THE STUDY OF DISSOLVED-OXYGEN DYNAMICS IN THE WHIPPANY RIVER, NEW-JERSEY USING THE QUAL2E MODEL

An intensive water quality study of the lower Whippany River, located in northeastern New Jersey, was performed examining dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, sediment oxygen demand, photosynthesis, river hydrology, geomorphology, and major inputs. Dissolved oxygen dynamics were studied using the USEPA Enhanced Stream Quality Model ''QUAL2E''. Model validation was performed using field data collected during 1980 and 1985 summer, low-flaw surveys. The computed values for DO, CBOD and nitrogen species corresponded closely to the actual instream data. DO uptake in the river was found to result predominantly from the biooxidation of carbonaceous and reduced nitrogenous compounds originating from two major municipal point sources: the Morristown and Hanover Sewerage Treatment Plants. Sediment oxygen demand occurring in reaches located immediately below the Morristown Sewerage Treatment Discharge also contributed significantly to DO uptake. The model did predict that by improving effluent quality of two major municipal discharges to 8 mg/1 BOD-5 and 2 mg/1 ammonia-nitrogen and by reducing the rate of SOD in the river, river DO will exceed 7.0 mg/1 at most locations.