Above MassDEP Scientists, Peter Mitchell (in water) with Shervon DeLeon and Mason Saleeba are deploying a data logger in Maple Meadow Brook in Wilmington that will continuously monitor conductivity levels through the winter as part of a chloride monitoring study. High chloride levels are connected to road salt and this study includes loggers at 8 sites across the watershed.
Chloride is a naturally occurring element in rivers and streams, but can become a contaminant in high concentrations. This often occurs when road salt washes into streams from road treatment during late winter and early spring. Chloride is one element in salt and the primary threat to aquatic life. The other element, often sodium, is associated with risks to human health at high enough concentrations in drinking water.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is studying chloride levels across the state. Recently, they deployed continuous data loggers in the Ipswich River watershed. Loggers are self-contained monitoring devices that can be left in water while recording data on a near continuous basis. RiverWatch volunteer monitors have been measuring conductivity with a meter for indicating the presence of road salt. Now they are directly measuring chloride levels with a test kit at many monitoring sites. Monitoring takes place monthly on a near continuous basis. The results indicate a trend linking high conductivity readings and high chloride, especially at sites closest to highways and major roads. Sites for the loggers were selected based on RiverWatch data, and these will now measure conductivity through the winter months.
The collected data will be related to chloride levels in MassDEP’s existing data and analyzed for trends. The goal of this study is to understand how chlorides are impacting water quality, and what can be done to manage chloride sources through standards and practices. This is a great example of how community scientists have a critical role in collecting vital data in support of the work being done by management agencies.