Does clear water mean clean water?

The results of our first sampling operation are in!  While we were out sampling, we were trying to predict which streams would have more contamination.  It was very interesting to see the results.  I'm wondering what will happen to the bacterial counts when the waters get warmer this summer.   Also, depending on rainfall this summer, I am wondering if we will see more contamination as the water supply gets lower, thus causing more animals to congregate in one location for their source of water. 

Although the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District has only asked us to test for fecal bacteria, Shannyn, Eden, and I are too interested to stop there.  So, for the purpose of gaining more knowledge while I am in this practicum, we are also taking note of how polluted the stream is (one site had a soccer ball, baseball, various school supplies, many soda cans and water bottles, etc.), and how much algae is growing in the stream.  I am very excited to take a class on macroinvertebrate identification.  There are many creatures living in streams, and some of them are very sensitive to pollution.  By looking at the number of each species we find in the stream, we can get a good sense of how impaired the stream is, based on each critter's tolerance level.

Here are some more pictures of our stream water testing adventures!

I should have brought a chain saw!  But, I got the sample...and am still checking for ticks!

Clearly, some people don't take water quality monitoring as seriously as we do (see the bullet holes in the picture above?), but there's always room for a little goofing around!  The last picture is my favorite, showing a soon-to-be first grader how we test for "germs" in the water.