Measuring water quality

How do scientists measure water quality?

Water samples, aerial photography, and aquatic

life forms
The health of a water body can be determined
by analyzing physical, chemical and biological
factors

What chemical factors are used to

measure water quality?

Dissolve oxygen (DO)

How much oxygen is available for organisms to
breathe
What photosynthetic organisms are
making/using oxygen
pH
Measure of chemicals dissolved in water
Too high or low can be deadly

Nutrients
NPK
Too many can stimulate algal
growtheutrophication
Toxins
Metals, pesticides, oils, etc.
What physical factors are used to measure

Temperature

water quality?

Dictates what life forms can survive

Correlated to the amount of direct sunlight
Warmer water contains less DO than cold water
Amount and speed of water

Some water is slow moving or even stagnant,

where as obstructions or curved paths can
create rapids
Substrate on bottom
Large sediments stir up more water, increasing
DO

Turbidity (Clarity)
How much solid is being carried in the bedload

What biological factors are used to

measure water quality?

Pathogens
Viruses and bacteria (fecal coliforms), mostly
from failing septic systems, untreated human
waste, and animal waste

Biondicators
Living things that provide information about
water quality
Fish, plants, and macroinvertebrates (snails,
worms, larvae)
Only species most tolerant will be found in
heavily polluted waters