Tan Brook Hydrological and Water Quality Patterns Impacting Lake Warner in Western Massachusetts

Presenter

Tess Hachey

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Christian David Guzman, Department of Civil Engineering, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board A70, Campus Center Auditorium, Row 4 (A61-A80) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

This project presents a hydrological and water quality analysis of Tan Brook, a 3.91 km2 sub-basin of the Mill River watershed (66.0 km2), which flows through the center of Amherst, MA. This stream is of particular concern as it experiences seasonal droughts and excessive phosphorus concentrations, averaging 137.8 µg/L, as analyzed by the Environmental analysis Lab. This project looks to quantify stable water isotopes, deuterium and Oxygen-18, which serve as indicators of water’s transport mechanisms. Specifically, this study looks to expand comprehension of Tan Brook’s susceptibility to droughts and resiliency to flooding. To investigate this, monthly water samples have been collected over the past two years, from 13 sites across Mill River. The samples have been tested via the triple water isotope analyzer (T-LWIA 912-0050), using LGR and house standards. Processed isotope concentrations were then used to calculate damping ratios and mean transit times [MTT] for the watershed’s various land-usages. Across all data analyzed, Tan Brook, characterized by dense residential and commercial development, exhibited a relatively quick MTT of 209 days in comparison to mean values for neighboring rural and agricultural tributaries, which yield 403 and 353 days respectively. This discrepancy can be attributed to contrasts in surface permeability; limiting recharge to the subsurface and inhibiting pollutant filtration. These findings provide insight into the impact of land-use practices and urbanization on water resources. The results can be explored to better understand and locate water quality challenges within the Connecticut River Basin and the Long Island Sound.

Keywords

stable water isotopes, land-use impacts, flooding resiliency , Mill River

Research Area

Engineering

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