Continuous Record Surface Water Monitoring
Continuous (10 to 15-minute interval) monitoring is conducted at 10 tributary monitoring stations and at all three reservoirs. These stations are operated and maintained by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) through a Joint Funding Agreement with the Cambridge Water Department. The stations provide continuous measurement of stream and reservoir stage (elevation), discharge, temperature, specific conductance, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, and/or phycocyanin. Precipitation and air temperature are also monitored at three reservoir stations and at a weather-specific meteorological station at the Watershed Division field office in Lincoln, MA. Wind speed and direction are also measured at the Stony Brook Reservoir.
All continuous monitoring information is uploaded on a near real-time basis to the USGS Nation Water Information System website.
The photo above shows a USGS monitoring station (green shed) in the Cambridge watershed that provides near-continuous water quality and streamflow data.