Water Quality Monitoring

PURPOSE

A volunteer water quality monitoring program was initiated in January, 2010 to further the WIP by identifying the main sources of nutrients and E. coli bacteria in the watershed. Creek Crew volunteers are collecting field data and water samples along Granite Creek and its main tributaries (map of sampling sites).
Through targeted monitoring (sampling above and below suspected sources of pollution), we can narrow down pollutant sources and design Best Management Practices appropriate to each source and location.

WATER QUALITY CRITERIA

Field Parameters:

  • Water temperature

  • pH

  • Dissolved oxygen

  • Turbidity

  • Flow

Laboratory parameters:

  • Nitrate/Nitrite

  • Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN)

  • Total Phosphorus

  • Ammonia

  • Bacteroides DNA*

*Bacteria from the genus Bacteroides are indicators of fecal contamination. Bacteroides are specific to a host, meaning that their DNA contains a genetic marker that indicates the mammal from which the bacteria originated. For the purposes of this project, DNA from Bacteroides are being categorized as either human, bovine, or other (wildlife, horses, pets).

See the Chapter 2 of the Granite Creek Watershed Improvement Plan 2.1 for monitoring results. (5.1 MB Download)

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