Date Presented

Spring 4-28-2006

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Department

Environmental Science

First Advisor

Thomas Shahady

Second Advisor

Nancy Cowden

Third Advisor

David Perault

Abstract

I examined the water quality of Timber Lake and three streams entering above the lake: Buffalo, Waterlick, and Brown. Timber Lake is located in Campbell County, Virginia outside of Lynchburg, Virginia. Before monitoring began, construction permits were granted to an independent corporation to build townhomes at the source of Waterlick Creek. I hypothesized that Waterlick Creek, in an undeveloped portion of the watershed, would have the best water quality, while each of the two other streams would have good to moderate water quality. Biological assessment of Buffalo, Waterlick, and Brown streams began in March of 2005. The assessment included fish shocking, macroinvertebrate collection, and taking physical and chemical parameters for each stream. Timber Lake’s watershed was additionally characterized for landuse using an aerial photograph digitized into ArcView 3.3. Impairments from shoreline development and development along each of the three streams have impacted Timber Lake. Although still being controlled by in-lake function, increased total phosphorus levels after a rain event illustrate the lake is being strongly influenced by riverine inputs. A high percentage of Daphnia out of total zooplankton is preventing eutrophic lake signs from being seen by keeping chlorophyll-a levels low. Each of the streams has good water quality and Timber Lake is mesotrophic. Although the overall water quality of the three streams and Timber Lake is good, each is more impacted than expected. Monitoring of Timber Lake’s watershed is ongoing.

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