substantially higher at the upper ends of the
lakes than at the lower ends of the lakes, nitrogen and orthophosphorus
concentrations were not significantly different
among the sampling sites on each lake. The highest concentrations
of nitrogen generally were measured in 1991 and from
1998 through 2003 at all of the sampling sites. The highest total
phosphorus concentrations were measured from 1994 to 1996
and from 1998 to 2001 on Lake Maumelle and from 1993 to
1994 on Lake Winona. Total and dissolved organic carbon concentrations
were similar among sites on each lake and the greatest
concentrations were measured in 1996 and 1997 at all of the
sites. The chlorophyll a concentrations varied seasonally, with
the highest concentrations in October and November, but were
relatively uniform spatially and annually in Lakes Maumelle
and Winona for 1991 through 2003. Water clarity was greater at
the lower ends of the lakes than at the upper ends. Secchi depth
varied seasonally, with the greatest depth from July to September
and the least depth during October through December.
There was no apparent trend in Secchi depth over the entire
sampling period.
The trophic state indices calculated from near-surface concentrations
of total phosphorus and chlorophyll a for Lakes
Maumelle and Winona indicated that they generally were oligotrophic
although they fluctuated in time between mesotrophic
and oligotrophic conditions.
Water-quality concentrations generally were less for the
main inflow to Lake Winona, the Alum Fork Saline River, than
for the Maumelle River, Bringle, Yount, and Reece Creeks,
which flow into Lake Maumelle. Nutrient concentrations for the
Maumelle and Alum Fork Saline Rivers remained fairly uniform
from 1991 through 2003. Suspended-sediment concentrations
generally were greatest at Bringle Creek. Concentrations
of fecal streptococci measured at the Alum Fork Saline River
were similar to concentrations measured at the Maumelle River,
and fecal coliforms concentrations for the Alum Fork Saline
River were approximately half the concentration measured at
the Maumelle River. Bringle and Reece Creeks had greater concentrations
of fecal coliforms and fecal streptococci than the
Maumelle River, and Yount Creek had the lowest concentration
of fecal streptococci among all the sites.
Annual loads of nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, and
suspended sediment estimated for the Maumelle River and the
Alum Fork Saline River were similar between sites and varied
with time from 1991 through 2003. Annual loads were greatest
in 1991 for the Maumelle and Alum Fork Saline Rivers and the
least in 2000 for the Maumelle River and 1995 for the Alum
Fork Saline River. Estimated loads also demonstrated seasonal
trends with the highest daily loads in the winter and fall and
lowest daily loads in the summer for both sites.
Annual yields of nutrients and dissolved organic carbon
computed for the Maumelle River were similar to yields for the
Alum Fork Saline River and suspended-sediment yields were
less for the period of 1991 through 2003. The Alum Fork Saline
River had a mean total nitrogen yield that was slightly greater
than the mean total nitrogen yield for Maumelle River and more
than three times greater than yields for selected undeveloped
sites across the Nation.
Annual flow-weighted concentrations of nutrients and dissolved
organic carbon for the Alum Fork Saline River generally
were similar to those computed for the Maumelle River. Suspended-
sediment flow-weighted concentrations for the Alum
Fork Saline River were approximately one-half those computed
2 Water-Quality Assessment of Lakes Maumelle and Winona, Arkansas, 1991 Through 2003
for the Maumelle River. The Alum Fork Saline River generally
had flow-weighted nutrient concentrations similar to the mean
flow-weighted concentrations for selected undeveloped basins
across the Nation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Purpose and Scope
- Study Area Description
- Previous Investigations
- Methods
- Streamflow and Lake Volume
- Lake Sampling
- Inflow Sampling
- Data Analysis
- Trophic State Indices
- Loads and Yields
- Flow-Weighted Concentrations
- Water-Quality Assessment
- Hydrologic Conditions
- Lake Maumelle
- Lake Winona
- Lake Water Quality
- Lake Maumelle
- Temperature
- Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations
- Nutrient and Organic Carbon Concentrations
- Chlorophyll a Concentrations
- Water Clarity
- Trophic Status
- Lake Winona
- Temperature
- Dissolved-Oxygen Concentrations
- Nutrient and Organic Carbon Concentrations
- Chlorophyll a Concentrations
- Water Clarity
- Trophic Status
- Inflow Water Quality
- Lake Maumelle
- Constituent Concentrations
- Loads and Yields of Nutrients, Dissolved Organic Carbon, and Suspended Sediment
- Flow-Weighted Concentrations of Nutrients, Dissolved Organic Carbon, and Suspended Sediment
- Lake Winona
- Constituent Concentrations
- Loads and Yields of Nutrients, Dissolved Organic Carbon, and Suspended Sediment
- Flow-Weighted Concentrations of Nutrients, Dissolved Organic Carbon, and Suspended Sediment
- Summary
- References
Figures
- Map showing location of Lakes Maumelle and Winona
- Map showing land use in the Lakes Maumelle and Winona watersheds
- Daily, monthly, and annual mean streamflow and water-quality sampling times for the Maumelle River at Williams Junction, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Flow accumulation curve for the Maumelle River at Williams Junction, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Daily mean reservoir volumes for Lake Maumelle from stage recorded at Lake Maumelle at Natural Steps, Arkansas (07263300), 1991 through 2003
- Daily, monthly, and annual mean streamflow and water-quality sampling times for the Alum Fork Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Flow accumulation curve for the Alum Fork Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003.
- Daily mean reservoir volumes for Lake Winona from stage recorded at Lake Winona dam at Reform (07362591), 1991 through 2003
- Distribution of temperature with depth and time in Lake Maumelle near Natural Steps, Arkansas
- Distribution of dissolved oxygen concentration with depth and time in Lake Maumelle near Natural Steps, Arkansas
- Boxplot showing distribution of nutrient concentrations for four sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas
- Graphs showing time series of nitrogen concentrations for three sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003.
- Graphs showing time series of phosphorus concentrations for three sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas,
1991 through 2003.
- Boxplot showing distribution of organic carbon concentrations for four sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas
- Graphs showing time series of organic carbon concentrations for three sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003.
- Boxplot showing distribution of chlorophyll a concentrations for four sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas
- Graphs showing time series of chlorophyll a concentrations for three sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas,
1991 through 2003.
- Graph showing median monthly chlorophyll a concentrations for Lake Maumelle near Natural Steps, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
-
Boxplot showing distribution of Secchi depths for four sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas
-
- Graph showing median monthly Secchi depths for Lake Maumelle near Natural Steps, Arkansas,
1991 through 2003.
- Graphs showing time series of Secchi depth for three sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003.
- Boxplot showing trophic state indices for three sites on Lake Maumelle, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003.
- Graphs showing distribution of temperature with depth and time in Lake Winona at Reform, Arkansas
- Graphs showing distribution of dissolved oxygen concentration with depth and time in Lake Winona at
Reform, Arkansas.
- Boxplots showing distribution of nutrient concentrations for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Graphs showing time series of nitrogen concentrations for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Graphs showing time series of phosphorus concentrations for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Boxplots showing distribution of organic carbon concentrations for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Graphs showing time series of organic carbon concentrations for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Boxplot showing distribution of chlorophyll a concentrations for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Graphs showing time series of chlorophyll a concentrations for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Graph showing median monthly chlorophyll a concentrations for Lake Winona at Reform, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Boxplot showing distribution of Secchi depths for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Graph showing median monthly Secchi depths for Lake Winona at Reform, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Graphs showing time series of Secchi depth for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Boxplots showing trophic state indices for three sites on Lake Winona, Arkansas
- Boxplots showing distribution of nutrient, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended-sediment concentrations for four inflow sites to Lake Maumelle
- Graphs showing time series of nutrient, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended-sediment concentrations for the Maumelle River at Williams Junction, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Boxplot showing distribution of fecal indicator bacteria concentrations for four inflow sites to Lake Maumelle
- Graphs showing annual nutrient, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended-sediment loads estimated for the
Maumelle River at Williams Junction, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Graphs showing seasonal nutrient, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended-sediment loads estimated for the Maumelle River at Williams Junction, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Graphs showing annual nutrient yields for the Maumelle River at Williams Junction, Arkansas, Alum Fork Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, and selected other stream basins
- Graphs showing annual flow-weighted nutrient concentrations for the Maumelle River at Williams Junction, Arkansas, Alum Fork Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, and selected other stream basins
- Boxplots showing distribution of nutrient, dissolved organic carbon, suspended-sediment, and fecal indicator bacteria concentrations for the Alum Fork Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Graphs showing time series of nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended-sediment concentrations for the Alum Fork Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Graphs showing annual nutrient, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended-sediment loads estimated for the Alum Fork Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Graphs showing seasonal nutrient, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended-sediment loads estimated for the Alum Fork Saline River, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
Tables
- Water-quality and streamflow sites for Lakes Maumelle and Winona
- Estimated annual loads and yields for the Maumelle River at Williams Junction, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Annual flow-weighted concentrations computed for the Maumelle River at Williams Junction, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Estimated annual loads and yields for the Alum Fork Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003
- Annual flow-weighted concentrations computed for the Alum Fork Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, 1991 through 2003