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Denise H. Dumouchelle

Publications and source records attributed to Denise H. Dumouchelle.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2015

Hydrologic characteristics of low-impact stormwater control measures at two sites in northeastern Ohio, 2008-13

This report updates and examines hydrologic data gathered to characterize the performance of two stormwater-control measure (SCM) sites in the Chagrin River watershed, Ohio. At the Sterncrest Drive site, roadside bioswales and rain gardens were used to alleviate drainage problems in this residential neighborhood area. At the Washington Street site, a treatment train (including a pervious-paver system, rain garden, and bioswales) was used to reduce and delay stormwater runoff at a small business development. Selected metrics were used to demonstrate SCM system performance with regard to stormwater-management objectives at each site. Rain-garden overflow-frequency data collected at the Sterncrest Drive site during 2008–13 were used to characterize system sensitivity to rainfall characteristics. Approximately 70 percent of storms exceeding 0.75 inches during 3 hours or more resulted in overflows. Drainage-design features that may restrict flow through the system were identified. Overall, the data and local observations confirmed the continued success of the SCM at the Sterncrest Drive site in preventing roadway closure due to flooding. The additional years of data collected at the Washington Street site indicated that a previous analysis of increased runoff removal, based on only the first 2 years (2009–10) of data, provided premature conclusions. With 5 years of data (2009–13) and adjusting for changes in rainfall characteristics, it appears that the percentage of runoff removed by the system is decreasing; however, the lag time (time from onset of rainfall to runoff) has remained nearly constant. The annual mean percent removal for 2010–13 ranged from 55 to 37 percent with an overall mean of 45 percent, and this does meet the project objective of reducing runoff from the business complex. One possible explanation for the combination of increased volume of runoff and no change in the timing of runoff is the preferential flow paths developed in the SCM, increasing the capacity for internal drainage. Data indicated that the SCM system at the Washington Street site had reduced functionality over time.

Ohio↗
USGS2014

Visualization of soil-moisture change in response to precipitation within two rain gardens in Ohio

Stormwater runoff in urban areas is increasingly being managed by means of a variety of treaments that reduce or delay runoff and promote more natural infiltration. One such treatment is a rain garden, which is built to detain runoff and allow for water infiltration and uptake by plants.Water flow into or out of a rain garden can be readily monitored with a variety of tools; however, observing the movement of water within the rain garden is less straightforward. Soil-moisture probes in combination with an automated interpolation procedure were used to document the infiltration of water into two rain gardens in Ohio. Animations show changes in soil moisture in the rain gardens during two precipitation events. At both sites, the animations demonstrate underutilization of the rain gardens.

Ohio↗
USGS2014

Chemical and biological quality of water in Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohio, 2011-12, with emphasis on cyanobacteria

Grand Lake St. Marys (GLSM) is a shallow lake in northwest Ohio, which is about 9 miles long and 3 miles wide with depths averaging less than 8 feet. Cyanobacteria blooms are common in GLSM, and high concentrations of microcystins—toxins produced by cyanobacteria—have been documented therein. During 2011–12, the U.S. Geological Survey collected 11 sets of water samples at 6 locations in the lake. The water samples were analyzed for concentrations of nutrients, chlorophyll, and microcystin and to determine plankton community structure and abundance. Analysis by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to identify the relations between microcystin concentrations and Planktothrix and Microcystis genotypes (toxic versus non-toxic). The qPCR analysis targets deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) genes and quantifies the potential for toxin production, whereas the qRT-PCR analysis targets ribonucleic acid (RNA) transcripts and quantifies the expression of the toxin gene. Water samples were collected six times at one site for analyses of major ions and trace elements. In addition, field measurements were made to determine transparency, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance of the water. GLSM is shallow with a long fetch, which contributes to the warm and turbid water conditions. Secchi-disk measurements generally ranged from 0.2 to 0.3 meters, and summer water temperatures in GLSM frequently exceed 25 degrees Celsius (°C), with peak temperatures greater than 30 °C. Dissolved oxygen readings below 0.5 milligrams per liter (mg/L) occurred at the lake bottom, which can lead to the internal recycling of phosphorus in the lake. Phytoplankton analyses indicated that GLSM is dominated by cyanobacteria with Planktothrix , the dominant genera during 2011–12. Nitrate ranged from 0.19 to 3.23 mg/L, although concentrations in most samples were less than 1 mg/L. Total nitrogen concentrations ranged from 1.86 to 5.42 mg/L. Orthophosphate (as P) concentrations ranged from less than 0.004 to 0.067 mg/L, although concentrations of most samples were less than 0.004 mg/L. Total phosphorus (as P) concentrations ranged from 0.12 to 0.43 mg/L. Microcystin concentrations ranged from 7.3 to 83 micrograms per liter. Microcystin concentrations were correlated to cyanobacteria biovolumes, and to concentrations of one ion (sodium) and three trace elements (molybdenum, antimony, and lithium). Concentrations of toxin genes ( mcyE ) determined by qPCR were consistently low for Microcystis and consistently high for Planktothrix throughout both sampling years. Concentrations of cyanobacteria found by qPCR were correlated to microcystin concentrations, cyanobacteria biovolumes, selected nutrient concentrations, and other parameters. Results from qRT-PCR assays showed that toxin gene expression was predominantly from the genus Planktothrix , and concentrations of the RNA transcript varied throughout the two sampling years. A number of conditions that may play a role in the dominance of Planktothrix and the production of microcystin were identified including water temperature; low-light transmission; low concentrations of silica and manganese; and relatively high concentrations of sodium, sulfate, and the trace elements of strontium, vanadium, and boron.

Ohio↗
USGS2011

Hydraulic characteristics of low-impact development practices in northeastern Ohio, 2008–2010

Low-impact development (LID) is an approach to managing stormwater as near to its source as possible; this is accomplished by minimizing impervious surfaces and promoting more natural infiltration and evapotranspiration than is typically associated with developed areas. Two newly constructed LID sites in northeastern Ohio were studied to document their hydraulic characteristics. A roadside best-management practice (BMP) was constructed by replacing about 1,400 linear feet of existing ditches with a bioswale/rain garden BMP consisting of a grassed swale interspersed with rain-garden/overflow structures. The site was monitored in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Although some overflows occurred, numerous precipitation events exceeding the 0.75-inch design storm did not result in overflows. A second study site consists of an 8,200-square-foot parking lot made of a pervious pavers and a rain garden that receives runoff from the roof of a nearby commercial building. A comparison of data from 2009 and 2010 indicates that the median runoff volume in 2010 decreased relative to 2009. The centroid lag times (time difference between centroid of precipitation and centroid of flow) decreased in 2010, most likely due to more intense, shorter duration precipitation events and maturation of the rain garden. Additional data could help quantify the relation between meteorological variables and BMP efficiency.

Ohio↗
USGS2008

Streamflow Gains and Losses for Hellbranch Run, Franklin County, Ohio, August 2007

On August 7, 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey did a streamflow gain-loss study on Hellbranch Run in western Franklin County, Ohio. From Feder Road to Lambert Road, 26 stream and pipe-discharge measurements were made on the mainstem, tributaries and other sources of inflow. Mainstem streamflows ranged from no measureable flow to 1.75 cubic feet per second; tributary and pipe discharges ranged from 0.001 to 0.23 cubic foot per second. The uncertainty in each discharge measurement was considered when calculating the gain or loss of streamflow. Although streamflow losses occurred over short reaches, including a stretch of dry streambed, Hellbranch Run is gaining water from ground water in much of the study area.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2007

Ground-Water Data and Flow Directions in the Vicinity of Swamp Road, Licking County, Ohio, 2006-07

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is proposing to build a dry dam on the South Fork Licking River to mitigate flood impacts. Concerns have been raised regarding the effects of impounded floodwaters on ground-water conditions in the Swamp Road neighborhood. To obtain a better understanding of existing ground-water conditions, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the NRCS, installed three monitoring wells and collected ground-water-quality samples on two occasions from these and four residential wells. In addition, transducers were placed in these seven wells to obtain hourly water-level measurements from August, 2006 to early March, 2007. Intermittent water levels also were measured in another seven residential wells in the area. Water-quality samples were collected in September 2006 and January 2007. Samples were analyzed for nutrients, inorganic elements, and fecal-indicator bacteria. In general, the ground-water quality was very hard with large iron concentrations of 1,700 ?g/L and above. Although the aquifer underlying the Swamp Road area is confined, the continuous water-level records indicate a rapid response to precipitation. Comparison of the well hydrographs with the stage hydrograph for the nearby South Fork Licking River indicates a hydraulic connection between the river and the aquifer. In the vicinity of Swamp Road, the ground-water-flow direction was southeast during the duration of the study. The ground-water-level elevations were above the planned maximum elevation for water impounded by the dam, thus the impounded floodwater should have minimal impact on ground-water conditions along Swamp Road.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2006

Use of DNA markers for investigating sources of bacteria in contaminated ground water: Wooster Township, Wayne County, Ohio

In 2004, a public-health nuisance was declared by the Wayne County Board of Health in the Scenic Heights Drive-Batdorf Road area of Wooster Township, Wayne County, Ohio, because of concerns about the safety of water from local wells. Repeated sampling had detected the presence of fecal-indicator bacteria and elevated nitrate concentrations. In June 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA), collected and analyzed samples from some of the affected wells to help investigate the possibility of human-origin bacterial contamination. Water samples from 12 wells and 5 home sewage-treatment systems (HSTS) were collected. Bromide concentrations were determined in samples from the 12 wells. Samples from 5 of the 12 wells were analyzed for wastewater compounds. Total coliform, enterococci and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria concentrations were determined for samples from 8 of the 12 wells. In addition, two microbial source-tracking tools that employ DNA markers were used on samples from several wells and a composite sample of water from five septic tanks. The DNA markers from the Enterococcus faecium species and the order Bacteroidales are associated with specific sources, either human or ruminant sources. Bromide concentrations ranged from 0.04 to 0.18 milligrams per liter (mg/L). No wastewater compounds were detected at concentrations above the reporting limits. Samples from the 12 wells also were collected by Ohio EPA and analyzed for chloride and nitrate. Chloride concentrations ranged from 12.6 to 61.6 mg/L and nitrate concentrations ranged from 2.34 to 11.9 mg/L (as N). Total coliforms and enterococci were detected in samples from 8 wells, at concentrations from 2 to 200 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters (CFU/100 mL) and 0.5 to 17 CFU/100 mL, respectively. E. coli were detected in samples from three of the eight wells, at concentrations of 1 or 2 CFU/100 mL. Tests for the human-specific marker of enterococci, the esp gene, were negative in the seven samples tested, including the composite sample of HSTS water. DNA with the general Bacteroidales marker was detected in samples from four wells, but the tests for both the human- and ruminant-associated markers were negative. The presence of the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) -detectable DNA for the general fecal Bacteroidales marker is indicative of fecal contamination and recently recharged water.

Ohio↗
USGS2006

Assessment of the use of selected chemical and microbiological constituents as indicators of wastewater in curtain drains from home sewage-treatment systems in Medina County, Ohio

Many home sewage-treatment systems (HSTS) in Ohio use curtain or perimeter drains to depress the level of the subsurface water in and around the systems. These drains could possibly intercept partially untreated wastewater and release potential pathogens to ground-water and surface-water bodies. The quality of water in curtain drains from two different HSTS designs in Medina County, Ohio, was investigated using several methods. Six evaporation-transpiration-absorption (ETA) and five leach-line (LL) systems were investigated by determining nutrient concentrations, chloride/bromide ratios (Cl/Br), Escherichia coli (E. coli ) concentrations, coliphage genotyping, and genetic fingerprinting of E. coli. Water samples were collected at 11 sites and included samples from curtain drains, septic tanks, and residential water wells. Nitrate concentrations in the curtain drains ranged from 0.03 to 3.53 mg/L (milligrams per liter), as N. Concentrations of chloride in 10 of the 11 curtain drains ranged from 5.5 to 21 mg/L; the chloride concentration in the eleventh curtain drain was 340 mg/L. Bromide concentrations in 11 curtain drains ranged from 0.01 to 0.22 mg/L. Cl/Br ratios ranged from 86 to 2,000. F-specific coliphage were not found in any curtain-drain samples. Concentrations of E. coli in the curtain drains ranged from 1 to 760 colonies per 100 milliliters. The curtain-drain water-quality data were evaluated to determine whether HSTS-derived water was present in the curtain drains. Nutrient concentrations were too low to be of use in the determination. The Cl/Br ratios appear promising. Coliphage was not detected in the curtain drains, so genotyping could not be attempted. E. coli concentrations in the curtain drains were all less than those from the corresponding HSTS; only one sample exceeded the Ohio secondary-contact water-quality standard. The genetic fingerprinting data were inconclusive because multiple links between unrelated sites were found. Although the curtain-drain samples from the ETA systems showed somewhat more evidence of the presence of HSTS water than did the LL systems, most of the approaches were inconclusive by themselves. The best evidence of HSTS water, from the Cl/Br ratios, indicates that the water in 10 of the 11 curtain drains, at both HSTS types, was a mixture of dilute ground water and HSTS-derived water; the 11th drain also show some effects of the HSTS, although road salt-affected water may be present. Therefore, it appears that there is no difference between the ETA and LL systems with respect to the water quality in curtain drains.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2005

Ground-water modeling of pumping effects near regional ground-water divides and river/aquifer systems - Results and implications of numerical experiments

Agreements between United States governors and Canadian territorial premiers establish water-management principles and a framework for protecting Great Lakes waters, including ground water, from diversion and consumptive uses. The issue of ground-water diversions out of the Great Lakes Basin by large-scale pumping near the divides has been raised. Two scenario models, in which regional ground-water flow models represent major aquifers in the Great Lakes region, were used to assess the effect of pumping near ground-water divides. The regional carbonate aquifer model was a generalized model representing northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana; the regional sandstone aquifer model used an existing calibrated ground-water flow model for southeastern Wisconsin. Various well locations and pumping rates were examined. Although the two models have different frameworks and boundary conditions, results of the models were similar. There was significant diversion of ground water across ground-water divides due to pumping within 10 miles of the divides. In the regional carbonate aquifer model, the percentage of pumped water crossing the divide ranges from about 20 percent for a well 10 miles from the divide to about 50 percent for a well adjacent to the divide. In the regional sandstone aquifer model, the percentages range from about 30 percent for a well 10 miles from the divide to about 50 percent for a well adjacent to the divide; when pumping on the west side of the divide, within 5 mi of the predevelopment divide, results in at least 10 percent of the water being diverted from the east side of the divide. Two additional scenario models were done to examine the effects of pumping near rivers. Transient models were used to simulate a rapid stage rise in a river during pumping at a well in carbonate and glacial aquifers near the river. Results of water-budget analyses indicate that induced infiltration, captured streamflow, and underflow were important for both glacial and carbonate aquifers; however, in many cases, traveltimes from the river to the well will limit river water from physically entering the well.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2001

Evaluation of ground-water/surface-water relations, Chapman Creek,West-Central Ohio, by means of multiple methods

Chapman Creek, a tributary to the Mad River, passes within about 500 feet of a landfill near Tremont City, in Clark County, west-central Ohio. In autumn 2000, the ground-water/surface-water relation was investigated by use of piezometers, seepage meters, temperature monitors, and a gain-loss study. Four piezometers were installed in the streambed along about a 1-mile reach, inclusive of the landfill. Four seepage-meter tests were done at locations near two of the piezometers. Four temperature-monitoring stations were established along a reach of about 700 feet near the landfill. A fifth temperature station was located near a piezometer about 3,000 feet downstream from the landfill. A streamflow gain-loss study was done over a 3-mile reach that included the reaches studied with the other methods. The data from the piezometers, seepage meters, and temperature monitors indicated an apparent change from losing to gaining and back again several times over fairly short distances. The gain-loss data indicated that the creek was consistently a gaining stream over the 3-mile reach. Investigation of streambed conditions and local geology revealed that the streambed consists of sand and gravel overlying a finegrained till layer. The stream water readily moves in and out of the coarse streambed such that the piezometers, seepage meters, and temperature monitors measured the local flow in the streambed; therefore, these data did not reflect the true relation between the creek and ground water. On the other hand, the gain-loss study, less affected by the movement of water in the streambed, showed that Chapman Creek probably is a gaining stream throughout the 3-mile reach.

Ohio↗
USGS2001

Ground-water levels and flow directions in glacial sediments and carbonate bedrock near Tremont City, Ohio, October-November 2000

Introduction During summer 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) began an investigation of the Tremont City Landfill Site near Tremont City, Ohio. The site is about 1 mile west of Tremont City, just south of the Clark-Champaign County line. The closed site consists of three main areas: an 8.5-acre barrel fill, a 14-acre waste-transfer area, and a 58-acre landfill. The local hydrogeology is complex, and multiple ground-water-flow directions at the site have been described; however, offsite ground-water levels and flow directions were poorly defined, because they were based on static water levels reported over many years by well drillers. In October 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the USEPA, measured water levels in residential and onsite monitoring wells to prepare a map of the potentiometric surface so that directions of regional ground-water flow could be better delineated in the vicinity of the site. The topography of the study area (extent of map) is characterized by a nearly level till plain with minor relief along incised streams draining east-southeast to the Mad River. The Tremont City Landfill Site is in an upland area between two east-southeast-trending streams. Storms Creek is about 1 mile north of the site. The southern extent of the landfill is within about 500 feet of Chapman creek. The surficial geology of the study area consists of unconsolidated glacial sediments that overlie Silurian-age Lockport Dolomite. These glacial sediments consist of fine-grained till interbedded with layers of silt, sands, and gravels. Sand and gravel layers are commonly found just above the bedrock surface. Onsite monitoring wells have been installed into several thin, permeable zones in the glacial sediments. Most residential wells in the area produce sufficient water for residential use (as much as 100 gallons per minute), from either sand and gravel layers in the glacial sediments or from the carbonate bedrock. The most productive aquifer in the area is the highly permeable glacial outwash in the buried bedrock valley beneath the Mad River. These outwash sands and gravels can yield more than 1,000 gallons per minute. If weathered, the Lockport Dolomite can be a productive source of water near the top of the unit.

Ohio↗
USGS1999

Ground-water levels and flow directions in the glacial sediments and the Lockport Dolomite in southeastern Darke and northeastern Preble counties, Ohio, July 1998

During the summer of 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) began an emergency removal action at the Lewisburg Drum Site in northern Preble County, Ohio. The site is about 3 miles west-northwest of the village of Lewisburg. The USEPA removed about 1,200 drums of waste ink from the site, as well as 2,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil and 100,000 gallons of ground water. Because of the potential for off-site migration of ground-water contamination, USEPA sampled residential wells in the area; results from the samples collected by USEPA indicated that the quality of water in some privately owned wells may have been affected by contaminants from the site. However, the directions of ground-water flow in the area were not known. In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the USEPA, measure water levels in the vicinity of the site. This map will aid in the interpretation of the water-quality data collected by USEPA.

Ohio↗