Testing the River Wye

Water Testing

The River Wye

As part of the Citizen Science Project and through FOUW – Friends of the Upper Wye, I have volunteered to test the water quality on the River Wye, close to where I live. So far so good, and after my training session where I was given what looks like a chemistry set for beginners! I am off and running and sending in two reports a week on the water quality of the River Wye at a designated place. Armed with a Secchi Tube, a thermometer and conductivity reader and different test strips and a test tube, I am testing for turbidity, nitrate and phosphate levels as well as sending in readings of the water temperature and conductivity.

 

 

Spending more time by the river has been a joy as I have seen Oyster Catchers, Yellow Hammers and Egrets, as well as lots of stunning dragonflies and monster caterpillars! Sadly I haven’t spotted the Otters yet but I am assured that they are here. The good news is that the river is in pretty good shape on my watch with almost no nitrate and no phosphate at the moment. Lets hope it stays that way.

Candida Hopkinson