Equipment Research
Watershed management requires a whole sleuth of techniques, data tracking, field research, management and more. A major way to help get the best picture of a watershed is with testing and monitoring equipment/ technologies. One of the major issues continually plaguing the Chester River is nutrient and sediment pollution due to the large amount of agricultural lands located within the watershed. According to estimates from 2016, about 65% of the total land area is utilized for agriculture. (Chester River Association, 2016) There are many wonderful pieces of equipment and services that can help a steward watch over their watershed. If I were making recommendations for the Chester River I would stick mainly with nutrient pollution detection, mainly Nitrogen and Phosphorus. I also want to make sure that I recommend a variety of price points, because depending on one’s role, the budget could vary greatly.
As an educator there was always one company that I felt confident in ordering water quality testing supplies from and that was LaMotte. Another reason that I have to shout out this company is the fact that they are located in Chestertown, MD, within the limits of the Chester River Watershed. Founded in 1919, this company is a leader in water analysis and has fantastic customer service. According to their website, “The company manufactures analytical reagents, laboratory apparatus, electronic instrumentation, and complete portable test kits for chemical analysis in hundreds of applications.” They have all sorts of testing and analysis equipment. For someone just looking to get a little bit of everything in terms of water quality testing they make a great kit called - AP® The Water Quality Assessment Package. I have used a variation of this kit at both of the schools I have worked at. The kit includes testing materials for pH, Turbidity, Nitrates, Phosphates, Dissolved Oxygen, Alkalinity and Temperature. This kit can provide anyone with a snapshot of a body of water in a short amount of time. The kit costs $658.55 so it is likely not just for the hobbyist or everyday concerned citizen, but LaMotte does make smaller, more affordable versions.
Next up are two tests that are critical for the Chester River. As stated earlier, nutrient pollution is a major issue, so regularly testing for Nitrates and Phosphates is important. Hach makes strips that can very easily and quickly test the amount of either Nitrates or Phosphorus in a sample of water.
Hach® Phosphorus, Orthophosphate (Reactive) Test Strips
Hach® Nitrate and Nitrite Test Strips
These are super affordable which is why I am including them within my list because even a volunteer or hobbyist could afford these within breaking the bank. They run between $30-$35 a container, which has 50 test strips in it. Hatch was founded in 1933 and is another reputable name in the world of water analysis. According to their website their vision states, “We make water analysis better—faster, simpler, greener and more informative—via unsurpassed customer partnerships, the most knowledgeable experts, and reliable, easy-to-use solutions.” They are also a leader in innovation and have products ranging from basic equipment to smart tech intelligence systems. For more information on Hatch view the video below.
Next up is an Ion-Selective Electrodes (ISEs). These devices analyze the activity of ions in an aqueous solution by measuring their electrical potential. These ISEs can be equipped with specific nitrate sensors which is why I choose to recommend it. ISEs are easy to use, provide fast results and can be used in all types of water sources. “The nitrate ISE sensor technically consists of two different electrodes: A sensing half-cell (i.e., the nitrate ISE) consists of a silver/silver chloride wire electrode that’s placed in a fill solution. This internal solution is separated from the sample by a polymer membrane that selectively interacts with nitrate ions. A reference electrode that does not react to the presence of nitrate.” (Nitrate in Water | Nutrient Monitoring | YSI Nitrate, n.d.) There are pros and cons to choosing an ISE, so it is important to make sure it will work with the type of analysis you are going to do. A big pro is it doesn’t require a reagent, so there is no mixing involved. Another plus is you get your reading within minutes. A con is that it requires frequent calibration, if this device is used on a daily basis it is recommended that it is calibrated each morning.
ProDSS Nitrate Sensor (used for Freshwater samples from YSI)
Last on my list is SWIFT. Small Watershed Nutrient Forecasting Tool - is a web-based tool that helps calculate the sediment and nutrient loads within small watersheds anywhere within the United States. It was developed by the Agricultural Research Service within the US Department Of Agriculture. With a small amount of common information like surface area, location, elevation and land use the site can give estimates for both sediment and nutrient runoff amounts. This tool would be incredibly useful for subwatersheds within the Chester that organizations or stewards believe to be an issue. This data would allow them to get a better understanding of where higher pollution levels are coming from and how to best move forward. According to the website, “The web interface supports charting of precipitation, runoff, water yield, sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen forecasts by ecoregion, watershed, and land use (rangeland, cropland, urban, forest, pasture/hay) across the contiguous United States as annual averages.”
Sources:
ARS Home : USDA ARS. (n.d.). https://www.ars.usda.gov/
Hach. (n.d.). Water Quality Testing and Analytical Instruments. https://www.hach.com/
LaMotte Company : Water Quality and Analytical Testing Equipment. (n.d.). https://lamotte.com/
Nitrate in Water | Nutrient Monitoring | YSI Nitrate. (n.d.). https://www.ysi.com/parameters/nitrate
Google Doc
As an educator there was always one company that I felt confident in ordering water quality testing supplies from and that was LaMotte. Another reason that I have to shout out this company is the fact that they are located in Chestertown, MD, within the limits of the Chester River Watershed. Founded in 1919, this company is a leader in water analysis and has fantastic customer service. According to their website, “The company manufactures analytical reagents, laboratory apparatus, electronic instrumentation, and complete portable test kits for chemical analysis in hundreds of applications.” They have all sorts of testing and analysis equipment. For someone just looking to get a little bit of everything in terms of water quality testing they make a great kit called - AP® The Water Quality Assessment Package. I have used a variation of this kit at both of the schools I have worked at. The kit includes testing materials for pH, Turbidity, Nitrates, Phosphates, Dissolved Oxygen, Alkalinity and Temperature. This kit can provide anyone with a snapshot of a body of water in a short amount of time. The kit costs $658.55 so it is likely not just for the hobbyist or everyday concerned citizen, but LaMotte does make smaller, more affordable versions.
Next up are two tests that are critical for the Chester River. As stated earlier, nutrient pollution is a major issue, so regularly testing for Nitrates and Phosphates is important. Hach makes strips that can very easily and quickly test the amount of either Nitrates or Phosphorus in a sample of water.
Hach® Phosphorus, Orthophosphate (Reactive) Test Strips
Hach® Nitrate and Nitrite Test Strips
These are super affordable which is why I am including them within my list because even a volunteer or hobbyist could afford these within breaking the bank. They run between $30-$35 a container, which has 50 test strips in it. Hatch was founded in 1933 and is another reputable name in the world of water analysis. According to their website their vision states, “We make water analysis better—faster, simpler, greener and more informative—via unsurpassed customer partnerships, the most knowledgeable experts, and reliable, easy-to-use solutions.” They are also a leader in innovation and have products ranging from basic equipment to smart tech intelligence systems. For more information on Hatch view the video below.
Next up is an Ion-Selective Electrodes (ISEs). These devices analyze the activity of ions in an aqueous solution by measuring their electrical potential. These ISEs can be equipped with specific nitrate sensors which is why I choose to recommend it. ISEs are easy to use, provide fast results and can be used in all types of water sources. “The nitrate ISE sensor technically consists of two different electrodes: A sensing half-cell (i.e., the nitrate ISE) consists of a silver/silver chloride wire electrode that’s placed in a fill solution. This internal solution is separated from the sample by a polymer membrane that selectively interacts with nitrate ions. A reference electrode that does not react to the presence of nitrate.” (Nitrate in Water | Nutrient Monitoring | YSI Nitrate, n.d.) There are pros and cons to choosing an ISE, so it is important to make sure it will work with the type of analysis you are going to do. A big pro is it doesn’t require a reagent, so there is no mixing involved. Another plus is you get your reading within minutes. A con is that it requires frequent calibration, if this device is used on a daily basis it is recommended that it is calibrated each morning.
Last on my list is SWIFT. Small Watershed Nutrient Forecasting Tool - is a web-based tool that helps calculate the sediment and nutrient loads within small watersheds anywhere within the United States. It was developed by the Agricultural Research Service within the US Department Of Agriculture. With a small amount of common information like surface area, location, elevation and land use the site can give estimates for both sediment and nutrient runoff amounts. This tool would be incredibly useful for subwatersheds within the Chester that organizations or stewards believe to be an issue. This data would allow them to get a better understanding of where higher pollution levels are coming from and how to best move forward. According to the website, “The web interface supports charting of precipitation, runoff, water yield, sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen forecasts by ecoregion, watershed, and land use (rangeland, cropland, urban, forest, pasture/hay) across the contiguous United States as annual averages.”
Sources:
ARS Home : USDA ARS. (n.d.). https://www.ars.usda.gov/
Hach. (n.d.). Water Quality Testing and Analytical Instruments. https://www.hach.com/
LaMotte Company : Water Quality and Analytical Testing Equipment. (n.d.). https://lamotte.com/
Nitrate in Water | Nutrient Monitoring | YSI Nitrate. (n.d.). https://www.ysi.com/parameters/nitrate
Google Doc
Comments
Post a Comment