On this page you will find detailed instructions for testing water quality with equipment the Coastal Watershed Council utilizes for its many programs. We also provide interested parties with equipment or library materials through our "CWC Library and Equipment Loan Program". Please contact staff if interested.

Water Temperature  

Equipment Required

1. Thermometer (bulb or digital)

2. In creek or red cup (if needed)

Procedure

• Take the water temperature directly from the creek or from a red cup

Do not hold thermometer bulb in your hands because your hands will warm the thermometer with your body heat.

• Hold the thermometer in the water for two minutes and then read the thermometer from the water—Do not take the thermometer out of the water to read the temperature. Record the value to the nearest 0.5 degrees C in the space provided on your data sheet.

• Record Thermometer ID on your data sheet.

NOTE : If Liquid separates from the bulb thermometer please inform CWC so we can reunite liquid segments for the next monitoring event. Please do not try to ‘shake’ the liquid down, you could break the thermometer.

 Equipment Required

1. Thermometer (bulb or digital)

Procedure

• Take the air temperature by holding the thermometer away from body and at least 3 feet from the ground or hang from a branch at least 3 feet from the ground. Keep out of wind and sun.

Do not hold thermometer bulb in your hands because your hands will warm the thermometer with your body heat.

• Hold or let the thermometer hang for two minutes and then read the thermometer while it’s still hanging in same place. Record the value to the nearest 0.5 degrees C in the space provided on your data sheet.

• Record Thermometer ID on your data sheet.

NOTE : If Liquid separates from the bulb thermometer please inform CWC so we can reunite liquid segments for the next monitoring event. Please do not try to ‘shake’ the liquid down, you could break the thermometer.

Turbidity

Equipment Required 

1. Turbidity kit

Procedure for Turbidity test kit:

• Fill one turbidity column to the 50 ml line with the sample water. If the black dot on the bottom of the tube is not visible when looking down through the opening of the tube, then pour out water until you get to the 25 mL line.
• Fill the second turbidity column with distilled water that is equal to the amount of sample water being used above.
• Place the two tubes side by side and note if there is a difference in clarity. If the black dot is equally clear on both tubes, record the results as 0. If not, proceed to step 4.
• Shake the standard turbidity reagent vigorously. Add 0.5 mL to the distilled water tube. Use the stirring rod to stir contents of both tubes (wipe off the stirring rod with a dry paper towel after each stir). Check for the amount of turbidity by looking down through the water at the black dot. If the turbidity of the sample water is greater than that of the distilled water, continue to add the reagent in 0.5 mL increments to the distilled water tube, mixing after each addition until the turbidity equals the sample. Record the total amount of turbidity reagent added.

Transparency

Equipment Required

 1.Transparency tube

Procedure for Transparency Tube:

• Only do this test if there is daylight, never attempt in the dark.
• Close the drain tube by squeezing the crimp.
• Fill the transparency tube with the water sample.
• While looking down through the opening of the tube, partially open drain crimp, slowly draw off sample. (Control the flow by squeezing the crimp)
• When the black and white pattern, at the base of the transparency tube, faintly begins to appear – immediately tighten the crimp and record the level of water remaining via the centimeter rule on the side of the tube.
• Record these measurements on the data sheet.

pH

Equipment Required

1. pH Strip package

Procedure

• Remove one strip from package and recap package.
• Dip the strip directly into the creek; submerge beyond all color bars.
• Remove the strip from the water & FLICK to remove surface water.
• IMMEDIATELY compare it to the scale on the package and record data.

Be sure to choose the ‘best match’ for all three color bars. Be sure to compare test strip to scales on both sides of the package. If there is any question, have each team member read the strip and choose the number with consensus. Record the associated pH value as your pH reading on your data sheet. Record pH package ID on your data sheet.

Conductivity

Equipment Required

 1. Conductivity Pocket Meter (ECTestr Low, 0 to 1990 µS; ECTestr High, 0 to 19.90 mS

• Remove cap from meter, Press ‘ON/OFF’ button to turn meter on.
• Dip Electrode end of meter into creek (facing it upstream) or into red cup of water. Make sure electrodes remain fully submerged for 30 sec.
• Wait for reading to stabilize and log reading on your data sheet.
• Record the Meter’s Instrument ID on your data sheet.
• Press ‘ON/OFF’ button to turn meter off. Replace electrode cap.

Once the meter display has settled, you can press the “HOLD” button to freeze the display, as it will change once you remove the electrodes from the water.