Title: Turbidity; What You Can\u2019t See<\/strong><\/p>\n
Activity 1: Modeling Turbidity<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Objective:\u00a0<\/strong>Create turbidity in a jar and observe the behavior of soil particles in water. \nScience Skills:\u00a0<\/strong>Observation,\u00a0<\/strong>Compare\/Contrast, Infer \nLife Skills:\u00a0<\/strong>Critical Thinking<\/p>\n
Materials<\/strong><\/p>\n
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A clear jar with a tight sealing lid<\/li>\n
Small shovel<\/li>\n
Soil<\/li>\n
Water<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Day 1:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Fill a jar about 1\/3 of the way with soil.\u00a0 Add water (tap water is fine)<\/em> leaving about 1 inch of space at the top.\u00a0 Put the lid on and shake vigorously for five minutes.\u00a0 Stop shaking and look at the water.\u00a0 Notice the color and the particles floating in it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Asking the Right Questions<\/strong> \nHave you ever seen a river or stream that looked like as cloudy as this? \nWhat do you think could have caused it to look this way? \nDo you think it would be harder or easier for plants to grow in cloudy water or clear water?\u00a0 Why? \nDo you think it would be harder or easier for fish or insects to live in cloudy water or clear water? Why?<\/p>\n
2. Place the jars somewhere they won\u2019t be disturbed for 24 hours.<\/p>\n
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Day 2:<\/strong> \nAfter 24 hours carefully, so that you don\u2019t stir the sediment up again, examine your jar of soil and water.<\/p>\n
Asking the Right Questions<\/strong> \nExamine the particles on the bottom of the jar.\u00a0 Do you notice any thing interesting about how the particles have settled?\u00a0 Do you think the difference in the sizes of the particles affected how long they took to settle? \u00a0\u00a0Why are some areas of a riverbed rocky while other parts are sandy or silty?<\/p>\n
Activity:\u00a0<\/strong>Measure turbidity of water samples drawn from a local stream.<\/p>\n
Objective:\u00a0<\/strong>Learn how to measure turbidity and learn about the condition of a local stream. \nScience Skills:\u00a0<\/strong>Measure, Collect Data, Use Tools, Hypothesize \nLife Skills:\u00a0<\/strong>Keeping Records, Marketable Skills, Personal Safety, Critical Thinking<\/p>\n
Preparation Activities: \u00a0<\/strong>See\u00a0Explore More<\/strong>\u00a0for digital or print resources of topographical maps.\u00a0Obtain a topographical map of your area.\u00a0 These are available at many camping stores or online from the US Geological Survey You can also use a free online mapping website such as Google maps. You can \u201cfly over\u201d your watershed you can download Google Earth to your computer. (View the \u201cNavigation Beginner Tutorial\u201d if you are unfamiliar with Google Earth.)<\/em> WSU Whatcom Extension also has tutorials on creating maps using GIS.<\/p>\n
SAFETY FIRST<\/em> \nYour safety is the most important factor to consider when you choose a site to visit.\u00a0 If you cannot locate a safe place to visit your local stream, please don\u2019t do it!\u00a0 And, please, never try to sample water from a stream during a rainstorm or anytime when the water is moving too swiftly for safety.<\/p>\n
Materials<\/strong><\/p>\n
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Local Street Map<\/li>\n
Local Watershed Map (see It\u2019s All Connected<\/strong>)<\/li>\n
Turbidity Tube or World Water Quality Day Monitoring Kit \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (available from Whatcom County Extension office)<\/em><\/li>\n
1 clear jar with a tight sealing lid for water collection<\/li>\n
Another jar or measuring cup for scooping water<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Day 1:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Find your watershed and your home within the watershed on your maps.\u00a0 Using your maps, predict where rainwater that falls on your home and yard will flow.\u00a0 Where would the rainwater that falls in other parts of the watershed flow?\u00a0 Trace the likely path of water from your property to the closest stream.\u00a0 Where does the stream go from there?\u00a0 Where does the stream begin?<\/li>\n
Using your maps, find a place where you might be able to visit your stream.\u00a0\u00a0 A publicly accessible place such as a park would be ideal, but if a neighbor owns property next to your stream, or you know of an area where a road crosses the stream, these could also work. If you have difficulty locating streams try using the local steams map listed in\u00a0It\u2019s All Connected<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
Observe the stream.\u00a0 Is the water moving relatively slowly or relatively swiftly?\u00a0 Collect a sample of water from your stream.\u00a0\u00a0 Examine the water.\u00a0 Does it look clear or cloudy?\u00a0\u00a0 What do you think is in this water?\u00a0 Do you think you can see all of the substances that are in this water?\u00a0 Seal this jar so that you can bring it home with you.<\/li>\n
Collect more water from the stream.\u00a0 Hold the turbidity tube in one hand near the bottom and look into the open end with\u00a0<\/strong>your head about 10 to 20 centimeters above the tube, so that you can clearly see the black circle, cross, or other mark on the bottom of the tube.\u00a0 Slowly pour the water sample into the tube, waiting for air bubbles to rise if necessary, until the mark on the bottom of the tube just disappears. Stop pouring the water sample into the tube and look at the level of water in the tube.<\/li>\n
For turbidity tubes with a turbidity scale marked on the side, read the number on the nearest line to the water level. This is the turbidity of the water. If the tube does not have a scale marked, measure the distance from the bottom of the tube to the water level with a tape measure and look up or calculate the turbidity of the water sample using the instructions provided with the tube. After use, wash the tube in clean water and store the tube where it cannot be damaged.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/p>\n
Asking the Right Questions<\/strong> \nHow far can light penetrate into this stream today?\u00a0 What difference would sunlight make to the ecology of this stream?<\/p>\n
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Day 2:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Bring the sample you collected in step 3 home with you.\u00a0 Place your sample jar of water in a place where it won\u2019t be disturbed for 24 hours.\u00a0 After 24 hours, carefully, so that you don\u2019t stir the sediment up again, examine your jar of stream water as well as the jar of water and soil.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/p>\n
Asking the Right Questions<\/strong> \nLook at the bottom of the jars.\u00a0 Was there more or less \u201cstuff\u201d floating in the water than you expected?<\/p>\n
Examine the particles on the bottom of the jar and reexamine your watershed, topographic, and satellite maps.\u00a0 Where do you think these particles came from? Can you name some natural sources of sediment?\u00a0 Can you name some human sources of sediment?\u00a0 If you wanted to keep the water cleaner, what could you do?<\/p>\n
Optional Extension:<\/strong> \nReturn to the stream 3 more times over the next month and repeat your measurements.\u00a0 Make a chart to record turbidity measurements, your observations on stream flow, and recent weather conditions.<\/p>\n
Asking the Right Questions<\/strong> \nDid you notice any correlations between the weather, stream flow, and turbidity?\u00a0 What do you think is happening?<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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