The purpose of this report is to describe streamflow characteristics and water-quality conditions in streams draining small basins in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, six of which have relatively distinct and homogeneous land uses; to relate water-quality conditions to land-use characteristics in these basins; and to compare these results to information from three mixed land-use basins in Mecklenburg County and to information from similar studies nationally. Drainage areas of the six small basins range from 0.022 mi to 0.266 mi . Land-use types in the six small basins include light industrial, heavy industrial, medium-density residential, medium-density residential and industrial, high-density residential and institutional, and a basin undergoing commercial and residential development.
Streamflow data collected during 1993-97 were used to describe the relation of streamflow characteristics, including the ratio of runoff to rainfall and peak flow rates, to basin land use.
Stream water-quality data collected during 1993-97 were used to characterize water temperature, specific conductance, suspended sediment, nutrients, bacteria, selected metals, and organic compounds in each of the streams and to distinguish the relation of basin land use to water-quality characteristics.
By Jerad D. Bales, J. Curtis Weaver, and Jerald B. Robinson, 1999. 95 pages. Prepared in cooperation with the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
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