Urban streams reduce aquatic biodiversity through the loss of invertebrates, fish, and plants in addition to the economic impacts of remediation. Creation of a successful management plan to address increased stormflow and chemical loading in runoff requires an understanding of the connection between unhealthy streams and the humans impacting it. Soldier Creek runs through the northern section of the city of Fort Dodge, Iowa. A tributary named Forrest Creek receives most of its flow from storm drain runoff in town. There is no process to mitigate pollutants entering storm drains from the streets of the city, which allows them to directly enter stream ecosystems. Water quality was investigated at three sites: Site 1 on Forrest Creek, Site 2 on Soldier Creek above the confluence with Forrest Creek, and Site 3 on Soldier Creek below the confluence. Water and habitat quality were examined at each site once a month starting in March 2015 and continue to present day. The objective of this study was to analyze how urban pollution entering Forrest Creek impacted the aquatic ecosystem as a whole. All testing sites showed higher levels of nitrate, phosphate, and chloride than is typically found in naturally vegetated landscapes at one point or more during the testing period
