Autonomous underwater vehicle provides high-resolution observations of water quality and much more. Photo (c) Peter Berrini, HDR, Inc., used by permission.

Noteworthy

National & Regional Science:

• Fact Sheet: Integrated Synoptic Surveys Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle and Manned Boats
• Press Release: Decades-old Nitrate Found to Affect Stream Water Quality
• Circular 1383-G: USGS Water Science Strategy – Observing, Understanding, Predicting, and Delivering Water Science to the Nation
• OFR 2013-1054: User's Manual for the National Water Information System of the USGS
• Press Release: New water-quality test for preventing unnecessary beach closures

Local Science Features:

• New Hampshire: Concentrations of Chloride and Sodium in Groundwater in New Hampshire From 1960 Through 2011
• Arkansas:
  • –Press Release: No Contamination from Fayetteville Shale Exploration Found in Sampled Wells
  • –USGS Report: Shallow Groundwater Quality and Geochemistry in the Fayetteville Shale Gas-Production Area, North-Central Arkansas, 2011
  • –Journal Article: Geochemical and isotopic variations in shallow groundwater in areas of the Fayetteville shale development, north-central Arkansas 

Past listings...

Water Quality Data

National Water Information System (NWIS)

NWIS provides current and historical water-quality data.

Today's Water Conditions

Water-Quality Watch provides continuous real-time water-quality measurements.

Water-Quality Web Services

Web services automate the sharing of USGS and USEPA water-quality monitoring data.

For More Data

Additional water-quality data resources are available.

USGS in Your Area

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

Chapter A6. Field Measurements

National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (TWRI Book 9)

6.8 Use of multiparameter instruments for routine field measurements

By Jacob Gibs, Franceska D. Wilde, and Heather A. Heckathorn

This section of Chapter 6 is available as a pdf file:
6.8, (dated 3/2012) [1.70 MB PDF]

Download a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.

Abstract

The miniaturization of sensors and other technological advances in electronics have resulted in water-quality instruments that house multiple sensors capable of simultaneous readings for various field measurements in environmental waters. This section addresses the short-term or discrete-measurement use of portable multiparameter instruments.

Contents

6.8 Use of Multiparameter Instruments for Routine Field Measurements

6.8.1 - Equipment and supplies

6.8.2 - Calibration

6.8.3 - Measurement

6.8.4 - Troubleshooting

6.8.5 - Reporting

6.8.6 - Selected references

6.8.7 - Acknowledgments

Appendix 6.8-A - Example of a USGS field form for recording sensor calibrations and field measurements

Comments/Errata page

Return to Chapter A6 Contents Page

Return to Field Manual Table of Contents

Citation for Section 6.8:

Gibs, Jacob, Wilde, F.D., and Heckathorn, H.A., 2007, Use of multiparameter instruments for routine field measurements (ver. 1.1): U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 9, chap. A6, section 6.8, August, accessed__date__ from http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/twri9A/.