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Shell Creek Watershed Study Advisors – Mark Seier, Suzy Goedeken, & Karen Malmkar Researchers –Katie O’Brien, Jake Kaufman, Mark O’Brien, Aubrey Strong, Audrey Wondercheck, Greg Roberg, Lila Wondercheck, Kendra Nelson, Ciera Afrank, Alisha Dunlap, Joan O’Brien, Ashley Potmesil, Darienne Pokorny, Jason Kaufman, Demi Edgell, Billy O’Brien, Alex Wiese

3 (with Township-Range Labels) Shell Creek and Loseke-Taylor Creek Watersheds Lower Platte North Natural Resources District 6

4 Site 1 South Branch of the Shell Creek

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6 Site 2 North Branch of the Shell Creek

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8 Site 3 Above Newman Grove

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10 Site 4 Below Newman Grove

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12 Site 6 By Lindsay

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14 Site 5 Near Platte Center

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16 W.Q.I. The Water Quality Index was developed by the National Sanitation Foundation as a standard system to compare different bodies of water. To determine the WQI, a series of nine tests were performed. These tests were: dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, pH, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), temperature, total phosphate, nitrates, turbidity, and total solids. We also did a water discharge test which we use to measure the flow of the creek in cubic feet per second.

17 After the tests are completed, the WQI for each section of the creek can be computed. To formulate the WQI, we first computed Q- values. We multiply this number by a weighting factor, which provides a measure of the relative importance of each test to overall water quality. The water quality index ranges from zero to is very bad is bad is medium is good is excellent The bio-indicator tests are not part of the W.Q.I., but do give us a water quality rating.

18 Sample W.Q.I. Curve Chart

19 Sample W.Q.I. Form Overall Water Quality Index ___

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22 The higher the change, the worse the water quality.

23 The higher the concentration, the worse the water quality.

24 Fecal Coliform

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27 *Flow was not measured in June for sites 3, 4, 5, and 6 due to high waters.

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30 The higher the change, the worse the water quality.

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34 Medium Bad Good

35 Good Bad Medium

36 Bad Medium Good

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39 *2006 Fecal Coliform Average 8,058 col/100 mL

Chemical Test Conclusions Phosphates were high in June. Fecal Coliform was a problem at certain times. Nitrates increased over the summer. Nitrates levels increasing in the Shell Creek. Some of the results may be due to high rainfall. 40

41 Macro Invertebrates TolerantSomewhat SensitiveSensitive

42 Sample Bio-Indicator Data Form

43 Beaver-Shell Creek WQI Comparison Good Medium Bad

44 Beaver-Shell Creek Comparison 2010

45 Beaver-Shell Creek Comparison 2010

Flood Study

47 Flood Study Date and Time Width (ft) Avg. Depth (ft) Flow (cfs) Total Solids (mg/L) Nitrates (ppm) Solid Discharge (lbs/min) Solid Discharge (tons/hr) 5/30/ /8/ /10/ /12/ X cu ft60 sec28.32 LX mg1 g1 lb1 ton60 min 1 sec1 min1 cu ft1 L100 mg453.6 g2000 lb1 hr

48 Water Testing

49 Chemical Tests

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52 Website Click “Activities” Click “Watershed Project” Click “Watershed Homepage” You can see our data and further information concerning this project, including pictures.

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54 Thank You To: Lower Platte North Natural Resource District PrairieLand RC&D Natural Resource Conservation Service Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Shell Creek Watershed Improvement Group Chris Poole Area Land Owners United States Geographical Survey University of Nebraska Extension Service Newman Grove Public Schools The End