The Effect of Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent on Water Temperature, Macroinvertebrate Community, and Functional Feeding Groups Structure in the Lower Rouge River, Michigan

Macroinvertebrate community;Functional feeding groups;Thermal regime;Rouge River;Water Temperature;Wastewater treatment plant effluent;Natural Resources and Environment;Environmental Science, College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Tuncay, EsmaPetrella, Sally ;

University of Michigan

关键词: Macroinvertebrate community;    Functional feeding groups;    Thermal regime;    Rouge River;    Water Temperature;    Wastewater treatment plant effluent;    Natural Resources and Environment;    Environmental Science, College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters;   

Others  :  https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/136061/The%20Effect%20of%20Wastewater%20Treatment%20Plant%20Effluent%20on%20Water%20Temperature%2c%20Macroinvertebrate%20Community%2c%20and%20Functional%20Feeding%20Groups%20Structure%20in%20the%20Lower%20Rouge%20River%2c%20Michigan.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

The release of effluent from wastewater treatment plants can impact receiving water bodies by altering water temperatures. The Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA) has beendischarging its wastewater effluent into the Lower Rouge River since 1996. To understand theimpact of these discharges on water temperature in the Rouge River, this study measured the water temperature hourly from April 13 to October 26, 2015 at five different locations: one at the discharge site (LR-2), three below the effluent discharge (LR-12, LR-6, and LR-10), and one upstream of the discharge (Fowl2, control site) at the Lower Rouge River, MI. Additionally, benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled during spring, summer, and fall to analyze the impacts of changes in water temperatures on the macroinvertebrate fauna. Water temperatures at the discharge site (LR-2) showed significantly different temperatures than the upstream control site (Fowl2) during summer 2015. The sites further downstream significantly differed in water temperature compared to LR-2 during summer 2015 for LR-12, LR-6, and LR-10 and during fall 2015 for LR-12 and LR-6. However, water temperature at the Lower Rouge River below the YCUA discharge did not contribute to changes in macroinvertebrate family richness and diversity.Additionally, functional feeding groups were analyzed. Fowl2 had higher numbers of thefunctional feeding group collector-gatherers compared to collector-filterers, which suggests that the fine organic particulate matter (FOPM) is distributed on the river bottom. Yet, the functional feeding group collector-filterer were higher below the YCUA discharge compared to Fowl2, which indicates a shift in FOPM from the river bottom into the water column which could be caused by the YCUA discharge flow. My results suggest that the YCUA discharge temperature did not have any influence on the downstream sites LR-12, LR-6, and LR-10. Additionally, different family richness and diversity of macroinvertebrates are most likely caused by a shift in nutrient distribution (FPOM) rather than a change in water temperature.