Case Study Of The Riverwatch Trip

Prior to the Riverwatch Trip I was skeptical as to how much the wastewater treatment facilities in Calgary contributed to the wellness and overall health of the Bow River. However, through various tests before and after the treated water has been combined with the river water, I concluded that the wastewater facilities are well worth the tax dollars. Calgary is a large city of over 1 million people and as such produces an abundance of waste which should cause nitrate levels in the water to go up as well an increase in turbidity; not to mention many other negative affects to the water and the organisms dependant on the river. Nonetheless, nitrate and turbidity levels downstream and upstream of the treatment plant remain in the same range. Maintaining nitrate levels is
A lack of dissolved oxygen in the river would result in scores of fish, plants and other life forms to perish. An increase in dissolved oxygen downstream is surprising as downstream of the treatment plant, temperatures are much hotter, an averaged increase of about 10 degrees. Although, this could be due to the tests at the second site being conducted later in the day whereas the tests at test site 1 were done before midday. The increase in the levels of dissolved oxygen are due to a process called water aeration. Aeration can be achieved by injecting air into the bottom of the body of water through perhaps fountains or other contraptions. Another notable quality of the river is the pH level before and after. There is only an average difference of 0.16 between test site 1 and 2 and for that I applaud the engineers who designed the treatment facility. However, both downstream and upstream, the pH levels should not sway so close to the 8.2 maximum lest the water becomes too basic and unsuitable for aquatic life. If the water contained in the Bow River becomes too basic, the coating of mucus that acts as a protective layer to fish, dissolves, leaving the fish prone to bacterial disease