Water Quality Parameters

River Assessment Monitoring Project
Kentucky Water Watch

Parameters Criteria

(Limits)

KY Average Values*
Field Data
Temperature (C) <22.2 C (72F) Avg. Oct. 16-31 (WAH) 14.7C
<25C (77F) instantaneous maximum (WAH)
pH (pH units) 6.0 - 9.0 (WAH) 7.4 units
Conductivity (Dissolved solids) (mho/cm or mg/L) <800 micromhos/cm (or = 500 mg/L dissolved solids) (OR) 335 mhos/cm
Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) >5.0 mg/L (WAH) 9.1 mg/L
>4.0 mg/L instantaneous minimum (WAH)
Laboratory Analysis (will include repeat of pH and conductivity)
Buffering Capacity (Alkalinity)(mg/L) >20 mg/L (WAH) 90.1 mg/L
<25% reduction from natural (WAH)
Hardness (mg/L) NC 138.5 mg/L
Total Organic Carbon (mg/L) NC 3.5 mg/L
Total Suspended Solids (mg/L) NC 42.4 mg/L
Ammonia Nitrogen (mg/L) <0.05 mg/L unionized NH3 (WAH)

<6.4 mg/L Total NH3/NH4 -N

(at pH 7.4 and 15C)

0.15 mg/L
Nitrate/Nitrite-Nitrogen (mg/L) <10 mg/L (DWS) 0.85 mg/L
Phosphorus, total (mg/L) NC 0.15 mg/L
Sulfate (mg/L) <250 mg/L (DWS) 63.3 mg/L
Chloride (mg/L) <250 mg/L (DWS) 13.2 mg/L
<600 mg/L (WAH)
Fluoride (mg/L) <1.0 mg/L (DWS) Not available
Metal Scan
Calcium (mg/L) NC 39.9 mg/L
Magnesium (mg/L) NC 10.6 mg/L
Iron (mg/L) <1.0 mg/L (WAH) 1.34 mg/L
Aluminum (mg/L) NC 0.7 mg/L
Barium (mg/L) <1.0 mg/L (DWS) 0.05 mg/L
Cadmium (mg/L) <0.001 mg/L (WAH) (calculated at hardness 100)

<0.01 mg/L (DWS)

0.0014 mg/L
Chromium (mg/L) <0.011 mg/L (WAH)

(calculated at hardness 100)

<0.05 mg/L (DWS)

0.0026 mg/L
Lead (mg/L) 0.003 mg/L (WAH)

(calculated at hardness 100)

<0.05 mg/L (DWS)

0.0127 mg/L
Manganese (mg/L) <0.05 mg/L (DWS) 0.211 mg/L
Sodium (mg/L) NC 14.8 mg/L
Zinc (mg/L) <0.106 mg/L (WAH)

(calculated at hardness 100)

0.0291 mg/L
Microbiology
Fecal Coliform (colonies/100 ml) <200 colonies/100 ml (PCR) <200 colonies/100 ml
<1000 colonies/100 ml (SCR)
<2000 colonies/100 ml (DWS)

CRITERIA:

WAH = Warm Water Aquatic Habitat DWS = Domestic Water Supply

PCR = Primary Contact Recreation (swimming) OR = Ohio River

NC = No Criteria SCR = Secondary Contact Recreation (boating and fishing)

* Source: Division of Water Ambient Monitoring Database, 1985 - 1994.

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