Favorite Activity
Lake Fairfax Health
Helping the Watershed
What Did We Learn
Random
100
What was my favorite activity?
The biology station.
100
Which of the five evaluation categories we used had a high grade for Lake Fairfax's health and why?
Water Quality- good temperature, saturation of DO, pH, conductivity, and nitrite content Habitat- rocky bottom, good for habitats, streambed covered entirely by water, no sewage or other pipes, and no trash Biodiversity- some disturbance, diversity in plants, fungi, animals, and high native vs non-native score Biology- variety of pollutant-sensitive macroinvertebrates
100
What are three examples of how you can help the watershed?
Some examples are you can use less or no chemicals or fertilizers on your lawn, pick up trash, and you can also plant more trees or grass.
100
What is a buffer zone, why is it important and how did we learn about it?
A buffer zone is the space between a water source and the nearest road (should be at least 16 meters) and it is important because it allows runoff to be filtered through the land. We learned about this at the land use station while measuring buffer zones.
100
What is a watershed?
A watershed is the land that runoff crosses on its way to a water source.
200
What did we do in the Biology station?
We looked for macroinvertebrates in the stream at Lake Fairfax. We did this by looking under rock and using kick nets.
200
Which category did Lake Fairfax receive a poor grade on and why?
Land Use- good buffer zone and ground coverage vegetation, but hard soil, okay condition of stream banks, and some stream shade cover
200
How will using less or no chemicals or fertilizers on your lawn help the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
Using less chemicals lowers the nitrate level since most fertilizers contain nitrate. Nitrate causes algal blooms which eventually use up the DO making unsafe environments for the animals living in the Bay. Less use of chemicals also lower the chance of animals getting sick and dying out because of the pollution.
200
How does land use affect the water quality and how did we learn about it?
Buffer zones, ground cover vegetation, and soil hardness all help to filter drain water as it travels to a water source. Shade helps to decrease water temperature increasing levels of dissolved oxygen. Land use negatively impacts the environment by destroying habitats and have less biodiversity. We learned about it at the land use station.
200
Why is erosion bad for the watershed?
Erosion causes sediment to come loose and it causes it to drain into the sewage and lead into water sources.
300
Why would anyone enjoy the biology station?
You got to do hands-on activities such as looking for the invertebrates and you also got to see different bugs.
300
Would Lake Fairfax be considered as healthy?
Yes. It has a good score on four categories pertaining to water quality.
300
How will picking up trash help the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
Pieces of trash might eventually get to the Chesapeake Bay, so if you pick up trash, there will be less trash going into the Bay. Trash blocks out sunlight (resulting in less photosynthesis), suffocates fish, and pollutes the water. Therefore, if you pick up trash, these things won't happen making a safer Bay
300
Why is a rocky stream bed good for ecosystem and where did we learn about it?
It allows for more habitats and also a variety of habitats for animals such as fish to live in. This increases biodiversity making a healthier ecosystem. We learned about this at the water quality/habitat station when we were evaluating the streambed.
300
Why are invasive species bad for the ecosystem?
Invasive species "invade" over the land and overpopulate so that native species have little chance of surviving with the invasive species taking all the nutrients and food.
400
Why did we look for macroinvertebrates?
Macroinvertebrates can be categorized into groups that are sensitive to pollution, somewhat sensitive, and not sensitive at all. If certain macroinvertebrates are in the water, it indicates the amount of pollution.
400
What are five observations or data sources that lead to the opinion of Lake Fairfax being clean and healthy.
1) The lake scored a perfect on three categories in the evaluation of the lake and a near perfect on another. 2) People have been taking care of the Lake and they have been trying to make it a healthy ecosystem. 3)There is a good amount of pollutant sensitive macroinvertebrates and a variety of living things indicating a clean and healthy environment. 4) Water quality (measurements taken from probes) were all in the range for clean and normal water. 5) Many areas fit for habitats such as stream beds and the forest outside the main water source
400
How will planting trees and grass help the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
Plants such as trees and grass help to filter runoff water on its way to a water source. This way, the water is cleaner and healthier for the living things in the water source. Plating more will allow for more filtration.
400
What is the difference between native and non-native species and where did we learn about this?
A native species is a species that originated from the native land (America). A non-native species is a species that came from a foreign place by travelers or moving animals. We learned about this at the biodiversity station when we were looking for different animals and plants
400
What are some macroinvertebrates that are tolerant to pollution?
Leeches, midge larvae, blackfly larvae, aquatic worms, flat-coiled snails, left-opening snails, and flatworms
500
What are the macroinvertebrates that indicate low levels of pollution or none at all?
Mayfly, stonefly, riffle beetle, water penny, hellgrammite, caddis fly larvae, and right-opening snail
500
What are the five categories we used in evaluating the water quality
Land Use, Water Quality, Habitat, Biodiversity, and Biology
500
Why is it important to keep the watershed healthy?
The watershed provides water for consumption and work, provides food, and provides recreation and tourism.
500
What is biodiversity and why is it important?
Biodiversity is a diversity of living things and it is important because it provides different food sources so species do not die out.
500
If the soil in a buffer zone is hard, what does it indicate?
The soil indicates that it is filled with filtered materials. Because water has been passing through it for a long time or with many pollutants, the soil has filtered the water and is now compact with those materials.
M
e
n
u