A synoptic water quality survey of the Spring River and its tributaries

Abstract The Spring River in southwestern Missouri and southeastern Kansas is a high-value aquatic resource with a history of poor water quality. This study of the Spring River basin provides a high frequency synoptic evaluation of water quality in the Spring River between Waco, Missouri and Riverton, Kansas below Empire Lake as impacted by five tributary streams (Cow, Center, Turkey, Center, and Shoal creeks). Total reactive phosphorus (TRP), total phosphorus (TP), nitrate-N, total ammonia-N, and discharge were estimated 26 times from January to November 2001. Evaluation of mean nutrient concentrations at base flow and runoff conditions indicated that most nutrients entering the Spring River from its tributaries were due to agricultural runoff. The primary exception to this trend was Turkey Creek, where some mean nutrient concentrations were significantly lower during runoff compared to base flow (P <0.05 for TRP, TP, and nitrate-N), suggesting a greater importance of point sources. Instantaneous nutrien...