1. Land Use Factors and the
Effects on Water Quality
Aimee Aquino, Brian Dedeian, Mathew Heye, Brian
Johnson, Joe Miller

2. Study Area

3. Study Area cont.
This sample site includes 4 separate lakes near West Milford, NJ
Greenwood Lake (heavily residential)
Upper Greenwood Lake (heavily residential)
Wawayanda Lake (forested/protected)
Surprise Lake (remote/glacial lake/control)

4. Problem Statement
This study attempts to see if there is any correlation between
land use around a lake and lake water quality properties.

5. Possible Effects
Metal accumulation:
Metals have been shown to be higher in concentration in urban, agricultural
lakes compared to forested and arctic lakes.
Organic content will affect metal accumulation, and metals can form
complexes with organic compounds, meaning sites with more dissolved
organic content are likely to have more metal complexation (Das, 2009).

6. Possible Effects
Phosphorus and Nitrate Loading:
Phosphorus and Nitrate can accumulate in a lake from agricultural and urban
runoff.
Phosphorus can enter the groundwater and enter lakes through groundwater
and lake water mixing (USGS, 2015).
Can also enter the water from point sources of pollution.

7. Possible Effects
Phosphorus Loading at Greenwood Lake:
Caused mainly from leaking septic tanks.
Greenwood Lake listed as a 303(d) site by EPA due to failing phosphorus
standards.
Eutrophication is a problem at Greenwood Lake, leads to algal blooms.

8. Possible Effects
Dissolved Oxygen:
D.O could be lowered due to eutrophication.
pH:
Could be affected by organic content at sites.
Specific Conductivity:
Could be affected by metal accumulation from urban use.

9. Images
Photos taken by Brian Johnson

10. Tests Performed
Field Measurements:
Dissolved Oxygen, Specific Conductivity, pH, Temperature, Turbidity
Lab Analysis:
Phosphate Content using the Hach
Trace Metals (Mg, Cr, Fe) using the Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer
Anions using the Dionex
Biologic Colonies using gel cultures

11. Tests Performed cont.
Visual Analysis: Land use
GIS+Geoweb

12. Methods (GIS)
Find Data set: NJDEP Bureau of GIS
Determine buffer size
Create buffer intersect with land use
Analysis acres vs percentage

13. Results (GIS)
Open Water 3.44%
Residential 18.69%
Buffer 77.87%

14. Upper Greenwood Lake
Buffer 21.50%
Open 5.32%
Residential
73.18%

15. Methods (Field Sampling)
Dates:
Surprise Lake: 10/12, 10/20
Upper Greenwood Lake: 10/13
Greenwood Lake: 10/27, 11/13
Wawayanda Lake: 10/28, 11/13

16. Methods (Field Sampling) cont.
For all locations, measurements were taken using:
YSI 55 for dissolved oxygen
YSI 556 for specific conductivity, temperature, pH
LaMotte Turbidimeter for turbidity
Biologic Samples using sterile sample bottles
Samples were also taken from each location to be brought back to the lab to do
further lab analysis

17. Results (Field Sampling)

18. NJDEP Data (dissolved oxygen)

19. NJDEP Data (conductivity)

20. NJDEP Data (pH)

21. NJDEP Data (phosphorus)

22. Methods (Hach)
Phosphorus (P) was measured in all sample sites for each waterbody. The
Standard Ascorbic Acid method was used to detect intensity of colored
molybdenum-blue complexes. A Hach DR 4000 spectrophotometer was used to
measure intensity at 880nm in 1cm path cuvettes. A Phosphorus standard was
created using known concentrations of P producing an r2 value of 0.9998. All
samples where tested five minutes after being exposed to reagent.

23. Results (Hach)
UGL showed
values on all
buffer types
Wawayanda
residential had
the highest value
Surprise lake
best overall

24. Methods (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer)
5 multi-elemental standards were made using Iron, Magnesium and
Chromium. The standard concentrations were set to 1 ppm, 3 ppm, 5 ppm, 15
ppm, and 30 ppm. On 11/17/15, the sequence was set up using the Wizard AA
software. All samples were filtered using vacuum filtration and placed into 15mL
sampling tubes. The sampling rack was filled with samples in a specific order and
placed into the fridge. On 11/18/15, the samples were tested on the Shimadzu
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer to analyze for trace metals.

25. Results (Flame Emission)

26. Results (Flame Emission)

27. Results (Flame Emission)

28. Results (Flame Emission)

29. Results (Flame Emission)

30. Results (Flame Emission)

31. Methods (Dionex)
The Dionex was used to test for dissolved anions in all water samples. The Dionex
tests water for anions by running the water through a tube, and testing the
retention time and amount of ions. The retention time must be matched to specific
ions manually, and standards must be created to find out which retention times
correspond to which anions. On 11/16/2015, each sample of water was loaded
into the sampling rack. It was stored in the Environmental Science Lab fridge. On
11/18/2015, the standards were placed in the sampling rack and the racks were
set up in the Dionex. Then, the Dionex ran the samples one after another. It took
fifteen minutes to test each sample, and another five minutes to switch between
samples. This time interval was a good medium between accuracy of
measurements and realistic runtime. The longer Dionex runs each sample, the
more accurate the results.

32. Results (Dionex)

33. Results (Dionex)

34. Methods (Biologic Sampling)
To complete biological testing of the sites, water samples were obtained at each
of the lakes in a sterile container and directly transported in a cooler to the lab.
Easygel ECA Check and Easygel Coliscan solutions were used for biological
testing. 10 mL of each sample was mixed with each of the solutions and poured
into a labeled petri dish. The petri dishes were put in a oven at 37 degrees
Celsius. All of the samples were removed after 1 day in the oven except for the
Surprise Lake samples due to no growth. These samples were left in the oven for
an additional day. Upon removal of each sample, a digital picture was taken for a
count of bacterial species.

35. Results (Biologic Sampling)
Location Coliscan ECA Check
Upper Greenwood Lake MC 45 Non-Fecal Coliform
3 E. Coli
17 Teal CFU
23 General Coliform
548 E. Coli
15 Aeromonas
Upper Greenwood Lake BL 17 Non-fecal Coliform
1 E. Coli
0 Teal CFU
4 General Coliform
3 E. Coli
40 Aeromonas
Greenwood Lake SSM 8 Non-fecal Coliform
0 E. Coli
0 Teal CFU
4 General Coliform
4 E. Coli
15 Aeromonas
Greenwood Lake BP 18 Non-fecal Coliform
1 E. Coli
0 Teal CFU
4 General Coliform
2 E. Coli
6 Aeromonas
Surprise Lake 0 cultures 1 General Coliform
Wawayanda Lake 45 Non-fecal Coliform
1 E. Coli
2 Teal CFU
5 General Coliform
1 E. Coli
38 Aeromonas

36. Discussion
Dionex:
Values show that urban lakes (Greenwood and Upper Greenwood), have
higher concentrations of phosphates and nitrates in general.
Open water sites have most dissolved nitrates/phosphates due to lack of
plant material.
Buffer zones have least dissolved nitrates and phosphates because shrubbry
absorbs nitrates and phosphates in water.

37. Discussion
Dionex results imply that land use will affect nitrogen and phosphorus levels in
water.
Land use could cause the difference between two control lakes and two urban
lakes.
Higher amounts of impermeable surfaces, agricultural land, and septic
systems could lead to higher levels of nitrates and phosphates in
Greenwood/Upper Greenwood Lake.

38. Discussion
Flame Emission:
The urban residential areas from each lake seemed to have higher
concentrations of trace metals (chromium being the exception). In these areas,
there is a high number of septic tanks that could potentially leak.
The buffer zones seemed to have the least concentrations of trace
metals.
Chromium is a toxic pollutant and was not measured at higher
concentrations in urban residential areas, but more in buffer zones. The chemical
properties of chromium may have altered the actual results from the study.
Chromium compounds precipitate at high temperatures, therefore false
measurements may have been recorded by the AA.

39. Further Improvements
Due to time constraints and outside variables, some error may have been
introduced into the study. Potential alterations to improve the validity of the results
may include:
1. Conduct all site testing the same day to ensure same sampling conditions.
2. Sampling UGL at peak water levels (when sampled, lake levels were 3ft
below average)
3. Adding a solute to the chromium samples to prevent precipitates from
forming, altering results
These minor solutions would yield stronger results that would provide a stronger
correlation between land use factors and lake water quality

40. Acknowledgements
Mike Dasilva, Dr. Davi, Dr. Griffiths, Dr. Liu
Johannus Franken from the NJDEP Lake Monitoring Group

41. References
Das, Biplop et al. “Watershed Land Use as a Determinant of Metal Concentrations in Freshwater
Systems.” Environmental Geochemistry and Health. December 2009. Springer ResearchGate.
USGS. “Phosphorus and Water.” The USGS Water Science School. Nov. 6, 2015.