Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010KY146B

Caffeine as a marker for sewage contamination of Wilgreen Lake

Institute: Kentucky
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-03-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $5,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $11,364

Principal Investigators: Susan Godbey

Project Summary: This study will attempt to clarify the contribution of septic system waste in the nutrient impairment of Wilgreen Lake. Water samples will be collected at various depths from selected sites in the lake and its tributaries. Caffeine does not occur naturally in the watershed and there are no industries that produce caffeine waste in the watershed, so its presence can only come from human activity. The objective of this project is to determine if caffeine is present at higher concentrations near suspected septic system inflows.