1. Core Lab 1: Water Health Test
Destination: Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club

2. Words to understand...
Definitions

3. Temperature
A healthy river will have a low temperature. The cooler the water, the more dissolved oxygen it will hold.

4. Dissolved Oxygen
More dissolved oxygen means a healthier environment. Organisms become stressed when dissolved oxygen levels are less than 5mg/L.

5. Turbidity
How clear the water is. A healthy river has low turbidity, which means the water is clear. High turbidity means that the water is very cloudy.

6. Phosphates
Common chemicals that pollute rivers. Algae grows in the presence of phosphates. A healthy river has low levels of phosphates. Organisms get stressed when phosphate levels rise above 10µg/L.

7. pH
Refers to how acidic the water is. A healthy river has a pH between 5.5 and 8.

8. Biotic Index
Organisms that live in a river can be used to assess the water quality. Organisms that are sensitive to pollution rate higher than organisms that are more tolerant.

9. Abiotic
of or characterized by the absence of life or living organisms
without life
Biotic
of or relating to living organisms
(of a factor in an ecosystem) produced by the action of livingorganisms