- Testing: The amount of dissolved and suspended solids in the water.
- Importance: Disolved and suspended solids can affect water quality in a number of ways. Total solids can affect streamflow, clog fish gills, and bury bottom-dwelling macroinvertebrates. Additionally, the solids can block sunlight from plants and prevent photosynthesis from occurring.
- Natural Occurrence: Naturally occurring solids consist of: dirt, sticks, leaves, plants, algae, sewage, oil etc. These solids can slow the running water down, causing temperature to rise-possibly harming organisms.
- Human Impact: Dumping sewage into water sources can increase total solid amounts, as well discarding grass clippings. These impacts cause eutrophication and heating of the water.
- Data: Our tests revealed the amount of total solids in the water to be 450ppm, which translates into a Q-Value of 40/100. This is not good, and implies that there was a high amount of solids in the river.
- Explanation of Results: These results must be considered with the natural factors. The water level was very low, causing a more concentrated amount of total solids. There was also an excess amount of plants growing along the river, possibly adding more sediments and dirt to the water slowing the water down.