Group+E

Stream Study Lab Kara Ben Michael Lauren

October 24, 2008 Earth and Enviromental Science, Mrs. Chang MWF 3rd


 * Introduction:**

As a class we took a trip to two different streams. One was upstream and one was downstream but they were the same river. We sampled streams to test for water quality. It is important to monitor water quality because we drink it and depend upon clean water for daily uses. Chemical, physical, and biological are the three aspects of water study.

The purpose of the lab was to compare upstream to downstream water qualities. We believe that water quality can be affected by the location of the stream/river. It’s important because the water flows down and if is contaminated then it will effect the water down stream. If some one lives up stream and pollutes it then it will flow down and affect the water quality down stream.


 * Materials and Methods**:

Materials
 * kicknet
 * containers
 * tweezers
 * thermometer
 * pH kit
 * chlorine kit
 * nitrate kit
 * phosphate kit
 * turbitity kit
 * disolved oxygen kit
 * plastic bags
 * ice trays
 * waste water bottles
 * ID chart
 * __Method__**
 * 1) Both groups test water with kits
 * 2) Record results
 * 3) Two people stand the kicknet in water
 * 4) Two other people put rocks on the kicknet and scuff up dirt
 * 5) Stir up water to collect all the macroinvertabrates
 * 6) Wait for two minutes
 * 7) Lift the kicknet out of the water
 * 8) Find all macroinvertabrates
 * 9) Observe and record all the different species

__**Results**:__

Date: 10/15/2008 Time: 12:15 Weather: Sunny, Pretty Stream: Swannanoa Creek Watershed: Mill Creek (Catawba)
 * __Sample #1__**

__Chemical__ DO: 4% Nitrates: 0 ppm pH: 7 Phosphates: 0.5 ppm Chlorine: 0 ppm Turbitity: 0 JTU

__Physical__ Temperature: upstream: 14 °C downstream: 14°C Shade? Yes Riffle, Run, Pool.... all three

__Biological__ Species: Count: Water Penny 6 Stone Fly 1 Midge 1 Mayfly 2 Catusfly 5 Cranefly 1 Other Observations: Crawfish

__**Sample #2**__ Date: 10/15/08 Time: 1:40 P.M. Weather: Sunny Stream: Catawba River Watershed: Catawba

__Chemical__ Dissolved Oxygen: 4% Nitrates: 1 ppm pH: 9 Phosphates: 1 ppm Chlorine: 0 ppm Turbidity: 0 JTU

__Physical__ Temperature: upstream: 18 °C downstream: 18 °C Shade?: Partly shaded Riffle, run, pool..... run/pool

__Biological__ N/A


 * Discussion**:

We estimated the water quality was good. After comparing the two sites they were only a couple off. Sample one was in ideal range for all of the chemicals. Sample two was not in the ideal range for pH and Phosphates but the rest were in the ideal range.pH was off three and phosphates was one off.

The macroinvertebrates we found helped us determine the water quality was good. The macroinvertebrates were some what sensitive.

At Swannanoa creek the water was very good all of our chemicals were in the ideal range and our temperature was the same up stream and down stream and our biological species we found meant we had good water quality. At the Catawba river the water was some what good our chemical tests were a couple off and our temperatures had gone up four degrees and we didn’t get to study our biological species because we were running out of time. The water at the last sight look cloudy/murky and it didn’t look like their were any species living in it.

There was not much difference between Swannanoa Creek and the Catawba River. The chemical aspects of the two tested sites varied only a slight amount. In fact, the only aspects that did vary were the pH and phosphate levels (7 to 9 and 0.5 to 1 respectively). All other chemical measurements remained the same for both streams.The physical aspects of the streams had a little more difference but still remained in the same range.

[Finally, accept/reject your hypothesis.]