Water Quality Trends

Definition

Water quality trends refer to long-term changes or patterns observed in the physical, chemical, biological, or radiological characteristics of water bodies. These trends can indicate improvements or deterioration in water quality over time.

Related terms

Eutrophication:

Eutrophication is an increase in nutrient levels (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) in a water body, leading to excessive growth of algae and other aquatic plants. This can result in oxygen depletion and harm the ecosystem.

Dissolved Oxygen: Dissolved oxygen refers to the amount of oxygen gas dissolved in water. It is an important indicator of water quality because aquatic organisms rely on dissolved oxygen for respiration.

pH: pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance (in this case, water) is. Changes in pH can affect the health and survival of aquatic organisms.