What Is Water Quality?
Christine Yaeger
University of Minnesota
Institute for Global Studies
Water Quality and the Environment: A Global
Perspective
June 25-June 29, 2012
http://www.pristinelife.com.au/pl-filtering.html; NoAA.gov
;
http://libertylake.org/protection-information/ Powerstates.com
It depends… Intended Uses
http://www.krismbeal.com/2011/10/19/drinking-water-and-liking-it-she-likes-it-she-likes-it/; http://www.skaneatelessuites.com/2008/07/25/lake-swimmingskaneateles-lake/; http://wavewalk.com/blog/2009/05/27/6-year-old-brians-first-fish-in-norms-w500-fishing-kayak-rhode-island/;
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/pond.htm; http://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/animal-info4.htm
What Is Pollution?
• The contamination of soil,
water or air by the discharge of
potentially harmful substances.
• A chemical or biological substance that builds
up in the environment enough to be toxic,
harmful, or a nuisance to humans or other
living things. (UK Rivers)
Criteria
States and
Tribes
Criteria:
Regulations
Pollutant
concentrations
Incentives
Environmental
effects (aquatic
life, biological,
nutrients)
Voluntary
Measures
Human health
effects (microbial
(pathogen) or
recreational)
Education
http://blog.sparkhire.com/2012/05/23/employee-incentives-raise-productivity/carrot-and-stick-incentive/; http://www.crichbaptist.org/articles/life-or-death/; http://www.hedgeco.net/news/category/hedge-fund-regulation
• This works for point sources…what about
Nonpoint Sources (NPS)?
http://www.roanokecountyva.gov/index.aspx?NID=353
http://www.osovo.com/diagram/watercyclediagram.htm
Measuring Water quality
http://www.public-domain-image.com/science-public-domain-images-pictures/water-quality-testing.jpg.html;
http://nexsens.com/systems/river_monitoring.htm; http://ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/displayimage-7189.html
Measuring Water Quality: Physical
• Temperature Amount of heat in water. Seasonal
variation; Aquatic organisms suffer thermal pollution and
less DO; Due to power plants and Urban runoff.
• Turbidity The amount of dissolved and suspended
materials (“clay, silt, finely divided organic and inorganic
matter, soluble colored organic compounds, Plankton,
microscopic organisms” -USGS). Measures the scattering
effect of light (higher scattering, higher turbidity).
Transparency is a complimentary measure. Suspended
materials can be bound with pollutants and too much can
reduce habitat for fish and aquatic insects.
• Physical Stream Characteristics: width, depth, velocity
(http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/waterq3/WQassess4h.html)
Measuring Water Quality: Physical
Temperature
Width
Turbidity
Suspended
Sediment
Depth
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthriverssed.html; water.epa.gov/type/rsl/monitoring/vms51.cfm;
http://www.water.ncsu.edu/watershedss/info/turbid.html; clipart
Velocity
Measuring Water Quality: Chemical
• pH A measure of ionic composition, how acidic/basic
the water is, Scale 0-14. < 7 Acidic, >7 Basic/Alkaline
(6-8 ideal for aquatic organisms, 7 being neutral).
Higher in day (CO from photosynthesis).
• Alkalinity Measured in total alkalinity blah Buffering
capacity of water to fluctuate based on PH changes.
(Greater buffering is better for aquatic health)
• Hardness High mineral Content (Mg, Ca- Higher
Alkalinity)
• Nutrients (Nitrates, Nitrates, Ammonia ) A naturally
occurring nutrient, but too much is damaging to
aquatic health. Sources include fertilizers for
agricultural and urban areas and animal waste.
Measuring Water Quality: Chemical
• Orthophosphates A naturally occurring nutrient, but too
much is damaging to aquatic health. Can bind to sediment
• Dissolved Oxygen (DO) DO is needed by aquatic organisms,
including fish. Produced primarily by plants via
photosynthesis (air mixing is slow). Diurnal cycles. Low DO
can make aquatic organisms weaker and less resilient.
Affected by turbidity (cloudy water=less photosynthesis).
• Conductivity (Specific Conductance) A measure of how
much electrical current water can conduct. It gives a good
idea of the amount of dissolved solids (such as salt, dust,
particles). Distilled water will have low conductance,
rainwater will have higher, and sea water extremely high
ability of water to conduct an electrical current.
(http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/characteristics.html)
Measuring Water Quality: Chemical
• Metals
• Volatile Organic Compounds
• Contaminants of Emerging Concern:
Pharmaceuticals/Endocrine Disruptors
Measuring Water Quality: Biological
• Number and Type of Organisms
• Index Organisms (Pollution tolerance)
• Aquatic Life “criteria lists chemical
concentration goals to protect surface water
for aquatic life use” (EPA)
• Biological “criteria are based on the numbers
and kinds of organisms present and describe
the biological condition of aquatic
communities inhabiting surface waters” (EPA)
(http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/crit.cfm)
Resources
• USGS Water Science for Schools
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/characteristics.html
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/waterproperties.html
• MPCA Citizen Stream Monitoring Program Instruction Manual
http://bit.ly/KuODMe
• EPA Water Quality Criteria
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/crit.cfm
• Exploring the Environment
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/waterq3/WQassess4h.html