April 9, 1998
Quantitative:
Students tested water samples on site and in class. Students recorded a pH of 6 at the headwaters and a pH of 8 at the powerhouse. They tested the water samples for traces of phosphates, nitrogen, chlorine, chromium, copper, cyanide, iron, sulfide, lead, and oil contamination; however no contamination was found at the headwaters. After testing the water samples at the powerhouse, students found traces of phosphates and traces of lead. Little sediment was found in the water at Kibler; however, students did find more sediment in the water samples at the Headwaters. They concluded that the stagnant water puddles contained more sediment than the fast moving water at the powerhouse. In addition, bacteria contamination was evident in the samples from the Headwaters, but little growth occurred in the samples from the Powerhouse.
Water appearance at the Powerhouse was foamy, milky, and brownish. The stream bed coating was brown and students noted a musky odor. Weather conditions were cloudy and cool. Water movement was fast as it traveled past the Powerhouse.
Aquatic Life Systems
:On the Dan River Project, the fifth graders at Meadows of Dan School were in charge of collecting and identifying the aquatic invertebrates. Many aquatic invertebrates were found in the mud or the underside of rocks. Some species began their lives in the water as larvae.
The amount of biological diversity in the Dan River system at the headwaters and the Pinnacles of Dan Hydro electric Power House told us about the quality of the water from the Dan River in Patrick County.
The fifth graders collected invertebrates at the headwaters and found the water penny and gilled snail. Both of these are organisms sensitive to pollution and require good water quality to survive. We, therefore, concluded that the water at the headwaters of the Dan was of very good quality.
In addition, the class collected and identified macro invertebrates at the Pinnacles Hydro-electric powerhouse (from the water after it was discharged into the Dan River.) and found damselfly larvae, crayfish, aquatic beetle larva, aquatic earthworm. It was noted that the crayfish, damselfly larva, aquatic beetle larva, survive in partially polluted waters. We concluded that the Dan River at the Powerhouse was partially polluted ; perhaps from farm runoff and silt.
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