Southeast Alaska Network Water Quality and Streamflow Monitoring
Murdoch C. Southeast Alaska Network Water Quality and Streamflow Monitoring. 2010
In three Southeast Alaska National Parks (GLBA, KLGO, and SITK), continuous water quality and streamflow monitoring documents and explores seasonal and interannual patterns in river discharge, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and turbidity. Water quality and streamflow are key indicators of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem health in the region’s temperate rainforest landscape dominated by a wet and mild maritime climate. The National Park Service Southeast Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network (SEAN) prioritized the water quality and streamflow vital signs for long-term ecological monitoring based on their vulnerability to human activity and sensitivity for detecting environmental changes. This SEAN monitoring project 1) tracks the status and trends of core water quality parameters and river discharge, 2) describes the timing and magnitude of seasonal and annual variation for each parameter, and 3) evaluates whether state and/or federal water quality standards are met or exceeded. One river in each of three network parks has been monitored since 2010 (Salmon River in GLBA and Indian River in SITK) or 2011 (Taiya River in KLGO). Sampling sites were chosen based on park prioritization and dependable site access. A detailed protocol and suite of standard operating procedures outline field and analytical methods, define data quality criteria, describe the SEAN’s data management framework and project-specific applications, and establish reporting and deliverable publication expectations.
- Type
- Project
- Authors
- Murdoch, Craig
- Units
- GLBA , KLGO , SITK , SEAN
- Keywords
- Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, sonde, Streamflow, Temperature, Turbidity, Water Quality
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Water Chemistry
Program
Products
- SE Alaska freshwater water quality resource brief
- Southeast Alaska Network water quality monitoring program permits
- Southeast Alaska Network water quality and streamflow monitoring protocol packages (FQ_A)
- Southeast Alaska Network water quality site visit files (FQ_C)
- Southeast Alaska Network water quality instrument maintenance records (FQ_D)
- Southeast Alaska Network water quality raw sonde data (FQ_E)
- Southeast Alaska Network water quality and streamflow monitoring program annual reports and updates (FQ_G)
- Southeast Alaska Network water quality data packages (FQ_Q)