1. The Effect of Fertilization and Environmental Factors on Water Quality in the Upper Cove River Watershed Danielle Eldracher
2. Background Watershed originates in the Yale Golf Course Empties into Long Island Sound in West Haven Travels through a variety of lake, marsh, forest and residential topography Includes a potable water reservoir East Tributary flows directly from the golf course West Tributary comes from another direction control The two converge and flow into reservoir Water flows over spillway and into another lake
3. Past Research In the past few decades, industrialization, population growth, and intensive use of chemical fertilizers have doubled the amount of nitrogen in circulation (Horton) Coastal bays and oceans are hit hardest rivers dump runoff Low-lying wetlands are key to a healthy watershed they trap runoff and filter its harmful sediments through natural vegetation (Mitchell) Excess nitrates can cause blue-baby syndrome in infants, and can potentially lead to cancer
4. Purpose Learn about the overall water quality Determine how human activity affects it (fertilization) Determine how natural and environmental factors affect it
5. Variables/Hypothesis IV: Time, Location, Environmental factors DV: Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Conductivity, and Nitrate measurements Hypothesis: Nitrate will be higher in the east tributary due to fertilization of the golf course water quality will improve/recover from any nitrate pollution after flowing through marsh areas Temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration will be inversely related
6. Materials Vernier Probes: temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, conductivity Bucket with rope Wash bottle with distilled water Kim wipes Test tubes and holder Nitrate Standard solutions : high (100 mg/L) and low (10 mg/L) MUC field guide GPS unit Notebook and pencil Stopwatch
7. Procedure Record date and time and make notes about the weather/surroundings Record any relevant observations at each sample site Fill the bucket with water from the sample site Immediately test for temperature and dissolved oxygen Test for pH and Nitrate Test for conductivity
8. Procedure Continued For each test, the probe should remain completely submerged for 1-2 minutes Probes should not touch the sides of the container The tips of the probes should not be touched After each test, rinse off the probe with distilled water Dry using Kim wipes Secure the probe back in its solution bottle if it has one
17. Conclusions Nitrate concentrations higher overall in east tributary than in west tributary Nitrate seems to be filtered out as water flows through wetlands—from confluence to spillway to outlet DO concentrations higher overall in the west tributary than in the east tributary pH was lowest at the end of October and highest at the beginning of January
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