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Article
Surogate measures for providing high frequency estimates of total suspended solids and total phosphorus concentrations
Journal of the American Water Resources Association
  • Amber Spackman Jones, Utah State University
  • David King Stevens, Utah State University
  • Jeffery S. Horsburgh, Utah State University
  • Nancy O. Mesner, Utah State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-6-2010
Abstract

Surrogate measures like turbidity, which can be observed with high frequency in situ, have potential for generating high frequency estimates of total suspended solids (TSS) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations. In the semiarid, snowmelt-driven, and irrigation-regulated Little Bear River watershed of northern Utah, high frequency in situ water quality measurements were recorded in conjunction with periodic chemistry sampling. Site-specific relationships were developed using turbidity as a surrogate for TP and TSS at two monitoring locations. Methods are presented for employing censored data and for investigating categorical explanatory variables (e.g., hydrologic conditions). Turbidity was a significant explanatory variable for TP and TSS at both sites, which differ in hydrologic and water quality characteristics. The relationship between turbidity and TP was stronger at the upper watershed site where TP is predominantly particulate. At both sites, the relationships between turbidity and TP varied between spring snowmelt and base flow conditions while the relationships between TSS and turbidity were consistent across hydrological conditions. This approach enables the calculation of high frequency time series of TP and TSS concentrations previously unavailable using traditional monitoring approaches. These methods have broad application for situations that require accurate characterization of fluxes of these constituents over a range of hydrologic conditions.

Citation Information
Amber Spackman Jones, David King Stevens, Jeffery S. Horsburgh and Nancy O. Mesner. "Surogate measures for providing high frequency estimates of total suspended solids and total phosphorus concentrations" Journal of the American Water Resources Association Vol. 47 (2010) p. 239 - 253
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/amber-jones/6/