WATER QUALITY FROM TWO SMALL FORESTED WATERSHEDS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS¹

Abstract

ABSTRACT Two intermittent streams on oak‐hickory watersheds in southern Illinois were gaged with a V‐notched weir and sampled with an automatic water sampler. For three years data were collected on flow volume and water quality. Flow volumes show large variations between years and watersheds. Samples were analyzed for Na + , K + , Ca ++ , Mg ++ , P, and NO ‐ 3 . Water quality was consistently high, although there were significant differences between watersheds. A baseline for water quality has been established for comparison after one of the watersheds is clearcut at a later date.