Recently, a stormwater assessment was conducted by three OSU students, Michael Kelly, Tracie Tran, and Harrison Holzgang, along with their sponsor, David Eckert, of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition.
The objectives of their research were to both assess the quality of OSU’s stormwater as well as its impact on Oak Creek, an EPA-classified impaired stream.
To conduct the assessment, water was collected from seven different sites scattered around campus, so that the runoff could be studied from different areas and surfaces. 
Results showed high levels of zinc and nitrate and acceptable levels of turbidity and conductivity. Along with that, the stormwater had no detectable E. coli. The highest level of most contaminants found was during the first rain and then only decreased after that point.
These results are important because they provide a basis to help OSU eventually become stormwater indpendent, meaning that we can reuse and treat the water on campus. To view the stormwater quality assessment in detail, you can view the results here.
