ABCDEFGHIJK
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Dateair tempwater temp
O2 dissolved (mg/L)
O2 % saturation
phosphate (mg/L)
turbidity (NTU)
conductivity (µS/cm)
pHammoniumNotes
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20-Sep-201416.315.46620.041313367.8
3
11-Oct-201418.217.11.9200.125<1022907.7
4
9-Nov-201418.320.40.4403014356.7very smelly
5
13-Dec-201425.5223.2360.042115407.6
6
15-Feb-201522.622.62.4270.03<106567.2
7
14-Mar-20151718.82.9310.07<106727.9
8
11-Apr-201517.618.23.4370.2517.514867.2
9
16-May-20151214.16580.15<106787.8
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14-Jun-20158.211.26540.151710829.3pH questionable Awaiting new meter
11
2-Aug-201510.3117.3680.1157467.9
12
6-Sept-20159.911.56.8650.061010417.9
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11-Oct-201517.5n/a6.4n/a>0.25<1023308.3problem with meter
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15-Nov-20151516.43.234>0.2515013197.6new sensor on meter
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20-Dec-201534.722.5225>0.25<1014437.4minimal flow Saw 75cm eel.
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17-Jan-201622.521.63.2370.15<109767.1Slender knotweed grown across waterway in places
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21-Feb-201616.8203350.2<107307.6Knotweed covering creek for distance of approx 15m
18
28-Mar-20161616.13320.2<108796.7
19
24-Apr-20161616.60.15<10testing done over two days
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25-Apr-201615.9163.43510907.3
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25-Jun-20167.210.48.8790.07202277.6recent rain more flow than normal
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23-Jul-20169.111.26.6600.15303657.9Lots of water flowing through
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28-Aug-201613.111.82.4220.131510107.1Don't know why oxygen reading so low. Water flow good.
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25-Sept-201612.4153.3330.06104018.1high flow, rain overnight
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16-Oct-201618.114.31.8180.07<1011278.1Oxygen low
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13-Nov-201614.114.82.8280.2205837.7fast flow, recent rain
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18-Dec-201614.916.80.77>0.25<1012728.4
28
22-Jan-201718.420.11.1120.15158937.8Flooding 29/12 changed banks and foliage
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19-Feb-201715.116.91.2120.15309857.3Minimal flow. Another flood event 5/2/17. Less severe than Dec event.
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19-Mar-201721.920.50.890.151510817.8Minimal flow. Vegetation on banks regrowing
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23-Apr-201718.417.61.8190.1<108306.9net in creek. caught eel and 10 galaxia
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21-May-201714.113.62190.125<1011057.1another trap, different design, empty, removed.
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18-Jun-20179.611.31.9170.125<109358.3Trampling atedge. Water ribbons broken off. Heron.
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9-Jul-20171110.64360.1153818Water flowing through dam wall from lake. Creek wider. Banks less trampled.
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20-Aug-20178.410.58.3750.05154807.4high flow through dam wall
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17-Sep-2017119.47.5660.085155407.2heavy rain 2 days before, large galaxia
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15-Oct-201712.912.76.8640.151513807.7
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12-Nov-201717.317.23.6380.2<1015107.4
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17-Dec-201719.920.53.236>0.2515>19907.4Phosphate and conductivity off the scale of our equipment. pH meter problem - inconsistent repeated readings.
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14-Jan-201817.817.95.8610.07<102907.4lots of recent rain. pH meter stil problematic.
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25-Feb-201814.818.36.1650.15206707.7New pH meter. Knotweed across creek downstream of test site.
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25-Mar-201821.619.23.6390.225156207.1Good rainfall previous day. Water high.
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22-Apr-20181616.54.4450.175<1011307.9Two kookaburras, great egret
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27-May-20181412.86.2590.1<1014607.7
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24-Jun-201897.85.7480.125<1010407.9
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22-Jul-1810.19.67.9660.1157007.9First monitoring since golf course closed (1/7/18). Constant stream of dogs off leash passing on other side of creek into park. Banks quite bare.
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26-Aug-20188.610.76.8620.0851513607.5Lots of water flowing in from lake through dam wall.
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23-Sep-201813145.2510.09<1013207.3
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21-Oct-201813145.2510.15<103608.1Grass near creek had been recently sprayed with something green. Banks now seem to be regularly cleared. Water now seems to be consistently entering from lake rather than bypass.
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25-Nov-20181315.55.5550.125<106907.8Grass and knotweed on banks grwowing back. Second month with oval fenced off.
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16-Dec-201819194.2450.15<103607.5More regrowth on banks
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20-Jan-201917.1212.8320.2<1011707.40.06Work on oval continuing. Why is phosphate so much higher than lake? Reeds and knotweed spreading.
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24-Feb-201919.2203.4380.21514907.30.07Fence still up. Grass on oval growing. Being watered. Phosphate still high.
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17-Mar-201919193.3360.125<1014707.40.13Fence still up. Grass on oval growing. Being watered. Phosphate not so high. Not many macroinvertebrates. Lots of fish.
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14-April-201919164410.12<1012607.10.03Fence still up. Very clear. Cocky home.
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19-May-201913.5133.2310.13<1014107.10.3Fence still up. Reeds almost grown across creek. very clear.
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23-June-20196103.7330.1<1055070.07
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21-July-201911.8114.8440.2<1098070.18Fence down! Reeds spreading further downstream Knotweed flowering, leaves eaten but plant mass across waterway. No discernible flow from lake due to bridgeworks upstream of lake. Two cockatoos in tree hollow.
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18-August-201917.8133.8360.17<1071070.07Very windy. Water level higher. Flowing through dam wall. old reeds dying off. New weeds encroaching on our pond! Cockatoos in hollow (2). Rainbow Lorikeets in nest box in tree towards park.
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22-September-20191313.56.2600.1<106406.80.05
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20-October-201916144.4430.13<104106.70.08Banks not cleared for a while. Lots of new plant species mostly weeds. Reeds still spreading downstream. Water flowing briskly from dam. Lots of noisy miners. Two cockatoos in hollow.
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17-November-201912.9163.1320.1<1011706.90.08Reeds spread dramatically. Half of previous pond covered. Banks widening downstream. More water ribbons.
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15-December-201918172.1220.25<1018407.10.15Cumbungi spread even further. Cockatoos screeching.
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19-January-202020.8201.719>0.25109806.80.5vegetation spread further. Pair of chetnut teal with 6 chicks at testing site. Ammonium very high in creek and very low in lake???
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16-February-202023201.618>0.25<103506.70.275Cumbungi extended further downstream. Overtaken water ribbon island. Looking lush. Less rubbish than usual. Phosphate very high again. Three months in a row. Noisy minors.
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15-March-202015154.4440.1<1011907.20.1Knotweed cleared upstream of lake but not near dam wall or on our test site. Reeds encraoched further, killing water ribbons. Other weeds died off. Grass on banks long. Little flow from lake. Pump on. Water level in creek and flow lower. Less brown algae in sample. Magpies chasing 7 cockatoos in trees. Phosphate and ammonia not so high.
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68
Water Temperature
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The rates of biological and chemical processes depend on temperature. Aquatic organisms from microbes to fish are dependent on certain temperature ranges for their optimal health. Optimal temperatures for fish depend on the species: some survive best in colder water, whereas others prefer warmer water. Benthic macroinvertebrates are also sensitive to temperature and will move in the stream to find their optimal temperature. If temperatures are outside this optimal range for a prolonged period of time, organisms are stressed and can die. Temperature is measured in degrees Celsius (C).
Temperature affects the oxygen content of the water (oxygen levels become lower as temperature increases); the rate of photosynthesis by aquatic plants; the metabolic rates of aquatic organisms; and the sensitivity of organisms to toxic wastes, parasites, and diseases.
Causes of temperature change include weather, removal of shading streambank vegetation, impoundments (a body of water confined by a barrier, such as a dam), dis-charge of cooling water, urban storm water, and groundwater inflows to the stream.
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Oxygen
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The stream system both produces and consumes oxygen. It gains oxygen from the atmosphere and from plants as a result of photosynthesis. Running water, because of its churning, dissolves more oxygen than still water, such as that in a reservoir behind a dam. Respiration by aquatic animals, decomposition, and various chemical reactions consume oxygen.
Wastewater from sewage treatment plants often contains organic materials that are decomposed by microorganisms, which use oxygen in the process. (The amount of oxygen consumed by these organisms in breaking down the waste is known as the biochemical oxygen demand or BOD. A discussion of BOD and how to monitor it is included at the end of this section.) Other sources of oxygen-consuming waste include stormwater runoff from farmland or urban streets, feedlots, and failing septic systems.
Oxygen is measured in its dissolved form as dissolved oxygen (DO). If more oxygen is consumed than is produced, dissolved oxygen levels decline and some sensitive animals may move away, weaken, or die.
DO levels fluctuate seasonally and over a 24-hour period. They vary with water temperature and altitude. Cold water holds more oxygen than warm water (Table 5.3) and water holds less oxygen at higher altitudes. Thermal discharges, such as water used to cool machinery in a manufacturing plant or a power plant, raise the temperature of water and lower its oxygen content. Aquatic animals are most vulnerable to lowered DO levels in the early morning on hot summer days when stream flows are low, water temperatures are high, and aquatic plants have not been producing oxygen since sunset.
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Phosphate
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Both phosphorus and nitrogen are essential nutrients for the plants and animals that make up the aquatic food web. Since phosphorus is the nutrient in short supply in most fresh waters, even a modest increase in phosphorus can, under the right conditions, set off a whole chain of undesirable events in a stream including accelerated plant growth, algae blooms, low dissolved oxygen, and the death of certain fish, invertebrates, and other aquatic animals.
There are many sources of phosphorus, both natural and human. These include soil and rocks, wastewater treatment plants, runoff from fertilized lawns and cropland, failing septic systems, runoff from animal manure storage areas, disturbed land areas, drained wetlands, water treatment, and commercial cleaning preparations.
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Turbidity
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Turbidity is a measure of water clarity how much the material suspended in water decreases the passage of light through the water. Suspended materials include soil particles (clay, silt, and sand), algae, plankton, microbes, and other substances. These materials are typically in the size range of 0.004 mm (clay) to 1.0 mm (sand). Turbidity can affect the color of the water.
Higher turbidity increases water temperatures because suspended particles absorb more heat. This, in turn, reduces the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) because warm water holds less DO than cold. Higher turbidity also reduces the amount of light penetrating the water, which reduces photosynthesis and the production of DO. Suspended materials can clog fish gills, reducing resistance to disease in fish, lowering growth rates, and affecting egg and larval development. As the particles settle, they can blanket the stream bottom, especially in slower waters, and smother fish eggs and benthic macroinvertebrates. Sources of turbidity include:
Soil erosion
Waste discharge
Urban runoff
Eroding stream banks
Large numbers of bottom feeders (such as carp), which stir up bottom sediments
Excessive algal growth.
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Conductivity
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Conductivity is a measure of the ability of water to pass an electrical current. Conductivity in water is affected by the presence of inorganic dissolved solids such as chloride, nitrate, sulphate, and phosphate anions (ions that carry a negative charge) or sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and aluminum cations (ions that carry a positive charge). Organic compounds like oil, phenol, alcohol, and sugar do not conduct electrical current very well and therefore have a low conductivity when in water. Conductivity is also affected by temperature: the warmer the water, the higher the conductivity. For this reason, conductivity is reported as conductivity at 25 degrees Celsius (25 C).
Conductivity in streams and rivers is affected primarily by the geology of the area through which the water flows. Streams that run through areas with granite bedrock tend to have lower conductivity because granite is composed of more inert materials that do not ionize (dissolve into ionic components) when washed into the water. On the other hand, streams that run through areas with clay soils tend to have higher conductivity because of the presence of materials that ionize when washed into the water. Ground water inflows can have the same effects depending on the bedrock they flow through.
Discharges to streams can change the conductivity depending on their make-up. A failing sewage system would raise the conductivity because of the presence of chloride, phosphate, and nitrate; an oil spill would lower the conductivity.
The basic unit of measurement of conductivity is the mho or siemens. Conductivity is measured in micromhos per centimetre (µmhos/cm) or microsiemens per centimetre (µs/cm). Distilled water has a conductivity in the range of 0.5 to 3 µmhos/cm. The conductivity of rivers in the United States generally ranges from 50 to 1500 µmhos/cm. Studies of inland fresh waters indicate that streams supporting good mixed fisheries have a range between 150 and 500 µhos/cm. Conductivity outside this range could indicate that the water is not suitable for certain species of fish or macroinvertebrates. Industrial waters can range as high as 10,000 µmhos/cm.
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pH
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pH is a term used to indicate the alkalinity or acidity of a substance as ranked on a scale from 1.0 to 14.0. Acidity increases as the pH gets lower.
pH affects many chemical and biological processes in the water. For example, different organisms flourish within different ranges of pH. The largest variety of aquatic animals prefer a range of 6.5-8.0. pH outside this range reduces the diversity in the stream because it stresses the physiological systems of most organisms and can reduce reproduction. Low pH can also allow toxic elements and compounds to become mobile and "available" for uptake by aquatic plants and animals. This can produce conditions that are toxic to aquatic life, particularly to sensitive species like rainbow trout. Changes in acidity can be caused by atmospheric deposition (acid rain), surrounding rock, and certain wastewater discharges.
The pH scale measures the logarithmic concentration of hydrogen (H+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions, which make up water (H+ + OH- = H2O). When both types of ions are in equal concentration, the pH is 7.0 or neutral. Below 7.0, the water is acidic (there are more hydrogen ions than hydroxide ions). When the pH is above 7.0, the water is alkaline, or basic (there are more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions). Since the scale is logarithmic, a drop in the pH by 1.0 unit is equivalent to a 10-fold increase in acidity. So, a water sample with a pH of 5.0 is 10 times as acidic as one with a pH of 6.0, and pH 4.0 is 100 times as acidic as pH 6.0.
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Ammonium
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Ammonium ions occur primarily in domestic waste waters, but frequently also in industrial waste waters. In surface and ground waters ammonium ions indicate decomposition of animal or vegetable substances. Control of the ammonium values is therefore important to the water supply.