Water quality monitoring for Theodore Roosevelt National Park: 2022 Data Report

Rosse, Anine

The Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network (NGPN) began monitoring water quality in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (THRO) in 2013, with the assistance of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This report summarizes the data collected during the 2022 ice-free season (April 5 through October 13) for streamflow, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and pH. This was the fourth season of continuous water quality monitoring. Compared to earlier sampling periods in 2013, 2016, and 2019, 2022 was a drier year. Discharge on the Little Missouri River peaked at 5,930 cubic feet per second (cfs) May 3rd. For context, the highest flow in 2013 was 8,400 cfs, 2016 was 1,650 cfs, and 2019 peaked at 27,600 cfs. There was considerable seasonal variation in all water quality measures. A summary of our results can be found in Descriptive Statistics Summary tables for the entire ice-free season (Table 3) and for each month (Table 4). Slight exceedances for temperature (2.09% exceedances), dissolved oxygen (.18%), and pH (3.57%) were recorded during the 2022 season. E. coli bacteria, which is not monitored by NGPN, continues to be an issue for the north unit of THRO, as well as a small portion of the south unit south of Andrews Creek near the I-94 bridge. NGPN’s collaboration with USGS supported real-time and archived access to this data through the USGS National Water Information System Website, where it remains available to the public, LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER AT MEDORA, ND - USGS Water Data for the Nation.