Cheney Reservoir and Water Quality Studies Active
Cheney Reservoir is located on the North Fork Ninnescah River in south-central Kansas, 20 miles west of Wichita. Cheney Reservoir is the primary drinking water supply for the city and a popular recreational resource for the region. After cyanobacterial blooms in 1990 and 1991, which caused servere taste-and-odor events, the USGS Kansas Water Science Center partnered with the City of Wichita and began studies to better understand and improve the water-quality of Cheney Reservoir because of the potential economic and public health concerns for drinking water and recreational activities. “Knowledge gained from USGS studies in the Cheney Reservoir Watershed has assisted in the development, implementation, maintenance, and assessment of watershed-management goals and plans. This data has allowed us to ensure a safe and reliable water supply and put us ahead of the curve in terms of sediment management.” – Don Henry, Assistant Director of the City of Wichita’s Public Works and Utilities, 2017.
Early Studies
During 1996 to 2001 efforts were made to study the loading of contaminants, nutrients, and sediment to Cheney Reservoir from the watershed. A network of study sites, along with two continuous water-quality monitoring sites and collection of sediment cores, were used to analyze subwatershed sources of nutrient and sediment loading from the watershed into Cheney Reservoir.
Continuing Reservoir Studies
Starting in 2001, the focus of the studies shifted focus to analyzing suspended sediment and nutrient concentrations; presence of cyanobacteria, cyanotoxins and taste-and-odor compounds; and enviromental variables (specific condunctance, pH, temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll). The data is collected through the use of continuous water-quality monitoring and discrete sampling.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Twenty years of water-quality studies in the Cheney Reservoir Watershed, Kansas, 1996-2016
Significant finding of water-quality studies and implications for Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas, 1996-2001
Historical contributions of phosphorus from natural and agricultural sources and implications for stream water quality, Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas
Sediment deposition and trends and transport of phosphorus and other chemical constituents, Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas
Occurrence of phosphorus, nitrate, and suspended solids in streams of the Cheney Reservoir Watershed, south-central Kansas, 1997–2000
Occurrence of Pesticides in Streams of the Cheney Reservoir Watershed, South-Central Kansas, 1997-99
Preliminary assessment of phosphorus transport in the Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas, 1997-98
Occurrence of Fecal Coliform Bacteria in the Cheney Reservoir Watershed, South-Central Kansas, 1996-98
Watershed trend analysis and water-quality assessment using bottom-sediment cores from Cheney Reservoir, south-central Kansas
Occurrence of dissolved solids, nutrients, atrazine, and fecal coliform bacteria during low flow in the Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas, 1996
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
Cheney Reservoir is located on the North Fork Ninnescah River in south-central Kansas, 20 miles west of Wichita. Cheney Reservoir is the primary drinking water supply for the city and a popular recreational resource for the region. After cyanobacterial blooms in 1990 and 1991, which caused servere taste-and-odor events, the USGS Kansas Water Science Center partnered with the City of Wichita and began studies to better understand and improve the water-quality of Cheney Reservoir because of the potential economic and public health concerns for drinking water and recreational activities. “Knowledge gained from USGS studies in the Cheney Reservoir Watershed has assisted in the development, implementation, maintenance, and assessment of watershed-management goals and plans. This data has allowed us to ensure a safe and reliable water supply and put us ahead of the curve in terms of sediment management.” – Don Henry, Assistant Director of the City of Wichita’s Public Works and Utilities, 2017.
Early Studies
During 1996 to 2001 efforts were made to study the loading of contaminants, nutrients, and sediment to Cheney Reservoir from the watershed. A network of study sites, along with two continuous water-quality monitoring sites and collection of sediment cores, were used to analyze subwatershed sources of nutrient and sediment loading from the watershed into Cheney Reservoir.
Continuing Reservoir Studies
Starting in 2001, the focus of the studies shifted focus to analyzing suspended sediment and nutrient concentrations; presence of cyanobacteria, cyanotoxins and taste-and-odor compounds; and enviromental variables (specific condunctance, pH, temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll). The data is collected through the use of continuous water-quality monitoring and discrete sampling.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Twenty years of water-quality studies in the Cheney Reservoir Watershed, Kansas, 1996-2016
Since 1996, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Wichita, has done studies in the Cheney Reservoir watershed to understand environmental effects on water-quality conditions. Early studies (1996–2001) determined subwatershed sources of contaminants, nutrient and sediment loading to Cheney Reservoir, changes in reservoir sediment quality over time, and watershed sourcesAuthorsJennifer L. Graham, Guy M. Foster, Ariele R. KramerFilter Total Items: 21Significant finding of water-quality studies and implications for Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas, 1996-2001
No abstract available.AuthorsLarry M. PopeHistorical contributions of phosphorus from natural and agricultural sources and implications for stream water quality, Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas
An examination of soil cores collected from 43 nonagricultural coring sites in the Cheney Reservoir watershed of south-central Kansas was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in September 1999. The cores were collected as part of an ongoing cooperative study with the city of Wichita, Kansas. The 43 sites (mostly cemeteries) were thought to have total phosphorus concentrations in the soil that aAuthorsLarry M. Pope, Chad R. Milligan, David P. MauSediment deposition and trends and transport of phosphorus and other chemical constituents, Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas
Sediment deposition, water-quality trends, and mass transport of phosphorus, nitrogen, selected trace elements, and selected pesticides within the Cheney Reservoir watershed in south-central Kansas were investigated using bathymetric survey data and reservoir bottom-sediment cores. Sediment loads in the reservoir were investigated by comparing 1964 topographic data to 1998 bathymetric survey data.AuthorsD.P. MauOccurrence of phosphorus, nitrate, and suspended solids in streams of the Cheney Reservoir Watershed, south-central Kansas, 1997–2000
Improving water quality of Cheney Reservoir in south-central Kansas is an important objective of State and local water managers. The reservoir serves as a water supply for about 350,00 people in the Wichita area and an important recreational resource for the area. In 1992, a task force was formed to study and prepare a plan to identify and mitigate potential sources of stream contamination in theAuthorsChad R. Milligan, Larry M. PopeOccurrence of Pesticides in Streams of the Cheney Reservoir Watershed, South-Central Kansas, 1997-99
No abstract available.AuthorsChad R. Milligan, Larry M. PopePreliminary assessment of phosphorus transport in the Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas, 1997-98
A 5-year assessment of water-quality conditions is being conducted in the 933-square-mile Cheney Reservoir watershed of south-central Kansas. Part of this assessment is to define source areas of phosphorus in the watershed and to quantify its transport into Cheney Reservoir. Concern exists for the quality of water in Cheney Reservoir particularly in regards to phosphorus because of its possible reAuthorsL. M. Pope, C.R. MilliganOccurrence of Fecal Coliform Bacteria in the Cheney Reservoir Watershed, South-Central Kansas, 1996-98
No abstract available.AuthorsDavid P. Mau, Larry M. PopeWatershed trend analysis and water-quality assessment using bottom-sediment cores from Cheney Reservoir, south-central Kansas
An examination of Cheney Reservoir bottom sediment was conducted in August 1997 to describe long-term trends and document the occurrence of selected constituents at concentrations that may be detrimental to aquatic organisms. Average concentrations of total phosphorus in bottom-sediment cores ranged from 94 to 674 milligrams per kilogram and were statistically related to silt- and (or) clay-size pAuthorsLarry M. PopeOccurrence of dissolved solids, nutrients, atrazine, and fecal coliform bacteria during low flow in the Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas, 1996
A network of 34 stream sampling sites was established in the 1,005-square-mile Cheney Reservoir watershed, south-central Kansas, to evaluate spatial variability in concentrations of selected water-quality constituents during low flow. Land use in the Cheney Reservoir watershed is almost entirely agricultural, consisting of pasture and cropland. Cheney Reservoir provides 40 to 60 percent of the watAuthorsV.G. Christensen, L. M. Pope - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.