SEASONAL PATTERNS IN WATER QUALITY AT A MARINA WELL
(MASSEY MARINA, DUBUQUE COUNTY, IOWA) ALONG THE UPPER
MISSISSIPPI RIVER, POOL 12

Latricia Lord and Jill Holloway
Environmental Science Program, University of Dubuque, 2000 University
Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001

Abiotic water quality variables (turbidity, pH, specific conductance, and
temperature of water from Massey Marina and the County of Dubuque
Department of Parks and Recreation's well on the property were analyzed and
compared.  This was done to monitor compliance with Iowa Law, verifying that
the well is located a safe distance from the Marina, and was not subject to river
water intrusion.  This would necessitate moving the well.  Samples were taken on
a weekly basis, from early November 1996 to the present time.  It was found that
the above parameters did not differ significantly, except for turbidity, between
water from the two sources.  The problem for compliance lies in the parameters
themselves.  It is expected that specific conductance and pH should be similar,
given the geologic province of the region.  The difference in turbidity suggest
there was no intrusion from the Mississippi River into the well water source. 
Sampling has been expanded to include other groundwater sources as controls.

Keywords:  water quality, well, Mississippi River, compliance, contamination


Latricia Lord
University of Dubuque
Dubuque, Iowa  52001
(319)589-3598
Fax (319)556-8633
email llord@univ.dbq.edu
Poster
Student Author