Water Quality and Weather

System-wide Monitoring Program

As a NERR, staff at GTM monitor short-term variability and long-term changes in water quality and weather using protocols standardized under the national program. Within the GTM boundary, there are four SWMP water quality stations: Pine Island, St. Augustine, Ft. Matanzas, and Pellicer Creek.

These data are essential to understanding the health of the estuary. Scientists use these data to inform their research projects involving other aspects of the estuarine ecosystem, including plankton, wetlands, fish, and more. Data from these stations can be accessed and downloaded at nerrsdata.org, where you can view the data from Pellicer Creek in real time.

In addition to SWMP, staff use the principles of the national monitoring program and Florida’s water quality protocols to meet local needs. The Guana River and Guana Lake are sampled monthly, which has led to many research projects with the University of Florida and other organizations.

Weather

The GTM Research Reserve operates a weather station located in Pellicer Creek that has continuously recorded data every 15-30 minutes since 2003.

Water Quality

The reserve maintains four continuous, long-term water quality stations in the Tolomato, Matanzas, and Pellicer Creek estuaries that are equipped with data sondes.

Nutrients

Monthly water samples are collected for nutrient analyses at each of the four water quality stations. An automated water sampler is also deployed at the Pellicer Creek station to collect water over a 25-hour period.

System-wide Monitoring Program

As a NERR, staff at GTM monitor short-term variability and long-term changes in water quality and weather using protocols standardized under the national Within the GTM boundary, there are four SWMP water quality stations:. Within the GTM boundary, there are SWMP four water quality stations: Pine Island, St. Augustine, Ft. Matanzas, and Pellicer Creek.

These data are essential to understanding the health of the estuary. Scientists use these data to inform their research projects involving other aspects of the estuarine ecosystem, including plankton, wetlands, fish, and more. Data from these stations can be accessed and downloaded at nerrsdata.org, where you can view the data from Pellicer Creek in real time.

In addition to SWMP, staff use the principles of the national monitoring program and Florida’s water quality protocols to meet local needs. The Guana River and Guana Lake are sampled monthly, which has led to many research projects with the University of Florida and other organizations.

Weather

The GTM Research Reserve operates a weather station located in Pellicer Creek that has continuously recorded data every 15 minutes since 2003.

Water Quality

The reserve maintains four continuous, long-term water quality stations in the Tolomato, Matanzas, and Pellicer Creek estuaries that are equipped with data sondes.

Nutrients

Monthly water samples are collected for nutrient analyses at each of the four water quality stations. An automated water sampler is also deployed at the Pellicer Creek station to collect water over a 25-hour period.

Information is collected on…

  • Air Temperature
  • Precipitation
  • Relative Humidity
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Wind Speed and Direction
  • Photosynthetically Active Radiation
  • Water Temperature
  • Specific Conductance/Salinity
  • Relative Humidity
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Wind Speed and Direction
  • Photosynthetically Active Radiation
  • Air Temperature
  • Precipitation
  • Relative Humidity
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Wind Speed and Direction
  • Photosynthetically Active Radiation

Information is collected on…

  • Air Temperature
  • Precipitation
  • Relative Humidity
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Wind Speed and Direction
  • Photosynthetically Active Radiation
  • Water Temperature
  • Salinity
  • Dissolved oxygen
  • pH
  • Turbidity
  • Water depth and clarity
  • Chlorophyll a
  • Nitrogen
  • Phosphorus
  • Bacteria
Download SWMP data
Oysters
Coastal Wetlands