Evaluation of the Recovery of a Polluted Urban Stream Using the Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera Index

ABSTRACT

A survey of the benthic macroinvertebrate community of Dried Indian Creek, a second/third order stream in the Georgia Piedmont flowing through the city of Covington, was initially conducted in 1978. The study was repeated and expanded in 1993 to compare recent conditions with those in 1978 and to evaluate historical changes in the stream biota. The 1993 study revealed significant improvement in the structure of the invertebrate community measured by differences in the Ephemeroptera/Plecoptera/Trichoptera index values obtained from the two studies. The introduction of a tertiary phase in the wastewater treatment systems of local governments resulted in improved water quality. Furthermore, the appearance of a small wetland probably explains an improvement in conditions in the creek upstream from the original point of introduction of wastewater effluent.