Water Clarity

Why Measure Water Clarity?

Water clarity, also called Turbidity, has a large impact on organisms living in the water.  The more clear the water, the more sunlight can penetrate the water and reach plants under the surface.  The more sunlight plants have access to, the more they can photosynthesize and produce oxygen, raising the amount of DO in the water.

There are two main sources of the cloudiness we might observe in the water: suspended sediment or algae.  Large amounts of suspended sediment are frequently found during windy weather or after a storm.  Large amounts of algae may indicate that there are sources of nutrients in the area that are causing the plants to grow very well.  The nutrients may come from fertilizers or animal waste.  Our nitrate/nitrite/ammonia measurements we help to determine if these sources of nutrients are present.   

Testing for Water Clarity

A Secchi disk will be used to measure water clarity.  This will only be measured at sites where there is a dock because deep water is needed for the Secchi disk method.  The Secchi disk is dropped into the water, and the depth where the disk is no longer visible is noted.  This depth indicates the degree of water clarity.