Stream Transparency

The clarity of stream water (in units of centimeters) as measured
in a Citizen Stream Monitoring Program transparency tube. A
greater transparency reading in centimeters reflects higher
water clarity. Stream water clarity is an indicator of how much
sediment, algae, and other materials are suspended in the water.
<br>
<br>
The transparency tube is a clear, 60 cm-long tube with a colored
disk on the bottom for measuring the depth at which the disk is
visible. To measure water clarity, the tube is filled with
water collected from a stream or river. Looking down into the
tube, water is released through a valve until the colored disk
is visible. The depth of the water when the disk becomes
visible is recorded in centimeters, which are marked on the side
of the tube. If the disk is visible when the tube is full, the
transparency reading is ">60 centimeters."