Phosphate/ Nitrate/ Pathogenic Microbe Concentration (mg/L)

Phosphate and nitrate are essential for life forms.  When these nutrients are applied in excess and flow into water streams, they may affect the water quality.  These nutrients may increase the growth of plankton and algae which may reduce the dissolvable oxygen for the fish leading to death or in case of algae create a bad odor, taste, and color in water (EPA, 2005).