Mixing of water in the Scioto River at Chillicothe, Ohio

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1995-06

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The Ohio State University

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A study of Scioto River waters and its tributaries was conducted on August 5, 1994 in and around Chillicothe, Ohio. Samples of main-stream and tributary waters were taken at twelve locations. These sites were chosen to best illustrate mixing of water at confluences, discharge of anthropogenic effluent within city limits, and changes in chemical composition along the main stream. Each sample was analyzed for its concentrations of six conservative elements: Na, Ca, Mg, K, Sr, and S. Element-pair diagrams show mixing of surface water components based on two components. The results indicate that the concentration of water from Paint Creek is 22.3% ± 2.03% of the water in the Scioto River below the confluence. The discharge of Paint Creek was estimated to be 271 cfs ± 31 cfs on the day the water samples were collected. Anthropogenic effluent entering Paint Creek acts as a third component of water causing mixtures containing anthropogenic effluent to deviate from the expected mixture of waters of the North and South forks of the river. Data taken along the length of the Scioto River indicate that elemental concentrations vary as a function of distance downstream. Sodium as well as S concentrations increase downstream as a result of anthropogenic inputs into the Scioto River. Ca, Mg, Sr, and K concentrations decrease due to a progressive dilution downstream by addition of dilute water along the course of the river in the study area.

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