A buoy is deployed at the Merrimack River estuary (USGS site 011008745) just off of Salisbury MA from May to October each year.
Water Quality Monitoring of Merrimack River Watershed Active
By New England Water Science Center
January 12, 2022
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), is currently conducting a 4-year water-quality investigation in the lower portion of the Merrimack River watershed, April 2020 – October 2024.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
The water-quality-monitoring design includes 12 water-quality-data-collection-sites; nine sites are located on major tributaries to the Merrimack River, two sites are located on the mainstem of the Merrimack River, and 1 site is located in the open waters of the Merrimack estuary. The riverine sites will be sampled monthly for the 4 years over a wide range of flow conditions. Water-quality samples will be analyzed for nutrients all year and major ions, selected metals, and chlorophyll a will be analyzed for seasonally. The Estuary site is established with a buoy and has top and bottom samples collected seasonally, May through October. In addition, there are two continuous water-quality sondes deployed seasonally on the top and bottom of the buoy that provide real-time-continuous data for the following parameters, pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and chlorophyll a.
There are four major objectives as part of this water quality study; 1) provide data To MassDEP to support potential total maximum daily load (TMDL) assessment and development, 2) provide data to MassDEP to support assessments of water quality standards and aquatic life use, 3) provide data to aid in the revisal of the dissolved oxygen water quality criteria and, 4) calculate nutrient loading in the lower Merrimack river watershed to help quantify the nutrients entering the Merrimack Estuary.
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Collected Continuous Water Quality Parameters at 011008745, Merrimack River Estuary |
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pH (standard units) |
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Water Temperature (℃) |
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Specific Conductance (uS/cm) |
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Turbidity (FNU) |
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Chlorophyll (RFU) |
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Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) |
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Dissolved Percent Oxygen Saturation |
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Salinity (PSU) |
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Station Number |
USGS Station ID |
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Nashua River at East Pepperell, MA |
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Assabet River at Main St near Concord MA |
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Sudbury River at Saxonville, MA |
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Concord River below R Meadow Brook at Lowell, MA |
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Merrimack River Bl Concord River at Lowell, MA |
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Spicket River at Short St, Lawrence MA |
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Shawsheen River at Balmoral Street at Andover, MA |
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Beaver Brook at Lowell, MA |
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Stony Brook at Chelmsford, MA |
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Powwow River at Amesbury, MA |
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Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill MA |
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Merrimack River Estuary US of Shad Crk, Salisbury, MA |
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Monitoring Merrimack River Mainstem and Tidal Reaches in Massachusetts to Evaluate Water Quality Conditions, May to September 2020
The Merrimack River watershed, the 4th largest watershed in New England (Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, 2001), has seen substantial growth and development in recent years.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Collecting a water-quality sample from a boat
Hydrologic technicians collecting a water-quality sample from a boat at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill, Massachusetts.
Hydrologic technicians collecting a water-quality sample from a boat at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill, Massachusetts.
Conducting a discharge measurement
Hydrologic technician conducting a discharge measurement at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill Massachusetts.
Hydrologic technician conducting a discharge measurement at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill Massachusetts.
Bridge board sampler for collecting water-quality samples
A bridge board sampler used for collecting water-quality samples set up at USGS site 01100000, Merrimack River, Lowell, Massachusetts.
A bridge board sampler used for collecting water-quality samples set up at USGS site 01100000, Merrimack River, Lowell, Massachusetts.
- Overview
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), is currently conducting a 4-year water-quality investigation in the lower portion of the Merrimack River watershed, April 2020 – October 2024.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsA map displaying water quality data collection site locations in Merrimack River watershed, Massachusetts. (Public domain.) The water-quality-monitoring design includes 12 water-quality-data-collection-sites; nine sites are located on major tributaries to the Merrimack River, two sites are located on the mainstem of the Merrimack River, and 1 site is located in the open waters of the Merrimack estuary. The riverine sites will be sampled monthly for the 4 years over a wide range of flow conditions. Water-quality samples will be analyzed for nutrients all year and major ions, selected metals, and chlorophyll a will be analyzed for seasonally. The Estuary site is established with a buoy and has top and bottom samples collected seasonally, May through October. In addition, there are two continuous water-quality sondes deployed seasonally on the top and bottom of the buoy that provide real-time-continuous data for the following parameters, pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and chlorophyll a.
There are four major objectives as part of this water quality study; 1) provide data To MassDEP to support potential total maximum daily load (TMDL) assessment and development, 2) provide data to MassDEP to support assessments of water quality standards and aquatic life use, 3) provide data to aid in the revisal of the dissolved oxygen water quality criteria and, 4) calculate nutrient loading in the lower Merrimack river watershed to help quantify the nutrients entering the Merrimack Estuary.
Collected Continuous Water Quality Parameters at 011008745, Merrimack River Estuary
pH (standard units)
Water Temperature (℃)
Specific Conductance (uS/cm)
Turbidity (FNU)
Chlorophyll (RFU)
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)
Dissolved Percent Oxygen Saturation
Salinity (PSU)
Station Number
USGS Station ID
Nashua River at East Pepperell, MA
Assabet River at Main St near Concord MA
Sudbury River at Saxonville, MA
Concord River below R Meadow Brook at Lowell, MA
Merrimack River Bl Concord River at Lowell, MA
Spicket River at Short St, Lawrence MA
Shawsheen River at Balmoral Street at Andover, MA
Beaver Brook at Lowell, MA
Stony Brook at Chelmsford, MA
Powwow River at Amesbury, MA
Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill MA
Merrimack River Estuary US of Shad Crk, Salisbury, MA
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsA buoy is deployed at the Merrimack River estuary (USGS site 011008745) just off of Salisbury MA from May to Oct each year. Attached to the buoy are two YSI EXO 2 continuous monitors at top and bottom depths programmed to collected pH, water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and chlorophyll at 5-minute intervals. All data is transmitted to the web and can be viewed in real time.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsA bridge board sampler used for collecting water-quality samples set up at USGS site 01100000, Merrimack River, Lowell, Massachusetts.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsHydrologic technician conducting a discharge measurement at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill Massachusetts.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsHydrologic technicians collecting a water-quality sample from a boat at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill, Massachusetts. - Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Monitoring Merrimack River Mainstem and Tidal Reaches in Massachusetts to Evaluate Water Quality Conditions, May to September 2020
The Merrimack River watershed, the 4th largest watershed in New England (Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, 2001), has seen substantial growth and development in recent years. - Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
USGS BuoyA buoy is deployed at the Merrimack River estuary (USGS site 011008745) just off of Salisbury MA from May to October each year.
Collecting a water-quality sample from a boatHydrologic technicians collecting a water-quality sample from a boat at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill, Massachusetts.
Hydrologic technicians collecting a water-quality sample from a boat at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill, Massachusetts.
Conducting a discharge measurementHydrologic technician conducting a discharge measurement at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill Massachusetts.
Hydrologic technician conducting a discharge measurement at USGS site 011006988, Merrimack River at Bates Bridge, Haverhill Massachusetts.
Bridge board sampler for collecting water-quality samplesA bridge board sampler used for collecting water-quality samples set up at USGS site 01100000, Merrimack River, Lowell, Massachusetts.
A bridge board sampler used for collecting water-quality samples set up at USGS site 01100000, Merrimack River, Lowell, Massachusetts.
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