Chemical+Testing



 On December 1st, we went out into the Lisha Kill to test the site. The materials for testing included a pH sensor, a spectrometer, and chemical-detecting sets. We tested alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, phosphates, turbidity, pH, and temperature and checked them all twice to provide the most accurate data.

Alkalinity is important when it comes to the acidity of the water. It is the measure of a stream's natural ability to resist pH change because of its high buffer levels. Fish also need oxygen that is dissolved in the water to breath, which is measured by the dissolved oxygen levels. Nitrates is the amount of dead plants and animals decomposed by bacteria. In high levels this is dangerous for fish because it can cause eutrophication which causes fluctuations in the dissolved oxygen levels. Phosphorus is another necessary plant nutrient in which at low levels can cause drastic effects. Too much phosphorus has similar consequences to too much nitrates in a stream. Turbidity is also a factor in a healthy fish environment. A lot of turbidity will clog fishes gills and absorb more sunlight which raises the water temperature. Temperature changes the amount of dissolved oxygen that can be in the water. A change of pH can also be bad for fish because all animals have a internal pH and so when the pH is outside the ranges of 6.5-8 it can be harmful for aquatic life.


 * __Ideal DEC Standards for Trout Stream:__**


 * pH ||  Below 7  ||
 * Nitrates ||  <1  ||
 * Phosphates ||  <0.1  ||
 * Acidity ||  6.5-8.2  ||
 * Alkalinity ||  Not Below 10  ||
 * Turbidity ||  As low as possible  ||
 * DO ||  7 pp  ||
 * __Our Results in Lisha Kill:__**
 * Temperature ||  42 degrees Celsius  ||
 * Dissolved Oxygen ||  10 ppm  ||
 * Alkalinity ||  196 ppm  ||
 * Nitrates ||  1 ppm  ||
 * Phosphates ||  0 ppm  ||
 * Turbidity ||  11 JTU  ||
 * Acidity ||  8-8.2  ||

 Generally, our stream is trout-friendly environment. Some tests, like the DO, alkalinity and pH, were at pretty decent levels for trout spawning and living. Despite the fact that in this particular region the buffer zone was extensive, in the higher reaches of the watershed there is less protection for the stream from the fertilizers of golf courses and residential areas. This means a higher amount of nitrates are to be expected for this stream and our tests show that nitrates are currently present. It’s not an elevated level, but its not the optimum area either.