Limnology of the Iowa Reach of the Mississippi River by Jack H. Gakstatter and Robert L. Morris, October 27, 1970

(1970) Limnology of the Iowa Reach of the Mississippi River by Jack H. Gakstatter and Robert L. Morris, October 27, 1970. University of Iowa

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Abstract

The philosophy of the Iowa Water Pollution Control Commission is to assess water quality in terms of conformance to water quality standards. This philosophy encouraged formation of a Limnology Division, within the State Hygienic Laboratory, whose task was to conduct comprehensive evaluations of Iowa surface water quality and to determine whether quality standards were met. The first priority of this group was to investigate the effects on Mississippi River water quality of wastes produced by the six largest Iowa cities located on the Mississippi. All of these cities provided only primary waste treatment and, although their populations were not particularly large by today's standards, all except Burlington housed industries which generated heavy organic waste loads. The Dubuque area of the river was not studied because the city had voluntarily initiated construction of secondary treatment facilities. Although several other small Iowa towns are located along the Mississippi, they discharge relatively insignificant quantities of waste in relation to the available dilution capacity and are not considered in this paper.