Water in Center Creek basin, Mo., upstream from the proposed Prosperity Reservoir damsite is a calcium bicarbonate type that is moderately mineralized, hard, and slightly alkaline. Ammonia and organic nitrogen, phosphorus, total organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand, and bacteria increased considerably during storm runoff, probably due to livestock wastes. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations are probably high enough to cause the proposed lake to be eutrophic. Minor-element concentrations were at or near normal levels in Center and Jones Creeks. The only pesticides detected were 0.01 micrograms per liter of 2, 4, 5-T in one base-flow sample and 0.02 to 0.04 micrograms per liter of 2, 4, 5-T and 2, 4-D in all storm-runoff samples. Fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus densities ranged from 2 to 650 and 2 to 550 colonies per 100 milliliters, respectively, during base flow , but were 17,000 to 45,000 and 27,000 to 70,000 colonies per 100 milliliters, respectively, during storm runoff. Water in Center Creek about 2.5 miles downstream from the proposed damsite is similar in quality to that upstream from the damsite except for higher concentrations of sodium, sulfate, chloride, fluoride, nitrogen, and phosphorus. These higher concentrations are caused by fertilizer industry wastes that enter Center Creek about 1.0 mile downstream from the proposed damsite. (Woodard-USGS).
