Statewide pH 2012-2015

    Statewide pH 2012-2015

    What is pH?

    Substances can be acidic, basic, or neutral. This is described by pH. It is measured on a scale of 0-14, with 0-7 being acidic, 7 neutral, and 7-14 basic. The pH scale is compared to the Richter scale, meaning that one change in pH, for example 6.0 to 7.0, represents a tenfold increase.

    The pH of water bodies is an indicator of the health of a system. Rain typically hits the earth as 5.5 pH, but is buffered by Utah's soils and aquatic plants to become more neutral. 

     

    pH scale

     

     

    Utah Water Watch volunteers have collected nearly 1250 Tier 1 stream pH measurements since 2012. That's almost one pH measurement collected somewhere in Utah each day for the last four years. Great Work!

    Click here for more pH information.