Water Chemistry

Conductivity

• A measurement of the ability of water to carry an electrical current.

• Higher conductivity indicates that more material is dissolved material, which may contain more
contaminants.
• 0-800 good drinking water, 800-2500 taste salty, 2500-10000 not suitable for use

North Site Conductivity

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
03

04

05
2

03

04

05

5
2

5
3

5
03

04

05
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0
n-

n-

n-
b-

b-

b-
r-

r-

r-
ec

ec

ec

ec
ct

ct

ct

ct
g

g
Ju

Ju

Ju
Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap
Au

Au

Au
O

O
D

pH
• Measure of how basic or acidic a substance is.
• 7 is neutral, 1 is the most acidic, 14 is the most basic
• Fish prefer water with pH between 6.5-8.2

North Site pH

14

12

10

8
North Site pH
6

0
03

04

05
2

03

04

05

5
2

5
03

05
03

04

05
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0
n-

n-

n-
b-

b-

b-
g-

g-
r-

r-

r-
ec

ec

ec

ec
ct

ct

ct

ct
g
Ju

Ju

Ju
Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap
Au

Au

Au
O

O
D

D
Alkalinity

• Important to aquatic life because alkalinity keeps the pH in the water constant.
• Alkalinity buffers the water against sudden changes in pH
• Fish need a constant pH, alkalinity levels of 100-120 mg/L will keep the water buffered against sudden
changes.

North Site Alkalinity

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
03

04

05
2

03

04

05

5
2

5
3

5
3

5
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0
n-

n-

n-
b-

b-

b-
ec

ec

ec

ec
ct

ct

ct

ct
g

g
r

r
Ju

Ju

Ju
Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap
Au

Au

Au
O

O
D

D
Phosphates
• An element necessary for plant growth
• Does little or no harm to plants or animals, even in high quantities
• High levels increase plant growth. Plants eventually die using oxygen when they decompose.
• 0.1 mg/L recommended maximum for rivers and streams

North Site Phosphates

0
03

04

05
2

03

04

05

5
2

5
3

5
03

04

05
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0
n-

n-

n-
b-

b-

b-
r-

r-

r-
ec

ec

ec

ec
ct

ct

ct

ct
g

g
Ju

Ju

Ju
Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap
Au

Au

Au
O

O
D

D
Sulfates
•
• Cause rotten egg smell
• Drinking water should contain less than 250 mg/L, high levels won’t hurt humans, but taste bad.
• Excellent fisheries usually have less than 90 mg/L.

North Site Sulfates

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
03

04

05
2

03

04

05

5
2

5
3

5
3

5
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0
n-

n-

n-
b-

b-

b-
ec

ec

ec

ec
ct

ct

ct

ct
g

g
r

r
Ju

Ju

Ju
Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap
Au

Au

Au
O

O
D

D
Nitrates
• Get into water from fertilizer, manure, septic systems and car exhaust.
• Can cause serious illness/death in animals including humans.
• US Public Health Service allows only 10 mg/L in drinking water. Most fish can tolerate higher levels.
North Site Nitrates

10

0
03

04

05
2

03

04

05

5
2

5
3

5
3

5
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0
-0

-0

-0
n-

n-

n-
b-

b-

b-
ec

ec

ec

ec
ct

ct

ct

ct
g

g
r

r
Ju

Ju

Ju
Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap

Fe

Ap
Au

Au

Au
O

O
D