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Maury River Tributaries (North)

Page history last edited by Elise Sheffield 5 mos ago

 

How healthy are our northern tributaries?

 

Background:  The 6th grade students in Mrs. Sarah Hockman's science classes test water samples from creeks and rivers that flow into the Maury River; most are in the northern half of the County.  The students bring the samples to school and test the samples in the classroom using LaMotte test tablets.  They monitor these tributaries in fall, winter, and spring to see if there are changes with the seasons.   Below are the results and their own written analyses of the data.

 

Site            

Date        

Air

Temp

(F/C)

Water

Temp

(F/C)

Turbidity pH      D.O.       

 N

 

P            Fecal Coliform                    Comments                
FIRST period                    

Brattons Run

 9/18/08

 12/11/08

 NA

 

 NA

 

0 JTU

0 JTU

 6

 8

6 ppm

5 ppm

 0 ppm

 0 ppm

 4 ppm

 3 ppm

 NA

 present, non-harmful

 

Boat Locks @ BV (Maury River)

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

0 JTU

0 JTU

 8.5

 8

 4 ppm

 2 ppm

 0 ppm

 3 ppm

 2 ppm

 3 ppm

 NA  
Pond at Fairfield Pool

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

0 JTU

40  JTU

 7.5

 8

 5 ppm

 7 ppm

 0 ppm

 2 ppm

 4 ppm

 4 ppm

 NA  
 Woods Creek

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

0 JTU

0 JTU

 8

 8

 3 ppm

 6 ppm

 2 ppm

 5 ppm

 2 ppm

 2 ppm

 NA  
Goose Creek

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

0 JTU

0 JTU

 8

 7

 8 ppm

 3 ppm

 4 ppm

 10 ppm

 2 ppm

 2 ppm

 not present  
Buffalo Creek

 9/18/08

 12/11/08

 NA  NA

0 JTU

0 JTU

 8

 8

 5 ppm

 7 ppjm

 0 ppm

 2 ppm

 4 ppm

 4 ppm

 NA  

 

Summer Summary:   These samples suggest water quality is pretty good.  Phosphate levels were high.

 

Fall Summary:  Over the 3-month time period, water quality stayed the same with the exception of nitrogen fertilizer levels (they went   up :() Non-harmful bacteria found in Brattons Run.

 

SECOND Period Date  Air Temp 

Water

Temp 

 Turbidity  pH  D.O.  N  P  Fecal Coliform  
Maury River @ Goshen

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

0 JTU

0 JTU

 8.5

 8

 4 ppm

 3 ppm

 0 ppm

 2 ppm

 1 ppm

 3 ppm

 NA

 present, non-harmful

 
Irish Creek

 9/18/08

 

 NA  NA 0 JTU  7  6 ppm  0 ppm  1 ppm  NA  
South River @ Irish Creek  9/18/08  NA  NA 0 JTU  8  5 ppm  0 ppm  4 ppm  NA  
Buffalo Creek

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

0 JTU

40 JTU

 8

 8

 4 ppm

 2 ppm

 0 ppm

 1 ppm

 3 ppm

 3 ppm

 NA  
Calf Pasture @ Goshen 12/11/08  NA  NA  0 JTU  8  3 ppm  1 ppm  3 ppm  present, non-harmful  

 

Summer Summary:  Water quality is decent.  Phosphate levels could improve.

 

Fall Summary:  Over a 3-month period, water quality at these sites declined.  Dissolved oxygen levels went down.  Nitrogen fertilizer levels were up.  Buffalo Creek water was turbid.  pH levels stayed the same.

 

THIRD Period

Date       Turbidity  pH  D.O.  N  P  Fecal Coliform  
Little Mary's Creek

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 0 JTU

 7. 5

 8

 8 ppm

 3 ppm

 0 ppm

 0 ppm

4 + ppm

 2 ppm

 NA  
Lake Robertson

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 0 JTU

 8.5

 8

 7 ppm

 4 ppm

 0 ppm

 0 ppm

 2 ppm

 1 ppm

 NA

 present, non-harmful

 
Marl Creek (Midway)

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 0 JTU

 8

 7

 6 ppm

 2 ppm

 20 ppm

 5 ppm

 4 ppm

 3 ppm

 NA

 present, non-harmful

 
Maury River @ Rockbridge Baths

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 0 JTU

 7

 8

 5 ppm

 4 ppm

 0 ppm

 0 ppm

 3 ppm

 2 ppm

 NA  
Irish Creek

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 0 JTU

 8.5

 7

 4 ppm

 4 ppm

 0 ppm

 0 ppm

 4 ppm

 3 ppm

 NA  

 

Summer summary:  Water quality is good. Turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and nitrogen fertilizer (except Marl Creek) levels were good.  Phosphate levels could improve.

 

Fall summary: Over a 3-month period, water quality has improved in all areas except one.  pH and turbidity numbers were good.  Nitrogen and phosphorous levels were down.  Dissolved oxygen levels were down.  We found non-harmful bacteria in Lake Robertson and Marl Creek.

 

Fifth Period Date  Air TEmp 

Water

Temp 

 Turbidity pH  D.O.  N  P  Fecal Coliform  
Mill Creek

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA  0 JTU

 9

 8

 6 ppm

 4 ppm

 0 ppm  4 ppm  NA  
South River @ Irish Creek

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 NA

 8.5

 7

 4 ppm

 NA

 0 ppm

 NA

 3 ppm

 NA

 NA  
Goshen Spring Water

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 0 JTU

 7

 7

 4 ppm

 6 ppm

 0 ppm

 0 ppm

 4+ ppm

 3 ppm

 NA

 not present

 
McCormick's Farm

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 40 JTU

 8.5

 7

 4 ppm

 3 ppm

 0 ppm

 5 ppm

 2 ppm

 4 ppm

 NA

 not present

 

 

Summer Summary: Water quality was good.  Phosphate levels could improve.

 

Fall Summary: Over the 3-month period, water quality stayed the same, except McCormick's Farm.  pH and dissolved oxygen were good. Turbidity, nitrogen, and phosphorous fertilizer levels were good everywhere except McCormick's Farm.

 

Sixth Period Date  Air Temp 

Water

Temp 

 Turbidity  pH  D.O.  N  P  Fecal Coliform  
Kerrs Creek

 9/18/08

 NA  NA  0 JTU

 7.5

 8 ppm

 0 ppm

 3 ppm

 not present  
Maury River @ Lexington

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 0 JTU

 8.5

 7.5

 7 ppm

 6 ppm

 0 ppm

 0 ppm

 2 ppm

 2 ppm

 NA  
 Willow Lake

 9/18/08

 NA  NA  0 JTU

 8.5

 6 ppm

 0 ppm

 4 ppm  NA  
 Walkers Creek

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 0 JTU

 8

 8

 7 ppm

 8 ppm

 0 ppm

 2 ppm

 4+ ppm

 2 ppm

 NA  
 Hays Creek

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 0 JTU

 0 JTU

 8

 8

 5 ppm

 4 ppm

 5 ppm

 5 ppm

 2 ppm

 2 ppm

 NA  
 Dairy Farm

 9/18/08

12/11/08

 NA  NA

 100+ JTU

 100+ JTU

 NA

 8

 NA

 8 ppm

 NA

 20 ppm

 NA

 0 ppm

 NA

 present

 

 

 

Summer Summary:  Water quality was good.  Turbidity, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen (except Hays Creek), pH levels were good.  Phosphate fertilizer levels could improve.

 

Fall Summary:  Over the 3-month time period, water quality stayed the same. pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity levels were good (Dairy Farm was turbid). Nitrogen fertilizer levels stayed the same (Dairy Farm was high). Phosphate levels went down and the Dairy Farm had 0 phosphate.  There was no trace of e. coli bateria in Hays Creek; however, traces of e. coli were in the Dairy Farm water.

 

 

 

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