Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition

Stream Temperature Monitoring

 

The Volunteer Stream Temperature Monitoring Network is Connecticut DEEP’s newest volunteer monitoring program.  Established in 2008 with support from the US EPA volunteer monitoring equipment loan program, the Network includes a growing number of volunteer monitoring organizations across the state.  Participants in the program are trained by DEEP staff to install a stream temperature data logger (programmed to record hourly stream temperature) at local stream sites of interest each spring (April-May), in order to capture data during the critical summer low flow period (June-August). Loggers are retrieved by volunteers in the early fall (September-October) and returned to DEEP for download and data analysis. The data generated by the Volunteer Stream Temperature Monitoring Network volunteers are instrumental to DEEP’s water quality standard development, fish habitat assessment, and potential stream habitat restoration efforts.

 

Water temperature can be inherently variable as it is influenced by factors including air temperature, riparian characteristics, and groundwater input. Water temperature itself is an important variable in determining the biology of a particular stream segment. This data can be used to complement ongoing watershed efforts to protect/restore aquatic habitat by both understanding water temperature variability and to be able to characterize the type of water temperature habitat (cold, cool, or warm water) of the stream segment.

 

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