Surface Water Quality Indicators Around the Farm

1
Surface Water Quality Indicators Around the Farm
2
Farmers should be familiar with the following
water quality terms

• Dissolved Oxygen
• Phosphorus
• Coliform bacteria
• Turbidity
• pH
• Macroinvertebrates

3
Water Quality Standards are Administered by the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

• A copy of the Standards are available at the
  DEQs web site, www.michigan.gov/deq
• Click on Environmental laws and rules
• Then Rules - Part 31,41 43 of Act 451 of 1994
• Under water click on Part 4 Water Quality
  Standards

4
Any questions?
5
Any questions?
R323.1000 Designated Uses R323.1050 Physical
Characteristics R323.1053 Hydrogen Ion
Concentration (pH) R323.1060 Plant
Nutrients R323.1062 Microorganisms
(E.coli) R323.1064 Dissolved Oxygen
6
Dissolved oxygen in surface waters

• Dissolved oxygen (DO)
• The oxygen content of water at a given depth,
  location and time
• Important for fish and other aquatic organisms
• Some species can tolerate lower concentrations
  than others

• DO is measured in mg/l or ppm
• Spatial, temporal, and seasonal variations
• Cold water holds more oxygen than warm water

7
Phosphorus in surface waters

• Phosphorus loading may
• cause algal blooms
• increase rooted plant growth
• increase fluctuations in dissolved oxygen
• reduce biodiversity

• Phosphorus is measured in ug/l or ppb in water.
• Commonly the limiting factor for plant growth in
  aquatic systems.

8
Coliform bacteria in surface waters

• Coliform bacteria
• Found in feces of warm-blooded animals
• E.coli in water may indicate presence of more
  harmful human and animal health pathogens
• Can compromise recreational activities
• Measured in colonies per 100 ml

9
Turbidity in surface waters

• Effects on Streams
• Increase in temperature
• Decrease in oxygen
• Sediments carry nutrients
• Effects on Plants
• reduces water clarity, causing decreased
  lightpenetration and photosynthesis
• Measured in JTUs or NTUs

10
- Cola
Silage leachate
11
What are macroinvertebrates?

• Macroinvertebrates
• Include insect larvae, snails, clams, worms,
  crayfish and other aquatic life forms that lack a
  backbone (invertebrates)
• Macro means they can usually be observed without
  a microscope

12
Why macroinvertebrates as water quality
indicators?

• Important link in the food chain
• Relatively sedentary
• Great diversity of types
• Short life cycles
• Easy and inexpensive to collect and identify
• Range of tolerance for pollutants
• Macroinvertebrates are good long-term indicators
  of changes in stream health and water quality!

13
Bioassessment using stream macroinvertebrates is
relatively easy and fun!
14
To reduce phosphorus, sediment, and E. coli
loading AND improve macroinvertebrate populations
in your farms waterways

• Take a whole-farm approach
• Soil erosion control (BMPs)
• Nutrient management
• Silage leachate management
• Control animal access
• Proper disposal of livestock mortalities
• Milking center wastewater collection and
  treatment

15
Any questions?