Water Quality

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Claude E. Boyd

   Pages 1-4

3. Physical Properties of Water

   • Claude E. Boyd

   Pages 5-20

4. Hydrology

   • Claude E. Boyd

   Pages 21-42

5. Dissolved Solids

   • Claude E. Boyd

   Pages 43-68

6. Dissolved Oxygen and Redox Potential

   • Claude E. Boyd

   Pages 69-94

7. Particulate Matter, Turbidity, and Color

   • Claude E. Boyd

   Pages 95-103

8. pH, Carbon Dioxide, and Alkalinity

   • Claude E. Boyd

   Pages 105-122

9. Total Hardness

   • Claude E. Boyd

   Pages 123-128

10. Bacteria, Phytoplankton, and Water Quality

    • Claude E. Boyd

    Pages 129-155

11. Oxygen Production and Demand

    • Claude E. Boyd

    Pages 157-173

12. Nitrogen

    • Claude E. Boyd

    Pages 175-192

13. Phosphorus

    • Claude E. Boyd

    Pages 193-209

14. Sulfur

    • Claude E. Boyd

    Pages 211-218

15. Micronutrients and Other Trace Elements

    • Claude E. Boyd

    Pages 219-249

16. Water Pollution

    • Claude E. Boyd

    Pages 251-270

17. Water Quality Regulations

    • Claude E. Boyd

    Pages 271-283

18. Back Matter

    Pages 285-330

    PDF

Water quality is important to everyone, but professionals in many disciplines need an understanding of this subject. Although water quality is complex, its general aspects can be grasped readily and with little background - only introductory chemistry and biology and a little algebra are needed. Unfortunately, the teaching of water quality is not well organized. In most colleges and universities, water quality instruction is given in certain engineering curricula and in aquatic ecology or fisheries curricula. There also is brief attention to selected topics on water quality in numerous classes in other curricula. Water quality training in engineering is highly specialized and directed by necessity towards water supply and water treatment, while the focus in aquatic ecology and fisheries is on biological water quality and pollution. Few students venture into specialized classes outside of their curricula, and as a result, their formal training in water quality is greatly restricted. Self-education by reading texts and reference books on water quality is difficult. Authors of water quality books seem to be more interested in presenting a rigorous, detailed treatment than in focusing on simplicity and clarity. Chemical aspects of water quality often are presented at a level requiring fairly advanced mathematics and physical chemistry, and biological discussions may be quite advanced and theoretical. I have taught water quality to seniors and graduate students in agriculture, wildlife and fisheries, environmental sciences, economics, and similar disciplines for many years.

• Alkalinity
• Water pollution
• bacteria
• ecology
• ecosystems
• phytoplankton
• pollution

• Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Auburn University, USA

  Claude E. Boyd

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