Why is sediment testing necessary?

Sediment testing is crucial primarily to evaluate contamination levels and potential impacts on water quality. This process helps identify harmful substances that may be present in sediments—such as heavy metals, nutrients, or pathogens—that can adversely affect aquatic ecosystems and human health. By understanding the contamination levels, appropriate measures can be implemented to mitigate risks, comply with environmental regulations, and protect natural water sources. Additionally, it provides valuable data for the development of stormwater management plans and supports the identification of necessary remediation strategies.

While determining soil composition for farming, assessing construction site viability, and measuring sediment transport rates are important activities, they focus on different aspects and objectives that do not address the immediate need to understand environmental and health-related risks associated with sediment contamination. Therefore, these focus areas, although relevant in their own contexts, do not encompass the critical necessity of sediment testing in relation to water quality impacts.