Freshwater Quality Monitoring: Bay of Islands and Humber Valley, Newfoundland and Labrador

Monitoring sites were selected throughout the Humber Valley and Bay of Islands regions. The sites were selected based on the following factors: proximity of the freshwater source to industrial activity; proximity of the freshwater source to residential zones; distribution of sites so that most communities situated within the Humber Valley watershed had representation; recreational use; and, special ecological interest. Sites were tested using an YSI Professional Plus (Pro Plus) instrument, fitted with a temperature/conductivity probe, a dissolved oxygen probe, and a pH probe. The YSI meter was calibrated bi-weekly to ensure accuracy. At each site measurements were taken for: water temperature; dissolved oxygen; conductivity; specific conductivity; salinity; total dissolved solids; pH; and air temperature. Precipitation for 72 hours prior to testing was recorded from Environment Canada historic data website.