Derwent Estuary Ambient Water Quality monitoring program - Site RB

Site RB is sampled monthly by the Derwent Estuary Program as part of the Derwent Ambient Water Quality monitoring program.\nSince 2003, ambient water quality monitoring has been carried out on a monthly basis at up to 28 sites throughout the Derwent estuary by Norske Skog Boyer, Nyrstar Hobart and the State Government. Monitoring is carried out by three different boat-based sampling parties, but is co-ordinated to occur on the same day each month. \nAt each site, in-situ field measurements are taken using calibrated sensors for temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and turbidity. Water clarity is also measured using a secchi disk. Surface and bottom water samples are collected for analysis of true color, total suspended solids(TSS), total and dissolved nutrients, organic carbon and zinc. at most sites, depth integrated samples are also collected for chlorophyll a using a plastic tube. Bottom samples in the Middle and Outer estuary are collected using a niskin bottle. Pumps are used in the upper estuary site to fill up the bottles. All water samples are analysed at Analytical Service Tasmania, a National Association of Testing Authorities-accredited laboratory. Monitoring site depth is 2 meters

作为德文特环境水质监测计划（Derwent Ambient Water Quality monitoring program）的组成部分，德文特河口计划（Derwent Estuary Program）每月对RB采样点位开展采样工作。
自2003年起，Norske Skog Boyer、Nyrstar Hobart与塔斯马尼亚州政府已在德文特河口全域至多28个监测点位开展月度环境水质监测工作。本次监测由三支独立的乘船采样团队执行，但所有采样均协调安排在每月的同一天进行。
在每个监测点位，研究人员使用经过校准的传感器开展原位现场测量，测定指标包括温度、盐度、pH值、溶解氧及浊度。水体透明度则通过塞氏盘（secchi disk）进行测定。采集表层与底层水样，用于分析真色、总悬浮颗粒物（TSS）、总营养盐与溶解态营养盐、有机碳及锌元素。在多数监测点位，还会使用塑料采样管采集水深积分水样，用于叶绿素a的测定。
中河口与外河口的底层水样采用尼斯金采水器（niskin bottle）采集；河口上游点位则通过泵体完成采样瓶的灌装。所有水样均送至塔斯马尼亚分析服务中心（Analytical Service Tasmania）——一家获得国家检测机构协会（National Association of Testing Authorities）认证的实验室——进行分析。
本次监测点位的水深为2米。