NACD Water Quality Testing Workshop

[skip]

I'll be doing a water quality testing workshop at Ginnie Springs, July 12, Saturday, at 1pm. Everyone is invited. Meet upstairs in the classroom, or on front porch. FREE

A short talk is followed by hands-on water testing.

The NACD has put together two kits to test water. The tests include the basic tests recognized by the EPA and that comprise the Water Quality Index. Additionally, critter counts, in and out of the cave, are included. The test kits are available for check-out, so you can test any water you want, anywhere, just about anytime. The kits are designed to be Self-Teaching, just follow the included instructions step by step. The workshop is an add-on for those who would like to learn on-site, with a tutor.

You can see results of previous tests on the NACD website, under the science link.

-skip

[JahJahwarrior]

Man...I would love to go, because water quality testing is something I am extremely interested in for a project I hope to work on this next year at my college with a lake on campus....but I have to work Saturday. The ultimate irony is that I work at Ginnie Springs....

[Sludge]

water quality testing is something I am extremely interested in

Catch wingman the next time he comes in, and bring this up. He's in the middle of a project.

[Lgreen]

Skip

Look forward to seeing you at 1PM for the "water quality workshop".
Larry & Debra Green

Reminder: NACD Bod meeting - 6PM Ginnie Springs Outdoors classroom, July 12, 2008.

[sandy]

Skip, I will try to attend and bring my daughter who used it earlier. Debra, I am working on the article.

[JahJahwarrior]

Catch wingman the next time he comes in, and bring this up. He's in the middle of a project.

Yeah, but when I'm on the clock, they get mad if I socialize too much with customers. I've gotten him to explain some stuff to me, him and Peter Butte both have taught me a little about water quality and testing....the job at Ginnie would be great if I didn't have to always be rushing to help other customers sign in to go tube...if I could sit around all day chatting with cave divers, I'm sure I'd love it!

[ggpab]

Hi Skip,

Sounds really interesting and forward thinking. Can you tell us which tests are performed using the kits?

Cheers
Trish

[sandy]

Hey Trish,

Sorry to answer for Skip. We used the test kit last year, and if I remember correctly, the tests are:

Temperature
PH
Disolved Oxygen
Phosphates
Nitrates
Nitrates
Water Clarity
e-coli
Water turbidity
Critter count

Skip did a great job in assembling the kit, and his manual makes it simple to use. With the exception of the e-coli test, each one takes betweeen 5 seconds and 3 minutes. The intial work for e-coli is also fast but results are not available for 24 to 48 hours.

[skip]

Sandy has it right. Turbidity is measured either with a jackson tube or secchi disk. Flow can also be measured. The kit includes all instructions, critter species id charts, recording forms, and such. There is one test needed for the Water Quality Index (WQI) that is not included because I can't figure out an easy on-site method of testing. It's the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD). I am working on this one, and may have a method soon, if my procedures prove valid. However, a valid WQI can still be estimated within a few percentages (just plug in various values that BOD could have and see the effect on WQI). It's easier than it sounds!

Hey Trish, I see that this is your first post to the CDF. How about a brief introduction to yourself? If you'd rather not, that's fine too. I think there is an introduction forum somewhere on here, although I could be wrong, it's been awhile since I visited it (if it does exist).

-skip

[ed pavey]

Skip, Sorry I missed the workshop... Maybe you could do a presentation at the Mo Workshop? i think everyone would love to get involved in this kind of activitiy..

Ed