How do scientists measure water quality?

Water samples, aerial photography, and aquatic life forms

The health of a water body can be determined by analyzing physical, chemical, and
biological factors
What chemical factors are used to measure the water quality?
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) how much oxygen is available for organisms to breathe and
what photosynthetic organisms are using/ making oxygen
Ph measure of chemicals dissolved in water; too high or too low ph can be deadly
Nutrients/ npk- too many can stimulate algal growth> eutrophication
Toxins- metals, pesticides, oil, etc
What physical factors are used to measure water quality?
Temperature- Dictates what life forms can survive, correlated amount of direct
sunlight, and the fact that warmer water contains less DO than cold water
Amount and speed of water- some water is slow moving or even stagnant, whereas
obstructions or curved paths can create rapids
Substrate on bottom- Lage sediments stir up more water, increasing Do
Turbity (clarity) how much solid is being carried in the bed load
What biological factors are used to measure water quality?
Pathogens- Viruses and bacteria (fecal coliforms), mostly form failing septic
systems, untreated human waste, and animal waste
Biodicators- living things that provide information about water quality, fish plants
and macroinvertebrates, and only species most tolerant will be found in heavily
polluted water