Water-quality assessment of Peruque Creek, St Charles County, Missouri, July 1983 and July 1984

Water-Resources Investigations Report 87-4079
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Abstract

Physical, chemical, and biological data collected along the downstream 24.1-river-mi reach of Peruque Creek, Missouri, on July 18-19, 1983 and July 9-10, 1984, were used to characterize the water quality conditions in the creek. Wastewater discharges into the creek at the Lake St. Louis sewage-disposal ponds and at the O'Fallon wastewater-treatment facility. The effluent from the sewage disposal ponds did not have a substantial effect on downstream water quality but that from the wastewater treatment facility caused the Missouri un-ionized ammonia standard of 0.1 mg/l as nitrogen to be exceeded downstream from the outflow. Discharge from the O'Fallon facility also caused all dissolved-oxygen concentrations measured downstream from the outflow to be less than the Missouri dissolved-oxygen standard of 5.0 mg/L. Attempts were made to calibrate and verify the QUAL-II/SEMCOG version water quality model. The model could not be adequately calibrated or verified, because of the non-uniform hydraulic conditions in Peruque Creek, which is characterized by slow velocities; long, deep pools; and inadequate mixing characteristics; and also the non-uniform quantity and quality of effluent discharged from the O'Fallon wastewater treatment facility. Thus, the assumptions of one-dimensional flow and steady-state conditions necessary for the model were not valid. The attempt to calibrate and verify the model indicated that during low-flow conditions the waste-load assimilative capacity of the downstream 17.9 river miles of Peruque Creek was limited.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Water-quality assessment of Peruque Creek, St Charles County, Missouri, July 1983 and July 1984
Series title Water-Resources Investigations Report
Series number 87-4079
DOI 10.3133/wri874079
Year Published 1987
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Description vi, 45 p.
Country United States
State Missouri
County St. Charles County
Other Geospatial Perugue Creek
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