Water Quality Vocabulary

Describes the chemical, physical and biological attributes of water as it is fit for drinking, fishing, swimming, farming, etc

• Water Quality
• Water Sheds
• Dissolved oxygen
• nitrates

The amount of oxygen in the water, measured in parts per million (ppm)

• pH
• Dissolved Oxygen
• nitrates
• eutrophication

We used bioindicators to measure the quality of water.  What is a bioindicator?

• any living creature
• eutrophication
• An organism sensitive to its environment
• a turbidity tube

The specific bioindicator we used were macroinvertebrates.  What is a macroinvertebrate?

• large enough to be seen without a microscope with no backbone (bugs)
• any bioindicator
• nitrates
• pH

What is the healthiest combination listed?

• low pH, high nitrates, neutral temperature
• low temperature, neutral pH and low nitrates
• as many nitrates as possible, low temp and low pH
• high temp, high nitrates and high pH

High turbidity means.....

• very clear water
• neutral pH
• very murky or cloudy water
• high nitrates

what is the biggest impact of run-off in urban areas on stream health?

• incised, steep banks and a narrow stream channel due to erosion
• high turbidity
• high nitrates due to fertilizer
• sewage leaks

how does increasing nitrates impact stream health

• excess algae
• increased oxygen
• increased water clarity

What is the end result of eutrophication?

• More algae
• decreased oxygen and fish kills
• less turbidity
• a new pond

If water temperature goes UP, what happens to the level of Dissolved oxygen?

• It goes up
• It goes down