Question

Dan took three samples of water from the creek behind his house once a month for the last six months. He tested the water and reported the results in the following data table.


*The data table is in the attachment.


Which water-quality indicators would be of concern in this situation? Explain your response. Be sure to discuss any implications these water-quality indicators could have on the environment and human health

Answer 1

Here is the attachment

Answer 2

Please help!!!

Answer 3

Think through the problem; which indicators seem abnormal?

Answer 4

the dissolved oxygen and the nitrates is way to high but i don't know what the rest are? can you explain?

Answer 5

Sure! :)
- Fecal Coliform is a measure of pathogens in water; specifically, a check to see if levels are in an appropriate range. Too much Coliform Bacteria can lead to increased aerobic decomposition, which lowers DsO (Dissolved Oxygen) and result in a decrease in life within a waterway.
- Phosphates are important for organism life/development; they're kind of like nitrates, and act as a sort of 'fertilizer' for algae.
- pH is a measure of Hydrogen ions within a body .. of water, in this case; it dictates what can survive in a certain place. A pH of around 7 is best because it's neither extremely acidic or basic.

Answer 6

What do you think could be happening in the creek resulting in less oxygen with a surplus of Nitrates?

Answer 7

People can die of illness?

Answer 8

Well, it's not drinking water. So I don't know about that, as it's a creek.
A process you might want to think of eutrophication; which is when phytoplankton and algae and plant life within a body of water goes up drastically because of increased nutrients. There is so much life, in fact, that it consumes almost all available oxygen, leaving the water seriously depleted and difficult for other organisms to thrive in.

Answer 9

How can that relate to the abnormal indicators?

Answer 10

im not understanding ?

Answer 11

Okay. Which indicators seemed abnormal to you?
And is there a way they can relate?

Answer 12

the nitrates and the dissolved oxygen and im not sure

Answer 13

Nitrates act as a fertilizer that promote plant growth. It's the nitrogen in them that does that. That could have caused the algae and plant life in the creek to skyrocket, literally consuming so much nutrients in the lake, that organisms died. The detrius, or dead matter from those organisms may have resulted in oxygen depletion that accounted for the low DSO levels.
Does that make more sense? :)

Answer 14

Actually yea it does ...Thank you soo much!:) so as my answer i put this do you mind correcting it?


If the dissolved oxygen is lower than a 4.0 then that could be a problem, also the nitrates should be at least at 1.0 and 6 to 7 is way to high.Too much Fecal coliform can cause less oxygen. The turbidity seems concerning because the water is starting to become dirty.


If the water is in bad quality it can cause the plants and organisms around the creek to die.

Answer 15

It all sounds good, except you want to mention that the creek is possibly eutrophic and that there is a lot of life is there, but it has resulted in overconsumption from a large amount of phytoplankton and ultimately less life because there's not enough nutrients (it's depleted).

Answer 16

I think you covered everything though. Good luck with your assignment :)

Answer 17

Thank you soo much!! my teacher said i did a good job :)

Answer 18

Really? Yay :D