Water Pollution Data from the River Taff
You have been provided with some data from the Environment Agency. Your task is to manipulate the data and produce some data so that you can produce a report on conditions in the Taff.There are 120 readings taken from 1996 to 2006.
You can put your answers straight into a PowerPoint presentation that can be sent straight to your teacher. A template file is provided “Pupil Water Data Presentation”
The order as the Taff runs towards the sea is Tongwynlais → Llandaff →Blackweir.
Task1: Draw a graph that shows the trendsin the water temperature from 1996 to 2006 at Blackweir.
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Which was the hottest summer?
Which was the coldest winter?
Is there a trend over the ten years?
Task 2: Draw a graph that shows the trends in the water temperature from 1996 to 2006 at all three sites
HINT: You will need to cut and paste the date, followed by the data from each site into a new spreadsheet
Is there a trend down the river?
Are there any anomalies?
Task 3: Do you think there is a correlation between the time and the temperature of the water at the Tongwynlais site? Write down your prediction. NB All predictions are valid
Now find out if there is a correlation by plotting the data.
Task 4: Do you think there is a correlation between the amount of nitrate in the water and the amount of oxygen at any site? Write down your prediction.
Now find out if there is a correlation.
Can you come up with a theory or idea to back this up?
Do you think there will be there same trend at every site?
Test your idea by plotting a graph.
Task 5: A company is suspected of dumping industrial waste in the river Taff. The waste includes arsenic and lead. Plot a graph and use it to find out the dates when the pollution took place.
How could the Environment Agency track down the company responsible?
Why are we concerned with Arsenic levels in the water?
Task 6: Using the data, come up with a prediction of your own and test it. Can your results be explain scientifically or it the correlation a coincidence? (If you are not sure, you could look this up on the internet). E.g. Does it rain more in spring than the rest of the year – look at date versus flow at Blackweir.
Now email your file to your teacher.