Water Quality Difference Between Canal And Great Falls

To determine the overall water quality difference between the canal and the Great falls, we have to first understand the differences between each water quality parameter and what it means.By starting with our first test, PH, we can see that the canal has a higher PH level, thus being more basic than the Great falls. However, both are in the 7.1-9.5 range, and can be classified under the low alkalinity condition which is described as “High-quality water with good productivity,” allowing “Lakes and streams [to] have large concentrations of trout with large specimens”(Boots). The next test we conducted is turbidity, turbidity is the measure of the degree to which water loses its transparency due to the presence of suspended particulates. In our …show more content…
When there is a higher phosphate level in the water, this indicates a higher chance of eutrophication, caused by a runoff from the land causing excessive richness of nutrients in the water. In our experiment, we have relatively low levels of phosphates, the canal’s phosphate level may trigger periodic blooms, however long term eutrophication will not occur. This is because long-term eutrophication will “usually be prevented if total phosphorus levels are below .5 and .05 ppm”(Black). The next text we conducted is Dissolved oxygen, dissolved oxygen is the measurement of how much oxygen is dissolved in the water. Organisms use oxygen in respiration, and in general, shallow water fish need levels from (“4-15mg/L”). In our experiment the canal had 16.3 ppm (16.27mg/L) and the Great Falls had 17.5(17.4 …show more content…
Ammonia is one of the forms of nitrogen that exists in aquatic environment, and at higher levels it makes it difficult for aquatic organisms to sufficiently excrete the toxicant, which leads to “toxic buildup in internal tissues and blood, and potentially death”(Aquatic).Generally, the lower the ammonia levels the better the water quality is. In our experiment, the Canal had 1.7PPM, and the Great Falls had .61 ppm. This provides us with the data which tell us that the great falls provides a more healthy environment. When interpreting all the results combined together, I believe that there is not a large enough distinction between the data results from the C&O canal and the Great Falls water parameter tests to support my groups hypothesis. I believe we got the results we did due to many different reasons. I believe some tests may have been altered due to the fact that it was very sunny the day I conducted the water sampling, which alters the rate of photosynthesis causing tests such as Dissolved oxygen to be skewed. Both areas of water are susceptible to the same types of runoff from roads and animals causing some of the tests such as ammonia to be slightly