DissolvedOxygenandWaterQuality

IntroductiontoWaterQuality
Isitsafefordrinking?Canfishandotheraquaticlifethriveinstreamsandlakesthatareaffectedbyhuman activities?Whatisthewaterquality?Toanswerthesequestions,itishelpfultounderstandwhat"waterquality"means, howitisdetermined,andthenaturalprocessesandhumanactivitiesthataffectwaterquality. Waterqualityisameasureoftheusefulnessofwaterforaparticularpurposebasedoncertainphysical, chemical,andbiologicalcharacteristics.Todeterminewaterquality,scientistsfirstmeasureandanalyzecharacteristics ofthewatersuchastemperature,dissolvedmineralcontent,andnumberofbacteria.Selectedcharacteristicsarethen comparedtostandardsandguidelinestodecideifthewaterissuitableforaparticularuse. DissolvedOxygen Youcan'ttellbylookingatwaterthatthereisoxygeninit(unlessyourememberthatchemicalmakeupofa watermoleculeishydrogenandoxygen).But,ifyoulookataclosedbottleofasoftdrink,youdon'tseethecarbon dioxidedissolvedinthatuntilyoushakeitupandopenthetop.Theoxygendissolvedinlakes,rivers,andoceansis crucialfortheorganismsandcreatureslivinginit.Astheamountofdissolvedoxygendropsbelownormallevelsin waterbodies,thewaterqualityisharmedandcreaturesbegintodieoff.Indeed,awaterbodycan"die",aprocess calledeutrophication.

Althoughwatermoleculescontainanoxygenatom,thisoxygenisnotwhatisneededbyaquaticorganismsliving innaturalwaters.Dissolvedoxygenreferstothesmallamountofoxygengas(O2),uptoabouttenmoleculesof oxygenpermillionofwater,isactuallydissolvedinwater.Oxygenentersastreambydiffusionfromtheatmosphere and,inareaswheregroundwaterdischargeintostreamsisalargeportionofstreamflow,fromgroundwaterdischarge. Thisdissolvedoxygenisbreathedbyfishandzooplanktonandisneededbythemtosurvive.

Dissolvedoxygenandwaterquality Rapidlymovingwater,suchasinamountainstreamorlargeriver,tendstocontainalotofdissolvedoxygen, whereasstagnantwatercontainsless.Bacteriainwatercanconsumeoxygenasorganicmatterdecays.Thus,excess organicmaterialinlakesandriverscancauseeutrophicconditions,whichisanoxygendeficientsituationthatcancause awaterbody"todie."Aquaticlifecanhaveahardtimeinstagnantwaterthathasalotofrotting,organicmaterialinit, especiallyinsummer(theconcentrationofdissolvedoxygenisinverselyrelatedtowatertemperature),when dissolvedoxygenlevelsareataseasonallow.Waternearthesurfaceofthelakeistoowarmforthem,whilewaternear thebottomhastoolittleoxygen.Conditionsmaybecomeespeciallyseriousduringaperiodofhot,calmweather, resultinginthelossofmanyfish.Youmayhaveheardaboutsummertimefishkillsinlocallakesthatlikelyresultfrom problem.

Dissolvedoxygen,temperature,andaquaticlife

Asthischartshows,theconcentrationofdissolvedoxygeninsurfacewateriscontrolledbytemperatureandhas bothaseasonalandadailycycle.Coldwatercanholdmoredissolvedoxygenthanwarmwater.Inwinterandearly spring,whenthewatertemperatureislow,thedissolvedoxygenconcentrationishigh.Insummerandfall,whenthe watertemperatureishigh,thedissolvedoxygenconcentrationislow. Photosynthesisistheprocessbywhichplantsmakefoodfromthesun.Duringthisprocess,plantsrelease oxygen.Therefore,thepresenceofaquaticplantscanincreasedissolvedoxygenlevelsandbebeneficialforthehealth ofthewater.However,excessiveplantgrowth,particularlyalgae,candecreasedissolvedoxygenlevels.Thisisbecame thealgaetendtogrowrapidlyaphenomenonknownasanalgalbloomandthendieoffquickly.Whenthealgae die,thebacteriathatbreakitdownconsumeoxygen,loweringdissolvedoxygenlevelsanddecreasingwaterquality. MeasuringDissolvedOxygen Dissolvedoxygenismeasuredusinganelectronicprobe.Theunitsaremg/L.Areadingof02indicatesthere areverylow,andpossiblydeadlylevelsofdissolvedoxygen.Areadingof35meanslevelsaresomewhatlow,and maybestressfultosomeaquaticorganisms.Areadingof6oraboveindicatesanormal,healthylevelofdissolved oxygen.

pHandWaterQuality
IntroductiontoWaterQuality Isitsafefordrinking?Canfishandotheraquaticlifethriveinstreamsandlakesthatareaffectedbyhuman activities?Whatisthewaterquality?Toanswerthesequestions,itishelpfultounderstandwhat"waterquality"means, howitisdetermined,andthenaturalprocessesandhumanactivitiesthataffectwaterquality. Waterqualityisameasureoftheusefulnessofwaterforaparticularpurposebasedoncertainphysical, chemical,andbiologicalcharacteristics.Todeterminewaterquality,scientistsfirstmeasureandanalyzecharacteristics ofthewatersuchastemperature,dissolvedmineralcontent,andnumberofbacteria.Selectedcharacteristicsarethen comparedtostandardsandguidelinestodecideifthewaterissuitableforaparticularuse. pH pHisameasureoftheacidicorbasic(alkaline)natureofasolution.Itisthehydrogenion(H+)concentration thatdeterminespHofasolution.Awatermoleculeismadeupofhydrogenion(H+)andahydroxideion(OH): H++OH=H20.

pHisdeterminedandrecordedasanumberbetween0and14.Distilled(pure)waterhasapHof7whichis neutral.ThismeansthatthelevelofH+andOHionsinpurewaterareequal.IfthelevelofH+ionsincreases,the substanceisconsideredanacidandthepHnumberisbelow7.IfthelevelofOHionsincreases,thesubstanceis consideredtobealkalineorbaseandthepHnumberisabove7. Anacidhasarangeof0toanynumericalvaluebelow7.Forexample,6.9wouldbeaweakacid.Abasehasa rangeofanynumericalvalueabove7to14with7beinganeutralvalue.AoneunitchangeinthepH,from4to3,isa tenfoldchangeinhowacidicthesubstancehasbecome.ThismeansthatapHof3istentimesmoreacidicthanapH of4. pHandwaterquality IntheUnitedStates,thepHofmostnaturalwatersystemsrangefrom6.58.5,butwidevariationscanoccur duetoincreasesintheatmosphereofnitrogenoxidesandsulfurdioxidesfromautomobileandcoalfiredpowerplant emissions.Theseoxidesareconvertedtonitricandsulfuricacidsintheatmosphereandfalltoearthasacidrainor snow.ThisacidicprecipitationcanadverselylowerthepHofaquaticecosystems.Indeadzones,wherethecarbon dioxidelevelsarehighanddissolvedoxygenlevelsareverylow,carbonicacidformscausingpHtobecomeacidic.

ExcessivelyhighandlowpHscanbedetrimentalfortheuseofwater.Certainchemicals,likedetergents (ammonia),cancausethepHofwatertoincrease.HighpHcausesabittertaste,waterpipesandwaterusing appliancesbecomeencrustedwithdeposits,anditdepressestheeffectivenessofthedisinfectionofchlorine,thereby causingtheneedforadditionalchlorinewhenpHishigh.LowpHwaterwillcorrodeordissolvemetalsandother substances.

Pollutioncanchangeawater'spH,whichinturncanharmanimalsandplantslivinginthewater.Forinstance, watercomingoutofanabandonedcoalminecanhaveapHof2,whichisveryacidicandwoulddefinitelyaffectany fishcrazyenoughtotrytoliveinit!Byusingthelogarithmscale,thisminedrainagewaterwouldbe100,000timesmor acidicthanneutralwatersostayoutofabandonedmines! ThepHscale:

Nitrates/PhosphatesandWaterQuality
IntroductiontoWaterQuality Isitsafefordrinking?Canfishandotheraquaticlifethriveinstreamsandlakesthatareaffectedbyhuman activities?Whatisthewaterquality?Toanswerthesequestions,itishelpfultounderstandwhat"waterquality"means, howitisdetermined,andthenaturalprocessesandhumanactivitiesthataffectwaterquality. Waterqualityisameasureoftheusefulnessofwaterforaparticularpurposebasedoncertainphysical, chemical,andbiologicalcharacteristics.Todeterminewaterquality,scientistsfirstmeasureandanalyzecharacteristics ofthewatersuchastemperature,dissolvedmineralcontent,andnumberofbacteria.Selectedcharacteristicsarethen comparedtostandardsandguidelinestodecideifthewaterissuitableforaparticularuse. Nitrates/Phosphates(Nutrients) Bothnitrogenandphosphorousareelementsthatlivingthingsneedtogrowandsurvive.Thesenutrientsare beneficialwhentheyarepresentintherightamount,butcanpollutewateriftheyareinexcess(toomuch).

Nitratesareachemicalformofnitrogenfoundinwater.Normallyonlysmallamountsarefoundnaturally,butan increaseinnitratelevelscancomefrommanymanmadesourcessuchasseptic(sewer)systems,fertilizerrunoffand improperlytreatedwastewater.Asnitratesincrease,theyactasaplantnutrientandcauseanextremeincreaseinplant growth.Astheplantmaterialdiesanddecomposes,thebacteriathatbreaksdowntheplantsusesuplotsofoxygen.As aresult,dissolvedoxygenlevelsdecrease,whichcanhurtfishandotheraquaticlife.

Phosphatesareachemicalformofphosphorousfoundinwater.Sourcesofphosphatesincludeseptictanks, runofffromfeedlots,runofffromagricultureandwastewatertreatmentplants.Likewithnitrates,ifphosphatelevelsare toohighthereisanincreaseinthegrowthofaquaticplants,especiallyalgae.Thisissometimescalledanalgalbloom. Withtheincreaseinalgalgrowthanddecomposition,thedissolvedoxygenlevelswilldecrease.Detergentswith phosphateswereaprimesourceofpollutionbeforemanufacturersdevelopedphosphatefreealternatives. TheEPAsuggestthatunpollutedwatersshallhavelessthan0.1mg/lofphosphatesandshallcontainlessthan1 mg/lofnitrates.

TemperatureandWaterQuality
IntroductiontoWaterQuality Isitsafefordrinking?Canfishandotheraquaticlifethriveinstreamsandlakesthatareaffectedbyhuman activities?Whatisthewaterquality?Toanswerthesequestions,itishelpfultounderstandwhat"waterquality"means, howitisdetermined,andthenaturalprocessesandhumanactivitiesthataffectwaterquality. Waterqualityisameasureoftheusefulnessofwaterforaparticularpurposebasedoncertainphysical, chemical,andbiologicalcharacteristics.Todeterminewaterquality,scientistsfirstmeasureandanalyzecharacteristics ofthewatersuchastemperature,dissolvedmineralcontent,andnumberofbacteria.Selectedcharacteristicsarethen comparedtostandardsandguidelinestodecideifthewaterissuitableforaparticularuse. Temperature Thetemperatureofanaquaticecosystemisveryimportantbecauseitcanaffect: 1. dissolvedoxygenlevels 2. therateatwhichalgaeandaquaticplantsphotosynthesize 3. themetabolismofaquaticorganisms(metabolismisallofthethingsanorganismdoestostayalive) 4. howaquaticorganismsareaffectedbydifferentpollutants,parasitesandpathogens.

Coldwatercanholdmoredissolvedoxygenthanwarmwater.Oneofthemanmadeproblemsassociatedwith waterqualityisthermal(heat)pollution.Thermalpollutioniswhenwarmwaterisaddedintoanaquaticecosystem. Sourcesincludeindustriessuchaspowerplants,andalsostormdrainrunoffwhichhasbeenwarmedonstreets,parking lotsandsidewalks.

Inaddition,humanactivitiessuchascuttingdowntrees,theremovalofvegetationaroundthewater,and constructioncanleadtoanincreaseinwatertemperature.Thesepracticescanincreaseerosion(whensoiliswashed awaybymovingwater)whichincreasessediments(dirt)inthewater.Assedimentsincrease,thewaterbecomesturbid, orcloudy.Cloudywaterabsorbsmoreofthesun'srayswhichincreasesthewatertemperature.

Increasesintemperaturecanchangeaquaticplants..Asthetemperatureincreases,therateofphotosynthesis increases.Photosynthesisistheprocessbywhichplantsuseenergyfromthesuntomakefood.Whenplants photosynthesize,theygiveoffoxygen.Somephotosynthesisisgoodforwater.Butifthewateristoowarm,thenthereis onetypeofplantthatgrowsalotalgae!Algaecangrowsothickthatitblocksoutthesun,andkillsalltheother plants.Thisiscalledanalgalbloom.Whentheplantsandalgaedie,bacteriabreakthemdie.Thebacteriauseupall theoxygeninthewaterdecomposingthedeadplants.Thiscauseslowoxygenlevelsandpoorwaterquality.

Runoffandwaterquality
IntroductiontoWaterQuality Isitsafefordrinking?Canfishandotheraquaticlifethriveinstreamsandlakesthatareaffectedbyhuman activities?Whatisthewaterquality?Toanswerthesequestions,itishelpfultounderstandwhat"waterquality"means, howitisdetermined,andthenaturalprocessesandhumanactivitiesthataffectwaterquality. Waterqualityisameasureoftheusefulnessofwaterforaparticularpurposebasedoncertainphysical, chemical,andbiologicalcharacteristics.Todeterminewaterquality,scientistsfirstmeasureandanalyzecharacteristics ofthewatersuchastemperature,dissolvedmineralcontent,andnumberofbacteria.Selectedcharacteristicsarethen comparedtostandardsandguidelinestodecideifthewaterissuitableforaparticularuse. Runoff Runoffisthewaterthatflowsoverthegroundafteraheavyrain.

Mostoftherainfallinforestedareasissoakedintosoils,isstoredasgroundwater,andslowlymakesitswayto streamsthroughsprings.Floodingislesscommoninthesemorenaturalconditionsbecausewatersoaksintotheground, whichlessenstheamountofrunoffintoastreamduringthestorm. Asareasoflandthatdrainintosmallriversareurbanized(builtupwithhousesandroads),muchofthe vegetation(plants)isreplacedbymanmadesurfaces.Thesearesometimescalledimpervioussurfaces,whichmeans theyarenotpermeabletowaterwatercannotsoakintothem.Impervioussurfacesreducetheamountofwater returningtothegroundwater.Infact,theycausemorestormwaterrunofftooccur.Thisrunoffiscollectedbydrainage systemssuchasstormsewers(asshowninthispicture),andditches,whichcarryrunoffdirectlytostreams.Inareasin whichpeoplehavebuilttownsandcity,waterarrivesmuchmorequicklyintostreams,causingmoreflooding.

Runofffromagriculturalland(andevenourownyards)cancarryexcessmanureorfertilizerintostreams,lakes, andgroundwatersupplies.Thesesubstancescontainnitrogenandphosphorus,nutrientsthathavethepotentialto degrade(lower)waterquality. Whyisstormwaterrunoffaproblem?

Asitflowsoverthelandsurface,stormwaterpicksuppollutantsthatmayincludesediment,nutrients(fromlawn fertilizers),bacteria(fromanimalandhumanwaste),pesticides(fromlawnandgardenchemicals),metals(fromrooftop androadways),andpetroleumbyproducts(fromleakingvehicles).Pollutionoriginatingoveralargelandareawithouta singlepointoforiginandgenerallycarriedbystormwaterisconsiderednonpointsourcepollution.Incontrast,point sourcepollutionispollutionthatoriginatesfromasinglesource,suchasafactoryorlandfill.Pollutedstormwaterruno canbeharmfultoplants,animals,andpeople.

BioindicatorsandWaterQuality
IntroductiontoWaterQuality
Isitsafefordrinking?Canfishandotheraquaticlifethriveinstreamsandlakesthatareaffectedbyhuman activities?Whatisthewaterquality?Toanswerthesequestions,itishelpfultounderstandwhat"waterquality"means, howitisdetermined,andthenaturalprocessesandhumanactivitiesthataffectwaterquality. Waterqualityisameasureoftheusefulnessofwaterforaparticularpurposebasedoncertainphysical, chemical,andbiologicalcharacteristics.Todeterminewaterquality,scientistsfirstmeasureandanalyzecharacteristics ofthewatersuchastemperature,dissolvedmineralcontent,andnumberofbacteria.Selectedcharacteristicsarethen comparedtostandardsandguidelinestodecideifthewaterissuitableforaparticularuse.

Bioindicators Biomeanslife.Abioindicatorisalivingorganismsthatindicates(shows)ifabodyofwateriscleanor polluted.Onetypeofbioindicatorsareaquaticmacroinvertebrates.Aquaticmeanstheyliveinthewater.Macro meanstheyarebigenoughtoseewithoutamicroscope.Invertebratemeanstheydonthaveabackbonethis includesthingslikeinsectsandcrustaceans.Theseorganismsoftenliveinthewateraslarva(babies),andthenturninto adultsandleavethewater.Ifthereisalotofdiversity(differenttypes)ofmacroinvertebratesitusuallymeansthewater ishealthy.Ifthereisnotalotofdiversityofmacroinvertebrates,itmaymeanthewaterispolluted.Ifyoufindmorethan 22speciesofmacroinvertebrates,youhaveexcellentwaterquality.Ifyoufind1722species,youhavegoodwater quality.Ifyoufind1116species,youhavefairwaterquality.Ifyoufindlessthan11species,youprobablyhavepoor waterquality. Wheretofindbioindicators Youcanfindaquaticmacroinvertebratesinalotofdifferentplaceslakes,ponds,streams,andrivers.When lookingastream,youwanttolookinawidevarietyofplacesbytheedgeofthestreamandinthemiddle,wherethe waterismovingfastandwhereitformspoolsanddoesnotmovealot.Oneofthebestplacestolookisinrifflearea thisiswherethewaterismovingquickly,usuallyoverrocks.Youcanfindthemacroinvertebratesbypickinguprocks, orbyscrapinganetalongtherocksorthebottomofthestream. TypesofMacroinvertebrates Therearethreegroupsofmacroinvertebrates:First,therearemacroinvertebratesthatarepollutionintolerant (highquality).Theycannottolerate(livewith)pollution.Thismeansifthereisanypollution,theywilldie.Ifyoufind lotsofthesemacroinvertebrates,youknowyourstreammustbehealthy.Theyneedlotsofoxygen,aneutralpH,and coolwatertolive.Herearesomeexamplesofthesemacroinvertebrates: Mayflies Stoneflies Caddisflies

Thesecondgroupofmacroinvertebratesaresomewhatpollutiontolerant(middlequality).Theycan toleratesomepollution,butnottoomuch.Ifthereisalotofpollution,theywilldie.Herearesomeexamplesofthese macroinvertebrates: Dragonflies Damselflies

Thethirdgroupofmacroinvertebratesarepollutiontolerant(lowquality).Theycantoleratelotsofpollution. Theycanlivewithverylittleoxygen,loworhighpHs,andwarmerwater.Ifyouonlyfindthesemacroinvertebrates, thereisagoodchanceyourwaterispolluted.Herearesomeexamplesofthesemacroinvertebrates: Mosquitoes Midges

TurbidityandWaterQuality
IntroductiontoWaterQuality
Isitsafefordrinking?Canfishandotheraquaticlifethriveinstreamsandlakesthatareaffectedbyhuman activities?Whatisthewaterquality?Toanswerthesequestions,itishelpfultounderstandwhat"waterquality"means, howitisdetermined,andthenaturalprocessesandhumanactivitiesthataffectwaterquality. Waterqualityisameasureoftheusefulnessofwaterforaparticularpurposebasedoncertainphysical, chemical,andbiologicalcharacteristics.Todeterminewaterquality,scientistsfirstmeasureandanalyzecharacteristics ofthewatersuchastemperature,dissolvedmineralcontent,andnumberofbacteria.Selectedcharacteristicsarethen comparedtostandardsandguidelinestodecideifthewaterissuitableforaparticularuse. Turbidity Turbidityisthemeasureofrelativeclarity(clearness)ofaliquid.Itisancharacteristicofwaterandisan expressionoftheamountoflightthatisscatteredbymaterialinthewaterwhenalightisshinedthroughthewater sample.Thehighertheintensityofscatteredlight,thehighertheturbidity.Materialthatcauseswatertobeturbid (unclear)includeclay,silt,deadleaves,algae,solublecoloredcompounds,andplanktonandothermicroscopic organisms.

Turbiditymakeswatercloudyoropaque.Turbidityreportedinnephelometricturbidityunits(NTU).During periodsoflowwaterflow(baseflow),manyriversareacleargreencolor,andturbidityislow,usuallylessthan10 NTU.Duringarainstorm,sediments(dirt)fromthesurroundinglandarewashedintotherivermakingthewatera muddybrowncolor,indicatingwaterthathasahighturbidity.Also,duringhighflows,waterismovingfaster,whichca stirupmaterialfromthestreambed(thebottomofthestream),causinghigherturbidites. Turbidityandwaterquality Highturbiditylevelsstoplightfrompenetrating(goingthrough)thewater.Thiscankillaquaticplants,andthe organismsthatrelyonthoseplantsforfood.Instreams,increasedsedimentationcanoccur(moredirtinthewater), andcanresultinharmtohabitatareasforfishandotheraquaticlife.Sedimentsinthewaterprovideattachmentplaces forotherpollutants,notablymetalsandbacteria.Forthisreason,turbidityreadingscanbeusedasanindicatorof potentialpollutioninawaterbody.

Turbidityandhumanhealth Excessiveturbidity,orcloudiness,indrinkingwaterisaestheticallyunappealing,andmayalsorepresentahealth concern.Turbiditycanprovidefoodandshelterforpathogens(bacteriaandvirusesthatcausediseases).Ifnot removed,turbiditycanpromoteregrowthofpathogensinthedistributionsystem,leadingtowaterbornedisease outbreaks.