Archive for December, 2007
The following is from a water test Brad Jokisch did of Beechwood Lake. This is preliminary info, and very important to read.
I recently tested the pond water for phosphates, dissolved oxygen, and fecal
coliform. The phosphate and DO tests are home kits that I purchased. The fecal
coliform test required lab work. These tests are not expensive (it’s on me).
The tests show that the water is very high on phosphates–between .5 and .75
ppm. Anything above .03 will increase plant growth and eutrophication.
Sources?: Detergents, overly fertilized lawns and agricultural fields,
feedlots, and dairies. Hmm. Not many lawns and few agricultural fields in our
little watershed.
The water was good for dissoloved oxygen; it recorded about 6.5 or 6.75 ppm.
Seven is recommended, but 5-6 is required for growth and activity of most
aquatic organisms. I estimate that the water is between 50 and 60% saturated
b/c it varies with temperature and elevation. The level is pretty good, but
with the high phosphates plant life will grow (and then die and decay) in the
summer and when that occurs, the DO will drop.
The Fecal Coliform concentration is VERY HIGH. The test recorded greater than
7,000/100ml! It may well be much higher because the laboratory reported that
they cannot measure higher than 7,000; it was “out of range.” Below are the
USEPA guidelines! Tap water should have less than 1/100ml…
Sources: it’s almost always from fecal matter, humans or animals, like cattle!
(it’s possible from other sources like a paper mill, but unlikely here). So,
we either have about 15 non-functioning septic systems or the two sources of
cattle (and deer?) are delivering this level to the pond.
Conclusions: The pond is polluted with fecal coliform and excessive
phosphates. Coy fish and snapping turtles are tough creatures! And, anyone who
swam in that pond in the past…well, you figure it out.
USEPA testing requirements
The current USEPA recommendations for body-contact recreation is fewer than
100 colonies/100 mL; for fishing and boating, fewer than 1000 colonies/100 mL;
and for domestic water supply, for treatment, fewer than 2000 colonies/100 mL.
The drinking water standard is less than 1 colony/ 100 ml