Location: Platteville, Wisconsin
Title: Analysis of Rountree Branch

A group of concerned citizens in Platteville, Wisconsin has formed a "Friends of Rountree Branch" committee. Their purpose is to build a bike path along the Rountree Branch creek around Platteville, beautify the areas bordering Rountree Branch, and improve the water in the creek to the point where trout and other fish will thrive.

During the spring semester (January - May) of 1999, the students in the Water Analysis course that I teach at UW-Platteville, Platteville, WI, spent the laboratory component of the class chemically, physically, and biologically analyzing the water in Rountree Branch, a small stream that flows around the city of Platteville. The students sampled and analyzed at four different sites: 1) Mound View Park area, before the stream enters the city, 2) the Super 8 Motel area, after the stream has flowed about halfway around the city, 3) the campus area around Southwest Road, the end of the populated area of the city, and 4) in the area immediately after the effluent from the wastewater plant re-enters Rountree Branch. See the map showing the four sites.

Following are the results of the students' analyses and a brief comment on the implications of the data. Due to time constraints, the analysis is not absolutely complete, but we were able to test the major parameters that are indicative of the "health" of a body of water. The complete results are given at http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/environmentalscience/casestudies/downloads/case1.xls

Chemical Analyses: The following chemical parameters were measured:

• pH pH measures the acidity of a body of water. The pH of Rountree Branch varied between 7.3 and 8.6. A pH range of 6.5 - 9.00 is considered harmless to fish.
• Iron The range for iron found in the stream was from 0.6 - 1.58 parts per million (ppm), which in some sites is above the EPA criteria for freshwater aquatic life (1.0 ppm). However, the dissolved oxygen level in all cases is high, so the presence of this amount of iron should have little effect on aquatic life.
• Lead The amount of lead found was negligible, from 0.001 - 0.075 ppm. This is far below EPA criteria for aquatic life, and the toxicity of lead to aquatic life is decreased in hard water. Rountree Branch has very hard water.
• Alkalinity Alkalinity is a measure of the buffering capacity of a body of water and is important to water quality in that it prevents wide fluctuations of pH in the event of a sudden spill. Examples of chemicals present in natural water that increase alkalinity are carbonates, bicarbonates, phosphates, and hydroxides. The alkalinity of Rountree Branch, expressed as calcium carbonate, varied from 294 - 534 ppm. The EPA criterion is 20 ppm. The high alkalinity in Rountree Branch may be instrumental in the low iron and lead levels present, as alkalinity will complex heavy metals and effectively remove them from water.
• Hardness Water hardness is caused by the presence of calcium ions, magnesium ions, and iron ions. Rountree hardness varied from 452 - 512 ppm, and is considered to be "very hard." The level of hardness in the stream is harder than the groundwater in the area, which means that calcium and magnesium ions are being introduced to the stream either by runoff or dumping. From the data, it appears that "hardness" is being added to the stream between Site #1 and Site #2 on some sampling dates. Generally speaking, surface waters (lakes, rivers, etc.) are soft water with less than 100 ppm hardness. The effects of hardness on aquatic life appear to be related to the ions causing the hardness rather than the hardness. No EPA guidelines are given for natural water, but hardness for drinking water can be as high as 1000 ppm with no harmful effects.
• Calcium Calcium ion concentration in Rountree Branch varied from 201 - 281 ppm. No EPA guidelines are given for calcium ions.
• Magnesium Magnesium ion concentration in Rountree Branch varied from 217 - 309 ppm. No EPA criteria are given for magnesium ions.
• Nitrates The nitrate ion level for the stream varied from 11 - 60 ppm, with the highest value found after the wastewater disposal plant. It is believed that levels of nitrate ions at or below 90 ppm have no adverse effects on warm-water fish.
• Phosphates The phosphate level varied from 0.01 - 0.4 ppm, with the high reading from Site #4 (after the wastewater disposal plant). To prevent excessive algal growth (eutrophication), total phosphates should not exceed 0.05 ppm at the point where they enter any lake.
• Zinc Only Site #1 was tested for the presence of zinc, and 0 ppm was found.

• Temperature Temperature varied from 2.6 - 12.8oC (36.7 - 55oF).
• Dissolved Oxygen Dissolved oxygen levels are the most important parameter for determining the overall health of a body of water. Rountree Branch dissolved oxygen levels were very near saturation at all sites at all sampling dates (from 9 - 12.9 ppm). The actual level of oxygen is highly dependent upon temperature, so some variation is expected. This level will support all species of freshwater fish.
• Conductivity Conductivity is a test for determination of minerals in water. Good (high) conductivity is related to high levels of inorganic salts, acids, and bases. Poor conductivity is characteristic of organic (foods, milk, cheese factories, etc.) pollution. Rountree Branch has rather high conductivity. The conductivity dramatically increases between Site #1 and Site #2 on some sampling dates, indicating that some inorganic material (cement, perhaps), is entering the stream between these two sites.
• Turbidity Turbidity is a measure of the fine suspended matter in water, which may be clay, silt, insoluble inorganic particles (cement), or insoluble organic material (foods, milk by-products, etc). Turbidity for Rountree Branch is low except in periods following heavy rain (see Site #4 on March 9).
• Dissolved Solids Dissolved solids are primarily made up of inorganic salts. Major ions contributing to dissolved solid levels are calcium, magnesium, sodium, carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates, nitrates, and potassium. Dissolved solids in Rountree dramatically increase between Sites 1 and 2, indicating again that something is entering the stream between these two sites. See table below.

Total	Dissolved	Solids
	Jan 27, 1999	Jan 29,1999
Site #1	338 ppm	441 ppm
Site #2	760 ppm	502 ppm
Site #3	805 ppm
Site #4	785 ppm	731 ppm

Biological Analyses:

• 7-Day BOD This test is a bioassay procedure to measure the oxygen consumed by living organisms within a body of water consuming organic matter. Therefore, it is measure of the amount of organic matter (foods, milk products, cheese, sewage) polluting a given body of water. Rountree Branch has very low BOD and therefore has no cheese, food, or sewage pollution.
• Benthic Invertebrates Using Beck's Biotic Index, the species of benthic invertebrates found in the stream indicate that the stream is in Class #2 (good condition). The invertebrates are of varying tolerances to pollution, and Rountree Branch contains species that are rather intolerant to common pollutants.
• E. coli The presence of the bacteria E. coli is a reliable indicator of the possible presence of fecal contamination (raw sewage). At all four sites, the tests for E. coli were negative.

Summary

Analysis	Results	Comments
pH	7.3 - 8.6	Harmless to aquatic life. Good quality.
Iron	0.6 - 1.58 ppm	Higher than EPA criteria for freshwater fish.
Lead	0.001 - 0.075 ppm	Below EPA criteria for freshwater fish. Good quality.
Alkalinity	294 - 534 ppm	Higher than EPA criterion of 20 ppm.
Hardness	452 - 512 ppm	Higher than expected for surface water. Hardness ions are entering the stream on some days between Sites 1 and 2. Will not harm aquatic life.
Calcium	201 - 281 ppm	Higher than expected for surface waters. Calcium ions are entering the stream on some days between Sites 1 and 2. No EPA criteria given for aquatic life.
Magnesium	217 - 309 ppm	Higher than expected for surface waters. Magnesium ions are entering the stream on some days between Sites 1 and 2. No EPA criteria; no harm to aquatic life.
Nitrates	11 - 60 ppm.	Below EPA criteria; no adverse effects on warm-water fish. Good quality.
Phosphates	0.001 - 0.4 ppm	Level high after wastewater treatment plant. Promotes growth of aquatic weeds. Zinc None present Good quality.
Temperature	2.6 - 12.8oC
Dissolved Oxygen	9 - 12.9 ppm	Near saturation level for the temperatures; will support all fish species at this level. Very dependent upon the water temperature and may decrease dramatically in summer months. Good quality.
Conductivity	0.5 - 1.2	Increases between Sites 1 and 2 on some dates, indicating that ions are entering the stream on certain days. No harm indicated to aquatic life at this level.
Turbidity	Low	Good quality at this time of year with frozen ground and no farming activity. May increase during the times of year when there is active farming, etc.
Dissolved Salts	338 - 1035 ppm	Good quality; no harm to aquatic life at this level. The increase of dissolved salts between Sites 1 and 2 indicates that ions are entering the stream on certain days.
7-Day BOD	4.1 - 5.6 ppm	Very low BOD; very good quality.
Benthic Invertebrates	Majority found are intolerant to pollution	Good quality.
E. coli	Negative	Good quality.

Based on our test results, the Rountree Branch water appears to be of very good quality! However, these test were completed during the winter months when runoff was minimal due to the frozen ground and no farming activity. During other parts of the year, there may be major changes in values.

Recommendation
The study of Rountree Branch should be continued to cover other times of the year. The activities occurring between Sites 1 and 2 should be investigated.

Key Principles

1. Chemical Analysis of Water
2. Physical Analysis of Water
3. Biological Analysis of Water

Author Carol Sands
Chemistry & Engineering Physics
University of Wisconsin, Platteville
Platteville, WI 53818

Address after Dec. 20, 1999:
8117 Judge Bean Road
Bokeelia, FL 33922