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River Web Tour Questions
Q1. Are the graphs related? What is your evidence?
Yes, the graphs are related. The rise and fall of nitrogen and precipitation mirror each other. Ex. On day
97 both indicators are at a peak.
Q2. Describe the relationship between Nitrogen Concentration and Precipitation.
There is a weak, positive relationship between them. As the nitrogen increases, the precipitating
increases.
Q3. Why are they related?
The nitrogen could be in the water that evaporates from the areas upstream, and come down as
precipitation at the mouth of the river. Also, there could be enough precipitation to create runoff, which
would carry sediments into the river.
Q4. Describe the relationship between precipitation, run-off and nitrogen.
There is a strong positive relationship between them. When rain raises above 0.2 in. runoff begins to flow
to streams, adding nitrogen to the water. The nitrogen is in the sediments that have fertilizer, animal
waste, pesticides and other things.
Q5. Why do you think this station is so high in nitrogen?
It is just downstream from the urban where nitrogen is used on lawns and run-off is increased from
pavement, and cleaning products are used in homes. It is also downstream from a commercial
industry, agricultural area, and residential area. All of these places contribute nitrogen to the river.
Q6. Which land-use area upstream from station 7 do you think might be most responsible for the high
nitrogen levels?
I think that agricultural is most responsible because it uses so many chemicals on its crops, and if
there is no strip cropping then the run off can be very bad as well, and there is lots of waste from
cattle.
Q7. Describe how nitrogen levels have been affected by the improvement.
Nitrogen levels reduce after the strip cropping is implemented. The average value is 7.8362 Mg/L as
apposed to 8.2550 Mg/L. The total load of nitrogen is 1568.1320 Mg/L as apposed to 3167.1040
Mg/L. On day 124 the nitrogen level is at about 7.4 Mg/L as apposed to about 8.5 Mg/L.
Q8. Describe how D.O. and Water Temperature are related.
There is a weak, negative relationship between them. As water temperature increases, D.O. decreases.
Q9. Which season of the year and which days (from graph) would you expect fish to be most stressed?
Why?
During the summer, on days 150-275, is when the fish would be most stress because of a lack of D.O.
This is when the air temperature is the hottest and the sun is most intense. Because the air
temperature is the hottest and the sun is the most intense, then the water is heated up to lessen the
amount of dissolved oxygen. Runoff from hot pavement also heats up streams.
Q10. Describe how D.O. has been improved.
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D.O. has slightly increased with the stream buffer. On day 154 D.O. is about 6.5 Mg/L instead of 6
Mg/L. The minimum value is 4.4125 Mg/L instead of 3.9917 Mg/L. The average is 10.0610 Mg/L
instead of 9.7041.
Q11. How does D.O. at Station 0 compare to Station 3? Why do they differ?
D.O. in station 3 is generally less than in station 0. Although the maximum value of D.O. is higher in
station 3, the average value and minimum values are higher in station 0. This may be because the
forest does not have as much run off with its deep-rooted trees other protective foliage. Also, the trees
provide shade, so that water will not heat up as much in streams and at the edge of the river. On the
other hand, there is lots of warm runoff from the heated concrete suburbs, and there are little trees to
protect the water from the sun in the urban area.
Water Cycle Review
1. The sun heats the water in the ocean (or other large body of water).
2. Water molecules rise, evaporate and form steam.
3. Water vapor emitted from plant leaves is called transpiration.
4. Water vapor cools and condenses on tiny dust particles in the air.
5. Clouds are made up of condensed water, snow, or ice.
6. Precipitation comes from clouds in the form of rain, hail or snow (depending on the temperature).
7. Runoff is due to excessive rain or melting snow.
8. Runoff can be seen flowing over the surface of the land, eventually entering a stream.
9. Some of the precipitation percolates, or infiltrates the soil.
10. Water that has reached the water table is called ground water.
11. Groundwater flows into streams.
12. Streams eventually reach the ocean (or other large body of water) due to gravity.
Jigsaw 1
(Answer questions 1 & 2, fill in the chart for YOUR land use area then write your own answer for 3
& 4.)
1. The graph of air temperature demonstrates seasonal variation. Describe the evidence that supports
this claim.
The graph rises and drops so that in the middle of the year the temperature is the highest. This is
mirrors the changing of seasons. During summer is when temperatures rises.
2. What is the relationship between water temperature and air temperature? Describe the evidence that
supports your claim.
There is a strong, positive correlation between air and water temperature. When a scatter plot is made,
the points are clustered together to form a line going up. Average water temperature is 9.0407
degrees Celsius and the average Air Temperature is 9.042 degrees Celsius. Ex. On day 144 the air
temperature was about 11 degrees Celsius and the waters temperature was about 11 degrees Celsius
as well.
Table of Averages of Indictors/Data Analysis
Station Land use
Run Off M3 Sediments Water
D.O.
Nitrogen Phosphorus Heavy Toxins
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Mg/L
2
0
Temp ̊C Mg/L
Mg/L
Agricultural 219387.7188 63.9049 10.5384 7.7809 8.2550
Pristine
1797.5392 2.6297 9.0407 10.4139 0.7865
Difference
217590.1796 61.2753 1.4977 2.633 7.4685
% Change
1120.49
2330
17
15.95
9.5
Order
6
4
2
3
1
Mg/L
0.6192
0.0102
0.6090
5971
5
Metals
Mg/L
0.0903
0.0000
0.0903
Mg/L
0.0000
0.0000
0.0000
3. Hypothesize why you see these changes. Predict where these changes might be coming from.
Phosphorus may be higher in Agricultural areas due to fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste. Run
off may be higher due to erosion because of crops with shallow roots.
4. In a few sentences describe the quality of water at your station vs. the water quality at the pristine
forest.
Nitrogen and water temp are slightly higher near the agricultural area. Nitrogen, D.O. and sediment
are more markedly increased. Run off is most noticeably increased. Water quality in Agricultural
areas is very poor compared to the pristine forest.
Jigsaw 2
Individual Charts: % Change
(Fill in the charts for the two indicators that were assigned to you. You may delete the others. Give your
individual response and write your own paragraph.)
Heavy Metals
Station
% Change
Order
(1) Logged
Forest
0.0045
1
(2) Mixed
Agriculture
0.0903
5
(1) Logged
Forest
0
1
(2) Mixed
Agriculture
0
2
(3) Residential
0.0145
2
(4) Commercial
Industrial
0.0503
4
(6) Urban
0.05
3
Toxins
Station
% Change
Order
(3) Residential
0.2139
3
(4) Commercial
Industrial
1.9527
4
(6) Urban
2.02
5
Individual Response:
If land is used for agriculture or industry, then heavy metals and toxins will pollute the water
surrounding it. Agriculture contributes heavy metals and toxins from livestock waste, fertilizers, and
pesticides. Industries also have excess waste. Whether by runoff or direct pipelines, many toxins are
released into the surrounding bodies of water.
Jigsaw 3
(Please complete all charts with the help of your partners)
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Chart 1: Indicator relationships using scatter plots
Sub Group 1: Sediment, Run Off, Heavy Metals and Toxins
Station
6
(+,-)
(S,W, NC)
Water Sediments Nitrogen Phosphorus Sediments Sediments Heavy
Toxins
Temp vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
Metals vs.
vs.
Air Temp Run Off Sediments Sediments Precipitation Air Temp Sediments Sediments
+S
W+
+S
+W
W+
NC
+S
+S
Sub Group 2: Water Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorus
Station
6
(+,-)
(S,W, NC)
DO vs. Phosphorus Sediments Nitrogen Phosphorus
Nitrogen Phosphorus
Run Off vs.
Water vs. Water
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
Precipitation
Temp
Temp
Run Off Sediments Sediments
DO
DO
-W
NC
+W
+S
+W
+S
-W
-W
Chart 2: Indicator relationship Comparison
Strong Relationship/Sign (+,-)
Weak Relationship/Sign (+,-)
Water Temp vs. Air Temp(+)
Nitrogen vs. Sediments(+)
Heavy metals vs. Sediments(+)
Run Off vs. Precipitation(+)
Toxins vs. Sediments(+)
Sediments vs. Run Off(+)
Phosphorus vs. Sediments(+)
Sediments vs. Precipitation(+)
DO vs. Water Temp(-)
Nitrogen vs. DO(-)
Phosphorus vs. DO(+)
Land Use Concept Map: How Does Your Land Use Impact Water Quality?
No Relationship
Sediments vs. Air Temp
Phosphorus vs. Water Temp
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