Factory Brook Water Quality Monitoring
Homer High School
Science Department
Homer, New York 13077
2. Maps and Information for Test Sites
3. Description of Tests and Test Materials
4. Creal Road DEC Access Site Test Results
5. Homer Junior School Nature Center Site Test Results
Factory Brook is a small stream that runs out of the hills of rural Scott into the West Branch of the Tioughnioga River in the village of Homer. The stream passes close to the groundwater wells that provide the municipal water supply for the village of Homer. Because of the interaction of surface water and groundwater, Homer High School students have conducted a basic water quality monitoring project for the past several years by conducting simple chemical, physical, and biological assessments of the stream’s water quality. Students have taken samples from Factory Brook at the Nature Center at the Homer Junior High School, and at a NYSDEC Public Access Fishing Site on Creal Road.
Chemical assessments conducted include pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and phosphates.
Physical assessments conducted include stream velocity and profile.
Biological assessments conducted include a random sampling of macroinvertabrates using a kick net. Caddisfly, mayfly, and stonefly nymphs are the main focus of this assessment, although other finds maybe noted.
Questions on the project should be directed to Doug Van Etten, Earth Science teacher at:
Homer Central High School
PO Box 500
Homer, NY 13077
607-749-7246, ext. 4474