Monitoring the physical-chemical conditions at a site can give a direct insight into the condition of the water body at a point in time. By measuring and recording the physical and chemical characteristics of water, judgments can be made about a range of important issues. These include the suitability of the waterway for a range of potential uses, the condition and health of the waterway, the effect of human activities on the waterway (both positive and negative), changes through time and space, catchment conditions and its function.
During physical-chemical Waterwatch lessons there are six water chemical parameters that are investigated. These include the water temperature, electrical conductivity (salinity), pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen levels (DO) and the amount of phosphates (nutrients) present. This ongoing monitoring of waterways is very important because many of these parameters cannot be seen by the naked eye. Therefore it is only through these analyses that we can find if the waterway may have become polluted and if it is unsafe for certain uses.
Check the How To page to find the methods, data sheets and water quality guidelines, which are all provided in order for these analyses to be able to be carried out in the field, without the presence of a Waterwatch officer.
For further information on terrestrial or marine environmental lessons please feel free to Contact Us, as we are more than happy to assist you with these needs.
