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Measuring Water Quality

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?.

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Measuring Water Quality

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  1. Measuring Water Quality

  2. 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

  3. What chemical factors are used to measure water quality? • Dissolved 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

  4. What chemical factors are used to measure water quality? • Nutrients • NPK • Too many can stimulate algal growtheutrophication • Toxins • Metals, pesticides, oils, etc

  5. What physical factors are used to measure water quality? • Temperature • 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

  6. What physical factors are used to measure water quality? • Substrate on bottom • Large sediments stir up more water, increasing DO • Turbidity (Clarity) • How much solid is being carried in the bedload

  7. 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 • Bioindicators • 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

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