Northern Alabama is rapidly becoming more urbanized, due to the need for more housing and desire to live in the suburbs. The objective of this study was to assess the water quality of Limestone and Flint River watersheds in relation to wetland, urban, forest, pasture, and crop land use. The Limestone and Flint River watersheds collectively drain an area of 1,886 km2 in northern Alabama and primarily have agricultural, pasture, and urban land uses. The Environmental Protection Agency has already identified areas in the Limestone and Flint River watersheds as potentially unsafe due to the amount of microbial organisms and sediment.
Results/Conclusions
Preliminary results have revealed higher E. coli levels in streams with a majority of pasture or agriculture land use upstream. It is extremely likely that livestock in the pastured sites are the cause of the higher E. coli levels due to run off and cattle drinking directly from streams. Total Dissolved Solids were highest in sites that surrounding land use was primarily agriculture, most likely due to runoff and erosion. This work has been undertaken as part of undergraduate research and mentoring, focusing on undergraduate engagement and providing in depth training on how to acquire field samples, analyze collected data, and present the results. This work is ongoing, with undergraduate students define the scope each semesters and adjusting the spatial and temporal scale at which they are sampling. This research not only has applied ecological implications for both Limestone and Flint River watersheds, but simultaneously trains student scientists in the process of research and management applications.