Stream Project

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Stream Project

• Alyssa, Ian, Nick, Dan, Kosuke, and Billy

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TDS and TSS

• TDS Total Dissolved Solids
• Conductivity
• More dissolved solids in the water, more
  conductivity
• TSS Total Suspended Solids
• How much sediment is carried by a stream

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Conductivity
1st Time 2nd Time Average
Riffle 307.9 306 306.95
Run 306.3 307.6 306.95
Pool 306.7 306.3 306.5
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4
TSS
Weight Sediment
Riffle 0.55 0.05
Run 0.5 0
Pool 0.5 0
Paper 0.5 g
Water 150 ml
K
5
Phosphates / Nitrates
Phosphates Phosphates Nitrates Nitrates
1st 2nd 1st 2nd
Riffle 0 0 0 0
Run 0 0 1.1 0
Pool 0 0 0 0
K
6

• Not much rain in the last week or two
• Little sediment got into the stream No erosion
• No phosphates nor nitrates
• If there were more rain, there might be more TDS
  or TSS.

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Testing Oxygen

• When testing the oxygen levels you need to gather
  up 25 milliliters from the three sections of the
  stream. The pool, the riffle, and the run. Then
  after collecting each water sample in a beaker
  and then we took the ampule (which is filled with
  a chemical that reacts to the oxygen in the
  water) after breaking off the tip of the ampule
  and watched it to see if it changed color. After
  waiting several seconds the color is matched up
  on a chart and then recorded on the work sheet.

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8
Testing Phosphates

• When testing the Phosphate levels in the stream
  several things must be done. First gather up 25
  milliliters of water from each are of the stream
  the run, riffle, and the pool. After collected
  each sample in a beaker add two drops of
  phosphate into the water. Swirl it slightly to
  mix it in. Then taking the ampule break off the
  tip in the water and watch to see if the chemical
  in the ampule changes color. After waiting
  several seconds compare the color of the ampule
  to the chart and then record the results on the
  paper.

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9
Testing Nitrate/PH

• Using a small tab to test the Nitrate and PH
  levels in the Run, Riffle, and Pool. First you go
  to each area of the stream and then using two
  tabs for each area. Dunk the tabs slightly into
  the water and then wait about two seconds. After
  doing each tab for each area of the stream use
  the Nitrate and PH chart to see what the levels
  are for each area of the stream. Then using that
  information you record the results on your paper.

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10
Testing Dissolved Oxygen

• After getting the first half of the information
  from the Testing Oxygen lab you then test the
  rate of that the oxygen dissolves. Take all of
  your water samples from each area of the stream
  and then you use to the Dissolved Oxygen Meter.
  You take the meter and dunk the end of it in the
  water sample. You then stir it slightly till you
  get to the highest oxygen level. Then looking at
  the computer screen you watch to see how fast the
  oxygen level falls for each sample then your
  record your results on the paper. You repeat this
  process for all areas of the stream.

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Graph of Dissolved Oxygen

• Dissolved O2
• Riffle
• Chemical Meter
• 9 1.1
• 9 1.1
• Run
• Chemical Meter
• 10 .9
• 7 .9
• Pool
• Chemical Meter
• 11 .8
• 7 .8

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Graph of Phosphates

• Riffle
• 0
• 0
• Run
• 0
• 0
• Pool
• 0
• 0

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Graph of Nitrates and Ph

• Nitrate Ph
• Riffle Run Pool Riffle Run Pool
• 0 1.1 0 5 5.5 6
• 0 0 0 7 4 5

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14
Leeches
Johnny Darter
Gilled snails, water pennies, damselfly, mayfly,
dragonfly larva, clams
Algae
Raw Materials
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15
Critter Catching 101

• Wade into either the Run, Riffle, or Pool.
• Have your partner hold the net down into the
  stream.
• Have the person not holding the net begin kicking
  the stream bed rocks.
• Make sure the net holder is catching the sediment
  in the net.
• Take the net out of the water and empty the
  contents into a tub.

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Run
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Riffle
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Macro invertebrate

• The stream health macro invertebrate sheet tells
  how healthy a stream is by the organisms living
  in or near it. In the run we found 2 sensitive
  critters which are good. And 1 somewhat sensitive
  critter. We found no tolerant critters. The run
  is an 8 which is poor. The riffle had 2 sensitive
  critters and 3 somewhat sensitive critters. The
  riffle also had 1 tolerant critter. The riffle
  had a score of 13 which is a fair score. The pool
  had 1 sensitive critter and 1 somewhat sensitive
  critter and 1 tolerant critter. It had a score of
  6 which is poor. The area with the most critters
  was the riffle. It also had the most good
  critters. A reason for that could be that there
  is more oxygen in the riffle. The critters can
  also hide on one side of the rocks and not be
  taken downstream. On a side note there were 831
  algae in the riffle, 996 algae in the run, and
  302 algae in the pool.

A
19
HEI

• The HEI sheet helps evaluate abiotic or
  non-living factors in the stream. The HEI sheet
  told me that the stream is not extra healthy but
  it is not terribly bad either, it is about medium
  or average. The pool has a score of 79. the
  riffle has a score of 69. and the run has a score
  of 77. the overall score of the stream as a whole
  is 87. which is pretty good. The plants found
  along the stream are good because they provide
  oxygen, shade, and breeding grounds.

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Comparing

• Comparing all three sections of the stream all
  three have their differences. The pool, seemed to
  have a greater concentration of fish than the
  riffle and run, likely because of the greater
  number of hiding places. The riffle had more
  macro invertebrates likely because there were
  more rocks to cling to and more algae to consume.
  The run did not even have much of anything at
  all. But a reason for these findings could be
  that we got preoccupied with catching fish and
  were one of the last groups to collect animal
  data. So the stream had already been stirred up.

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Sources

• www.scientificillustrator.com
• www.aquaticplantcentral.com
• Troutnut.com
• http//www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent525/water/aquat
  ic/pages/15_jpg.htm
• http//bugguide.net/node/view/53307

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