A thorough biological survey and evaluation is a lengthy and expensive project. The number of technically trained persons required prevent its use by most public agencies. Since public health departments are the groups most frequently concerned with measuring the effects of pollution in streams, a need exists for a simplified method of sanitary survey. Recognizing this need, the Texas Health Department assigned the writer the problem of devising a method of survey which would require a field party of two and could be conducted entirely from a mobile field laboratory.

The effects of thermal discharges on the density, distribution, production, and drift of benthic organisms were studied at North Lake reservoir.

This study was undertaken in order to provide further insight into the effects of artificial heating on the fisheries of a small reservoir in the Southwest. The following specific objectives were established: (1) to map the reservoir for the distribution of heated water, (2) to determine the distribution of selected species of sports, rough, and forage fish in areas affected by the effluent and in areas not affected, (3) to compare size and condition of selected species of fish from areas affected by the effluent to size and condition of fish from areas not affected, and (4) to compare food habits of channel catfish in areas affected by the effluent to the food habits of channel catfish in areas not affected.

This thesis estimates the spatial extent of chlorinated solvent contamination of the soil at the Naval Air Station, Dallas, then estimates the fate and transport of these contaminants, over time, using the Soil Transport and Fate database and the Vadose-Zone Interactive Processes (VIP) modeling software. Geostatistical analysis identifies two areas with serious chlorinated solvent contamination. Fate and transport modeling estimates that this contamination will degrade and disperse from the soil phase to below regulatory limits within one year, although there is a risk of groundwater contamination. Contaminants are estimated to persist in the water and air phases of the soil. Further sampling is recommended to confirm the results of this study.

Evidence is presented to support the conclusions that (1) North Lake reservoir is less productive, contains lower standing crops of phytoplankton and total organic carbon than other local reservoirs; (2) that neither the phytoplankton nor their instantaneously-determined primary productivity was detrimentally affected by the power plant entrainment and (3) that the effect of the power plant is to cause nutrient limitation of the phytoplankton primary productivity by long-term, subtle, thermally-linked nutrient precipitation activities.

The purpose of this investigation is to determine through routine checks the number of organisms present in the various raw ingredients used for the preparation of foods. The problem has consisted of, first, a determination of the total bacterial population by numbers; second, a determination of the incidence of colon bacteria in the samples examined; third, a determination of the presence of yeasts and molds; and fourth, an attempt to utilize this information obtained in judging the methods of handling the raw ingredients before they are used in the processing of foods.

A bacteriological study was made of a number of prepared foods that were bought ready-to-eat, for home consumption, from several food establishments in Dallas, Texas. The purpose of this study was to show whether these foods could be a potential source of food poisoning; whether there are any particular foods that should have greater care than others in order to protect their quality; and whether the bacteriological contamination could have been prevented by strict observance of the city regulations for handling foods.

This study was conducted from March 3, through June 2, 1951, in order to determine to what extent pathogenic bacteria were entering the Trinity River between East Fort Worth, Texas and South Dallas, Texas, from municipal sewage disposal plants.