Maps

Geographic Information System (GIS) software was employed to produce maps linked to this page. These maps depict either water quality trends over time or current water quality through the use of numerical data and/or graphical representations.

Several formats are available for visitors. ArcGIS.com based maps display Incident Response, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, Surveillance Sampling Sites, and Biological Survey Sites. An interactive Google Earth map, displaying numerical data since the 1970s, requires visitors to download Google Earth. A pdf document, with numerous static maps displaying trends and current water quality, is available (requires Adobe Acrobat to open). Both Google Earth and Adobe Acrobat are free downloads. Additionally, several maps, not requiring a download, are available directly on this site for visitors.

Static Maps

Supplement: GIS Mapping of Muncie and Delaware County Water Quality Information
(Adobe Acrobat Download)

Additional Maps

Nutrients

Maps on this page display Bureau of Water Quality city baseline sites that have undergone continuous monitoring since the mid-1970s. Each bar represents the parameterís decade average.

Ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate have been reduced greatly since the 1970s. In particular, the White River site on Nebo Road, downstream of the Muncie Water Pollution Control Facility, has seen large reductions in these contaminants. Percent reductions, for each contaminate at each site, are available for download as a PDF.

Nutrient reductions can be attributed to several factors. Reductions in the number of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and removal of illegal discharges to the White River and its tributaries have helped reduce concentrations. Decreased nutrient discharge from the Muncie Water Pollution Control Facility with increased regulation and removal technologies has also contributed to these reductions.

Metals

Maps on this page display Bureau city baseline sites that have undergone continuous monitoring since the mid-1970s. Each bar represents the parameterís decade average.

All BWQ city baseline sites have seen dramatic reductions in metal contamination. Large reductions are seen on the White River, especially downstream of the Muncie Water Pollution Control Facility. Lead, in particular, is presently less than ten percent of its 1970s levels at all sites. Percent reductions, for each contaminant at each site, are available for download as a PDF.

Dramatic decreases in metal concentrations (seen above) can be attributed to several factors. Industries in the early 1970s discharged untreated pollutants, including toxic metals, directly to the White River, its tributaries, or the Muncie Water Pollution Control Facility. The Bureauís industrial pre-treatment programs requires industry to pre-treat wastes prior to discharge to the wastewater treatment plant. Since the 1970s, reductions of toxic chemicals entering the treatment plant from 81% to 99% have been observed, and reductions of those toxic chemicals in treatment plant effluent to the White River of 58% to 98% have been observed. Other factors contributing to this decrease include community education and federal programs requiring industry to replace toxic chemicals with ones less toxic to the environment.

The map on this page displays Bureau city baseline sites that have undergone continuous monitoring since the mid-1970s. Each bar represents the parameterís decade average.

Note: E. coli concentrations were estimated for the 1970s and 1980s using fecal coliform counts.

As the map (above) shows, E. coli concentrations have seen large reductions at many city baseline sites. Almost all sites have witnessed greater than 80% reduction from 1970s levels. Greater than 90% reduction is observed at five sites. Percent reductions, for each contaminant at each site, are available for download as a PDF.

E. coli reductions can be attributed to several Muncie Sanitary District and Bureau of Water Quality actions, including reductions in the number of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and removal of illegal discharges to the White River and its tributaries.