- Conducting the test: Turbidity can be found using a multicolored disk that is dropped into the water, attached to a rope. The depth that the disk reaches before it disappears is recorded. However, our test was conducted by obtaining a sample of the river water and matching its color/cloudiness to a key.
- Testing: Measuring the clarity or cloudiness of the water in the Chicago River- Measured using a turbidity meter
- Importance: Clarity of water is important in regards to human consumption and manufacturing uses
- Natural Occurrence: Can be affected by total amount of suspended solids (waste discharges, runoff of watersheds, excess algae etc.)
- Human Impact: Construction activity strips land of vegetation- this leads to increased sediment runoff increasing natural turbidity levels
- Data: Our tests revealed Q-value of 28/100, although this is not a great turbidity reading, the water of the river was lower- implying a more concentrated suspended solids
- Explanation of Results: These results indicate that the river water has a large quantity of dirt and other sediments, and that this water is not clean enough to be consumed by humans.