An Assessment of Water Quality in the Kalamazoo Area: Analysis of the Headwater to the West Fork of Portage Creek Running Through Asylum Lake, Parkview Hills, and the West Fork Property

Abstract

Water is natural resource that is essential for the survival of many species; it provides habitats as well as nutrients. Today, water is threaten as a result of urbanization and an increase of pollutants entering the waterways. Studies focusing on the effects of water pollution have looked into the implications on human health and the environment. In most cases, these studies have been supported using tests of the biological components in addition to the physicochemical tests and habitat analyses. Specifically, in stream studies benthic macroinvertebrates have been used as they are found in almost every stream, easily collectable, not very mobile, and have short life cycles.1 In this study I used benthic macroinvertebrates to assess the water quality of three streams in the Kalamazoo area.