Water velocity is a significant indicator of freshwater quality. This factor influences many other factors such as dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide concentration, total suspended solids (water clarity), total dissolved solids (conductivity), pH, and temperature. Water velocity is dependent on stream gradient (i.e. how much the stream drops in height over a distance) or the volume of water moving through the water system. Be careful about making any inferences about the relationship between water quality and water velocity as, often, regions of high water velocity, as a result of stream gradient, are typically regions of less extensive human impact and development and, for this reason, only indirectly influences water quality.
A simple technique for determining water velocity is to determine the time taken for a ping-pong or tennis ball to cover a set distance. The velocity in m/s can be calculated knowing the distance (m) and time (s).
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