DAT WATERSHED SHTUFF

The morning of September 30th, our AP Environmental Science class went on a field trip to investigate the watersheds surrounding our campus. We went to several locations, first observing the area around each site and then we tested the pH levels, turbidity, phosphates, nitrates and temperature of both the air and the water. After performing these tests, we would wade into the water and look for organisms that were living in each site.

Materials:

-Net

-Camera

-Phone

-Thermometer

-Chemical tests

SITE 1

Getting off the bus by the covered bridge and the rail trail, we gathered our gear and walked to site one, which is part of the Blackwater River. As we walked, Alan, our teacher, was telling us about the observations we should be making (following the ABCDEEs). While we walked, we looked for things that should not be there and hypothesized about what their effect on the water would be. When we got to the site, Alan told us, "you can only tell upstream health from the area you are at, not the down stream" We took air temperature (19 C) and then water temperature (15 C). The pH was neutral at 7 and turbidity, nitrates and phosphates were all at 0. In conclusion, the water at Site 1 is healthy.

SITE 2

Once we were done with our tests at Site 1, it was back to the bus for us to head to Site 2. As we drove, we noticed that there were many houses and a construction site near Site 2. They all could possibly affect the health of the water because there could be waste and debris from the houses and the construction that could get into the water. After disembarking from the bus, we headed to a little beach area with many stones to collect our next set of data. The air temp. was 20.2 C and the water was 15.8 C, and since water does not change temperatures quickly, this .8 of a degree was a big change. Grabbing the chemical tests, we proceeded to test the pH(7), Nitrates(0), Turbidity(0) and finally Phosphates(0). Like the water at Site 1, this was healthy. After running these tests, we looked around the area for wildlife. Some walked into the water while others took to picking up rocks and flipping them over. Alan, who had been showing us the life that was under the rocks, picked up a rock and underneath found one of the biggest Stoneflies he had ever seen. By the end of our venture at site 2, we had found some angry, but cute, crawfish and we found these green orbs that we could not identify. This place was healthy.

SITE 3

Site 3 was situated at a dam at the edge of a lake. The water was coming out from a large pipe in the middle of the dam and the area that it flowed into was very rocky. The air temperature here was 21.9 C, and the water was 18.4 C. The temperature of the water, which was 3.4 degrees higher than our first site, was most likely due to the fact that water changes temperature very slowly and the water on the top of the lake was warmer due to being exposed to the sun more fully. The pH at this site was 6.5, slightly acidic but is the most ideal pH. The Turbidity was a 0, the Phosphates were at a 1(which is within the healthy limit) and the Nitrates were 0. We found frogs, stoneflies in this area. 

SITE 4

Site 4 was the lake itself. The air temperature was 22.6 C and the water was 18.8 C. The pH, Turbidity, Phosphates and Nitrates were all the same as Site 3. After we conducted all of our tests, it was swim time!!!!

Conclusion: The watershed that we observed today is healthy and seems to be thriving. Our expert group was very adept and there was very little if any error made while we tested each site.

Videos!!!!!