Pilot Study to Evaluate an Inexpensive Portable Device to Continuously Monitor Dissolved Oxygen, Water Temperature and Photosynthetically Active Radiation in Upper Mississippi River System Backwaters

摘要

During the fall of 1989, a pilot study was conducted to evaluate the potential of a submersible water quality monitoring system for use in backwater areas of the Upper Mississippi River. Between September 8 and October 27, 1989 continuous monitoring units developed by W. G. /Crumpton and associates at Iowa State University were deployed at a single Long Term Resource Monitoring Program water and sediment monitoring site on Pool 8, of the Upper Mississippi River. The units were used to monitor dissolved oxygen and temperature at a single depth and light at the surface and two subsurface depths throughout this period. Dissolved oxygen and temperature measurements were taken twice weekly at the site by Long Term Resource Monitoring Program personnel for comparison. The continuous monitoring units proved capable of collecting water quality data for extended periods of time in accordance with Long Term Resource Monitoring Program goals, and a more extensive evaluation study is recommended for the summer of 1990.