Stream Quality Survey

 

Investigators  __________________________________________________________________________

Stream Name _____________________________  County __________________  Site No. ____________

Watershed __________________________________    Date _________________     Time ___________

 

Water Chemistry

 

Dissolved Oxygen _______________ ppm                  Copper  __________________ ppm

Nitrate _______________ ppm                                   pH ______________________

Phosphates _______________ ppm                            Temperature ______________ (oC)

Turbidity _______________ NTU (or JTU)                Iron ___________________ ppm

Odor (circle):      rotten egg              sewage                   none       other (describe): ____________________

Color (circle):     clear         colored sheen (oily)             brown/tannic        green/algae           muddy   

 

Biological - Benthic Macroinvertebrate Count

Place a mark next to each type of organism that is observed.  Add the marks in each column and multiply by the index value (1, 2 or 3). Sum the totals in each column to determine the water quality rating for the stream.  Good water quality is indicated by a variety of organisms, with no one kind making up the majority of the sample.

Group 1 Taxa:

         Pollution - Sensitive

Group 2 Taxa:

             Mid -Tolerant

Group 3 Taxa:

      Pollution -Tolerant

 

_____  Caddisfly larvae

 

_____  Beetle larvae

 

_____  Aquatic worms

_____  Hellgrammites

_____  Clams

_____  Blackfly larvae

_____  Mayfly nymphs

_____  Cranefly larvae

_____  Leeches

_____  Gilled snails

_____  Crayfish

_____  Midge larvae

_____  Riffle beetle adult

_____  Damselfly nymphs

_____  Pouch (and other) snails

_____  Stonefly nymphs

_____  Dragonfly nymphs

_____ Other Diptera spp.

_____  Water penny larvae

_____  Scuds

 

 

_____  Sowbugs

 

 

_____  Alderfly larvae

 

 

_____  Watersnipe fly larvae

 

 

    _____  x  3  =  _____   

 

     _____  x  2  =  _____

 

     _____  x  1  =  _____

 

Water Quality Rating:  Group 1____ + Group 2 ____ + Group 3 ____ = _______

 

_____ Excellent (Ø22)         _____ Good (17-22)             _____ Fair (11-16)                _____ Poor (×11)

 

Physical Stream Characteristics

 

Velocity = distance/time = __________ feet/second

 

Volume of Stream Flow = _______ feet/second  X  ______ = cubic feet per second (cfs)

                                    (average velocity)                                         (average cross-sectional area)

 

 

Prepared by the Western U. P. Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education at Michigan Technological University