OVERVIEW

Students will use scientific tools and perform tests to determine water quality and watershed health in the Alsea River, and discuss what the results indicate about the ability of salmon to survive there.

LEARNING GOALS

• Learn how to conduct stream water quality tests measuring pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and turbidity
• Practice detailed data recording methods
• Analyze and make judgments on the quality of water based on collected data
• Discuss the connections between water quality, salmon, and overall watershed health

VOCABULARY

• Turbidity
• pH
• dissolved oxygen
• water quality
• Farenheit

WAYS TO PREPARE YOUR STUDENTS

• Explore the How’s My Waterway? Interactive tool for your area (enter your school address or another local landmark address)
• Watch Video: Water Quality testing in the field (9 mins)
• Learn about water pollution and take the quiz on this website

MORE LEARNING RESOURCES

• An introduction to water quality and monitoring (U.S. EPA)
• Dissolved Oxygen Test step-by-step (Video)
• An overview of riparian systems and potential problems (OSU)

Download a printable version of this station guide here: