Temperat DO Temperat DO Table 5.

3
ure (mg/ ure (mg/
(°C) l) (°C) l)
0 14.6 23 8.56 Maximu
0 m
Sampling and Equipment 1 14.1 24 8.40 dissolved
9 oxygen
Considerations 2 13.8 25 8.24 concentr
1 ates vary
In contrast to lakes, where DO levels are most likely to with
3 13.4 26 8.09 temperat
vary vertically in the water column, the DO in rivers and 4 ure
streams changes more horizontally along the course of 4 13.0 27 7.95
the waterway. This is especially true in smaller, 9
shallower streams. In larger, deeper rivers, some vertical 5 12.7 28 7.81
stratification of dissolved oxygen might occur. The DO 5
levels in and below riffle areas, waterfalls, or dam 6 12.4 29 7.67
spillways are typically higher than those in pools and 3
slower-moving stretches. If you wanted to measure the 7 12.1 30 7.54
effect of a dam, it would be important to sample for DO 2
behind the dam, immediately below the spillway, and 8 11.8 31 7.41
upstream of the dam. Since DO levels are critical to fish, 3
a good place to sample is in the pools that fish tend to 9 11.5 32 7.28
favor or in the spawning areas they use. 5
10 11.2 33 7.16
An hourly time profile of DO levels at a sampling site is 7
a valuable set of data because it shows the change in 11 11.0 34 7.16
DO levels from the low point just before sunrise to the 1
high point sometime in the midday. However, this might 12 10.7 35 6.93
not be practical for a volunteer monitoring program. It is 6
important to note the time of your DO sampling to help 13 10.5 36 6.82
judge when in the daily cycle the data were collected. 2
14 10.2 37 6.71
DO is measured either in milligrams per liter (mg/L) or 9
"percent saturation." Milligrams per liter is the amount 15 10.0 38 6.61
of oxygen in a liter of water. Percent saturation is the 7
amount of oxygen in a liter of water relative to the total 16 9.85 39 6.51
amount of oxygen that the water can hold at that 17 9.65 40 6.41
temperature. 18 9.45 41 6.41
19 9.26 42 6.22
20 9.07 43 6.13
21 8.90 44 6.04
22 8.72 45 5.95