Sediment

A mineral or organic matter deposited by water, air, or ice. [1] Chemical sediments are formed by chemical reactions in seawater that result in the precipitation of minute mineral crystals, which settles to the floor of a sea or any body of water and it can make it harder for the fish or any animal to live. [2] If the rocks and other minerals in the water erodes and gets into the water the sediment will burry the fish under it and kill them and pollute the water and makes it unclean. [3] Clear cutting, fertilizers, and over grazing can also erode and the sediment will trap fishes and other animals young and they will suffacate. [4] Sediments make the water a muddy brown color, when the water is a dark color it attracts more heat.[5] Too much sediment can be very harmful to fish is it gets in to the water. The sediment can cover the bottoms of rivers and the the fish can not dig the holes they need to lay their eggs.[6] It can also be harmful because too much sediment in the water will block light which will make the water warmer. Warm water can not hold as much oxygen as cold water can, so therefore the fish are dying.[7] "Sediment is the loose sand, clay, silt and other soil particles that settle at the bottom of a body of water. Sediment can come from soil erosion or from the decomposition of plants and animals. Wind, water and ice help carry these particles to rivers, lakes and streams.", says http://www.epa.gov/nps/toolbox/other/KSMO_Sediment.pdf [8]
 * __What is Sediment?__**

The picture shows sediment on the shore. The sediment got into the water because of erosion, it makes the water a brown color and it makes the fish die.


 * __References

[1] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sediment 19, Nov, 2008 [2] http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-sediment.html 19, Nov, 2008 [3] Mason, Jacob Detective Notes 19, Nov, 2008 [4] Mason, Jacob Detective Notes 19,Nov, 2008 [5]Stone,Andrea Dectective Notes 20 Nov., 2008 [6]Stricker, Lindsay Detective Notes 20 Nov,2008 [7]Stricker, Lindsay Detective Notes 20 Nov,2008 [8][|http://www.epa.gov/nps/toolbox/other/KSMO_Sediment.pdf] 20 Nov,2008