Testing Water Quality around the Lynnhaven River

WatershedKiersten Honig

Lynnhaven River WatershedComprises approximately 64

square miles of land and water, with nearly 150 miles of shoreline

Used to be a prime oyster harvesting area

Minor tributary to Chesapeake Bay, one of the largest estuarine systems and most important natural resources in the United States

The shoreline that surrounds the watershed includes 4,478 private waterfront homes, public access areas, marinas, boat launch facilities, waterside restaurants, and the First Landing State park.

What is water quality?Water quality uses the chemical, physical, and biological

characteristics of the water to asses its conditionIt is difficult to say whether the water is good or bad, so it

depends on the purpose it is used forCan be measured by several factors:

Dissolved oxygen Bacteria levels Nitrogen and phosphate levels Salinity Turbidity Quantities of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and other

contaminants

Tests and Locations3 Locations

Crystal Lake Linkhorn Bay/Broad Bay Lynnhaven Inlet

Tests Nitrate Dissolved Oxygen Temperature Acidity Salinity

NitrateNO3-An inorganic compound that can be a contaminant in waterNitrate ions are found in trace amounts in surface water

and higher amounts in some groundwaterSmall levels of nitrate do not have a direct impact on

aquatic lifeAlgae and other aquatic vegetation use nitrates as a source

of foodNitrogen is essential for all living thingsNo visual levels were present in the locations tested

Dissolved OxygenThe level of free, non-compound oxygen that is present in

waterLevels that are too low of too high can be harmful to

aquatic lifeFish, invertebrates, bacteria, and plants use oxygen in

respirationThe amount of dissolved oxygen varies for different

creatures Bottom feeders, crabs, oysters, and worms need about 1-6 mg/L of

oxygen Shallow water fish need about 4-15 mg/L of oxygen

Dissolved OxygenSince data was collected on the surface of the water, the

amount of dissolved oxygen present makes it very suitable for aquatic life

TemperatureTemperature is very unreliable for measuring

water quality because it is effected by the climate

Slight changes in temperature do not really effect the environment

SalinitySalinity is the amount of salt content in a body of

water Measured by PPT (parts per thousand)Over millions of years, water has washed over

rocks that contain sodium chloride and carried it into the sea

The average ocean salinity is 35 pptBrackish water is between 0.5 ppt and 17 pptMarine creatures keep the about the same

concentration of salinity in their bodies as in the water around them so they are balanced

Salinity Salinity levels fluctuated due to various

amounts of rainfall

Acidity (pH)pH indicates the water’s acidity Most aquatic organisms adapt to the pH of

the water around them and can be effected if it changes

Pure water has a pH of 7Sea water should have a pH of 7-8If the pH is 4 or below or 9 or above, all fish

will die

Acidity (pH)

Chesapeake BayDissolved Oxygen: Bay’s creatures need

dissolved oxygen concentrations of 5.0 mg/L Salinity: ranges from fresh water (less than

0.5 parts per thousand) to salt water (25-30 ppt)

Environmental EffectsWater pollution is a big deal, ways to improve

water quality are: Use environmentally safe fertilizer Reduce storm water runoff on your property Properly dispose hazardous waste Reduce litter

Sourceshttp://

www.deq.virginia.gov/Portals/0/DEQ/Water/TMDL/NDZ/lynnhavenndz.pdf

http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/lawsguidance/cwa/tmdl/images/lynnhaven_watershed.gif

http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/ocean/waterquality.htmlhttp://hannainst.com/usa/http://www.wheatleyriver.ca/current-projects/wrig-pilot-nitrate-s

tudy/nitrates-and-their-effect-on-water-quality-a-quick-study/

http://www.fondriest.com/environmental-measurements/parameters/water-quality/dissolved-oxygen/#1

http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/ocean/water/salinity1.htmhttp://www.water-research.net/index.php/ph-in-the-environmenthttp://

extension.usu.edu/waterquality/htm/whats-in-your-water/phhttp://www.chesapeakebay.net/