於1974年8月至1975年5月之間,對新店溪及淡水河下游進行調查河流水質-包括pH值、溶氧量、五天生化需氧量、大腸菌數、及無機鹽類含量等,一方面藉此瞭解水質的汚染程度,一方面可藉此瞭解河流的生態因子。河川生物相調查研究為河川水質調查的主要項目,而且生物相調查結果比較容易為社會大眾所瞭解。新店溪中附著藻量,由上游至下游有顯著減少的現象,其優勢種也有顯著的不同,附著藻類的生產力也由上游至下游逐漸地減小。浮游藻類多生長於新店溪下游和淡水河下游,以綠藻類為多,夏季時更是生長旺盛。浮游動物類則普遍存在於新店溪上中下游和淡水河下游,但以新店溪下游和淡水河下游之纖毛蟲類、輪蟲類、和鰓脚類最為繁多。底棲動物在新店溪中多為水生昆蟲,其生物量由上游至下游逐漸減少,在新店溪下游和淡水河下游則有數量繁多的紅線蟲(Tubi ficidae),腐食河床的有機廢物。以底棲動物相定出生物指數(Biotic index),以及浮游生物指標種等兩種方法來確定水質汚染等級,並與以五天生化需氧量所定出來的水質汚染等級比較,兩者有相同的結果。
In view of understanding the polluted degrees and acquainting the ecological factors of the rivers of the Hsin-Tien Stream down to the Tam-Sui River, Sequent scrutinies of the water quality in the above-mentioned rivers, the secrutinies including pH value, 5 days Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD_5), coliform counts, inorganic salt amounts and disolve oxygen were closely studied from August 1974 to May 1975. To investigate the Biota in the field of the above-mentioned rivers is the main subject of studying water quality, further, the result after studied the Biota was the acceptable way, which could be understood by most of people. Much amount of the Attached Algae were found getting on obvious decrease from the area of upper part of Hsin-Tien Stream down to the lower part of the stream, and so did the difference in its dominats. At the same time, the productivity of the Attached Algae were also decrease gradually from the upper part down to the lower part. phytoplankton mostly grew in the field of lower parts of Tam-Sui River and Hsin-Tiem Stream, among them, the green algae was the majority, which were found in prosperous in Summer season. Most of the Zooplankton grew in the Hsin-Tien Stream and lower part of Tam-Sui River, But we could find more offer the Ciliates, Rotifers, and Branchiopodaes in the field of lower parts of Hsin-Tien Stream and Tam-Sui River. There were large amount of Tubificidae absorbed the organic waste in the bottom of lower part of Tam-Sui River. There were two methods to determine the degrees of the polluted water in this paper. The Biotic index which was based on the biota of Bottom faunna together with the indicator species of plankton to find out the degrees of polluted water. The other method was to use the BOD_5 value to finalize it's degrees of polluted water. There were the same consequence to be found after the comparison between the above mentioned methods.