Executive Summary
FORE! The Effect of Poquoy Brook Golf Course on the Water Quality of Poquoy Brook

Apponequet High School
Norma McNally

The students studied the influence of Poquoy Brook Golf Course on the water quality of Poqouy Brook. The headwaters of Poquoy Brook are located in wetlands. The brook flows through a cranberry bog prior to entering the golf course at the upstream site (Hole 4) on Southworth Street, Lakeville, MA. It passes through the golf course to the impact site at Hole 17. After passing under the railroad bridge it flows through a short segment of wetlands to the recovery site at the Dias residence on Taunton Street. Although all tested parameters were in normal ranges, except for % DO in October, the students concluded that Poquoy Brook water quality was affected by the cranberry bogs upstream.

This was evidenced by the low biodiversity of macroinvertebrates found at Hole 4 and the high percentage of amphipoda. These organisms thrive in areas of vegetation and detritus that would be associated with bogs. They also noted a consistent increase in the load of nitrogen as nitrate from Hole 4 to Hole 17. On traversing the golf course during sampling dates, students noted a large population of geese and other water fowl on the course. They concluded that this was most likely the cause of the increased nitrates, as well as the low %DO noted in Oct

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Please see the PowerPoint Presentation for details.