Water quality of Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oregon
Open-File Report
80-158
By: Loren A. Wittenberg and Stuart W. McKenzie
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Abstract
Water-quality data identify surface-water-quality problems in Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oreg., where possible, their causes or sources. Irrigation and return-flow data show pastures are sources of fecal coliform and fecal streptococci bacteria and sinks for suspended sediment and nitrite-plus-nitrate nitrogen. Bear Creek and its tributaries have dissolved oxygen and pH values that do not meet State standards. Forty to 50% of the fecal coliform and fecal streptococci concentrations were higher than 1,000 bacteria colonies per 100 milliliters during the irrigation season in the lower two-thirds of the basin. During the irrigation season, suspended-sediment concentrations, average 35 milligrams per liter, were double those for the nonirrigation season. The Ashland sewage-treatment plant is a major source of nitrite plus nitrate, ammonia, and Kjeldahl nitrogen, and orthophosphate in Bear Creek. (USGS)
Suggested Citation
Wittenberg, L.A., McKenzie, S.W., 1980, Water quality of Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 80-158, viii, 130 p. ill., maps (1 fold. in pocket) ;27 cm., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr80158.
ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Water quality of Bear Creek basin, Jackson County, Oregon |
| Series title | Open-File Report |
| Series number | 80-158 |
| DOI | 10.3133/ofr80158 |
| Year Published | 1980 |
| Language | ENGLISH |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey, |
| Contributing office(s) | Oregon Water Science Center |
| Description | viii, 130 p. ill., maps (1 fold. in pocket) ;27 cm. |