Water Quality Testing
Noah has been studying water quality at several locations. Cedar Lake and a pond on campus, as well as points before and after the power plants in Monticello. While he tested a number of things - pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and bacteria - he said his most interesting findings where on thermal pollution and dissolved oxygen in the water and how that impacts wildlife.
An excerpt from his final report
"By using water quality information, people will improve those bodies of water. It tells us what we need to do to help a body of water to thrive and be as healthy as can be. It can tell us what different chemicals or pollutants are getting into the body of water, therefore we can find a solution to fix that problem. Dissolved oxygen is the most important test according to NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration), because it is the most important factor in supporting aquatic life. The temperature is the biggest thing that affects the dissolved oxygen in the water. The colder the water the more dissolved oxygen will be present. In colder water the molecules are more compact and doesn’t have space for dissolved oxygen molecules to escape. When the water is warmer it allows for larger spaces between the molecules therefore letting more dissolved oxygen molecules out. That’s why for example a trout needs really cold moving water to survive, because they need more oxygen than other fish."
Veiw Noah's full report
