Water Quality Test Data

 

 

Name of Tester:  Joel and Jacki Clark          Date:  6/29/08    Time:   7:40 PM                

 

 

Location :  Branford Spring Basin

         

Recent and Current Weather

 

We have had daily rains for the past week.  It has not rained today, however.

 

Description of Area (Include plant and animal/insect life)

 

Branford Spring is situated in a county park.  A wooden deck has been built around the entire spring (except the spring run), and a wooden fence prevents foot traffic on the slopes of the sink.  This has allowed the park’s landscaping (palmettos, palms, and oaks) to survive.  It has also cut the amount of erosion.  Someone has dammed up the run with rocks, preventing fish from swimming up the run from the river. 

 

 

Description of Water (Include aquatic plant and animal/fish life)

 

There is algae in the water, but it appears to either be dead or dying.  There is a lot of decaying organic matter on the bottom of the spring.  Many small fish are gulping air at the surface.  In addition, there are water boatmen, water spiders, and bluegill visible.  The water is very green with a visible boil.  NOTE:  the sample was taken from the basin, and the cave was not entered.   

 

pH: 7.0   (6.5-8.5)                                Temperature:  22.2 C @ time of test

 

TDS:  236 ppm  ( <500 ppm)          Nitrate:  .5 ppm  (< 10 ppm)            Nitrite: 0 ppm (< 1 ppm)

 

DO:  <1 ppm  ( >2 ppm)                     Phosphate:  .15 ppm  (<0.1 ppm)        Turbidity:  not measured

 

BOD:  unavailable                           Flow:  not measured                                  WQI:  52.12-78.7 which

                                                                                                                                                 is average to good

 *Numbers in parenthesis are acceptable limits.

 

Cave Species Counts: 

 

The cave was not entered.

 

 

Date and Time of E. Coli Count: 7/1/08 @ 5:30 PM                 E. Coli (purple w/wo pink halo): 0/100 ml

 

Non-Fecal Coli (pink, light pink): 220/100 ml      Other Bacteria (teal/pale/yellow/clear):  100/100 ml

 

Implications and questions:  Because we currently lack enough results to track trends, no true conclusions can be wrought from the data.  As more tests are completed, trends should become visible.