Water Quality Monitoring 2014

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Use this presentation to introduce your students to the Nisqually Watershed and water quality monitoring.

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All  life  depends  on  water.  

Water  is  necessary  for  human  health.    

Water  is  a  limited  resource.  

What  is  a  watershed?  

All  of  the  land  that  drains  into  a  common  body  of  water  including  the  living  and  non-­‐living  

components,  it’s  people  cultures  and  tradi=ons.  

The  Nisqually  Watershed  begins  on  the  Nisqually  Glacier…  

…and  ends  at  the  Nisqually  Estuary    

The Nisqually Indians were the first people to live in the area.

The Nisqually people were first known as “Squally-absch”, meaning “people of the grass, people of the river”.

Americans later changed the spelling to Nisqually.

Alson  Brown’s  Farm  

Nisqually  Watershed  is  part  of  a  larger  watershed  called  the    Puget  Sound  Watershed  

Salmon  are  an  important  piece  of  our  ecosystems,  economy,  culture  and  traditions.  

Point  vs.  Non  Point  Pollu=on  

Point  vs.  Non  Point  Pollu=on  

Puget  Sound  Watershed  

Dissolved  Oxygen  ! How  much  oxygen  is  in  the  water    

         Optimal  Values:    

Optimal     Acceptable   Poor   Fatal  

>  9  mg/l   7-­‐8  mg/l   3.5-­‐6  mg/l   <  3.5    mg/l  

Why  it  maJers....  ! Animals  in  the  water  breathe  in  oxygen.    

Fecal  Coliform  ! How  much  bacteria  is  in  the  water  from  feces    of  warm  blooded  animals.    

Optimal  value  

<  50  FC/  100  ml  

Why  is  this  test  important?  ! There  are  human  health  concerns  that  are  effected  by  fecal  coliform  and  bacteria  in  the  water.    !  Some  bacteria  from    warm  blooded  animals  such  as  E.  coli  can  make    people  very  sick.  

pH     How  acidic  or  basic    the  water  is.  

Optimal     Acceptable     Fatal  

7-­‐8   6.5-­‐8.5   <  6.5    

Why  it  maJers....  

Changes  in  pH  affects  aquatic  organisms.  

Biochemical  Oxygen  Demand  (BOD)  

! How  much  oxygen  is  being  used  in  the  water  from  bacteria.  

Day  1  DO  –  Day  5  DO  

<6.0  mg/l  

Optimal  Value:  

Why  it  maJers....  

When  there  is  more  bacteria  in  the  water  the  bacteria  uses  up  more  oxygen  and  there    is  less  oxygen  available  for  other  animals.  

Temperature    ! How  hot  or  cold  is  the  water    

Optimal  Value  

<  12°  C  

Why  it  maJers....  

Hot  water=  dead  fish  

Cold  water=  Healthy  fish  and  stream    

Warmer  water  holds  less  oxygen  so…….  

Nitrates    ! How  many  nutrients  are  in  the  water  

Optimal  Value  <1  mg/l  

Why  it  maJers....  

When  there  are  more  bacteria  in  the  water,    the  bacteria  uses  up  more  oxygen.    

Too  many  nitrates  feeds  bacteria    and  they  multiply.    

Turbidity    ! How  clear  or  cloudy  is  the  water    

Optimal  Value    

<  20  JTU’s    

Why  it  maJers....  

Turbidity…..  

• Increases  temperatures  

• decreases    visibility-­‐  can’t  avoid  

predators  or  find  prey.  

• Affects  breathing  •   smothers  salmon  eggs.  

Total  Solids    ! How  much  does  the  cloudiness  weigh.    

Optimal    Value  

<25  mg/l    

Scenario  #1  White  Water    

How  will  this  effect  Water  Quality  

! Temperature?  ! Turbidity?    ! Dissolved  Oxygen  Increase  

Scenario  #2  Fer=lizer  

How  will  this  effect  Water  Quality  

!  Increase  nitrates    !  Increase  in  turbidity  ! Decrease  in  D.O.  !  Increase  in  total  solids      

Scenario  #3    Trash    

How  will  this  effect  Water  Quality  !  Increase  temperature  !  Increase  turbidity  due  to  leaching      

! Decrease  in  D.O.  !  Increase  in  fecal  coliform  

Scenario  #4  Farm  Animals    

How  will  this  effect  Water  Quality  

!  Increase  in  total  solids  !  Increase  in  nitrates    !  Increase  in  Fecal  Coliform    !  Increase  in  turbidity    

Scenario  #5  Ci=es    

How  will  this  effect  Water  Quality  !  Increase  in  turbidity  !  Increase  in  temperature  !  Increase  nitrates  !  Increase  in  fecal  coliform    

Scenario  #6  A  healthy  Riparian  Zone    

How  will  this  effect  Water  Quality  

!  Increase  in  D.O.  !  Increase  nitrates  ! Decrease  in  temperature    ! Decrease  turbidity  ! Decrease  in  total  solids  

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