|
|
Water Research Center Stream Water Quality and
Monitoring |
|
|
Water Research Center Stream Water Quality and
Monitoring |
 Stream Flow and Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring QC/QA Programs |
 Stream Assessments, Biological Monitoring, Remote Data Logging |
| Temperature | 15 to 25 C |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 4 mg/L or more desirable
Some Guidelines
Recreation
|
| pH | 5.0 to 9.0 tolerance most fish; 6.5 to 8.2 best fishing waters |
| Total Hardness mg CaCO3/L |
0 - 60 Soft Water 61 -120 Mod. Hard Water 121 - 180 Hard Water 181+ Very hard Water |
| Nitrate (NO 3) mg as N/L |
< 0.1 mg/L Unpolluted Water |
| Ammonia (NH3) mg as N/L |
0.1 mg/L and up Domestic or Agricultural Waste 0.06 mg/L - Can cause gill damage 0.2 to 0.3 mg/L Lethal to Trout |
| Phosphorous mg P/L | Recommended Max. 0.1 mg/L |
| Chlorides (mg Cl/L) | 170 mg/L or less best for fish |
| Fecal Coliform (colonies/100 ml) |
less than 20 colonies/100 ml desirable. 200/100 ml Max for direct contact recreational use. 1000/100 ml Max for indirect recreational use. |
| BOD (biochemical oxygen demand - 5 day) |
1 to 2 mg/L Very Clean 3 to 5 mg/L Mod. Clean over 5 mg/L Serious Pollution |
Note on Dissolved Oxygen:
Environmental Effects: The introduction of excess organic matter or soluble organic materials may result in a depletion of oxygen from an aquatic system through chemical or biological oxygen consumption or demand. Exposure to low dissolved oxygen levels (<5 - 6 mg/l ) may not directly kill an organism, but will increase its susceptibility to other environmental stresses. Exposure to < 30% saturation (<2 mg/l oxygen) for one to four days may kill most of the biota in a system. If oxygen-requiring organisms perish, the remaining organisms will be air-breathing insects and anaerobic (not requiring oxygen) bacteria.
Recreation: If all oxygen is depleted, aerobic decomposition ceases and organic decomposition or processing is accomplished through anaerobic reactions. Anaerobic microbes obtain energy from oxygen bound to other molecules such as sulfate compounds and can result in the mobilization of many otherwise insoluble compounds, such as Acid Mine Drainage. The breakdown of sulfate compounds will often impart a "rotten-egg" smell to the water, affecting its aesthetic value and preventing recreational use.
Warm Water Fish: Prefer water temperatures ranging between 18-29 degrees C (65-85 degrees F); includes fish such as smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and bluegill.
Cold Water Fish: Fish such as trout and salmon; preferred water temperature ranges between 7-18 degrees C (45-65 degrees F); coolwater fish, such as striped bass, northern pike, and walleye, have a range between that of coldwater and warmwater fish.
Note on pH:
Environmental Effects: A reduction in pH (more acidic) may allow the release of toxic metals that would otherwise be sorbed to sediment can become liberated into overlying water. Once mobilized, these metals are available for uptake by organisms and is related to the rate of biological activity and level of the pollutant in the environment. Metal uptake can cause extreme physiological damage to aquatic life. Aluminum concentrations of 0.1 - 0.3 mg/l will increase mortality, retard growth, gonadal development, and egg production of fish. Even if the aluminum availability is low, recent studies have shown that acidity alone may cause mortality in developing brook trout.
Acidification of the aquatic system can shift the biological community to one that is less desirable from a recreation and aesthetic uses, reduce decomposition rates and nutrient cycling, reduce the variety and distribution of the biological organisms that create a health ecosystem, and make other compounds like ammonia and trace metals per toxic..
More on Turbidity
Environmental Effects: Turbidity is not commonly used to evaluate surface water quality. Turbidity is basically a measure of the amount of light intercepted by a given volume of water due to the presence of suspended and dissolved matter and microscopic biota. Increasing the turbidity of the water decreases the amount of light that penetrates the water column, which can then causes changes in the aquatic ecosystem.
These changes could include result in a reduction in photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton, algae, and macrophytes, which would reduce the primary productivity of the system and may result in causing less favorable Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) to become established. Turbidity can also result in the reduce of dissolved oxygen, destroying the habitat of macroinvertebrates, and cause gill damage/abrasion.
Watershed Directory
Water Quality
Index
Macro Invertebrates
Online
Key to Help Determine the Health of a stream
On-line Macroinvertebrates Key
Monitoring Information
EPA Volunteer Monitoring
Website
Volunteer
Monitoring Manual
Volunteer Stream Monitoring: A Methods Manual
Volunteer Estuary Monitoring: A Methods Manual
Quality Control and
Quality Assurance in Monitoring
Water Quality Assessment Tools
National
Directory of Volunteer Monitoring Programs
USGS Data
Pennsylvania Current and Historical Water Data Online
Online Training Courses
LEED- AP / Green Associate
Training/
Professional Development Hours Courses
Alternative Energy and Green Technologies
Energy
Auditor Training Program
Health
and Safety Training - Chemical Handling and Disposal
Water
Treatment,
Wastewater Treatment,
and Stormwater Design, Operation, and Management
Wetland Education and Training
Inland Restoration;
Wetland Delineation (Basics)
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Position Training (GPS)
National Drillers Training Courses
Drilling Safety,
Monitoring Well Design/ Install,
and
Groundwater Basics
Water Well Design (other training provider)
*********************************************
For More information, please contact:
Attn:
Mr. Brian Oram, Professional Geologist (PG)
Water Research Center
B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc.
15 Hillcrest Drive
Dallas, PA 18612
Home |
Technology Outreach Program |
Drinking Water Help Guides | Contact
Us
Available
Test Parameters
Research
Interests, Funded Research and Applied Research
Homeowner Information Water Testing
Environmental
Topics - Infiltration, Permeability, Soil Science,
Wellhead Protection, Groundwater, Watersheds
PowerPoint Presentations
Continuing Education Courses -
OSHA
Training,
Engineers,
Geologists,
Sustainability,
Architects,
LEED Professionals
Watershed
Monitoring, Research, Training,
Lake and Watershed Studies, Citizen Monitoring, Volunteer Monitoring Programs
The
Water Library - Pdf files on Water Issues and Topics
Tools
for Environmental Professionals, Citizens, and Students
Field
Training and Workshops in Earth Science
Affiliations
and Hot Links
Website Designed by:
Web Design Pros.net
