Transcript Slide 1

Water Quality of the Two Rivers
Transparency Analysis & Delineated Watersheds
International Water Institute Staff: 2014
Transparency is a measure of the clarity of a river, i.e. how well light can pass through the
water column. It can be affected by sediment, algae, color (bog stain), and various pollutants.
It is also impacted by soil types, slope, riparian buffer zones, and storm events among other
factors.
River Watch is a Red River Basin-wide
citizen water quality monitoring program
organized and delivered by the
International Water Institute and its
partners through high schools and
communities.
All surface waters are assigned designated
uses and have water quality criteria that
identify conditions necessary for the water
body to maintain its designated use.
The Two Rivers is classified as class 2B, for cool and warm water fisheries, and 2C,
indigenous fish and associated aquatic community (not protected for drinking water)
The criteria that are to be met are:
• Dissolved oxygen greater than 5mg/l
• Transparency levels not less than 20 centimeters
• pH between 6.5 and 8.5.
Site ID
Trans #
Samples
Trans
<20 cm
Trans %
<20 cm
DO #
Sample
s
DO #
<5mg/l
DO %
<5mg/l
pH #
Samples
40
0
0%
40
10
25%
40
0
0%
TO3
Two R.
(N br)
62
0
0%
62
0
0%
62
1
2%
TO2
Two R.
(N br)
67
32
48%
67
5
7.5%
67
0
0%
TWO1
Two
Rivers
250
213
85%
250
11
4.4%
250
4
1.6%
Fully supporting (< or = 10% of sample events exceed state standards)
As shown in the table, the transparency at TO2 and TWO1 does not support the
designated use and TO4 partially supports the state standards of Dissolve Oxygen. All of
the sites in this watershed fully support the pH standard.
The map below is showing the past ten years of data for transparency (the ability for
light to pass through water).
% of watershed Rank by Size Rank by Assumed
upstream of pour (1=largest)
Water Quality
(1=best)
point
TWO1
718,887
100.00%
1
TO2
200,129
28.00%
2
TO3
159,987
22.00%
3
TO4
50,023
7.00%
4
1
3
2
4
Explain your findings here, summarize the above boxplot information.
Helpful links about boxplots:
http://onlinestatbook.com/2/graphing_distributions/boxplots.html
http://flowingdata.com/2008/02/15/how-to-read-and-use-a-box-and-whisker-plot/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_plot
The confluence of the Two Rivers
with the Red River
The confluence of North Branch
of the Two Rivers with the mainstem
Etc.
Put future plans for river watch monitoring and other activities here. Include one
organization that you would like to present your information to in the upcoming
year.
Team members:
“Support for the River Watch Program is provided by the Sand Hill River
Watershed District, State of Minnesota, Minnesota Clean Water Fund, Pollution
Control Agency and the Red River Watershed Management Board.”
(1=highest)
4
3
2
1
The Two Rivers Watershed has many sections of river that would be fun to explore. The total distance of our trip
is 15 miles, which will take a full day. Our starting point on County Road 58 looks to have great access and a safe
place to park. Once we make it to the Red River we will be paddling upstream for 3 miles to make it to Hwy 175.
Although paddling upstream is difficult, our involvement in River Watch has made us very intelligent so we know
the Red River is one of flattest (slowest) rivers.
Plans for 2015
Support and funding provided by:
Rank by
Transparency
River Explorers
Summary
Partially supporting (10-25% of sample events exceed state standards)
Not supporting (>25% of sample events exceed state standards)
Total acres
upstream of
pour point
Explain the above graph here in terms of how your assumed water quality rankings compared to the
water quality ranking based on your transparency analysis.
Use Assessment for sites using most recent 10 years of data
Two R.
(N br)
The Watershed Planning Tool available at www.rrbdin.org/tools, the Red River Basin Decision Information
website, was used to select pour points at each sample site. The contributing acreage for each sample site was
determined and is shown in the table below along with the percent of the total Two Rivers watershed that
“pours” past that point.
Pour Point/Sample Site
pH # <6.5 pH % <6.5
or >8.5
or >8.5
TO4
The question of whether the size of the watershed contributing to a river at a given point affects water quality
will be tested in the following exercise by delineating the contributing area of our sampling sites.
Transparency (cm)
To assess variability of transparency between sites sampled in the Two Rivers Watershed, all
available transparency data was downloaded from the RW data site, riverwatch.wq.io/, and
analyzed using box and whisker plots as shown in the graph below. For comparison, the pour
point site, TWO1, for the Two Rivers as it enters the Red River was also included as well.
The Two Rivers Watershed District has had
several River Watch Teams conduct water
quality measurements over many years
however there are currently no active
schools. In the past Kittson Co 4H,
Lancaster, and Tri-County High School have
all visited sites in the Two Rivers
Watershed.
Water
Body
Watershed Delineation
Transparency Analysis
Designated Use Support Assessment
Asher Kingster
Wayne Goekenator
Even Ashiamah
Danni-with an “I”
Advisor/Teacher:
Yam Tirg
Program Contact Information:
The Fritz