Water quality testing
Complete page # in the student fieldwork booklet for this section.
Learning Intention
To learn geographical fieldwork techniques to make enquiries about water quality and health.
Inquiry Question:
What is the relationship between Turbidity, Ammonia, Phosphorous, pH and Temperature with Water Quality at Lake Albert?
Google Map of field site 1
Locate the site Apex Park in Google maps.
You can expand the map to see the greater extent of Lake Albert.
Water Quality testing - Apex Park
Why are there problems with the water in Lake Albert?
A combination of water availability, temperature, depth, sedimentation and nutrient availability all actively contribute to the rate of activity of Blue-green algae in Lake Albert. In our fieldwork we will test for and observe a range of key factors that contribute to the state and health of Lake Albert.
Water quality testing - Turbidity
Turbidity is used as an indicator of the total amount of material suspended in water.
Turbidity can indicate the presence of sediment that has run off from the catchment due to natural and human processes.
The more material that is suspended in water, the greater is the water's turbidity and the lower its clarity.
Suspended material can be particles of clay, silt, sand, algae, micro-organisms and other substances.
Turbidity affects how far light can penetrate into the water. Natural (or background) turbidity levels in waterways vary from <1 NTU in mountain streams, to hundreds of NTU during rainfall or in naturally turbid (muddy) waters.
Record the result for Turbidity given by Darron Watt into your Student Fieldwork Booklet, page 4 - Water testing Apex Park.
Water quality testing - Ammonia
Ammonia is a basic chemical, soil nutrient and a common waster product of animals and humans.
Ammonia is commonly used as a fertiliser in agriculture and gardening.
Ammonia enters waterways through surface runoff, domestic and industrial effluent.
Ammonia is non-persistent and non-cumulative however it is toxic to aquatic life.
Toxicity of Ammonia is dependant on concentration, water pH and water temperature.
In freshwater ways the normal range of Ammonia is below 0.25 parts per million.
Record the result for Ammonia given by Darron Watt into your Student Fieldwork Booklet, page 4 - Water testing Apex Park.
Water quality testing - Phosphorus
Phosphorous is a chemical essential for plant and animal life.
Phosphorous is commonly used as a fertiliser in agriculture and gardening. It is also used to make detergents, plastics, pesticides and other industrial applications.
Phosphorous enters waterways through surface runoff, domestic and industrial pollution.
Phosphorous is persistent and cumulative however it is toxic to aquatic life.
The general concern with phosphorous is that when elevated is often the main cause for blue-green algae blooms.
In freshwater ways the normal range of Ammonia is between 5 and 50 parts per billion.
Record the result for Phosphorous given by Darron Watt into your Student Fieldwork Booklet, page 4 - Water testing Apex Park.
Water quality testing - pH
The pH levels found in Australian freshwater ways should be close to a neutral reading of 7. However pH usually ranges between 6 and 8 depending on local environmental factors.
pH levels outside the normal range can be critical in the level of toxicity of other chemicals like Ammonia in the water.
Record the result for pH given by Darron Watt into your Student Fieldwork Booklet, page 4 - Water testing Apex Park.
Water quality testing - Temperature
The temperature of freshwater is directly linked to the climate and depth of the water body.
Water temperature will change daily with the weather and seasonally with the climate.
Water temperatures decrease as the depth of the water increases.
Water can stratify into layers of different temperature depending on the depth and climate relationship.
Water temperature is directly linked to the occurrence and growth rates of blue-green algae blooms.
Record the result for Water Temperature given by Darron Watt into your Student Fieldwork Booklet, page 4 - Water testing Apex Park.