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LaHave River Watershed Water Quality Monitoring
The LaHave River Watershed Project began a water quality monitoring program in 2007 to create a long-term record of the river’s health and to improve our understanding of both the natural variability within the system and the impacts of land-use activities and contamination on water quality. Fifteen sample sites were identified in order to capture the water conditions throughout the entire watershed. Monitoring occurs from the headwaters down to the estuary and includes all of the sub-watersheds, the main stem of the river, and downstream of the three waste water treatment plants in the watershed. These sites are monitored on a monthly basis for physical, chemical, and biological water quality parameters using a YSI Professional Plus water meter, and through the collection of water samples for laboratory analysis. In addition, a full suite of metals are tested on a bi-annual basis. The two greatest water quality concerns within the LaHave River Watershed are acidification and bacterial contamination. The soils of the watershed have a poor buffering capacity to neutralize the effects of acid precipitation, while much of the underlying bedrock exhibits a high acid rock drainage potential and can leach acids into surrounding watercourses once the bedrock is exposed to the air. Bacterial contamination is mostly restricted to the LaHave River Estuary. Much of this contamination is suspected to be the result of urban stormwater run-off, malfunctioning septic systems and illegal straight pipe systems. LaHave River Watershed Water Quality Reports
2015 LaHave River Watershed - Water Quality Index Report Card 2008 LaHave Water Rescue Project - Sustaining Water. Sustaining Communities 2009 LaHave River Watershed Project Report |
Equipment used to conduct the monthly sampling in LaHave River watershed.
Coastal Action staff sampling in the fall.
Coastal Action staff sampling in the winter.
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