Diagnosing the South River: A Scientist's Quest

A crew of environmental scientists charted out onto the South River's quiet waters last Tuesday around 7 a.m. to beat the brutal July heat and to diagnose the local waterway's condition. 

With a heat index headed for triple digits, , her husband and Naval Academy professor Andrew Muller and South River Federation intern David Nematollahi packed into the boat and headed out onto the water for their weekly scientific quest.

Patch was on hand as the scientists and their young intern analyzed, measured and calculated findings throughout almost a dozen “testing” stations on the river. Using a variety of techniques, from a simple black and white disc to a $14,000 piece of equipment, the crew hoped to continue their quest of understanding the South River and what must be done to cure its ailments.

In part one of a three-part video series, Patch learned how the environmental scientists measure the South River’s health and how quickly its conditions can change in a matter of hours.

Watch the video to learn how the crew analyzes the local tributary and check back Thursday for part two—an in depth look at why the South River’s problems may continue to escalate regardless of the Chesapeake Bay’s health.