Water Quality Monitoring
Belleisle Bay Monitoring
The BWC began water quality monitoring within the Bay in the summer of 2017 to get a baseline data set in order to track changes into the future and determine the overall health of the Belleisle Bay. A total of eight sites were chosen throughout the bay and were sampled five times over the field season (June to August).
Private Sampling
Note: In the future (by Fall 2018), data will be uploaded to Atlantic Datastream instead of this web page. Field data and some lab parameters from 2017 can already be found on the beta version of the website.
What we Collect
In the field, simple water quality parameters are measured with hand-held meters. The following parameters are assessed within the bay:
- Water Temperature - can affect many different processes within a waterbody (chemical, physical, and biological). Water temperature is also very important for fish habitat as some species (Salmonids) can only tolerate certain temperatures.
- Conductivity - is the measure of the waters ability to conduct an electrical current caused by dissolved ions in the water. It is monitored to determine potential influences or runoff impacting a waterbody.
- pH - is the basicity or acidity of the water and can also affect different processes. Outside of its normal range in freshwater (6.5 to 9) it can be detrimental to aquatic life.
- Dissolved Oxygen - is the concentration of oxygen found dissolved in the water and available to aquatic species. It has an inverse relationship with water temperature (ie. higher water temperature results in lower dissolved oxygen concentration). Higher dissolved oxygen concentrations can support a wide diversity of aquatic species.
- Turbidity - is the measurement of the opacity or cloudiness of the water. It is determined by shinning a light through a sample and measuring how much is scattered. It can be affected by any particles in the water such as sediment, algae, pollen, and bacteria. It is monitored to determine potential runoff issues and the potential presence of algae over the summer months.
- Secchi disk depth - is a small black and white disk that is used to determine water clarity by lowering it into the water column until it cannot be seen. Over time this measurement will determine the normal or mean clarity of the water at a particular site.
Water samples are also collected and send to a certified lab for E.coli, nutrient, and metal analysis. This data is used to determine if any parameter is out of nature and/or safe concentrations and to determine the potential for vegetation growth due to nutrient overload.
What we Found
Overall, the water quality monitoring from the 2019 field season revealed that the Belleisle Bay should be considered in good condition.
- The water temperatures and dissolved oxygen concentrations are capable of supporting fish and other aquatic life.
- The conductivity, pH, and turbidity were within normal ranges for freshwater
- The E.coli concentrations were well below any Health Canada guideline.
- The phosphate concentration (essential plant nutrient) assessed over the summer places the Bay within the mesotrophic or mid-range in terms of nutrient load.
- The nitrate concentration was below the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment guidelines.
Private Sampling
Interested in having your water (well or beach) tested for E.coli? The BWC will be once again offering water testing services during our water monitoring field season. We take care of everything for you - sampling, delivery to a certified lab for analysis, and review of the results! Please contact the BWC by email (belleislewatershed@gmail.com) for inquires.