Our Testing Sites and Results

Scroll down to see our results!!!

• The first site is at Silver Lake in the Lakewood area.
• The second is behind Phenix City Intermediate School.
• The third is at the Phenix City Riverwalk, next to Mead Corporate Headquarters, where Holland Creek meets the Chattahoochee River.

Phenix City Riverwalk	Behind our school, PCIS	Silver Lake

Testing Factors

• Air temperature (AT) - affects the water temperature
• Water Temperature (WT) - If the water temperature is too warm, D.O. levels drop. If the water temperature is cold, D.O. is increased.
• Dissolved Oxygen (D.O.) - the amount of oxygen in the water. If D.O. in water drops dramatically, this indicates that some type of pollution has been introduced into the water. This could damage aquatic life in the water. (Ex. fish kills)
• D.O. Saturation (D.O.S) - percent of oxygen in the water. If it's below 60%, there is very little oxygen in the water. 60-79% is acceptable for most stream animals. 80-125% is excellent for most stream animals. 125% and above is dangerous or lethal for most stream animals.
• p.H.- measurement of how basic or acidic the water is. p.H. of 7.0 is neutral. Values less than 7.0 are acidic. If the p.H. is more than 7.0, it is basic. If the p.H. is less than 4.0, or more than 10.0, the water is usually dangerous for fish and other organisms.

• Hardness (HD)- measurement of the amount of calcium and magnesium in the water. Limestone is a natural source of hardness. Plants and animals need calcium and magnesium to live.

Water Hardness - mg/L

Soft- 0 to 20

Moderately Soft - 20 to 60

Moderately Hard - 61 to 120

Hard - 121 to 180

Very Hard - over 180

Hard water decreases the cleaning action of chemicals used to clean water.

• Alkalinity(AK) - the mesurement of the buffering capability of water. Buffering is the ability of water to cope with pollution. If alkalinity is high, it provides a buffer against changes in p.H.,making it more stable for aquatic life.
• If the alkalinity is low in a body of water the water has very little buffering capacity. Low alkalinity usually means that acidic or basic pollution has been introduced into the water.
• Turbity (TU)- the measurment of suspended matter in the water.
• Turbidity can be caused by soil erosion and run-off.
• High turbidity decreases the amount of sunligh that reaches the water body, prevents growth of aquatic plants, and can upset aquatic ecosystems.

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