This summer, I signed up with the Anchorage Waterways Council to be a part of their CEMP, or Citizen's Environmental Monitoring Program. I thought it would be an interesting way to learn a little bit about science, as well as an excuse to get outside and enjoy the Alaskan scenery.
I had two 6-hour training classes: the first one had the instructor going over each test we were to conduct out at our creek, followed by the volunteers giving that particular test a try. The second training class had all of us volunteers going thru the entire testing procedure on our own, with the instructor standing by in case we had questions. The final phase of the training period was out in the field, using actual creek water (as opposed to simply using tap water) and making sure we understood everything that was expected of us.
Now that I have completed all three phases of testing, I am partnered up with a long-time creek monitor and have been testing for a couple of months out at Rabbit Creek. Winter time is typically the hardest time to test, as you can imagine. We have to deal with freezing cold temperatures: the water is running so it’s not actually frozen, but it certainly is freezing! Thankfully, we only have to test once a month. During the summer months we test twice a month; at least it’s easier as far as weather goes, but we have to deal with animal life.
The following is the list of CEMP Parameters of Concern:
Temperature: water temperature is one of the most important water quality parameters we test. It controls metabolic and reproductive activities in organisms, and determines species composition. Temperature also affects dissolved oxygen and can influence bacterial growth, and chemical reactions in water.
Conductivity: conductivity measure water’s ability to pass an electric current, and can be used to indicate the dissolved solids or ion content of the water. Conductivity in streams is affected primarily by the geology of the area, but may also be affected by human sources such as septic systems or runoff.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO): DO is one of the most important indicators of a water body’s ability to support aquatic life. It is essential for the basic metabolic processes of animals and plants inhabiting our streams.
pH: pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. pH affects many chemical and biological processes in the water.
Phosphorus: phosphorus is an essential nutrient in the aquatic food web, and is usually in short supply in waters of south-central Alaska, so even a modest increase can stimulate growth of algae in streams. The many sources of phosphorus include wastewater treatment plants, runoff from fertilized lawns, septic systems, animal manure, and runoff from disturbed land areas.
Nitrate: similar to phosphorus, nitrogen is required by all organisms for the basic processes of life to make proteins, to grow, and to reproduce. Nitrogen is found in many forms in water, and the sources are similar to those that contribute to phosphorus levels.
Turbidity: turbidity measures water clarity. Any material mixed and suspended in water will reduce its clarity and make the water turbid. High turbidity levels can be disruptive to aquatic systems in various ways including: 1) interfering with the passage of light through water, 2) clogging the gills of some fish species, 3) causing an increase in water temperature since suspended particles absorb more heat resulting in a reduction of dissolved oxygen since warmer water holds less oxygen, and 4) smothering fish eggs and benthic macroinvertebrates.
E. Coli Bacteria: while coliform bacteria are natural and most are harmless, the presence of high levels of coliform bacteria and, in particular, of fecal coliforms may indicate that sewage is being discharged into the water. Certain species of pathogenic bacteria can cause typhoid fever, dysentery, and cholera.
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