Fishing Creek, Columbia County, 6/2/21

[duckfoot]

1800 - Lightstreet - Memorial Park area
Air Temp: 70F
Water Temp: 59F
Water pH: 8.3
Water TDS: 50 ppm
Water Salinity: 0 ppt
Water Conductivity: 60 uS/cm^3
Bugs: #16 sulphurs, slate drakes, black drakes, white midges and gnats, very light colored march browns, and an occasional #10 green drake
Water Clarity: clear
Water Depth: 1 feet to 6 feet (average)

Perfect dry fly weather, and aggressive takers. Not much of a hatch, so maybe some are slacking off and others are just coming on. Not sure, but water moving well enough that the fish don't get to inspect the dries too hard.

 

[salvelinus]

Retired analytical chemist here. How are you measuring pH? That value seems high for a freestone stream.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Was wondering the same thing salvelinus.

Duckfoot, what meter are you using and do you calibrate regularly? I see both your reports on fishing creek and muncy creek list ph at 8.3 or 8.4. I agree this seems pretty high, however sometimes algal blooms in the afternoon son can cause localized spikes.

 

[duckfoot]

I have an Oakton portable pH meter that I calibrate regularly with the usual 4-7-10 buffer solutions in my lab.

I've been having weird issues with it, like it's a bit dirty. Takes about two minutes to equalize. It's on par with other equipment in my lab, but it's a bit wonky. Ironing it out.

Will put disclaimer on my reports until then.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Duckfoot, what kind of lab do you have? Those Oakton meters are generally pretty accurate when calibrated, but they seem to have a limited lifespan in my experience. I have had some of these fail after 1 field season.

 

[troutbert]

This website shows pH readings for many PA streams and rivers.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current/?type=quality&group%20Key=basin%20cd

Overall they are higher than I would have expected.

Conoquenessing Creek pH 8.9

Pine Cr, Waterville pH 8.0

West Branch Susque at Karthaus 7.5 I hope so, but that's impacted by mine drainage there.

Mahoning Creek pH 9.6 What?

 

[duckfoot]

I'm a teacher, but I run my lab in a more professional sense than usual for my higher-level students. I get nice equipment and teach them how to be scientists.

The whole reason I went with the portable Oaktons were the touted accuracy. I'm very happy with the TDS/cond/temp/sal reader, but the pH one is a bit unusual, even in the buffer solutions.

I guess it would help if I read the manual first. I am a man, after all.

From what I'd gather, pH readings are more for buffering capacity than anything. A stream without limestone to help control pH would have larger swings.

It should also be noted that temperature does impact pH a bit. My readings aren't temperature adjusted.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Good call on the temp influence, also with the low flows algal blooms and daily response to the photosynthesis cycle can cause noticeable pH increases as well.

 

[duckfoot]

I'd agree on the tester. For what it's worth, it is an Oakton ECOtestr CTS model. I just ran my tap water with the following parameters:

TDS: 40 ppm
Conductivity: 50 uS/cm^3
Salinity: 0.00 ppt
Temp: 72.7F

The pH meter is an Oakton Testr pH30. Same tap water, roughly 2 min equilibriate:

7.02 @ 25.2C

Not sure what's up.