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Adopt-A-Stream Physical/Chemical Training

Join Georgia's volunteer water quality monitoring program to increase awareness about water quality, protect watersheds, and collect baseline data.

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Adopt-A-Stream Physical/Chemical Training

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  1. Adopt-A-StreamPhysical/Chemical Training Georgia Adopt-A-Stream 4220 International Parkway Suite 101 Atlanta, Georgia 30354 www.GeorgiaAdoptAStream.com 404.675.6240

  2. Georgia Adopt-A-Stream • What is it? • Georgia’s volunteer water quality monitoring program • Program Goals • To increase public awareness about water quality & nonpoint source pollution • To give citizens the tools & training to protect their watershed • To encourage partnerships between citizens & local government • To collect quality baseline water quality data

  3. Quality Assurance Project Plan • Quality Assurance Quality Control (QAQC) • Only individuals are certified • Certification is valid for one year

  4. To Maintain QA/QC Status, Volunteers Must … • Volunteers’ methods and test kits must achieve results within 10% of those obtained by trainer • Must sample at least monthly for one year and send the results to GA AAS • In the field, monitors must take two samples. • These samples must be within 10% of each other. • If they are not within 10%, take another sample until two samples are within 10%. • Reagents should be replaced annually

  5. What is a Watershed? • A watershed is a system. • It is the land area from which water, sediment, and dissolved materials drain to a common point along a stream, wetland, lake or river. • For each watershed, there is a drainage system that conveys rainfall to its outlet. • Its boundaries are marked by the highest points of land around the waterbody.

  6. What Watershed are You in?

  7. Physical/Chemical Monitoring • Physical/Chemical testing allows information to be gathered about specific water quality characteristics • Adopt-A-Stream recommends that at least four core measurements be taken: • Temperature • pH • Dissolved Oxygen • Conductivity • Nutrient testing, alkalinity, salinity, settleable solids and Secchi disk monitoring may be added to your list as interest and equipment allows. • Adopt-A-Stream offers a separate bacteria monitoring certification workshop

  8. When and How Often? • Because water quality conditions change on a daily basis, plan to sample regularly. • At least once a month • Same time and location • Record weather conditions

  9. Recommendations on Where and How to Collect Samples • Measure air and water temperature in the shade, avoid sunlight • For an ideal stream location, take samples mid-stream and mid-depth • Rinse glass tubes or containers twice with stream water before running test

  10. TEMPERATURE • Should be measured in the shade, away from direct sunlight. Air temperature should be taken before water temperature. • Temperature relates directly to dissolved oxygen levels. The higher the temperature, the less oxygen the water can hold. Also, life adapts to a narrow range of temperatures. Changes of only a few degrees can affect the life in a stream. • Temperature affects feeding, respiration, and aquatic metabolism.

  11. DISSOLVED OXYGEN • Needed for respiration for all aquatic life • State Standards for DO levels: • Average of 5 mg/L (or ppm) for Georgia streams and a minimum of 4 mg/L • Average of 6 mg/L (or ppm) for trout streams and a minimum of 5 mg/L • Inversely related to temperature: • As temperature increases, DO decreases • As temperature decreases, DO increases

  12. DISSOLVED OXYGEN • DO levels may increase due to • diffusion from the atmosphere, • plant metabolism as a waste product of photosynthesis • turbulent mixing (riffles) • DO levels may decrease due to • warm temperatures • an overload of decaying organic matter (due to excess nutrients) • slow moving, deep water

  13. pH • A measure of hydrogen ions (H+); aquatic organisms are sensitive to pH fluctuations • 0-14 scale; pure water has equal amount of H+ and OH- ions and has a pH of 7 • Expected range in Georgia: 6-8 • Some South Georgia waters may have pH as low as 3.5

  14. CONDUCTIVITY • Measurement of water’s ability to pass an electrical current. Conductivity indicates the presence of ions in the water. • Is affected primarily by geology of the area through which the water flows through • water that flows through granite tends to have low conductivity • water that runs through limestone and clay has higher conductivity

  15. CONDUCTIVITY • Georgia generally ranges from 50 to 1500ms/cm • AAS advises volunteers to find normal background levels • closely monitor any deviations • What can affect Conductivity levels? • Mining operations – release of iron, copper, cadmium • Agriculture – adds nutrient ions • Sewage effluent – chloride, nitrates, and phosphate • Urban runoff – auto fluids, salts, and chemical

  16. NUTRIENTS • Nitrates • A nutrient found in the water from fertilizers or animal waste. Sewage is the main contributor. • Normal background levels are below 1ppm • Phosphates • A nutrient found in water from soaps, fertilizer, animal waste, industrial effluent and sewage • Normal background levels are below 0.1ppm Excess nutrients can cause algal blooms, affect sensitive macroinvertebrates, and decrease dissolved oxygen levels

  17. Where Do I Submit My Data? • Data should be submitted to the state’s online database: www.GeorgiaAdoptAStream.org • Share your data with partners, local governments and your local Adopt-A-Stream coordinators

  18. Who Might Use My Data? • Local water departments, planners, or city councils • Colleges, universities, and technical schools use data in reports • Forestry services and environmental groups will use it for analyzing the equality of life in that area as well as a reference for future studies • Consulting agencies, local and state government

  19. Just the Facts • Raise awareness • Provide tools and training • Encourage partnerships • Water quality data ppm or mg/L Once a month Dissolved Oxygen (temp., DO) mid-stream, mid-depth Data – on-line database, local program, city & county government & municipality, partners, county commissioners, universities, others? pH 6-8 As low as 3.5 Conductivity The ability of water to carry a current.Is affected by mining, agriculture, sewage effluent, urban runoff. Temperature – importance of, where to measure… Excess Organic Matter Causes a decrease in dissolved oxygen levels • Dissolved Oxygen • not lower than 4 with an average of at least 5 mg/L or ppm Higher DO in the winter months

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