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North Dakota Water Science Center

Cluster Analysis of Water-Quality Data for Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, Central North Dakota, 1990-2003

U.S. Geological Survey, Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5202

By Karen R. Ryberg

In cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior

This report is available as a 38-page PDF for viewing and printing.

Abstract

As a result of the Dakota Water Resources Act of 2000, the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of the Interior, identified eight water-supply alternatives (including a no-action alternative) to meet future water needs in portions of the Red River of the North (Red River) Basin. Of those alternatives, four include the interbasin transfer of water from the Missouri River Basin to the Red River Basin. Three of the interbasin transfer alternatives would use the McClusky Canal, located in central North Dakota, to transport the water. Therefore, the water quality of the McClusky Canal and the sources of its water, Lake Sakakawea and Audubon Lake, is of interest to water-quality stakeholders.

The Bureau of Reclamation collected water-quality samples at 23 sites on Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and the McClusky Canal system from 1990 through 2003. Physical properties and water-quality constituents from these samples were summarized and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey using hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis (HACA). HACA separated the samples into related clusters, or groups. These groups were examined for statistical significance and relation to structure of the McClusky Canal system.

Statistically, the sample groupings found using HACA were significantly different from each other and appear to result from spatial and temporal water-quality differences corresponding with different sections of the canal and different operational conditions. Future operational changes of the canal system may justify additional water-quality sampling to characterize possible water-quality changes.

Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose and Scope

Description of Study Area

Previous Studies

Methods Used for Water-Quality Analysis

Data Collection

Laboratory Analysis

Water-Quality Data Analysis

Hierarchical Agglomerative Cluster Analysis

Results of Hierarchical Agglomerative Cluster Analysis

Cluster Groups

Major Cluster Groups

Cluster Subgroups

Inter-Subgroup Comparison

Statistical Testing

Future Water-Quality Sampling

Summary

References Cited

Figures

1. Map showing location of Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal in central North Dakota.
2. Map showing location of sampling sites in the study area and sections of the McClusky Canal.
3. Water-surface elevations of Lake Sakakawea and Audubon Lake at Snake Creek Pumping Plant, 1990-2005.
4. Schematic diagram of McClusky Canal.
5. Dendrogram from hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis of 409 surface-water samples collected from Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, nd McClusky Canal, 1990-2003.
6. Dendrogram showing groups and subgroups of surface-water samples examined in this study.
7. Graph showing total dissolved-solids concentrations in samples from water-quality sampling sites located in section WS 2, 1990-2003.

Tables

1. Water-quality sampling sites on Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota.
2. Water-quality physical properties and constituents examined in this study, Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, 1990-2003.
3. Summary statistics for uncensored water-quality physical properties and constituents at sampling sites on Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, 1990-2003.
4. Summary statistics for censored water-quality constituents at sampling sites on Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, 1990-2003.
5. Water-quality physical properties and constituents used in hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis of water-quality samples from Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, 1990-2003.
6. Water-quality sampling sites on Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, and percentage of samples that fall into cluster groups A, B, and C.
7. Total dissolved-solids concentrations in samples from water-quality sampling sites located in section WS 2 of McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, 1990-2003.
8. Water-quality sampling sites on Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, and percentage of samples that fall into cluster subgroups 1-6.
9. Mean concentrations for uncensored constituents in subgroups determined from hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis, Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, 1990-2003.
10. Median concentrations for censored constituents in subgroups determined from hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis, Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, 1990-2003.
11. P-values for Kruskal-Wallis test of significant difference between cluster groups and subgroups for water-quality samples collected from Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, 1990-2003
12. P-values for test of significant difference between cluster subgroups in group A for water-quality samples collected from Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, central North Dakota, 1990-2003.

Availability

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Whole report (1.38 MB) - 38 pages (8.5" by 11" paper)

Suggested Citation:

Ryberg, Karen R., 2006, Cluster Analysis of Water-Quality Data for Lake Sakakawea, Audubon Lake, and McClusky Canal, Central North Dakota, 1990-2003: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5202, 38 p.

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