A one-dimensional, steady-state, dissolved-oxygen model and waste-load assimilation study for Wabash River, Huntington County, Indiana

Charles G. Crawford; William G. Wilber; James G. Peters

doi:10.3133/ofr8075

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A one-dimensional, steady-state, dissolved-oxygen model and waste-load assimilation study for Wabash River, Huntington County, Indiana

Charles G. Crawford·William G. Wilber·James G. Peters

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Abstract

The Indiana State Board of Health is developing a State water-quality management plan that includes establishing limits for wastewater effluents discharged into Indiana streams. A digital model calibrated to conditions in the Wabash River in Huntington County, Ind., was used to predict alternatives for future waste loadings that would be compatible with Indiana stream water-quality standards defined for two critical hydrologic conditions, summer and winter low flows. The major point-source waste load affecting the Wabash River in Huntington County is the Huntington wastewater-treatment facility. The most significant factor potentially affecting the dissolved-oxygen concentration during summer low flows is nitrification. However, nitrification should not be a limiting factor on the allowable nitrogenous and carbonaceous waste loads for the Huntington wastewater-treatment facility during summer low flows if the ammonia-nitrogen toxicity standard for Indiana streams is met. This wasteload assimilation study is not based on a verified model. The changes in stream water quality predicted by the model represent only possible stream response to different effluent conditions. The dissolved-oxygen standard for Indiana streams, an average of 5.0 milligrams per liter, should be met during summer and winter Zow flows if the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System's 5-day, carbonaceous biochemical-oxygen demands of a monthly average concentration of 30 milligrams per liter and a maximum weekly average of 45 milligrams per liter are not exceeded.

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Source-reported bounding extent: 40.82641025190119° to 40.85407213565279° latitude; -85.46916961669922° to -85.37097930908203° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Charles G. Crawford, William G. Wilber, James G. Peters. 1980. A one-dimensional, steady-state, dissolved-oxygen model and waste-load assimilation study for Wabash River, Huntington County, Indiana. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr8075

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