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Scioto Brush Creek
Water Quality Monitoring Station
By Jeff Montavon
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Many naturalists, biologists, and conservationists have raved
about Scioto Brush Creek's water quality. Based on the
array of plant and animal species either living in the stream or
throughout the creek's watershed, scientists have determined
that Scioto Brush Creek's water quality is among the best in
Ohio. The diversity of species living in the water is a
sign of Scioto Brush Creek's excellent water quality, but
analysis of the chemistry of the stream is not as easy to
determine. Now, through an exciting opportunity through
Shawnee State University, people can monitor Scioto Brush
Creek's water quality from anywhere internet access is
available.
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Friends of Scioto Brush Creek President, Martin
McAllister
installs the Water Quality Station on Scioto Brush
Creek. |
In the fall of 2007, a state of the art water quality and
weather monitoring station was installed in the stream near the
Scioto Brush Creek nature preserve at McDermott. Every
thirty minutes, the instrument measures various water quality
and weather features and displays them online for everyone to
view. Among the measurements taken are Dissolved Oxygen,
turbidity, water level, water and air temperature,
barometric pressure, and rainfall totals. All measurements are uploaded to the internet in
real time. |
With an array of
information measured and uploaded to the website, the station is
an excellent resource for scientists, students, recreationists
or anyone with an interest in the stream. An out of town
paddler could check the website for water levels before heading
to the creek for a day of kayaking to ensure the water level is
favorable for a day on the water.
One exciting feature of the website is surfers can compare water
quality and weather measurements over time and determine what
has affected the results. For example, if the turbidity of
the stream begins to rise, the user can compare the results with
the rainfall total and may conclude that soil and other
pollutants were carried to the stream by rain runoff. The
website is a great resource for students studying weather or
water quality.
Because there is only one
stationary instrument, the water monitoring station only
measures the water quality specifically where the instrument is
located. Pollution sources entering Scioto Brush Creek
upstream from the instrument cannot be pinpointed; however, the
effect of that pollutant will be reflected in the date
collected. Also, factors that influence Scioto Brush Creek
downstream from the water monitoring station will not be
detected by the instrument. Still, the water monitoring
station is an excellent method of monitoring Scioto Brush
Creek's overall water quality.
To access the Scioto Brush Creek
Water Quality Monitoring Station site, visit
www.wqdata.com/webdblink/shawnee.php.
More information about the project and instrument is available
at
http://www.nexsens.com/case_studies/stream_habitat_preservation.htm#.
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