Student Research Reports

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This report examines the relationship between precipitation and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in a river, hypothesizing that precipitation decreases DO by increasing nutrient runoff. The experiment was conducted over several weeks, measuring DO and nitrate concentrations on both dry and rainy days. Precipitation amounts were monitored alongside changes in DO, with additional focus on nitrate and nitrite levels to assess nutrient runoff. The results showed that days with precipitation generally had lower DO levels compared to dry days. For example, on November 6th, with the highest precipitation (0.43 inches), DO levels dropped to 5 mg/L, while on drier days, DO peaked at 8 mg/L on December 6th. Nitrate concentrations were highest on November 8th (0.5 ppm) and November 26th (0.3 ppm), coinciding with rainfall, supporting the hypothesis of nutrient runoff. Nitrite levels remained at 0 ppm and had no significant impact on DO. These findings suggest that even modest precipitation can influence DO levels by affecting nutrient runoff. The trend observed highlights the need for further research to examine the effects of larger precipitation events. This study underscores the importance of understanding how environmental factors, like rainfall, impact river ecosystems, particularly concerning water quality and aquatic life.