The CHESPAX team is back out in Cocktown Creek with the Calvert County Public School 7th graders to monitor the SAV (Submerged Aquatic Vegetation) for the Fall 2023 season. The first two canoe trips were strenuous because of the high temperatures, but the students succeeded in obtaining the SAV and water samples needed for the overall data collection.
One of the water quality tests the students conduct is the amount of salinity in the creek. The students use a measuring tool called a hydrometer to get an accurate reading. What the students found is that the salinity levels in the creek were the highest they had been in years, averaging 6 PPT!! This is way more than the normal average of .5-2 PPT. It was up to the students to ascertain what abiotic factors contributed to this substantial increase in salt.
At the end of our class, the students correctly determined that more rain would dilute the creek causing lower salinity. Since it has been a hot, dry summer the salinity level rose by several PPT, which can make the environment unfavorable for SAV. Fortunately, the conditions of the creek change quickly, and the salinity levels returned to normal within a few days.
Students from WHMS testing their water samples with the CHESPAX hydrometer.
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