UTMonitor

UTMonitor

 UTMonitor is a  project which continuously monitors the water quality of the Credit River at Erindale Park in the City of Mississauga. Its intent is to create a historical database of water quality parameters for the Credit that can be used by anyone interested in studying water quality in an urban environment. The water quality is monitored by means of a multi-sensor sonde manufactured by Yellow Springs Instrument Corporation. The sonde has sensors that monitor water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and chloride concentration.                The sonde is directly connected to a datalogger which in turn is connected to a main computer by means of a phone line. Data are collected every 15 minutes, stored on the main computer and made available for analysis through the UTMonitor website (http://utmonitor.org).

               
The fact that we have been able to deploy the sonde continuously has allowed us to observe some very dramatic fluctuations in the water quality of the Credit River. There are the expected diurnal fluctuations in temperature and pH which are clearly observable, but we have also been able to document some very dramatic fluctuations in conductivity and chloride concentration, directly related to the application of road salt during winter months.

               
This past year, we learned more about the challenges of maintaining a scientific instrument in a harsh environment. In March, as a result of the forces created during Spring breakup, the sonde became trapped beneath a large boulder. We were unable to retrieve and recalibrate the sonde until late summer, at which time it was decided that we would delay re-deploying the sonde until after Spring 2005 ice breakup. We will be re-commencing data collection in April 2005.