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Water Quality in the Mermentau River Basin, Southwestern Louisiana, 1998-2001

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Water Quality in the Mermentau River Basin, Southwestern Louisiana, 1998-2001 National Water-Quality Assessment Program ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING, WATER QUALITY, AND ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF SURFACE- WATER QUALITY IN THE MERMENTAU RIVER BASIN, SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA, 1998-2001 Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4185 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Front cover: Background: Mature rice plants (Oryza sativa) in the Mermentau River Basin, southwestern Louisiana (Photograph by Dennis K. Demcheck, U.S. Geological Survey) Top left: Rice water weevil, adult (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus) on rice stalk (Photograph provided by Kelly V. Tindall, Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana) Top right: Ground water for rice field irrigation in the Mermentau River Basin, southwestern Louisiana (Photograph by Dennis K. Demcheck, U.S. Geological Survey) Lower left: Rice water weevil, larva (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus) on rice roots (Photograph provided by Kelly V. Tindall, Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana) Lower right: Hydropsychidae, larva, net-spinning caddisfly (Photograph provided by Elaine Esteban, Department of Biology, California State University, Chico, California) Environmental Setting, Water Quality, and Ecological Indicators of Surface-Water Quality in the Mermentau River Basin, Southwestern Louisiana, 1998-2001 By Stanley C. Skrobialowski, Scott V. Mize, and Dennis K. Demcheck U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4185 National Water-Quality Assessment Program Baton Rouge, Louisiana 2004 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE A. NORTON, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Charles G. Groat, Director The use of trade, product, industry, or firm names in this report is for descriptive or location purposes only and does not constitute endorsement of products by the U.S. Government nor impute responsibility for any present or potential effects on the natural resources. For additional information contact: Copies of this report can be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey 3535 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Suite 120 Branch of Information Services Baton Rouge, LA 70816 Box 25286 E-mail: [email protected] Denver, CO 80225 Fax: (225) 298-5490 E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: (225) 298-5481 Fax: (303) 202-4693 Home Page: http://la.water.usgs.gov Telephone (toll free): 1-888-ASK-USGS Information regarding the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program is available on the Internet via the World Wide Web. You may connect to the NAWQA Home Page using the Universal Resource Locator (URL) at: http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa logical resources, and agricultural, urban, and natu- FOREWORD ral sources of contamination. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is committed Each assessment is guided by a nationally consis- to serve the Nation with accurate and timely scien- tent study design and methods of sampling and anal- tific information that helps enhance and protect the ysis. The assessments thereby build local overall quality of life, and facilitates effective man- knowledge about water-quality issues and trends in agement of water, biological, energy, and mineral a particular stream or aquifer while providing an resources. Information on the quality of the Nation’s understanding of how and why water quality varies water resources is of critical interest to the USGS regionally and nationally. The consistent, multi- because it is so integrally linked to the long-term scale approach helps to determine if certain types of availability of water that is clean and safe for drink- water-quality issues are isolated or pervasive, and ing and recreation and that is suitable for industry, allows direct comparisons of how human activities irrigation, and habitat for fish and wildlife. Escalat- and natural processes affect water quality and eco- ing population growth and increasing demands for logical health in the Nation’s diverse geographic and the multiple water uses make water availability, now environmental settings. Comprehensive assess- measured in terms of quantity and quality, even ments on pesticides, nutrients, volatile organic com- more critical to the long-term sustainability of our pounds, trace metals, and aquatic ecology are communities and ecosystems. developed at the national scale through comparative analysis of the Study-Unit findings. The USGS implemented the National Water-Qual- ity Assessment (NAWQA) Program to support The USGS places high value on the communication national, regional, and local information needs and and dissemination of credible, timely, and relevant decisions related to water-quality management and science so that the most recent and available knowl- policy. Shaped by and coordinated with ongoing edge about water resources can be applied in man- efforts of other Federal, State, and local agencies, agement and policy decisions. We hope this the NAWQA Program is designed to answer: What NAWQA publication will provide you the needed is the condition of our Nation’s streams and ground insights and information to meet your needs, and water? How are the conditions changing over time? thereby foster increased awareness and involve- How do natural features and human activities affect ment in the protection and restoration of our the quality of streams and ground water, and where Nation’s waters. are those effects most pronounced? By combining information on water chemistry, physical character- The NAWQA Program recognizes that a national istics, stream habitat, and aquatic life, the NAWQA assessment by a single program cannot address all Program aims to provide science-based insights for water-resource issues of interest. External coordina- current and emerging water issues. NAWQA tion at all levels is critical for a fully integrated results can contribute to informed decisions that understanding of watersheds and for cost-effective result in practical and effective water-resource man- management, regulation, and conservation of our agement and strategies that protect and restore water Nation’s water resources. The Program, therefore, quality. depends extensively on the advice, cooperation, and information from other Federal, State, interstate, Since 1991, the NAWQA Program has imple- Tribal, and local agencies, non-government organi- mented interdisciplinary assessments in more than zations, industry, academia, and other stakeholder 50 of the Nation’s most important river basins and groups. The assistance and suggestions of all are aquifers, referred to as Study Units. Collectively, greatly appreciated. these Study Units account for more than 60 percent of the overall water use and population served by public water supply, and are representative of the Robert M. Hirsch Nation’s major hydrologic landscapes, priority eco- Associate Director for Water CONTENTS Foreword ................................................................................................................................................................ iii Abstract .................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................ 2 Purpose and Scope .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Environmental Setting............................................................................................................................................ 3 Land Use ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Water Availability and Use ............................................................................................................................. 9 Hydrology ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 Aquatic Invertebrate Communities................................................................................................................. 12 Data Collection and Methods of Study .................................................................................................................. 12 Site Selection .................................................................................................................................................. 13 Data Analysis.................................................................................................................................................. 14 Water-Quality Characteristics ................................................................................................................................ 17 Nutrients.......................................................................................................................................................... 18 Major Inorganic Ions and Trace Elements...................................................................................................... 24 Pesticides .......................................................................................................................................................
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