Water Quality

Water Quality

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What is Water Quality?

• the chemical, biological and physical status of a body of water

• how healthy the water is?

• lakes & ponds

• rivers & streams

• oceans

How do we measure whether water is HEALTHY or not?

• Temperature

• Turbidity

• pH

• Dissolved Oxygen

• Nitrates

• Phosphates

• Bioindicators

TEMPERATURE

HEALTHY WATER: 32^oF - 97^oF

UNHEALTHY WATER: below 32 degrees/above 97 degrees



TEMPERATURE

• Coral bleaching: the whitening of coral due to stress in the environment (like an increase in water temperature or UV radiation)

TEMPERATURE

• As water temperature increases , the amount of dissolved oxygen decreases

TURBIDITY

is a measure of how cloudy water is

What can cause TURBIDITY to INCREASE?

• plant plankton (phytoplankton) INCREASES - ALGAL BLOOM

• INCREASE in SEDIMENT or DIRT

• INCREASE in ANIMAL WASTE

When TURBIDITY is HIGH

• WATER will ABSORB MORE HEAT

• TEMPERATURE will INCREASE

• WARM water holds LESS OXYGEN

  
  

  so, HIGH TURBIDITY = LOW OXYGEN

  
  

pH

is the acidity of water

DISSOLVED OXYGEN

D.O.

the amount of oxygen water holds

COOLER water

holds MORE D.O.

Algal Bloom

the decay process (when the algae die) uses a large amount of oxygen and can drop the DO levels to dangerously low amounts

CHANGES D.O. LEVELS

• TEMPERATURE change

• How DEEP the water is

• How many PLANTS are in water

NITRATES

are nitrogen-containing compounds used for plant growth (fertilizers)

NITRATE levels CHANGES

• When nitrates are added

  --- fertilizers

  --- animal waste

  
  

• Can cause algae to grow at rapid rates leading to algal blooms

PHOSPHATES

naturally occurring chemical compounds which contain phosphorus and oxygen

PHOSPHATE levels CHANGE

• When phosphates are added

  --- detergents

  --- cleaners

  --- animal waste

  
  

BIOINDICATORS

are organisms that live in water that are sensitive to pollution

are used to used to determine the health of an ecosystem

Number of BIOINDICATORS CHANGE

When bad things happen

--- TURBIDITY INCREASES

--- D.O. DECREASES

--- TEMPERATURE IS TOO HIGH or LOW

or changes too much

--- pH changes

--- POLLUTION IS PRESENT

POINT SOURCE POLLUTION

Pollution that can be traced back to one location (drainpipe, smokestack, etc.)

NON POINT SOURCE POLLUTION

pollution that can NOT be traced to one location (runoff)

Multiple Choice

1. Describes the chemical, physical and biological attributes of water as it is fit for drinking, fishing, swimming, farming, etc

• Water Quality

• Water Sheds

• Dissolved oxygen

• Nitrates

Multiple Choice

2. The amount of oxygen in the water, measured in parts per million (ppm)

• pH

• Dissolved Oxygen

• nitrates

• eutrophication

Multiple Choice

3. We used bioindicators to measure the quality of water. What is a bioindicator?

• any living creature

• any living aquatic creature

• An organism not sensitive to its environment

• any aquatic organism sensitive to its environment

Multiple Choice

4. The specific bioindicator we used were macroinvertebrates. What is a macroinvertebrate?

• large enough to be seen without a microscope with no backbone (bugs)

• any bioindicator

• aquatic species like fish and crayfish

• small enough to see with a microscope

Multiple Choice

5. What is the healthiest combination listed?

• low pH, high nitrates, neutral temperature

• as many nitrates as possible, low temp and low pH

• high temp, high nitrates and high pH

• low temperature, neutral pH and low nitrates

Multiple Choice

6. High turbidity means.....

• very clear water

• neutral pH

• very murky or cloudy water

• high nitrates

Multiple Choice

7. How does increasing nitrates impact stream health

• excess algae

• increased oxygen

• increased water clarity

Multiple Choice

8. If water temperature goes UP, what happens to the level of Dissolved oxygen?

• it goes up

• it goes down

• there is no way to tell

• it stays the same

Multiple Choice

9. What is the main effect of a massive algal bloom on aquatic environments?

• lots of extra oxygen because of photosynthesis

• the water will turn green

• loss of dissolved oxygen because of the bacteria and decaying algae and aquatic plants

• toxic chemicals in the water

Multiple Choice

1. 10. Which is an example of nonpoint-source pollution?

• leakage from a sewage treatment plant

• an oil spill from a tanker ship

• warm water from a factory drainpipe

• runoff from an urban area