H₂Oconee and Beyond: Up the Creek with a Paddle

Benjamin J. Barfield, Dr. Catrena H. Lisse

A research group of undergraduate chemistry majors from Georgia College & State University have come together to monitor the Oconee River Basin. After four years of testing the water around middle Georgia, the research has taken a new spin on water testing by canoeing the Oconee River from start to finish. The Oconee River begins where the Upper Oconee River merges with the Middle Oconee River and ends by combining with the Ocmulgee River to form the Altamaha River in South Georgia. While canoeing, HACH onsite surface water kits have been used to analyze the conductivity, turbidity, pH, as well as nutrient levels. Chemical analysis for organic compounds was done using purge and trap coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. This paper highlights the techniques used and also summarizes the results.