Water Quality
The “Water Quality Chapter” is based on testing chemical and physical parameters supporting biological elements in surface water, as suggested in the “EU Water Framework Directive” 2000/60/EC, which established common criteria for EU action in the area of water policy (23.10.2000).
The checklist covers rivers, lakes, transitional waters, coastal waters, as well as artificial and heavily modified surface water bodies. It requires the collection of some basic field-data: turbidity (as transparency), pH, nutrients (as nitrates, phosphates) and dissolved oxygen, which is related to temperature.
Two optional parameters can be added to this checklist. The first is the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), which is related to the organic charge, and the second is the Fecal Coliforms, related to microbiological contamination.
You are free to use all parameters or just some.
A score is provided for each parameter, which informs you of the status of the surface water. You are asked to discuss the data you have found and you will get a graphic result only after filling in your comments.
Contact a school in your or in another country in order to comment together on the water quality conditions of your rivers. Please look for a partner under “School List” or “Notice Board”. Links to the Glossary are provided for most significant words. You can also find some background information in the “Library”.
A guide with detailed explanations for each parameter’s significance, methodology of analysis, and score is provided under “Instructions for use”
More suggestions for data correlation are in the section “Useful links and tables” .
Please, note that you need to register in order to enter the collected data into your Book of the river!
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