What is Water Transparency?

Transparency is a measure of how clear the water is. It is important because aquatic plants need sunlight for photosynthesis. The clearer the water, the deeper the sunlight will penetrate.

How does Water Transparency increase?

  1. Colder water in the winter months produces less algal growth and thus clearer water.
  2. Mixing of clear water with turbid water can result in a net increase of water transparency.

How does Water Transparency decrease?

  1. Adding nutrients to the water can cause algal blooms. During a bloom, algae can produce a layer of scum on the surface of the water, limiting the amount of light that can reacher deeper plants.
  2. Storms can cause fine sediment to be washed into the body of water. Fine particles of silt can stay suspended for weeks.
  3. Wildfires increase the amount of soil erosion into surface water.

What does the color of the water mean?

The color of the water can give you a clue about what is suspended in the water. Although algae can be many different colors, it is most often green. Suspended silt in the region of GetWET is typically brownish.

How does transparency relate to water quality?

Transparency is not a good indicator of water drinkability. Even crystal clear water can contain invisible bacteria, viruses and chemicals that can make a person very sick.

How do humans impact Water Transparency?

Applying fertilizers to lawns before a rain storm can result in a large proportion of that fertilizer washing off the lawn and into the street gutter. Street gutters feed into storm sewers that empty into the streams that pass through town. Careless application of fertilizers can have a direct and immediate effect on the life in the stream.

Using a cylinder to measure Water Transparency

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