Water quality is important to all of us, and hands-on testing is an engaging way to emphasize that. Over 60 students in Amy Aspenwall’s AP Environmental science class at Loveland High School recently completed the macroinvertebrate study for water quality. They surveyed the Little Miami river near Maineville, Ohio. They also performed turbidity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, sulfate, and nitrate chemical tests.
Aspenwall explains their findings:
“Using the macroinvertebrate count, the water quality scored in the excellent range. We found many indicator species who are sensitive to pollution thriving, so the water ecosystem is healthy. Students also tested the water pH near 8.0, with low sulfates and low phosphate levels. This tells us that nutrient runoff in this area of the river is well controlled. We also found dissolved oxygen in the riffle area to be near 95% saturation. This level is very healthy for aquatic species and indicates that decomposition is not using up too much of the oxygen in the water.”
