U-High Creek Water Quality

Based on observing the organisms living in the creek, the water quality of the U-High creek was excellent. However, not all bodies of water have excellent water quality. Most bodies of water with below average water quality are affected by humans. One way humans could negatively impact water quality is through runoff. It is common for farmers to put many pesticides and fertilizers on their crops, but these substances can be washed into rivers and add extra nitrate and phosphorus into the water. There, the algae in the water will use these substances to grow rapidly, and there will eventually be a high concentration of algae in the water. When the algae eventually dies, it is broken down by bacteria, which multiply and use up all of the oxygen

A Riparian Zone is an area next to a creek or river that is not mowed, where natural plant life is carefully cultivated. When you remove the natural plants along the river, the roots of the plants cease to hold the dirt on the riverbank in place, and runoff becomes a larger issue as the banks erode faster, polluting the water. However, the plants can fix this problem.The plants help avoid runoff because their roots absorb much of the extra water that washes pesticides into the river. Also, it anchors the dirt and prevents it from escaping the bank. (Chagrin River Watershed Partners inc, 2016) The riparian zone has some pros and cons. Some good things about a riparian zone are that it increases wildlife habitat, as the abundance of plant life makes a good home for organisms, and it provides and aesthetically pleasing, natural look. (Protecting Streambeds from Erosion, 1999) Two negatives to a riparian zone are that it requires a lot of space, (3 times the width of the creek), and time to take effect, as the plants around the river have to grow. (Protecting Streambeds from Erosion,

One such method is the Sand Jet. The sand jet is a manually operated “riverbed cleaner” that works by blasting the bottom of the river with water. As it does that, it suctions up silt through a filter, and removes all the tiny, harmful particles in the water. This is important because when the bed of a river is cleaned back into cobble and gravel, it makes it easier for the organisms there to survive and thrive. It is where they will naturally build their homes, and reduces the impact of micro-sediments to fish and macroinvertebrates (Interstream Restoration Services, 2016). However, this method also has its advantages and disadvantages. Two positives of using the sand jet are that it selectively removes bad sediment, without any harmful side effects, and it has a portable size, making it easy to move from one area of the river to another, or from one river to another. Some disadvantages of the Sand Jet are that it doesn 't get rid of the chemicals in the water, and it is manually operated, and labor intensive, as someone has to scour a riverbed with