The Effect of Water Temperature on Dissolved Oxygen Levels at Jackson Pond

Libby Kent and Sara Bucholtz

Abstract
We tested whether water temperature caused dissolved oxygen levels to change. To do this,
we used an YSI oxygen, conductivity, salinity, and temperature system to record the dissolved
oxygen level and water temperature at a fixed location in Jackson Pond over a period of four
weeks. We found that there was a weak correlation between water temperature and dissolved
oxygen levels (R2 = 0.0747).

Keywords: water temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, Jackson Pond

Introduction
Dissolved oxygen levels describe the amount of oxygen in the water produced by
photosynthesis through plants surrounding the water and the atmosphere (EPA 2015). Oxygen
levels in any body of water can fluctuate depending on a wide range of factors. One of these
factors include time of year because during the winter many plants die. Fewer plants mean less
oxygen from photosynthesis (EPA 2015). Also, altitude can be a factor because in areas that are
higher altitudes, there is less oxygen in the atmosphere. Less oxygen in the atmosphere means
less oxygen that can get in the water (EPA 2015). In a study about the effect of macrophytes (an
aquatic plant) on dissolved oxygen levels, it was found that they do produce oxygen through
photosynthesis, however, they can reduce water movements and block light for other plants to
use in photosynthesis. They also contribute to respiration as well (Turner, et. al., 2010). These
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factors can all cause a decrease in dissolved oxygen in the water. Solar radiation, wind, and
activity in the water are all methods that can change water temperature, which in turn can vary
the dissolved oxygen levels (Godshall, et. al., 1974). We were curious to study the affect water
temperature had on dissolved oxygen levels, so we designed an experiment to test our question.
We hypothesized that when water temperature increases, the dissolved oxygen level would
decrease.
Some additional studies involving dissolved oxygen levels describe how temperature
affects dissolved oxygen level. For one study, it was found that when air temperature rises about
3 to 5 degrees, water temperature rises 2 to 3 degrees. Also, if water temperature decreases in
areas with low dissolved oxygen levels, then those areas will be critical for species that need
oxygen (Morrill, Bales, & Conklin 2005). Another study found that warm temperatures and low
flood levels decrease the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water which can harm fish living in
that water (Kaller et. al., 2011).

Materials and Methods

Between the dates of 5 October 2015 and 20 October 2015 at various times between 0740
and 2000, we conducted our study at Jackson Pond located in Jackson Park with address 3500 W.
Forest Home Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53215. There is a building on the north side of the pond with
wide steps leading down to the pond. We gathered our data in the center of the railings
(approximately 4 meters from each side of the stairs), about 0.2 meters into the water from the
edge of the concrete steps. The building is 13.2 meters away from where the concrete steps meets
the water. The location of the water we gathered data in relation to the building is 162 south of
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north. There were various weather conditions throughout our experiment such as sunny, windy,
cloudy, and clear skies. We collected data a total of 15 different times using the same method.
We dropped an YSI oxygen, conductivity, salinity, and temperature system (model 85) into the
water at the predetermined location described above and moved it horizontally at a speed of
about 0.5m per second. We recorded the dissolved oxygen and water temperature readings
displayed on the meter into a chart. We also used a A-1000 Sunnto brand compass and a
Keson graduated metric meter model 0TR50M measuring tape to determine the exact
location of our readings. We analyzed the data using a correlation analysis on Excel for
Windows 2007.
Results
There was weak correlation between water temperature and dissolved oxygen levels (Fig.
1; R2 = 0.0747, with a linear model). Since each of our data points were collected on a different
day, the weather outside was also different. Some days were very windy while others were sunny
and clear. There were also a variety of air temperatures throughout our data collection. The range
of values for water temperature was 10.3C to 19.4C. The range of values for dissolved oxygen
was 7.8 mg/L to 16.2 mg/L.

Figure 1. Correlation between water temperature and dissolved oxygen content.

Discussion
Our data refuted the hypothesis that as water temperature increases, the dissolved oxygen
level decreases. Our data were different from the findings of Kaller et. al. (2011), who found that
with warm temperatures and low flood levels, dissolved oxygen levels decreased. Our results
may have been due to the time of day we took our readings. If we took our readings later in the
day, dissolved oxygen levels may be higher than taking the reading in the morning because the
plants have been going through photosynthesis longer and the water might have been affected by
the amount of solar radiation. Another factor that could have influenced our results may have
been the wind in cooling down the water.
We had an outlier at 10.3C and 13.6 mg/L that may have been due to an inaccurate
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reading on the meter or increased oxygen due to more photosynthesis since that day was very
sunny with a higher outside temperature (18C) than the mean temperature of all the days
(15.4C).
There were some limitations to our study such as the amount of time we had to gather data,
the time of day we were able to collect data due to classes, and the differing weathering
conditions. If we were to repeat this study, we would collect data on similar days (that were
sunny and around the same temperature). We would also think about collecting data at multiple
times because the conditions would be more stable which might have an effect on the outcomes
and be a possible confounding variable.
An extension to our study to address some of these limitations could be to collect data of
dissolved oxygen levels at a determined interval over the course of one day (24 hour period) to
find out if the time of day has an influence over changing dissolved oxygen levels. Comparing
the dissolved oxygen levels at a variety of different ponds could also be an interesting addition
since each pond has different aquatic life and environmental factors.
LITERATURE CITED

EPA. (2015). Dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand. Retrieved from
http://water.epa.gov/type/rsl/monitoring/vms52.cfm

Godshall, F. A., Cory, R. L., & Phinney, D. E.. (1974). Measurement in a marine environment
using low cost sensors of temperature and dissolved oxygen. Chesapeake Science, 15(3),
178181. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ac.ezproxy.switchinc.org/stable/1351043

Kaller M, Kelso W, Halloran B, Rutherford D (2011). Effects of spatial scale on assessment of

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dissolved oxygen dynamics in the Atchafalaya River Basin,

Louisiana. Hydrobiologia [serial online]. January 2011;658(1):7-15. Available from:
Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 26, 2015.

Morrill, J. C., Bales, R. C., & Conklin, M. H. (2005). Estimating stream temperature from air
temperature: implications for future water quality. Journal Of Environmental Engineering,
131(1), 139-146. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2005)131:1(139)

Turner, A. M., Cholak, E. J., & Groner, M. (2010). Expanding American Lotus and dissolved
oxygen concentrations of a shallow lake. American Midland Naturalist, 164(1), 18.
Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ac.ezproxy.switchinc.org/stable/40730945