Water Quality Monitoring on the Mississippi River - Sampling Equipment and Demonstration

Summary

Jim Rudolph, an environmental specialist at MWMO, demonstrates river water quality sampling techniques. Using a Secchi tube to measure clarity and a sonde to record pH, temperature, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen, he collects water samples with a Van Dorn sampler. The comprehensive data collection aims to identify trends and focus efforts on improving water quality by analyzing pollutants and their sources over time.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Jim Rudolph is an environmental specialist at MWMO, focusing on river water quality sampling.
• 📏 The Secchi tube is a tool used to measure water clarity by discerning black and white quadrants on a submerged disk.
• 🌡️ The water quality sonde is equipped with sensors to measure pH, temperature, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen levels.
• 📍 MWMO conducts sampling at seven sites with varying frequencies, including quarterly and bi-monthly checks.
• 🔬 A Van Dorn sampler is utilized to collect water samples by spring-loading the ends of a tube to capture water at a specific depth.
• 💧 The process of collecting samples involves cleaning the sampler and releasing the caps underwater to fill a sample bottle.
• 📝 A comprehensive list of analytes is tested, requiring a minimum of seven liters of water for analysis.
• 🔍 Data collection aims to identify trends over time, which helps in understanding the river's health and pollution levels.
• 📉 Analytes tested include total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, phosphorus, nitrogen, nitrates, and metals.
• 📈 Long-term data analysis enables targeted efforts to improve water quality by identifying specific pollutants and areas of concern.
• 🛠️ The environmental work at MWMO is crucial for monitoring and enhancing the ecological integrity of the river system.

Q & A

What is the role of Jim Rudolph in the video script?

Jim Rudolph is an environmental specialist at MWMO (Metropolitan Water and Soil Improvement District), and he is responsible for conducting river water quality sampling.

What are the three main activities Jim and his team perform during the water quality sampling?

The three main activities are obtaining a Secchi tube reading, a water quality sonde reading, and collecting water samples.

How often are the water quality samplings conducted at the seven sites mentioned in the script?

One site is sampled quarterly, while the others are sampled twice a month.

What is a Secchi tube and how is it used to measure water quality?

A Secchi tube is a one-meter long plastic tube with a black and white divided disk. It is used to measure the clarity of the water by pulling the string until the black and white quadrants can just be distinguished.

What sensors does the water quality sonde have and what do they measure?

The water quality sonde has sensors that measure pH, temperature, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen levels.

What is the purpose of the Van Dorn sampler in the water sampling process?

The Van Dorn sampler is a tube with two spring-loaded ends used to collect water samples from about three feet under the water surface.

How is the water sample collected using the Van Dorn sampler?

The sampler is lowered into the water, dipped a few times to clean it, and then released to collect the sample in an eight-liter bottle.

What is the significance of collecting a list of analytes during the water sampling?

The extensive list of analytes, including total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, phosphorus, nitrogen, nitrates, and metals, helps in identifying trends over time and focusing efforts on improving water quality.

How does analyzing the data collected over time help in understanding the river's water quality?

Trend analysis of the data over a substantial amount of time can reveal patterns that indicate which parts of the river are affected by specific pollutants, guiding targeted efforts for water quality improvement.

Why is it important to collect at least seven liters of water for the analytes?

Collecting at least seven liters ensures that there is a sufficient volume for conducting comprehensive tests on the various analytes to get a representative assessment of the water quality.

What does MWMO stand for and what kind of organization is it?

MWMO stands for Metropolitan Water and Soil Improvement District, which is an organization focused on environmental conservation and improvement of water and soil quality.