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Waste-assimilation study of Koshkonong Creek below sewage-treatment plant at Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Open-File Report 76-655
By:
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr76655

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Abstract

A waste-load-assimilation study of a reach of Koshkonong Creek below the Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, sewage-treatment-plant outfall indicated that a high level of treatment would be required to meet Wisconsin water-quality standards. To maintain a minimum dissolved-oxygen concentration of 5 mg/liter during the critical summer low-flow period, 5-day carbonaceous biochemical-oxygen demand in waste discharges should not exceed 5 mg/liter and ammonium nitrogen should not exceed 1.5 mg/liter. Advanced treatment with denitrification is required because stream-reaeration coefficients are not high enough to offset deoxygenation caused by an abundance of attached biological slimes. The slimes apparently consumed dissolved oxygen at a rate of about 110 mg/liter per day at the time of the stream survey. During the critical summer low-flow period, natural stream discharge is very small compared to waste-water discharge , so benefits of dilution are insignificant. An evaluation of two proposed alternative waste-water discharge sites indicated that the present discharge site is hydraulically superior to these sites. Stream-reaeration coefficients used in the study were based on measurements using the radioactive-tracer method. (Woodard-USGS)

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Waste-assimilation study of Koshkonong Creek below sewage-treatment plant at Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 76-655
DOI 10.3133/ofr76655
Year Published 1976
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Contributing office(s) Wisconsin Water Science Center
Description v, 44 p.
Country United States
State Wisconsin
County Dane County
City Sun Prairie
Other Geospatial Koshkonong Creek
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Additional publication details