Water Quality / Species Diversity Assessment of Muddy Run Prior to and Post Submersion under Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

• Isaac Carachilo

  Juniata College

  Author

• Noah Stroup

  Juniata College

  Author

• Raphael Parisi

  Juniata College

  Author

Studies have shown that the pollution of water bodies has a detrimental effect on the diversity of species present in such ecosystems. Muddy Run, a small tributary in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, is used as an emergency sewage overflow which carries excessive amounts of water from large rain events in Huntingdon to the Juniata River. Our research group completed a water quality survey of this tributary prior to its submersion under the town of Huntingdon and right before entering the Juniata River. Water quality parameters, such as pH, conductivity, temperature (C), salinity, and total dissolved solids (TDS) were measured to determine the water quality of our two sample sites on Muddy Run. In addition, core sediment samples were taken at each of our sites with the goal of comparing the diversity and richness of found organisms. It is believed that the introduction of sewage to this stream environment when submerged under Huntingdon should reduce the abundance of species living in the stream. Additionally, nitrate and nitrite levels of collected water samples at each site were measured in the laboratory to gather evidence of sewage present in this aquatic system.

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