Group+J

  __Water Sampling at Swannanoa & Catawba River__ Landon Kym Taylor November 13, 2008  Ms. Chang E&E Science TT 3rd 

This science experiment involved sampling streams and rivers to figure out the quality of the water. Determining water quality is very important because we use this water for bathing, drinking, agriculture, and many other things. We need to know what is in the water we are using. If it is polluted or not, we can find out by sampling it, which is what we did.
 * Introduction:**

The purpose of this lab is to find out how polluted or clean the water was. We are also comparing upstream and downstream. Our hypothesis was that the Swannanoa Creek was going to be cleaner and the Catawba River was going to be dirtier. We think this because the Catawba River is located in a place where there are a lot of people around so it is going to be dirtier because people dump trash in it and other things. The Swannanoa Creek is located up in the woods so there aren't many people around therefore, less pollution. The three aspects of a stream study are chemical (DO, Nitrates, pH etc.), biological (macroinvertebrates), and physical (temperature).

   <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(57,242,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(34,250,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(39,247,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(42,168,234)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(43,238,43)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,180,229)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(50,250,0)">For this procedure you will need: <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(40,245,0)">*Nitrate, pH, Phosphate, Turbidity, Chlorine, and Dissolved Oxygen <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(44,250,0)">*A pair of tweezers <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(19,245,0)">*A kick net <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(24,250,0)">*Ice trays  <span style="COLOR: rgb(60,240,0)"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(35,250,0)">*Hand Lens <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(43,250,0)">*  <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(17,255,0)">ID <span style="COLOR: rgb(37,250,0)">Sheet <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(88,210,249)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,255,0)">*Field notebook <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(88,210,249)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,193,255)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(57,242,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(34,250,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(39,247,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(60,240,0)">*Thermometer <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,193,255)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(57,242,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(34,250,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(88,210,249)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(39,247,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(13,255,0)">*<span style="COLOR: rgb(52,250,0)">Empty bucket <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(88,210,249)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,193,255)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(57,242,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(34,250,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(27,255,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(80,245,0)">Chemical stream sampling Procedure: 1. Get one of the seven kits listed above 2. Get a sample of water from the creek/river where you are in the test tube. -The amount of water you need is in the instructions enclosed in your kit- 3. Follow the instructions to get out the appropriate amount of tablets and put them in your sample of water. Follow instructions on how many minutes to wait for it to dissolve. You may have to shake your sample of water. 4. After the tablet dissolves, you may have to let your sample water sit for an amount of time. 5. After the time is up, consult your water color key which is in your kit. Match the color of your sample water to one of the three colors on the key. You can then determine your level of Nitrate, pH, Phosphates, Turbidity, Chlorine or dissolved oxygen in the river/creek by looking on your key. 6. Record your results
 * Materials and Methods**: <span style="COLOR: rgb(43,238,43)">

Physical stream sampling Procedure: <span style="COLOR: rgb(40,250,0)">1. Get your thermometer and place it in the creek/river downstream then wait five minutes. Do the same for upstream. <span style="COLOR: rgb(31,246,4)">2. Look around and determine weather the area being sampled is a riffle, run, or pool. In a riffle, the water is flowing over rocks. In a run, the water is running but there are no rocks present. In a pool, the water is motionless. <span style="COLOR: rgb(23,255,0)">3. Now, record your results. <span style="COLOR: rgb(27,161,228)"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(18,250,0)">Biological Stream sampling procedure: <span style="COLOR: rgb(39,255,0)">1. Grab your empty bucket and ice cube tray and fill them both halfway with water from your creek/river. <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(46,225,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(88,210,249)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,193,255)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(57,242,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(34,250,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(30,255,0)">2.You and four other people get your kick net and find a place in your body of water where it is flowing. Grab the two poles and stretch the kick net across the area tightly. 3. To prevent organisms from escaping, take two large rocks and place them at the bottom of the kick net. <span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(88,210,249)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,193,255)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(57,242,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(34,250,0)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(27,161,228)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(59,250,0)">4. Some organisms may be attached to rocks, so move the rocks in the water around to loosen the organisms. Wait for a while -about five minutes- to give time for the organisms to reach the net. 5. Remove the two rocks from the bottom of the net 6. Pick up the net and fold it in half in a way to keep the organisms from falling off of the net. 7. Set the kick net on the land and unfold it. 8. Get your tweezers and a hand lens and look at the kick net. Grab anything that is moving and place it in the bucket that we earlier filled with water. 9. After getting all moving organisms, you need to sort them into groups using your tweezers, hand lens, and ice trays. Put organisms that are the same in the same cube in the tray. You may not have more than one of everything. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(27,161,228)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(61,251,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(57,242,2)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(88,210,249)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,193,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(34,250,0)">10. Use your ID sheet and record all of your information. 11. Put the organisms back in the stream/river.

<span style="COLOR: rgb(228,33,162)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(10,222,255)">*Sample 1: Stream: Swannanoa Creek Watershed: Catawba
 * Results**:

Chemicals- DO- 4% Nitrates- 2.5ppm pH- 7 Phosphates- 1ppm Chlorine- 0ppm Turbidity- 0ITU

Physical- Temperature: Upstream- 10C Downstream- 10C Shade- Yes Riffle, run, or pool- Run

Biological- Species: Number Counted: Mayfly- 4 Stone fly- 7 Caddis fly- 7 <span style="COLOR: rgb(11,10,10); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(10,218,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(10,222,255)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(10,222,255)">Aquatic Worm- 1 Water Penny- 2 Snails- 2

<span style="COLOR: rgb(10,218,255)">*Sample 2: Stream: Catawba Watershed: Catawba

Chemical: DO- 4% Nitrates- 2ppm pH- 7 Phosphates- .5ppm Chlorine- 0 Turbidity- 0ITU

Physical- Temperature: Upstream: 15C Downstream: 13C Shade: Yes Riffle, run, or pool: Run

Biological: N/A


 * Discussion**:

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 50%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)">The meaning of the results were that the Swannanoa Creek was just a little more cleaner than the Catawba River because the Catawba River had all the same test results as the Swannanoa except that the Catawba's Nitrates and Phosphates were lower than the Swannanoa's. Other than that they were the same. The ideal range for the Chlorine is under .75ppm, for Phosphates it's .1ppm, for Nitrates it's 4ppm, for Dissolved Oxygen it's 6ppm, for pH it's 7, and for turbidity it's 0. And everything fell under these ranges except for the Phosphates at both the Catawba River and Swannanoa Creek. Because the ideal range for Phosphate was .1ppm and at Catawba it was .5ppm and at Swannanoa it was 1ppm, which is to much. As a result of having to much Phosphate you could have an over growth of aquatic plants. Possible sources that Phosphate could come from would be fertilizers, wastewater, animal, and plant residue. The ideal range for the physical part, which is temperature, is above 0 C. And both the Swannanoa Creek and Catawba River were both in ideal range because they were above 0.

<span style="COLOR: rgb(250,0,0)">The macroinvertebrates that we found that were sensitive to pollution were the Mayfly, Stone fly, Caddis fly, and Water Penny. The macroinvertebrates that we found that were somewhat sensitive to pollution were none, but the Aquatic Worms and Snails we found were tolerant to pollution and have a large scale of water tolerance.

<span style="COLOR: rgb(250,0,0)">The water quality at both the Swannanoa Creek and Catawba River were about the same and as far as the living aspects of the water. It would probably be okay as long as it got filtered, which all water does. The amount of chemicals found in the water were just a little high, but not especially high or low, but at an okay level. And physically, for the temperature, the water really doesn't matter about how hot or cold the water may be, but at the sights we took the samples, both in Catawba and Swannanoa, they seemed to be fine and understandable for where they were taken and what kind of weather, shade and environmental status was around. For the biological testing we did at the Swannanoa River seemed to be what we had expected. It was normal macroinvertebrates that you would find in those sorts of creeks/streams and were mostly all sensitive or somewhat sensitive like we had expected considering that was a pretty clean stream without a lot pollution. And for the Catawba River none of the class got to do that part of the activity because we ran out of time. <span style="COLOR: rgb(245,0,14)">The Swannanoa Creek and the Catawba River were just about the same, but the Catawba was a little cleaner that the Swannanoa. We had expected the Catawba River to be a lot dirtier because it ran through the back of town where some people may dump their trash or waste instead of properly disposing and also that the Catawba River is running through town where it would probably pick up some pollution on its own just because of the fact that all the cars and gasoline would leek down into the river. And we thought that the Swannanoa Creek would be a lot more cleaner because it was up in the mountains where not a lot activity or people would be going on, but they were about the same instead. <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,51,227)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(159,26,199)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,51,227)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(159,26,199)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,51,227)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(159,26,199)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,51,227)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(159,26,199)"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"> Our hypthesis was correct. <span style="COLOR: rgb(252,3,3); FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive">Our hypothesis wasn't correct because we thought that the Catawba River would be significantly dirtier than the Swannanoa Creek. But the Swannanoa and Catawba were just about the same. The only real difference was that the Catawba had lower Nitrates and Phosphates levels than Swannanoa. But that just means that the Catawba River is cleaner than the Swannanoa Creek, not dirtier.