Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Collecting water sample of a tributary of Oak Creek in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in winter

Detailed Description

Owen Stefaniak collects a water sample of a tributary of Oak Creek, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The tributary is locoated at the southeast corner of General Mitchell International Airport property, just outside the perimeter fence. The airport runway is visible beyond the fence.

Samples are analyzed for a variety of water quality parameters, but the main parameters are propylene glycol (the active freezing point depressant in aircraft deicers/anti-icers), acetate (a component in pavement deicers), and chemical oxygen demand (which helps us determine how pollution will impact the oxygen levels in the stream).

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.