Subsections

• WaterQuality Comparative Results
• WaterQuality Instructions for Discussion

WaterQuality Field Procedure

1. Collect Reconaissance Sample
   1. using sample bottle, bucket, or long-handled sampler collect 200-500 ml sample
   2. place in 500 ml amber glass bottle, cap the bottle, bring to analysis table
2. Perform the following tasks in any order (but start with bacteria, since it must sit for 20 minutes). If you find yourself waiting for a piece of equipment, try to start on one of the other tasks
   1. Prepare filtered split, to be used for nitrate measurement. Follow filtering procedure
   2. measure pH (follow pH-meter procedure)
   3. measure D.O., electrical conductivity, and salinity (follow D.O. meter procedure)
   4. Measure Turbidity, follow the turbidity measurement procedure
   5. Measure Nitrate Content, follow measurement procedure
   6. Measure basic water quality, follow measurement procedure

WaterQuality Comparative Results

Historical analyses from Prairie Creek near Plano Road (Table 4.3.1) and from the class groups (Table 4.3.1) are available for comparison. For conversion: ppm $\approx$ mg/l for low-salinity water; low-salinity water at 26 ${\rm ^\circ C }$ contains $\sim$8.1 mg/l dissolved oxygen at saturation; at 15 ${\rm ^\circ C }$ saturated D.O content is $\sim$10.1 mg/l. See also online bottled water analyses and City of Dallas tapwater analyses .

Table 4.1: Creek water chemical analyses from Prairie Creek near Plano Road (1998 data).

Component	Units	March	April	May	June	July	August
Conductivity		600	420	510	500	460	480
pH		8.1	8.2	8.3	7.8	8.3	8.4
Turbidity	NTU	3.11	3.45	2.08	2.37	2.78	1.97
D.O.	mg/l	16.8	10.9	5.4	13.9	7.2	6.2
Nitrate	ppm	1.82	1.21	0.95	0.7	0.34	0.14
Water Temp.	$^o$F	64	58	75	80	88	82

Table 4.2: Class water chemistry results, Spring Creek at Plano Rd., Sept. 26th 1998.

		Group
Component	Units	A	B	C
Conductivity		264.8	4564.1	234.0
pH		8.21	8.17	8.07
Turbidity	NTU	1.49	1.63	2.97
D.O.	% sat	45.2, 50.1	52	39
Nitrate	ppm	1.7	1.9	2.0
Water Temp.	${\rm ^\circ C }$	27.2	27.2	26.7
Salinity	ppt		0.2

Table 4.3: Selected water quality parameters for local treated water.

Parameter $\rightarrow$	Hardness	Alkalinity	Turbidity	Salinity	pH
Units $\rightarrow$	ppm	ppm	NTU	ppm	-
City of Dallas water	98	53	0.3	180
Private Swimming Pool	1000	180	0.4	1200	7.07

WaterQuality Instructions for Discussion

Compare water quality parameters for the various samples taken by the class. If multiple samples were analyzed from one source, discuss any variability in results and potential sources of error. Pay particular attention to differences that might be attributable to environment, i.e. the potential role of the wetlands.