General Information

What affects the quality of our streams, rivers, lakes or ground water? Below are a number of the most common and important constituents of surface and ground water. Some of the parameters are necessary for aquatic life and others can be or are harmful for aquatic life. Choose an underlined category from the list below to find our more in-depth information about each one:

Guide to information provided:

Parameter – The name of water quality constituent described on that page.
Abbreviation – This is how the parameter is abbreviated for monitoring and regulatory purposes.
Classification – Water quality includes the chemical make-up, the physical structure and the biological community of the water body. All three are interdependent. This tells you whether the parameter is part of the chemical, physical or biological make-up of the water.
Surface Water or Ground Water – This tells you whether the parameter affects or is important to surface water (streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands etc.), ground water (aquifers etc) or both.
EPA Priority Pollutant? –
Is it Carcinogenic? – Tells whether or not this parameter is known to be a cancer causing agent.
How is it Measured? – This tells how a parameter is measured for monitoring and regulatory purposes.
Illinois EPA General Use Standard – This is the standard set by the Illinois Pollution Control Board and enforced by the Illinois EPA for a particular parameter. Not all parameters have standards.
What you should know… - This section has interesting facts about each parameter.
Major Sources of this Parameter or Sources Which Degrade this Parameter – This section tells you the major areas this parameter may come from in the watershed or what in the watershed may affect this parameter.
Minor Sources of this Parameter or Sources Which Degrade this Parameter - This section tells you the minor areas this parameter may come from in the watershed or what in the watershed may affect this parameter.
Typical Concentrations of this Parameter in the Fox River Watershed – This section gives a range of concentrations or levels of a parameter across the watershed. Compare this to the General Use Standard, if there is one.
Impacts to the Ecosystem – This tells you how this parameter affects the ecosystem, the interactions between humans, animals, plants, their habitat.
Impacts to Drinking Water – This tells you how this parameter may affect the quality of drinking water or how it is filtered or cleaned for human use.
Impacts to Recreation – This tells you how this parameter may affect the recreational use of a waterbody.

Water Quality General Information Fact Sheet in printable, pdf file                        Return to Water Quality Main Page