Laurel Corrao

Date of Award

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

McCord, Elzie

Keywords

Water Quality, GIS, Eutrophication

Area of Concentration

Environmental Science

Abstract

Impervious surfaces such as roads, rooftops, and parking lots prevent the infiltration of water into the soil. Increases in impervious surface increase runoff. Results of increased runoff include increased nitrogen and phosphorus, and other pollutants into water bodies. Pollutants can cause ecosystem eutrophication and degradation. The relationship between increased impervious surface percentages upstream from water quality test sites in Sarasota County was investigated. Sarasota County Government provided data on biological oxygen demand (BOD), chlorophyll, turbidity, color, ammonia, total Kjedahl nitrogen (TKN), total nitrogen, nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the form of NO2 and NO3, orthophosphate, total phosphorus and total suspended solids (TSS) from thirty test sites. Regression analysis of 2008 water quality data and impervious surface percentages from upstream water quality test sites showed significant results for NOx and color. Regression analysis for 2011 water quality data from upstream water quality test sites showed no relationship between the variables and impervious surface percentages. Regression analysis for water quality test areas with a one-mile radius from the test sites had significant negative linear relationships with BOD (2008), color (2008 and 2011), TKN (2008 and 2011) and TN (2008 and 2011).

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida Libraries, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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