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Our first chemical water test for this year was done on May 22. Our water quality index rating was good at both locations. We have more (e coli) coming into our lake but we did have good dissolved oxygen at both locations. The water temperature was 61 to 63 degrees and the air temperature was 66 degrees which helped to keep the ph, phosphate, nitrate, nitrite and turbidity down.
We hope to do at least four tests this year as well as more secchi discs tests for us and for Indiana University. I also have two more web sites to report the results to - Purdue University and Kent State University. The DNR also wants a couple of results too. Hoosier Riverwatch does have the results from May 22nd test.
The Secchi disk is a measure of the amount of suspended material in the water. This suspended material may be living algae, eroded soil from the watershed, re-suspended lake sediments, or other materials. The more suspended material in the water, the more turbid the lake and the less transparency. Poor Secchi disk transparency has been linked to lake eutrophication.
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