Characterization of Stream Quality of Five Ouachita River Tributaries Utilizing Macrobenthic Species and Fish Populations

Characterization of Stream Quality of Five Ouachita River Tributaries Utilizing Macrobenthic Species and Fish Populations

The Ouachita River originates in west-central Arkansas and exits the state in south-central Arkansas near El Dorado. There are many tributaries that make up the Ouachita River through its Arkansas journey. Five of these tributaries are located in Clark County and were selected for this research. Basic in situ water quality parameters were measured and the riparian zone was characterized at each sample site. The five streams selected were Decieper/Little Deceiper Creek, Mill Creek, DeRoche Creek, Saline Bayou, and Tupelo Creek. Macrobenthic and fish surveys were conducted at two sites (upper and lower) on each creek except Saline Bayou and Tupelo Creek which included only one site each. Streams will be characterized using the tolerant and intolerant species. Potential impacts of these streams include runoff from agriculture, municipal runoff from the city of Arkadelphia, and miscellaneous anthropomorphic sources from town. The presence of intolerant species indicates less impact while finding only tolerant species indicates potential disturbance that warrants further investigation.