U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Chemical and Biological Quality of Surface Water at the U.S. Army Atterbury Reserve Forces Training Area near Edinburgh, Indiana, September 2000 through July 2001 By Martin R. Risch Prepared in cooperation with the Indiana Army National Guard Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4149 Indianapolis, Indiana 2004 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE A. NORTON, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES G. GROAT, Director The use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. For additional information, write to: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey 5957 Lakeside Boulevard Indianapolis, IN 46278-1996 Copies of this report can be purchased from: U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services Box 25286 Federal Center Denver, CO 80225-0286 Contents Abstract . 1 Introduction . 1 Purpose and Scope . 2 Acknowledgments . 2 Description of the Study Area . 3 History and Physical Setting . 3 Topography, Physiography, Geology, and Soils . 5 Climate. 5 Hydrology . 8 Study Methods . 9 Study Design . 9 Conceptual Model of Hydrogeology and Contaminant Transport . 9 Chemical and Biological Assessments . 10 Selection of Monitoring Sites . 11 Instantaneous-Streamflow Measurements. 11 Chemical Assessment . 16 Selection of Monitoring Constituents . 16 Collection of Surface-Water Samples. 16 Collection of Streambed-Sediment Samples. 19 Collection of Fish-Tissue Samples . 20 Analytical Methods . 20 Quality-Assurance Program . 21 Biological Assessment. 21 Microbiological Analysis of Water. 21 Fish-Community Inventories . 23 Benthic-Macroinvertebrate-Community Inventories . 25 Qualitative Habitat Evaluation . 28 Surface-Water Quality . 28 Streamflow Conditions . 28 Chemical Quality . 30 Water-Sample Analysis and Quality Assurance . 30 Chemical Analysis of Streambed-Sediment Samples . 37 Chemical Analysis of Fish-Tissue Samples . 39 Biological Quality . 41 Microbiological Data . 41 Fish-Community Inventories . 46 Benthic-Macroinvertebrate-Community Inventories . 50 Qualitative Habitat Evaluations . 53 Contents iii Contents—Continued Short-Term and Long-Term Conditions . 55 Base-Wide Water Quality . 55 Microbiological Contamination . 56 Water Quality at the Impact Area . 57 Uncertainties of Data and Interpretations . 59 Summary . 61 References . 63 Appendixes . 67 1. Constituent reporting limits for analysis of water, streambed-sediment, and fish-tissue samples collected at Camp Atterbury near Edinburgh, Indiana, September 2000 through July 2001 . 69 2. Characteristics and physical properties of water samples collected at Camp Atterbury, September 2000 . 76 3. Concentrations of dissolved and total recoverable major ions and total nutrients in water samples collected at Camp Atterbury, September 2000 and July 2001. 77 4. Concentrations of dissolved and total trace elements in water samples collected at Camp Atterbury, September 2000 and July 2001 . 79 5. Concentrations of Escherichia coli, instantaneous streamflow, and water-quality characteristics in water samples collected from monitoring sites on streams at Camp Atterbury, May and June 2001 . 80 6. Fish species, abundance, and total weight in stream reaches near 10 monitoring sites at Camp Atterbury, September and October 2000 . 83 Figures 1–5. Maps showing: 1. Study area and surrounding region, Camp Atterbury near Edinburgh, Indiana . 4 2. Physiographic units of Camp Atterbury study area . .6 3. Surficial geology of Camp Atterbury study area. ..