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Kansas Real-Time Water Quality

Total nitrogen, suspended sediment

Overview

Nitrogen is a nutrient necessary for growth and reproduction. Primary sources of nitrogen are fertilizers, animal wastes, and degradation of plant material. However, excessive inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds to an aquatic environment can cause excessive algal growth resulting in eutrophication. When algal blooms die, concentrations of dissolved oxygen are depleted, which can stress aquatic organisms and may cause taste-and-odor problems in water supplies. For this website, total nitrogen is calculated as the sum of dissolved nitrate, dissolved nitrite, and Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN). TKN is the sum of organic nitrogen and ammonia.

Water-quality standards and criteria are developed by the States, approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and then promulgated (passed into law) as standards by each State. Graphs on this website allow comparison of measured and computed data to these standards and criteria by plotting them as straight lines. When evaluating data to decide whether water quality is suitable for the intended use, viewers are cautioned to consider the uncertainty associated with these computed data.

Water-quality Standards and Criteria

USEPA proposed maximum for Ecoregion VI streams: 2.18 mg/L-N

To prevent excessive growth of plants and algae and accelerated eutrophication, a citerion of 2.18 milligrams per liter has been recommended by the USEPA.

Source: USEPA Ambient Water Quality Criteria Recommendations, Region VI (view online)

Stations That Measure or Compute Continuous Total nitrogen

Click a station to view measurements of total nitrogen.

Station Name Station Identifier
Kansas River at Wamego, KS 06887500
Kansas River at Topeka, KS 06889000
Kansas River at DeSoto, KS 06892350
Kill Creek at 95 Street near DeSoto, KS 06892360
Cedar Creek at Highway 56 at Olathe, KS 06892440
Mill Creek at Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS 06892513
Blue River at Kenneth Road, Overland Park, KS 06893100
Indian Creek at State Line Road, Leawood, KS 06893390

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URL: http://nrtwq.usgs.gov/ks/constituents/view/00601
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Page Last Modified: Wed 06 October 2010