Mobile Water Quality Trailer - Carbon (Sept 2012)

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) analyses are limited by the collection and
processing time of samples. Continuous, high resolution analyses are made difficult
by the lack of instruments that can be used for in-situ data collection. The Mobile
Water Quality Laboratory (MWQL) provides a laboratory environment in the field where
bench instruments are housed. The laboratory is supplied with electricity and backup
power, temperature control and stream water. It is located at 13S364439, 3967132
(UTM), approximately 100 ft west of the East Fork of the Jemez River outside the elk
exclosure. The laboratory is equipped with a plumbing system that can supply either
whole or filtered stream water to the instruments. The conditions inside the trailer
are monitored by a network of sensors collecting ambient and water temperature,
pressure and water flow within the plumbing system and the voltage of the battery
banks, among others. This laboratory has allowed the collection of continuous carbon
measurements, which are included in the data. Other chemistry is currently being
measured to supplement the carbon data; a YSI EXO2 sonde is measuring temperature,
conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and fluorescent DOM (data not shown).
Presently, only carbon data can be monitored remotely. A spectrophotometer which can
collect absorbance and fluorescence (excitation-emission matrix) spectra
simultaneously will soon be deployed.