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Ground‐Water Quality Variation in Phelps County, Missouri
Author(s) -
Tryon Charles P.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1976.tb03106.x
Subject(s) - water quality , environmental science , pasture , land use , agriculture , hydrology (agriculture) , karst , population density , livestock , nitrate , groundwater , population , geography , ecology , forestry , biology , geology , demography , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , sociology
Information from 675 water wells in and around Phelps County, Missouri shows that discrete areas of differing ground‐water quality can be identified and mapped. The best quality ground water, as judged by its low nitrate content and coliform bacteria density, is found in areas of relatively little agricultural (pasture and livestock) land use. The poorest quality is found in areas of intensely developed karst and greater agricultural land use. The adverse effect of agricultural land use on ground‐water quality is more severe in the intensely developed karst than in the less intensely developed. Rural population density and soil association variations have no readily discernible effects on ground‐water quality. Nitrate content varies seasonally and in response to rainfall, and decreases with increasing well depth. Coliform bacteria density is positively correlated with nitrate content.