Standardized Methods for Monitoring the Water Quality of Primary Inflows (Deep Fork River) Entering Arcadia Lake in Central Oklahoma

Abstract

The global health of freshwater systems affects environmental quality, biodiversity and human access to sources of clean water. In 1948, the US Federal Water Pollution Act was enacted to address water pollution. Nearly 20 years later, the Water Quality Act (1965, amended 1972) required states to issue water quality standards to ensure acceptable sources of freshwater are maintained. In response, the National Sanitation Foundation designed and created the Water Quality Index to monitor freshwater systems. Using nine standard tests, the Water Quality Index (excellent, good, medium, bad, very bad) measures water quality changes over time. The purpose of this research project is to monitor and assess water quality of inflows entering Arcadia Lake in eastern Edmond, Oklahoma. The primary inflow into Arcadia Lake is attributed to the Deep Fork River which begins in storm sewers of northern Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Several locations at the inflow / lake boundary are sampled and monitored to assess changes in water quality. Standardized water quality methods (dissolved oxygen, fecal / total coliform counts, pH, biological oxygen demand, temperature, total phosphate, nitrates, turbidity and total solids) are utilized to monitor water quality during the research. The overall goal from the inquiry-based research includes evaluating and optimizing test protocols in assessing the environmental health of aquatic systems.