WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS OF RED RIVER VALLEY’S MUNICIPAL AND RURAL WATER SUPPLY: A COLLABORATION BETWEEN LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE CLASSES AND GEOSCIENCES AT MSUM

Declining water quality is an environmental issue that has been around for decades now. As pipes decay and waterways become more polluted, these pollutants are becoming more present in water. This region, unlike other places, does not have a problem with water scarcity, but water quality is increasingly problematic. We are focusing on the study, collection, and analysis of Fargo, Moorhead, and the Red River Valley’s water quality throughout the community. This project is a collaboration with local high school students by engaging in modern environmental dilemmas all while creating an in-depth analysis of the water samples taken to see how our water quality may differ in rural vs. urban locations. It is important to note that there have been studies on this area’s water quality in the past and results have shown unique variance of phosphorus concentrations due to agricultural seasons in the Red River Basin. The two high schools participating in this study were Horace High School and Moorhead High School. After presenting to the students what the research entailed, it was their job to go out into the community and find various locations to gather water samples to test. Some sampling was done by the authors to increase the spatial average. The samples will be mailed to the laboratory for processing to look for various pollutants from runoff or faulty pipe systems with an eye out for forever chemicals as well. Most of the samples have been collected, but the chemical analysis and data interpretation have yet to be completed.