Monitoring Water Quality for ecosystem health

Why Monitor? Under the Clean Water Act, EPA asks VA to enforce laws improving the quality of our streams, rivers, & bays Under the Clean Water Act, EPA asks VA to enforce laws improving the quality of our streams, rivers, & bays Ideally, VA waters will be clean enough for humans to drink, swim and fish and for aquatic life to survive Ideally, VA waters will be clean enough for humans to drink, swim and fish and for aquatic life to survive We monitor different parameters to check the health of the water body

Streams in many VA Watersheds aren’t Healthy We live in the Potomac Basin and we have water quality problems VA wants water quality in red stream segments to improve. We monitor to check for changes.

Scientists monitor Water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay Scientists monitor Water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay As we learn and do more to protect the Bay watershed, we hope to see water quality improve As we learn and do more to protect the Bay watershed, we hope to see water quality improve We live in the Potomac Basin and we have water quality problems Stormwater from PWCS flows here

Dissolved Oxygen Oxygen enters water from Oxygen enters water from –wind, –waves –photosynthesis by aquatic plants & algae Moving streams with riffles may have more DO than ponds with standing water. Moving streams with riffles may have more DO than ponds with standing water. The colder the water the more DO it can hold. The colder the water the more DO it can hold. If decomposers like bacteria breathe in more DO than is produced, sensitive animals weaken or die. If decomposers like bacteria breathe in more DO than is produced, sensitive animals weaken or die. How Much DO is needed? > 7 mg/L Spawning trout/eggs > 6 mg/L Trout > 5 mg/L Most aquatic life > 3 mg/L Bottom feeding fish, crabs & oysters > 1 mg/L Aquatic worms, clams & midges in mud <0.2mg/L ANOXIC can NOT support life

Temperature Most aquatic animals are cold blooded Most aquatic animals are cold blooded Water temp determines how fast they grow Water temp determines how fast they grow The colder the water the more DO it can hold. The colder the water the more DO it can hold. Shaded streams are cooler than unshaded

Turbidity The greater the amount of suspended particles, like phytoplankton and clay & silt the higher the turbidity. The greater the amount of suspended particles, like phytoplankton and clay & silt the higher the turbidity. Sediment clogs gills and covers leaves, limits photosynthesis Sediment clogs gills and covers leaves, limits photosynthesis

Which pond shows the highest turbidity? What makes the water murky? B D A C

Nutrients: Nitrogen & Phosphate Found in fertilizer and animal poop Found in fertilizer and animal poop N and P help algae grow N and P help algae grow When algae die and sink to the bottom, bacteria feed on it using up all the DO. When algae die and sink to the bottom, bacteria feed on it using up all the DO.

Salinity Also called Specific Conductivity Also called Specific Conductivity Measures amount of salt (ions) in the water Measures amount of salt (ions) in the water In freshwater it can measure the amount of pollution In freshwater it can measure the amount of pollution

pH pH Measures the H + ion concentration. Measures the H + ion concentration. Determines whether a chemical, nutrient or metal can be dissolved or used by aquatic life. Determines whether a chemical, nutrient or metal can be dissolved or used by aquatic life. On sunny days algae uses up CO 2 (acidic) which increases pH On sunny days algae uses up CO 2 (acidic) which increases pH

Macroinvertebrates The numbers of and type of inverts collected, shows the health of a stream or pond The numbers of and type of inverts collected, shows the health of a stream or pond

We monitor these parameters to get a good overall picture of the health of a water body. Water clarity: How warm the water is: Who can breathe underwater: Acidity or alkalinity: Amount of salt in an estuary or pollution in freshwater: Diversity of animal life: Turbidity Animal manure run off: Which parameter measures for this? Temperature Macroinvertebrates Dissolved Oxygen Salinity or Specific Conductivity pH Nitrates & Phosphates

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Image Credits: Virginia Monitoring 3 images: Virginia Monitoring 3 images: Discharge pipes: Discharge pipes: Sediment in stream: Sediment in stream: Cows in stream: Cows in stream: Storme drain: Storme drain: Dog poop: Dog poop: Report card Bay image: Report card Bay image: Stream riffles: sw.jpg Stream riffles: sw.jpghttp://photography.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/Photography/Images/POD/w/white-mountain-stream sw.jpghttp://photography.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/Photography/Images/POD/w/white-mountain-stream sw.jpg Sea Temp Influences: Sea Temp Influences: Secchi disks: Secchi disks: Turbidity cups: Feedlot images: Chickens: Conductivity graphic: Biotic Index: Golf course pond: Fish in lake: