News Release

City of Wichita Uses New Technology to Help Monitor Taste and Odor Occurrences in Cheney Reservoir

Continuous real-time water-quality models have been developed to estimate concentrations of geosmin.  Geosmin is a compound that causes unpleasant tastes and odors in drinking water and is caused by blue-green algae.  These real-time estimates will help to identify and plan for any possible taste and odor episodes in Cheney Reservoir, a key drinking water supply for the City of Wichita.  These models were developed as a result of a recent study done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Wichita, to help the monitor future taste and odor episodes in Cheney Reservoir.

State-of-the-art monitoring technology was used in the study to develop predictive models between geosmin concentrations and easily monitored variables, turbidity and specific conductance.  The monitors record continuous water quality data on an hourly basis and are transmitted to the world wide web every four hours.  This information is available at http://ks.water.usgs.gov/Kansas/studies/qw/cheney/ and can be used by city officials, treatment plant operators, and the general public.

Past taste and odor episodes in Cheney Reservoir have been caused by blue-green algae (cyanobacteria).  Blue-green algal growth is linked to elevated nutrient and sediment concentrations in the reservoir.   Continuous water-quality monitoring models have been developed to estimate inputs of nutrients and sediments from the North Fork Ninnescah River into Cheney Reservoir.  The monitoring will allow the Cheney Reservoir Watershed Management Group to quantify the loads entering the reservoir, which will help in the implementation of future best management practices.

“The City of Wichita wants to be proactive in assuring Wichita’s water quality.  The model that has been developed will help us to make better water-treatment decisions and allow us to save money on water treatment costs,” said Jerry Blain, Water Supply Projects Administrator. “By working with the Cheney Reservoir Watershed Management Group to implement best management practices in the watershed and using these new technologies, we will continue to make every effort to provide quality water to our customers.”

Copies of Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5095, “Water quality and relation to taste-and-odor compounds in North Form Ninnescah River and Cheney Reservoir, south-central Kansas, 1997-2003,” by Victoria G. Christensen, Jennifer L. Graham, Chad R. Milligan, Larry M. Pope, and Andrew C. Ziegler,  may be accessed online at http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/sir2006-5095/ or may be purchased from the USGS Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, Colo. 80225, or call 1-888-ASK-USGS.

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