Quality of Surface Water in Illinois, 1966-1971
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ISWS-73-BUL56 BULLETIN 56 STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION Quality of Surface Water in Illinois, 1966-1971 by ROBERT H. HARMESON, T. E. LARSON, LAUREL M. HENLEY, R. A. SINCLAIR, and J. C. NEILL ILLINOIS STATE WATER SURVEY URBANA 1973 BULLETIN 56 Quality of Surface Water in Illinois, 1966-1971 by ROBERT H. HARMESON, T. E. LARSON, LAUREL M. HENLEY, R. A. SINCLAIR, and J. C. NEILL Title: Quality of Surface Water in Illinois, 1966-1971. Abstract: Surface water quality in Illinois has been determined by means of analysis of data from monthly water sampling programs. Sampling programs spanning periods of approximately 5 years have been carried out since 1945. Data for the period 1966-l971 are for 25 streams at 30 sampling locations. Data analyzed to show frequencies of median and extreme values of certain mineral constituents for specific streams and sampling periods provide baseline values for future water quality and water resource studies. Com- parisons are drawn between water quality for the same stations in two or more sampling periods and with applicable Illinois Pollution Control Board regulations. Reference: Harmeson, Robert H., T. E. Larson, Laurel M. Henley, R. A. Sinclair, and J. C. Neill. Quality of Surface Water in Illinois, 1966-1971. Illinois State Water Survey, Urbana, Bulletin 56, 1973. Indexing Terms: alkalinity, ammonium, boron, cadmium, calcium, chloride, chromium, copper, fluoride, hardness, Illinois streams, iron, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mineral quality, nickel, nitrate, phosphate, potassium, silica, sodium, strontium, sulfate, temperature, total dissolved minerals, turbidity, water quality, zinc. STATE OF ILLINOIS HON. DANIEL WALKER, Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION DEAN BARRINGER, Ph.D., Director BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION DEAN BARRINGER, Ph.D., Chairman ROBERT H. ANDERSON, B.S., Engineering THOMAS PARK, Ph.D., Biology CHARLES E. OLMSTED, Ph.D., Botany LAURENCE L. SLOSS, Ph.D., Geology H. S. GUTOWSKY, Ph.D., Chemistry WILLIAM L. EVERITT, E.E., Ph.D., University of Illinois ELBERT H. HADLEY, Ph.D. Southern Illinois University STATE WATER SURVEY DIVISION WILLIAM C. ACKERMANN, D.Sc., Chief URBANA 1973 Printed by authority of the State of Illinois—Ch. 127, IRS, Par. 58.29 (12-73-2000) 8 CONTENTS PAGE Abstract ...................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................... 1 Acknowledgments ........................................................... 1 Data and analyses .............................................................. 3 Sampling ................................................................ 3 Analyses .................................................................. 3 Physical and mineral characteristics .............................................. 5 Water quality standards .................................................... 5 Median and high concentrations ............................................. 6 Nutrient levels ............................................................ 6 Data summaries ............................................................... 10 Bear Creek near Marcelline .................................................. 11 Des Plaines River near Des Plaines ........................................... 14 Edwards River near New Boston ............................................. 17 Edwards River near Orion .................................................. 20 Elkhorn Creek near Penrose .................................................. 23 Embarras River near Camargo .............................................. 26 Fox River at Algonquin ..................................................... 29 Fox River at Batavia ........................................................ 32 Henderson Creek near Oquawka ............................................. 35 Illinois River at Meredosia .................................................. 38 Illinois River at Peoria ..................................................... 41 Kankakee River at Momence ................................................ 44 Kaskaskia River at Shelbyville ............................................... 47 Kaskaskia River at Vandalia ................................................ 50 Kishwaukee River near Perryville ............................................ 53 Little Wabash River near Effingham ......................................... 56 Mackinaw River near Congerville ............................................ 59 Marys River near Sparta ................................................... 62 Mississippi River at Chester ................................................. 65 Mississippi River at East St. Louis ........................................... 68 North Fork Mauvaise Terre Creek near Jacksonville ............................ 71 Ohio River at Cairo ....................................................... 74 Pecatonica River at Freeport ................................................ 77 Sangamon River at Mahomet ............................................... 80 Seven Mile Creek near Mt. Vernon .......................................... 83 Shoal Creek near Breese ................................................... 86 South Fork Sangamon River near Rochester ................................... 89 Vermilion River at Lowell .................................................. 92 Wabash River at Hutsonville ................................................ 95 Wolf Creek near Beecher City ............................................... 98 Quality of Surface Water in Illinois, 1966-1971 by Robert H. Harmeson, T. E. Larson, Laurel M. Henley, R. A. Sinclair, and J. C. Neill ABSTRACT This publication summarizes data on surface water quality in 25 streams at 30 sampling locations during the 5-year sampling period from 1966 through 1971. Selected data from Water Survey Bulletins 45 and 54 are included in order to make comparisons of water quality during different time periods. Results of statistical analyses, with graphic summaries, for temperature, turbidity, total dissolved minerals, hardness, alkalinity, nitrate, and manganese are given. Available data on phosphates are included in the statistical analyses. Summaries of these data for each sampling location, arranged alphabetically by stream name, are accompanied by the tabulations of min- eral quality for the streams sampled, with available physical data. The analyses of water quality by statistical means present a representative picture of stream conditions during a particular sampling period. These data can serve as a base for comparison and evaluation of existing quality with man-made standards that are often estab- lished arbitrarily or may be based on more or less ideal conditions. INTRODUCTION The 1970 census data show a total population for Illinois Because of the quantities of surface water used in Illinois of 11,113,976 persons. The distribution between urban and and because of the many ways in which surface water serves rural was 9,229,821 and 1,884,155, respectively. Data from the needs of the state’s growing population, data on surface the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency indicate that water mineral quality are important. Quality data are use- municipally supplied water from both surface water and ful for determining the methods and amount of treatment groundwater sources was available to over 9,700,000 peo- required to prepare water for specific uses. ple. Approximately twice as many people were served from The text of this bulletin presents a discussion of the surface sources as from groundwater sources. Average daily surface water quality data and analyses and an evaluation water supply pumpage values were about 1.53 and 0.39 of the significance of changes in trends of some of the min- billion gallons for municipally supplied surface water and eral constituents analyzed. The text portion is followed by groundwater, respectively. About 49 percent of the state’s data summaries for each sampling location, arranged in total population is served by surface water supplies in Cook, alphabetical order by stream name. Lake, Madison, and St. Clair Counties (43.6 percent in Cook County alone). The average daily pumpage of sur- Acknowledgments face water in these four counties was about 70 percent of the total municipal pumpage and 88.5 percent of the state’s This report was prepared under the general administra- surface water pumpage (82 percent of surface water pump- tive direction of Dr. William C. Ackermann, Chief of the age was used in Cook County). The principal source of Illinois State Water Survey. surface water for Cook and Lake Counties is Lake Michi- With the exception of samples collected at three stations, gan. Madison and St. Clair Counties use the Mississippi all analyses were made by members of the Water Survey’s River as their single largest source. The population served Chemistry Section under the supervision of Laurel M. by municipal groundwater supplies in these four counties Henley. Personnel of the Central Illinois Public Service represents 7 percent of the state’s total population. Company collected and analyzed samples at the Meredosia, The residents of the other 98 counties in Illinois who are Hutsonville, and Chester power stations. served by municipal surface water sources make up 10 per- We are grateful to the staff of the U.S. Geological Survey cent of the 1970 total state population and were using for collecting the monthly samples which were submitted about