Big Loop Watershed

In the field today there was a high of 106.2 degrees with a heat index of 104 degrees and 69 percent humidity. Our faces were glistening with sweat. From the data collected today we found some streams to have very high water temperatures and low dissolved oxygen levels.

Temperature levels:

previous week vs. this week

Morgan- 18.68 vs. 22.64

Bear- 22.37 vs. 26.82

Otter- N.A. vs. 26.12

Blue- 21.88 vs. 25.17

Mud- 19.22 vs. 23.00

N. Bear- 22.04 vs. 25.73

From the temperature data, you can see that the levels in all of the streams have increased. These streams are not very well shaded, they do not have the vegetation they require to protect them from the sun's heat. 

Dissolved Oxygen levels:

previous week vs. this week

Morgan- 8.42 vs. 7.33

Bear- 8.27 vs. 6.86

Otter- N.A. vs. 6.8

Blue- 8.05 vs. 8.37

Mud- 8.7 vs. 8.00

N. Bear- 7.85 vs. 8.00

From the DO data, you can see that the streams Morgan, Bear, and Mud have been affected by the rise in temperature because the DO levels have decreased.