Testing Lake Michigan Water Quality

Turbidity Test

Mike and Dan performed a couple of tests aboard the W. G. Jackson, a floating laboratory.

The first test they performed was turbidity. They collected a gallon of water from the lake, then slowly poured it into a tall graduated cylinder. At regular intervals, they looked down through the water to the bottom of the cylinder to see if the indicator on the bottom was visible. On this day, the water was very clear.

Second, they helped prepare plankton that was strained from the lake by the crew. Pouring the concentrated liquid back and forth from beaker to beaker, the micro organisms were suspended so a sample could be obtained and placed on a slide for viewing under a microscope.
Plankton

The W. G. Jackson tests the waters of lower Lake Michigan, and is operated by Grand Valley State College.

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