Stream Quality Lab

STREAM STUDY LAB IN CLASS STUDY

Temp is very important to water quality. Temperature affects the amount of dissolved oxygen in

. the water, the rate of photosynthesis by aquatic plants, and the sensitivity of organisms to toxic P

M wastes, parasites and disease. Thermal pollution, the discharge of heated water from industrial E

T operations, for example can cause temp. changes that threaten the balance of aquatic systems.

DO is important to the health of aquatic ecosystems. All

aquatic animals need O2 to survive. Natural waters with consistently high DO levels are most likely healthy and stable N

E environments and are G

Y capable of supporting a X

O diversity of aquatic organisms. Natural and human-induced changes to the aquatic environment

D can affect the ability of dissolved oxygen. DO % saturation is an important measurement of E

V water quality. L O S

S Cold water can hold more DO than warmer water. For example, water at 28C will be 100% I

D saturated with 8 ppm DO. However water a 8 C can hold up to 12 ppm of oxygen before it is 100% saturated. High levels of bacteria from sewage pollution or large amounts of rotting plants can cause the % saturation to decrease. This can cause large fluctuations in DO levels throughout the day which can affect the ability of plants and animals to thrive.

pH is a measurement of the acidic or basic quality of water. The pH scale ranges from a value of 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very basic) with 7 being neutral. The pH of natural water is usually H

p between 6.5 and 8.2. Most aquatic organisms are adapted to a pH can be affected by industrial waste, agricultural runoff or drainage from improperly run mining operations.

Turbidity is the measurement of the relative clarity of water. Turbid water is caused by Y

T suspended and colloidal matter such as clay, silt, organic and inorganic matter and microscopic I D

I organisms. Turbidity should not be confused with color, since darkly colored water can still be B clear and not turbid. Turbid water may be the result of soil erosion, urban runoff, algal blooms, R

U and bottom sediment disturbances which can be caused by boat traffic and abundant bottom T feeding. STREAM QUALITY LAB NAME: ______Block: ____ IN CLASS PREP LAB PARNERS: ______

Parameter Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Location L / M / U L / M / U L / M / U Air Temp 62 62 62 (◦C) Water 16 16 16 Temp (◦C) DO 8 ppm 8 ppm 4 ppm

pH 7.5 7.5 8

Turbidity 40 JTU 20 JTU 10 JTU

e t Snail 3 Segmented Worm 1 a r b

e Aquatic Worm 7 Clam 9 t r

e Stonefly 1 Caddis fly 47 v n i

o May fly 3 Midge larvae 1 r c

a Damselfly 3 Stonefly 1 M t

n Snail egg cases 6 Crawfish 1 e s e r P

s m s i n a g r O ) a x a T

p u o r G

e d u l c n i ( 1. Describe the best way to collect a water sample that is a good example of the whole stream.Describethe wayto athea thatgood ofwhole 1. water sample example best collect is QuestionsLab Dissolved/ 2.OxygenSaturation Percent

c. Identify and explain 2 explainfactorsandIdentify can affectc.that DO. the %othersaturation? taken measurement considerationdetermining theWhat b. iswhen into percentWhat saturation a.does mean? FACTOR Number of organisms HOW DOES IT CHANGE THE DISSOLVED CHANGEIT OXYGEN?HOWTHE DISSOLVED DOES 3. Consider the levels of pH and DO that were found in the stream at all test sites. How do these parameters relate to the ability for organisms to live in the water?

4. a. What is one effect of increased sedimentation on filter feeders and other aquatic organisms found in an aquatic ecosystem?

b. In your expert opinion, is the turbidity of this water livable for fish? Explain your reasoning.

5. Organisms a. Summarize the importance of the organisms found in the stream (Include the importance of group taxa). b. How can organisms indicate water quality? What do the organisms in this lab tell us about our water quality in the Little Sugar Creek?

6. Consider the 5 tests that were performed. These tests tell us mostly about the natural quality of the stream, and tell us little about the human influences on the stream. Name & describe three other tests that could be performed on the stream to identify possible pollutants on the stream, and tell where those pollutants could have come from.

POLLUTANT TEST NAME DESCRIPTION OF HOW TO PERFORM THE TEST TESTING FOR