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Farm Pond Water Quality Testing

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Memorandum
To: Town of Framingham
From: Michael Baldwin
Date: October 17, 2015
Subject: Farm Pond water quality testing
Introduction:
My name is Michael Baldwin, I am a senior at Framingham State University where I am studying environmental science. The ecology class at the university was recently tasked with collecting water quality data on Farm Pond. This memo intends to inform the town of Framingham of the data that was collected, and how it might be analyzed to better understand the water quality and ecosystem health of Farm Pond as it relates to recreational use.
Methods:
In order to assess the water quality of Farm Pond the class collected a variety of data. The class was broken into groups which collected multiple types of data from different parts of the pond. Data was collected from both littoral (area shallow enough for rooted vegetation) and limnetic (area too deep to support rooted vegetation) zones in the pond.
In the littoral zone three groups collected data on water temperature, pH, water depth and biota.
Sampling was done along three transects, where samples were taken at 1,2,3 and 4 meters from shore.
Water pH was measured using standard pH paper as well as an electronic pH meter. Water temperature was measured using a thermometer. Water depth was physically measured. Biota data included the percentage of vegetative coverage in sample plots which was measured visually. In addition, samples of benthic macro-invertebrates were taken using a net drag

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