Researchers collected water quality and biological data from 4 sites along Shell Creek to report to local watershed groups. Over multiple dates, they tested parameters like pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrates and macroinvertebrates. Results found low dissolved oxygen and macroinvertebrate diversity at some sites. High turbidity and sediment were also issues. The group aims to continue monitoring and expand tests to further assess water quality in the creek.

1. Researchers: Amanda Gasper,
Anjuli Mostek, Jamie Lorenzen, Katie
Stone, Courtney Bennett, Mike Voelker,
Aaron Hallgren, Instructor: Mark Seier

2. Mission
 Collect data to report to the Shell Creek
Watershed Improvement Group and Nebraska
Wildlife Federation
 Learn about the geography and location of the
Shell Creek and the area it involves
 Become knowledgeable about water chemistry
parameters and their significance to the stream’s
inhabitants
 Learn about biological stream factors and how
they indicate water quality

3. Procedures
A total of four sites were selected and latitude and
longitude were determined by using Global Positioning
System (GPS).
Sampling was done in two day sets. First day was chemical
testing
and the second was macroinvertebrate sampling.
Chemical tests run include: pH, water temperature,
turbidity, conductivity, velocity, nitrates, dissolved oxygen,
and oxygen saturation
Macroinvertebrate sampling was done using a D-net and
included 20, 1-foot square samples at each site.We also used
Hester-Dendy samplers. Fish were sampled using a seine.

5. Water Test Natural Readings Cautionary
Readings
Dissolved Oxygen 5-14 ppm Below 5: water quality
violation
1.5-5: stress resulting in
abnormal feeding and
reproduction
1.5: mortality
0: anoxic
pH 6.5 - 8.5 Below 6.5 Above 8.5
Nitrates 0.0 - 1.0 ppm Consistent readings
above 3 ppm
Temperature Varies Above 27o Celsius
Turbidity 0 – 8 JTU Increasing trends
in turbidity
measurements

6. pH Turbidity Nitrates Dissolved
Oxygen
JTU NO3-N ppm
June 3, 4
Site 1 8 30 6 6.8
Site 2 7.5 30 4 4.9
Site 3 8 25 3 5.9
Site 4 8 40 2.2 5.6
June 24, 25
Site 1 7.5 50 2 4
Site 2 7.5 40 2 2.2
Site 3 8 50 1 6.4
Site 4 8 75 0.25 3.8

7. pH Turbidity Nitrates Dissolved
Oxygen
JTU NO3-N ppm
July 29, 30
Site 1 7.5 10 < 0.25 1
Site 2 7 15 0.25 0.6
Site 3 8 80 0.25 1.8
Site 4 8 20 < 0.25 4
August 8,9
Site 1 7 10 1 0.4
Site 2 7 35 2 0.9
Site 3 7.7 100 2.5 2.8
Site 4 7.5 110 2.5 3.7

8. Dissolved Conduc- Velocity Water
Oxygen tivity Temp.
% Sat. uS m/sec. Celsius
June 3, 4
Site 1 62 800 .04 18
Site 2 53 810 .06 19
Site 3 70 720 .11 22
Site 4 63 740 .13 21
June 24, 25
Site 1 45 765 0 22
Site 2 24 776 .02 22.3
Site 3 75 723 .15 25.8
Site 4 47 757 N/A 26.1

9. Dissolved Conductiv Velocity Water
Oxygen ity temp.
% Sat. uS m/sec Celsius
July 29, 30
Site 1 11 655 0 23.6
Site 2 7 655 .28 22.1
Site 3 21 655 .05 25.3
Site 4 48 610 .13 25.3
August 8, 9
Site 1 9 496 0 24.9
Site 2 10 360 .28 23.3
Site 3 22 391 .05 24
Site 4 43 503 .13 24.1

10. Anjuli and
Courtney are
using fish nets

11. Anjuli and Courtney
are performing the
dissolved oxygen test

12. Amanda is writing
the data form

13. Mr.Seier at work

15. Anjuli and Katie are using
the D-nets to collect insects

16. Katie Stone collecting
sample water and
Aaron Hallgren
getting the GPS
readings.

17. Aaron and Mike
are using the
seine to collect
fish

18. Collecting water
samples for oxygen
tests

19. Amanda is
collecting different
plants

21. Scoured banks
possibly caused by
erosion and runoff

22. Aaron is performing
chemical test

24. Conclusions and Concerns
•Low dissolved oxygen and % saturation rates
•High levels of turbidity
•High amounts of silt and sediment
•Low macroinvertebrate diversity
•Scoured banks at site 4

25. Suggestions for future studies:
• We would like to add the tests: fecal coliform,
biochemical oxygen demand, total phosphates, and
total solids; to calculate the overall water quality
index number.
• Continue to monitor same sites and add one or two
new locations

26. We would like to thank the Shell Creek
Watershed Improvement Group and the
Natural Resource District for providing us with
the testing materials.
We would also like to thank the landowners
who owned the area around the sites we tested
for their cooperation in this study: Paul
Cederlind, Fred Fehringer, and Katie Hallgren.