Jonathan Hopp

Water quality lab

Pre lab:
1. Rain water contains trace amounts of salt and other natural or
unnatural acidic materials.
2. They can starve the water and organisms in the water of dissolved
oxygen suffocating them.
3. BOD is the needed amount of DO to supply all organisms in the
environment with enough to survive.
4. Sedimentation can occur due to erosion of agricultural land or disposal
of material with small particles such as microbeads.
5. Sedimentation can lower visibility when suspended in water and create
barriers that disrupt natural water flow when settled in high amounts.
6. Warmer temperatures can force some species to move or even die out
if they are very susceptible to change but it also lowers DO in the
water causing issues for even larger more persistent species.
Test
Nitrates
Phosphates
D.O.
D.O.
pH
Iron
Copper
Hardness
Alkalinity
Temp 1
Temp 2
C
TDS
TSS
B.O.D
B.O.D
Intolerant
Moderate
Tolerant

CIV:

Result
0 mg/L
1 mg/L
4.5 mg/L
30% saturation
6
0
0
0
80
7C
11.5 C
4.5 C
150 mg/L
40 NTU
.4 mg/L
4.1 mg/L
11
11
1

Q-Value
100
40
20
55
75
80
40
-

Total
10
4
3.4
6.05
8.25
5.6
3.2
-

Jonathan Hopp

47- Excellent

WQI:

48.195- Fair

Analysis:
1. The life in the pond seemed to be fairing quite well despite the rather
low fair rating it received. This may be because of conditions around
the pond promoting life that is amphibious which is what we saw the
most of.
2. DO saturation as it is needed for all organisms that could inhabit the
ecosystem. Its weight was .17, the highest of the factors we tested.
3. It is most commonly caused by waste such as dead organic matter or
waste released by the organisms that is staying in the environment
longer than it should.
4. Movement of sediment caused by a continuous flow in the water In
addition to excess erosion in the surrounding area.
5. A thermal vent releasing heat from machinery in the surrounding area
or one area is exposed to more sunlight than another.
6. Lack of DO and forcing a species out of one area and centralizing it in
another.
7. Fecal waste is present in every ecosystem and can help it just as much
as harm it almost making it have no noticeable effects either way.
8. Other specific chemical tests can test seemingly minor changes that
may affect indicator species warning us of an upcoming drastic
change.
9. Indicator species have very low tolerance and can be drastically
harmed by the smallest changes alerting scientists of possible issues
and allowing action to be taken before more serious problems arise.