A Water Quality Comparison A Water Quality Comparison of Two New Hampshire of Two New Hampshire
Watersheds: Merrimack and Watersheds: Merrimack and PascataquaPascataqua
By:By:KJ BaldwinKJ Baldwin
Jessica HarperJessica HarperJonathan PersonJonathan PersonMalarie RaynorMalarie Raynor
Mentors:
Jeff Schloss
Elise Sullivan
Mt. Moosilauke
Franklin Wastewater Treatment Plant
Concord Cocheco
Salmon Falls
IntroductionIntroduction
• ComparisonsComparisons– Mt. Moosilauke Mt. Moosilauke (Merrimack)(Merrimack)– Water Treatment Plant Water Treatment Plant (Franklin)(Franklin)– NHTI NHTI (Concord)(Concord)– Cocheco Cocheco (Rochester)(Rochester)– Salmon Falls Salmon Falls (Rochester)(Rochester)
IntroductionIntroduction
• Measurements:Measurements:– BacteriaBacteria– ConductivityConductivity– OxygenOxygen– pHpH– TemperatureTemperature– TurbidityTurbidity
HypothesisHypothesis
• Less bacteria/Lower Less bacteria/Lower pHpH– Mount MoosilaukeMount Moosilauke
• More bacteria/Higher More bacteria/Higher pHpH– Water TreatmentWater Treatment– ConcordConcord
• SameSame– Salmon FallsSalmon Falls– CochecoCocheco
ObjectivesObjectives
1)1) Measure & Compare:Measure & Compare:– Bacteria coloniesBacteria colonies– Oxygen % and mg/LOxygen % and mg/L– pHpH– Conductivity Conductivity – Turbidity Turbidity
2)2) Determine overall water quality within the Determine overall water quality within the Merrimack, Cocheco and Salmon Falls Merrimack, Cocheco and Salmon Falls rivers. rivers.
MethodsMethods
• Measure the oxygen, pH and conductivityMeasure the oxygen, pH and conductivity– YSI model 85 and model 6600YSI model 85 and model 6600– Eutech InstrumentEutech Instrument
(pHTestr 10) and (ECTestr 11+) (pHTestr 10) and (ECTestr 11+)
• BacteriaBacteria– Plate and incubate (37Plate and incubate (37°C)°C)– Count coloniesCount colonies
• Turbidity Turbidity – Turbidimeter (LaMotte)Turbidimeter (LaMotte)
60223
2122
1115
468
1468
840
532
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
Mt.
M (t
op)
Mt.M
(botto
m)
Befor
e W
TP
After W
TP
NHTI-Con
cord
/Mer
rimack
DT-Coc
heco
Rt 16-
Coche
co
Salm
on F
alls
Location
CF
U/m
L
Series1
Merrimack Watershed Pascataqua Watershed
Bacteria countBacteria count
Dissolved oxygen and Dissolved oxygen and
ConductivityConductivity
86.7
98
81
98.7
13
98.5
187
124
91101
82.3
92.9
11
92
110.9
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Mt.
M. (
top)
Mt.
M (b
ottom
)
Befor
e W
TP
After W
TP
NHTI-Con
cord
DT-Coc
heco
Rt 16-
Coche
co
Salm
on F
alls
Location
Par
amet
er V
alu
e
DO %
Conductivity
Merrimack WatershedPascataqua Watershed
7.14 7.42 7.677.67.4 7.28
4.7
7.36
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Location
pH
val
ue
pH
Merrimack Watershed Puscatequa Watershed
pH pH ValueValue
TurbidityTurbidity
0
0.72 0.83
0.46
2.1
3.9
1.3
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
Location
Tu
rbid
ity
Turbidity
Pascataqua WatershedMERRIMACK RIVER
SummarySummary• Bacteria countBacteria count
– Lowest: Lowest: Mt. MoosilaukeMt. Moosilauke, Highest: , Highest: Before WTPBefore WTP
• Dissolved ODissolved O22 and Conductivity and Conductivity– Lowest OLowest O22:: NHTINHTI, Highest: , Highest: Rt. 16 CochecoRt. 16 Cocheco– Lowest Conductivity: Lowest Conductivity:
• pH levelpH level– Lowest: Mt. Moosilauke(Top), Highest: Salmon Lowest: Mt. Moosilauke(Top), Highest: Salmon
FallsFalls
• TurbidityTurbidity– Lowest: Mt. Moosilauke(Top), Highest: Rt. 16 Lowest: Mt. Moosilauke(Top), Highest: Rt. 16
CochecoCocheco
ReferenceReference
• ““Interpreting Results of Water Interpreting Results of Water Quality Test in Streams and Rivers” Quality Test in Streams and Rivers”
Frank Mitchell and Jeffrey Schloss UNH Frank Mitchell and Jeffrey Schloss UNH Cooperative Extension Water Cooperative Extension Water Resource Program, Jan. 1991Resource Program, Jan. 1991
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