chapter 2 · 2019-11-05 · mississippi 2.39 n = 10 0.56 –4.53 chariton 0.73 n = 14 0.38 –1.43...

Chapter 2

Understanding

Water ChemistryTemperature

Dissolved

OxygenpH

Dissolved

SolidsNutrients Turbidity

Data Sheet &

Methods

99.9% of all life on Earth requires water

Medium that allows necessary biological

reactions to occur

Carries needed nutrients and minerals to

aquatic life and carries waste away

Understanding


Dissolved

OxygenpH

Dissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Water chemistry important to:

• Health (aquatic and human)

• Abundance/diversity of aquatic life

Changes in one parameter can affect

other parameters

Understanding Water Chemistry

TemperatureDissolved Oxygen

pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Toxicity = Potential or capacity of a test material to cause adverse effects on living organisms, generally a poison or mixture of poisons. Toxicity is a result of dose or exposure concentration and exposure time, modified by variables such as temperature, chemical form, and availability.

(Rice, E.W., R.B. Baird, A.D. Eaton, and L.S. Clesceri (Eds.). 2012. Standard Methods For the Examination of Water and Wastewater (22nd Edition), American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and Water Environment Federation. Cenveo Publisher Services, Richmond, Virginia)



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Acute Toxicity = Relatively short-term

lethal or other effect, usually defined as

occurring within 4 days for fish and

macroinvertebrates and shorter times ( 2

days ) for organisms with shorter life

spans.(Rice, E.W., R.B. Baird, A.D. Eaton, and L.S. Clesceri (Eds.). 2012. Standard Methods For the

Examination of Water and Wastewater (22nd Edition), American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and Water Environment Federation. CenveoPublisher Services, Richmond, Virginia)



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Chronic Toxicity = Toxicity involving a stimulus that lingers of continues for a relatively long period of time, often one-tenth of the life span or more. “Chronic” should be considered a relative term depending on the life span of an organism. A chronic effect can be measured in terms of reduced growth, reduced reproduction, etc., in addition to lethality.

(Rice, E.W., R.B. Baird, A.D. Eaton, and L.S. Clesceri (Eds.). 2012. Standard Methods For the Examination of Water and Wastewater (22nd Edition), American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and Water Environment Federation. Cenveo Publisher Services, Richmond, Virginia)



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Amount of dissolved gas in water

Rate of plant growth and photosynthesis

Toxicity

Metabolic rate of organisms

Sensitivity of organismsUnderstanding


Dissolved Oxygen

pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Water temperatures shall not exceed:

32˚C (90˚F) – warm water fisheries

29˚C (84˚F) – cool water fisheries

20˚C (68˚F) – cold water fisheries



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Riparian cover removal

Soil erosion – increased turbidity

Thermal pollution

Impervious surfaces



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Terrestrial vs. Aquatic

• Air: 210,000 ppm O₂

• Water: 5-15 ppm O₂

Note: parts per million (ppm) ≈

milligrams per Liter (mg/L)



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Oxygen becomes

dissolved in water by:

Waves and tumbling

action

Diffusion from

atmosphere

Photosynthesis



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Aquatic Organisms need a certain level of

D.O. for survival

Depletion of D.O. can cause a population

shift in the organisms present in a stream

from sensitive to tolerant organisms

➢The Water Quality Standard for D.O. is no less that 5 mg/L (5 ppm)



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Consistently high D.O.

indicates healthy and

stable aquatic

systems

Absence of D.O.

indicates severe

pollution



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Temperature

Flow

Dissolved and

suspended solids

Aquatic Plants



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Removal of riparian corridor vegetation

Dams

Organic waste – sources include:

• Stormwater/Urban Runoff

• Septic systems

• Wastewater treatment plants

• Animal feedlots

• Discharges from food processing plantsUnderstanding


Dissolved Oxygen

pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

D.O. Saturation – maximum level of D.O.

potentially present at a specific

temperature, in the absence of other

influences

Percent Saturation – more meaningful

indicator than a D.O. reading alone

• Tells us whether a D.O. measurement is good or

bad



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

As water temperature increases ↑, D.O.

saturation decreases ↓

As water temperature decreases ↓, D.O.

saturation increases ↑

Therefore, cold water will hold more D.O.

than warm waterUnderstanding


Dissolved Oxygen

pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

*Due to more energy in warm

water, water molecules move

faster resulting in a lower ability

to hold on to oxygen molecules

*Cold water has lower energy

and slower moving water

molecules, allowing it to

retain oxygen molecules



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

What is a good or bad D.O. measurement?

D.O. saturation depends on water temp

Example: a D.O. of 8 mg/L

In the summer, when water temperatures are high, could be an excellent result

In winter, when water temperatures are low, could indicate problems



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Takes the guess work out of interpreting D.O. measurements

To determine saturation you need:

• D.O. analysis, and

• Water temperature

Be sure to measure both when

sampling your stream!



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Note: See the pink page at

the end of the Water

Chemistry chapter

Q: Why can there be

more than 100% D.O.

Saturation

A: The introduction of

oxygen into the water

can exceed what is

being taken up by

organisms or released

into the atmosphere.



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

A General Rule for Ozark Streams

• > 80% D.O. saturation reflects healthy D.O. levels

• < 80% D.O saturation reflects water quality

impairment



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

A General Rule for Prairie Streams and Low

Gradient (Slow Moving) Streams

> 60% D.O. saturation reflects healthy

D.O. levels

< 60% D.O. saturation reflects water

quality impairment



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Water contains both Hydrogen (H⁺) and

Hydroxide (OH⁻) ions

pH measures the H⁺ concentration on a

scale from 0 to 14

Water that contains equal numbers of H⁺

and OH⁻ is considered neutral (pH 7)Understanding


Dissolved Oxygen

pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Water that contains more H⁺ ions than

OH⁻ ions is acidic and has a pH less than

7

Water that contains more OH⁻ ions than

H⁺ ions is basic and has a pH greater than

7



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

One unit on the pH scale is a ten-fold H⁺

ion change

Examples:

Increase from 7 to 8 = 10 times more

basic

Increase from 7 to 9 = 100 times more

basicUnderstanding


Dissolved Oxygen

pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Normal stream

water pH ranges

from 6.5 to 8.0

The Water Quality Standard for Missouri

for pH is a range of 6.5 – 9.0



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Measure of the electrical current passing

through water

Measured microsiemens per centimeter

(μS/cm)

General indicator of water quality trends



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Common dissolved solids:

Bicarbonate Chloride

Calcium Sodium

Magnesium Potassium

Sulfate

There is currently no Water Quality Standard for conductivity in Missouri



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Missouri River 400 – 750 S/cm

Grand River 350 – 550 S/cm

Pomme de Terre River 250 – 450 S/cm

Big Piney River 200 – 350 S/cm

Little Ditches 85 – 580 S/cm

Jack’s Fork River 230 – 350 S/cm

Pickle Creek 40 – 60 S/cm

Wastewater Effluent 800 – 2000 S/cm

N. MO Groundwater 800 – 2000 S/cmUnderstanding


Dissolved Oxygen

pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Chlorides are salts resulting from the

combination of gas chlorine and various metals

Most chlorides in water come from sodium

chloride (NaCl) applied to roads and sidewalks



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Application dramatically increased in the 1970s

Often have heavy metal additives

Travels further from roadway at high speeds –

up to 130 feet! (Karraker, 2008)



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Other sources of chloride:

• Wastewater treatment discharges

• Underground aquifers

• Water softeners

• Storm sewers

• Animal feed

• Fertilizers



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

High levels are toxic to aquatic life

• Interfere with osmoregulation

Some invasive species are more tolerant

to chloride

• Can out compete natives

• Eurasian water milfoil



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Spikes can also occur:

• Summer Evaporation > Precipitation

• Spring/fall Fertilizer application

The Water Quality Standard for Missouri



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Essential nutrient required by all living plants and animals (found in fertilizer)

All organic (living) matter contains nitrogen

Bacteria break down organic matter

NH3 → NO2 → NO3-N

Ammonia → Nitrite → Nitrate



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

VWQMs measure nitrate

Expressed as nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N)

• “Nitrogen in the form of nitrate”

Nitrate most stable nitrogen compound

• Indicator of excess nitrogen loading



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Natural Impacts:

• Leaf fall

• Organic decay



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Anthropogenic (Manmade) Impacts:

• Poorly functioning septic systems

• Wastewater from treatment plants

• Runoff from animal production



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

• Runoff from

fields and lawns

• Storm Drains

• Combined Sewer

Overflows (CSO)



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

NITRITE + NITRATE as NITROGEN in mg/L

River Avg. Value # Samples Range

Mississippi 2.39 n = 10 0.56 – 4.53

Chariton 0.73 n = 14 0.38 – 1.43

Pomme de Terre 0.15 n = 14 0.02 – 0.81

Jacks Fork 0.35 n = 10 0.31 – 0.39Source: USGS 2010

There is currently no Water Quality Standard for nitrate in Missouri Streams



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Source: USDA – Water Quality Indicators Guide: Surface Waters



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

The only nutrient directly toxic to aquatic

life

Toxicity dependent on the pH and

temperature of the stream water



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Understanding


Dissolved

OxygenpH

Dissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

AMMONIA as NITROGEN in mg/L

River Avg Value # of Samples Range

Mississippi 1.27 n = 10 0.72 – 3.3

Chariton 1.55 n = 14 0.49 – 4.6

Pomme de Terre 0.28 n = 14 0.16 – 0.46

Jacks Fork 0.08 n = 10 0.05 – 0.1



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Orthophosphate is the most readily available

phosphorus compound to plants

• Reactive form commonly referred to as “phosphate”

(PO4)

Occurs through the natural weathering of rock

Very small amounts (0.01 mg/L) can cause large

algal blooms



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

“Limiting nutrient” for plant growth in a body of water

Point source and nonpoint source pollution high in phosphate may stimulate the growth of aquatic plants

In 1998 and 1999 two large algal

blooms occurred on Table Rock

Lake.



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Natural:

• Rocks and Soil

• Breakdown of

organic matter



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Anthropogenic:

• Runoff from animal production (especially from poultry litter)

• Wastewater from treatment plants

• Poorly functioning septic systems



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Anthropogenic:

• Runoff from fields and lawns

• Storm drains

• Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO)



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

PHOSPHATE (PO4) in mg/L

River Avg. Value # Samples Range

Mississippi 0.11 n = 10 0.05 – 0.19

Chariton 0.03 n = 14 0.008 – 0.04

Pomme de Terre 0.02 n = 14 0.004 – 0.08

Jacks Fork <0.02 n = 10 0.01 – 0.02Source: USGS 2010

There is currently no Water Quality Standard for phosphate in Missouri streams



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Measures the clarity of the water

Suspended matter and plankton cause cloudy, murky or very green water

Measured in centimeter units• Measures the depth that

light can penetrate water

• The larger the depth reading, the lower the transparency



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Impacts from low levels:

• Sediment blocks light

needed for vegetation

• Suspended particles absorb

heat and increase water

temperature

• Sediment buries fish eggs

and benthic invertebratesSource: The Streamkeepers Field Guide



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Areas where monitoring transparency can be particularly valuable:

• Areas being developed

• Ag areas not adopting best management practices to prevent soil erosion

• Downstream from quarries and gravel mining operations



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Break Time!



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Reagent is a substance that, because of the

reactions it causes, is used in analysis and

synthesis

Meniscus is the convex lower surface of a column

of liquid, the curvature of which is caused by

surface tension



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Liquid waste from D.O. tests, pH and conductivity solutions can be poured down the drain while flushing with ample cold water

Containerize nitrate waste separately and label as “Stream Team Nitrate Waste”

• Use cubitainers supplied by the Program or heavy-walled detergent or bleach container

DO NOT USE A MILK OR SODA CONTAINER!



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Label waste containers with types of tests that have been performed (e.g., nitrate)

DO NOT put any waste material (e.g. oil, paint thinner) in containers other than those from VWQM tests

Waste and expired nitrate reducing reagent bottles may be returned to ST Staff at any ST workshop, DNR or MDC Regional Office



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

MDC photo



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Hach photo



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

http://www.mostreamteam.org/ST_Videos.asp#Level1Videos



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

If probe has white residue, soak in

water several minutes to dissolve

potassium chloride

Never submerge meter over cap line

Discard used calibration solutions

Hach photo



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods


If “_ _ _ _” displays on the top line during

measurement, the sample is over range of

the meter (> 1999 µS/cm).

Record as “Over Range”

Contact DNR Regional Office



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

MDC photo

NITRATE TEST PROCEDURES



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods


Results must be read at 10 minutes. The

chemical reaction will continue, resulting

in an inaccurate measurement.

Always wear safety goggles and rubber

gloves

Face sideways to the wind when adding

the Nitrate Reducing Reagent



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Check the expiration dates on nitrate reagents, record on data sheets

Rinse sample bottle and test tube three times with stream water

Never allow moisture to come in contact with the Nitrate Reducing Reagent

Containerize nitrate waste in a cubitainerand label as “Stream Team Nitrate Waste”



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

Hach photo



pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods


CARE OF STANDARD SOLUTIONS

AND REAGENTS

Remember to cap all solutions tightly

Do not re-use solutions after calibration

Meters should be rinsed with deionized or tap water and wiped dry before calibration procedures to avoid contamination

Do not store calibration solutions or reagents where they will be exposed to extreme heat or cold.Understanding


Dissolved Oxygen

pHDissolved


Data Sheet

& Methods

chapter 2 · 2019-11-05 · mississippi 2.39 n = 10 0.56 –4.53 chariton 0.73 n = 14 0.38 –1.43...

Documents