Water Quality Monitoring
Beginning in the late spring and continuing into early fall, SAWIG staff completes bi-weekly water quality monitoring using both field and laboratory analyses. We measure key parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, turbidity, total dissolved solid, and specific conductivity using a YSI meter. On alternating weeks we collect samples for total suspended solids (TSS) and total nitrogen (TN)/total phosphorus (TP) to send to the PEI Analytical Lab. In addition to our bi-weekly monitoring we also conduct sampling during periods of heavy rain in areas adjacent to development sites and downstream from development sites.
To complement our weekly sampling we have five logging devices placed in the field. This includes three streams with HOBO Tidbits deployed from spring to early winter which measure water temperature every 30 minutes, and a HOBO Tidbit and HOBO water level logger in Jordon's Pond.
About Atlantic DataStream
Data collected during monitoring is entered into an MS Excel spreadsheet and uploaded to Atlantic DataStream.
Atlantic DataStream is an open access platform for sharing information on freshwater health. SAWIG has uploaded its water quality data to the platform for many years, dating back to August 11, 2016. The site allows users to access, visualize, and download full water quality datasets. Data is collected from groups in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. This database is a great way for SAWIG to keep track of and compare information about each of our streams and ponds.
Image: Example of the data visualization available using Atlantic DataStream