Windsow city contracted M-global limited
Windsow city contracted M-global limited to carry out a pollution study around Wildwood creek. The portion of the creek that was evaluated was a one-mile stretch within Burns Nature park. The section stretches from Newell College to the United States Highway 42, and the study was seven months long. The company completed thirteen tests on four different testing dates. The likely audience of this section is the residence of Windsow city who are interested in their environment and how the city looks after them. The area around Wildwood scored relatively well on most of the tests, but they still exist some problem areas. Some of the problems included high levels of phosphate, which were recovered from the water. The phosphates got delivered from delivered either from plant and animal matter or fertilizer and waste. It is also worth noting that some of the areas that were uncovered were small areas of undesirable water organisms that were tolerant pollutants and were capable of surviving harsh environments. The tests that were done within this study should be carried out two more times. The tests could also be complemented by other environmental experiments being carried out. The writer failed to address audiences that are not within Windsow through only highlighting Windsow. The section could be improved by making it a more applicable to a broader community that does not reside within Windsow.
Field Investigation
Wildwood creek tested notably well for habitat. The number of ripples and pools was average for such creeks. The stream deposits, as well as bank stability, were considered average to good, and the stream covers were regarded as useful to excellent. Algae are naturally found within any creek. The number of algae could be a warning of pollution within the water. In case algae are growing out of control, disproportionate levels of nutrients like phosphate or nitrogen could also be present. Such chemicals may originate from fertilizer that had been washed into the creek. High numbers of algae may cause the oxygen levels to drop whenever they die and decompose.
In the course of the dour studies, algae were all over the location but were mainly concentrated within the ripples of the creek. They were always brown and, at times, hairy. Litter could affect a creek’s habitat. Even though some of the litter has chemicals that could pollute the water, other litter can also cover the nesting locations, which ends up suffocating the small animals. The litter is always an eyesore, whether or not it is harmful. Across all the four test dates, the litter was notably heavy and ranged from car tires to plastic bags. Some of the same trash that was at the site when it came to the first visit was still present more than six months later. A bug count refers to a procedure that starts by washing water and dirt onto a particular screen. As the water drains, the soil with the organisms is left behind on the screen. Two kinds of aquatic worms were uncovered every time in the course of the count.
On top of that, the worms were observed as being quite tolerant of pollution and could survive in most conditions. Only two crayfish were found. Crayfish are animals that are somehow sensitive to pollution. The physical tests conducted in the field cover areas that are seen with the naked eye. Chemical tests could uncover pollutants that are not easily recognizable. Some of the chemicals could also wipe out all the life that exists within the creek. The other chemicals could also lead to an overabundance of a single life-form that, in turn, could end up killing more organisms that are sensitive.
Test Comparison
When it came to the test, there was little change from each of the test dates. The only checks that showed significant variation from one another were the water temperature, air temperature, DO, and water flow. The tests showed that wildwood creek was a relatively stable environment. Between 26th May 2012 and 19th November 2012, the temperature dropped from 21.5 degrees Celsius to 13.5 degrees Celsius. The temperature variation was within the normal range for a region that is not located within the tropics. The water flow was only recoded as high in one instance during the same period. The algae appearance also largely maintained the very presence of a brown color. It only changed its appearance during the June period when it took on a hairy appearance. The bug count also fluctuated between low and average with no date recording a higher than average bug count. The pH level maintained a level of 7 throughout highlighting how stable the environment is. That could explain why the algae were located everywhere within the location throughout the study period. The water maintained its transparent appearance.
The tests would have been more accurate had they been conducted two more times through the spring of 2013. This is because spring is usually the time of the year during which more aquatic organisms get hatched. In case sensitive organisms are located, then the creek’s health would be viewed as having improved. There should also be a test for nitrogen. The high phosphate levels could be a sign that nitrogen may be present, which would call for fertilizer getting added into the water. There should also be a test for human waste since there is a possibility of some contamination being present. The runoff water may have contaminated the creek by transporting waste and pollution from other locations during the rainy period. The runoff may go through industrial areas, thus carrying some mercury and other heavy metals that may end up polluting the water within the creek. Water found at the creek could trace its origins to different locations due to its terrain. This section was aimed at environmental scholars or academia that could understand the academic language used. However, the section failed to address the needs of the audience by not referring to any other previous studies that may have been conducted in the area. The section could be improved by quoting other studies that may have been carried out in the creek.
Conclusion
The stream bank’s health, as well as its floodplain, was mostly acceptable. The area that was studied contained large amounts of vegetation that grew along the stream with the banks seeming quite sturdy. The floodplain was turned into a park that naturally handles floods. Floodwater within this area gets in contact with surrounding vegetation and some of the dirt that comes with it. Flood water could also quickly drain, thus keeping the types and number of animals mostly uncovered when it came to the bug counts. The count only discovered two bug counts, and they were classified as small. The low count should be considered as a possible warning sign about the quality of the water. The levels of phosphate were also regarded as quite high and were likely the cause of the high amounts of algae. There is a compound within the water that is preventing sensitive animals from developing. One of the factors that affects the number of animals that were found was the pollutant issues which were present in the past. The creek could still be in a redevelopment phase, which is a likely explanation of the small number of animals.