WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL
Project ID: 2002TX63B
Title: The Role of Suspended Clays in Phosphrus Processing by Lotic Periphyton
Project Type: Research
Focus Categories: Surface Water, Water Quality, Nutrients
Keywords: water quality, reservoir-watershed landscape, periphyton, clay, nutrient processing
Start Date: 03/01/2002
End Date: 02/01/2003
Federal Funds: $5,000
Non-Federal Matching Funds: $10,000
Congressional District: 11th
Principal Investigators:
June E. Wolfe III
Baylor University
Owen T. Lind
Baylor University
Abstract
Throughout much of Texas, human activities have increased nutrient and sediment loadings to reservoirs, thus presenting water quality problems. When increased sediment loads contain significant amounts of clay, they interfere with the ability of biological organisms such as attached algae, bacteria, and protozoans to effectively filter nutrients.
Throughout much of Texas, human activities have increased nutrient and sediment loadings to reservoirs, thus presenting water quality problems. When increased sediment loads contain significant amounts of clay, they interfere with the ability of biological organisms such as attached algae, bacteria, and protozoans to effectively filter nutrients.
Studies will be carried out in simulated streams within controlled greenhouse environments at the Blackland Research Center at Temple, Texas. These simulated streams will be "seeded" with benthic organisms from local streams and will be established over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. These "cultured" organisms within these artificial streams will be exposed to a variety of artificially imposed conditions, including variations of light, pH, streamflows, and clay loads. The mass balance of phosphorus will be obtained on a regular basis.
The anticipated outcome of this project will be to provide information on the role of clay particles and periphyton play in the nutrient cycling process that affects surface water quality. Results will yield considerable insights into water quality and nutrient issues likely to be encountered in watersheds with widespread clay soils.