Catawba Riverkeeper
Monitoring
Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation
Monitoring
The central tenants of the Clean Water Act (1972) are to make the waterways of the United States swimmable, drinkable, and fishable.
Our most popular water quality monitoring program – Swim Guide – aims to give residents the data they need to make decisions about swimming in our lakes and rivers.
We also use several autonomous sensors to provide continuous updates on water quality data at set points in our basin.
Catawba Riverkeeper is also a stakeholder in the Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group, a collective of municipal water users working on best practices for preserving clean and plentiful water.
Autonomous Sensors
What is an autonomous sensor?
An autonomous sensor is a water quality monitoring tool that provides continuous data for a set point in a body of water. These sensors take readings of a variety of water quality parameters every 15 minutes.
Why are autonomous sensors used?
The continuous data gathered by these sensors provides Catawba Riverkeeper with a reliable view of the water quality at any time of the day or night.
Tools like this play a critical role in monitoring waterways during inclement weather or at times when Catawba Riverkeeper staff are unable to manually collect water samples.
What do our autonomous sensors measure?
List of Services
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Specific Conductivity Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.List Item 1
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Dissolved Oxygen Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.List Item 2
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pH Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.List Item 3
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E. coli Estimation Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.List Item 4
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Temperature Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.
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Depth Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.
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Turbidity Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.
View the South Fork Autonomous Sensor Dashboard
The South Fork Autonomous Sensor is sponsored by Rotary District 7680.
Swim Guide
Swim Guide is an international program used by Riverkeepers and other advocates to provide up-to-date recreational water quality data for beaches, lakes, and rivers around the world.
During the summer, Riverkeeper staff, interns, and volunteers collect samples on Thursday mornings, which are tested for E. coli in the Riverkeeper’s in-house lab. Results are posted on Fridays in a stoplight system (green, yellow, red), so that you can make informed decisions about swimming over the weekend.
Support Our Foundation
Let's protect the Catawba River!
The Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation is working towards clean, plentiful water now and for generations to come.
