EstuaryWatch Data Portal

PhysChem data only collected for this site on 17/4.

We called off further monitoring due to persistent rain.

New volunteer Jim... was present but his name is not on the database

For some reason, I was unable to calibrate the HACH meter. The option to check standard for LDO101 would not highlight. I turned the meter off numerous times but got the same result. I did check its accuracy by comparing a result of 1413 micro Siemens/cm against the analytical reagent of 1376. Assuming this result was in the ball park, we went ahead with monitoring.
Four fishermen on the jetty - beautiful, still morning.

Sand build up on Ocean Grove side of estuary

We were not able to calibrate the Ph as tube of test liquid was empty. Consequently,  we used Ph strips from the kit.

Very windy.

Choppy seas.

Only one observation completed on this day as the weather turned nasty.

Observations were taken at South end of jetty.

Strong current caused weights and probevto drift

Maintenance crew on pier.

EC reading did not stabilise at depths 0.1m -1.5m, so estimated.

EC reading stabilised at depth 2.0m

No data sheets - made do based off memory. 

Very choppy sea. Wind from the south.

Tide coming in.

Turbidity less than 9

Very strong outgoing tide, so consequently hard to measure depths.

pH measured using litmus paper as meter couldn't be calibrated.

pH meter would not calibrate (Error4 message) - instead we used the pH paper kit.

Intro to EstuaryWatch with Fed Uni TAFE students

NB; There was some discrepancy between the pH on the meter and with Litmus paper: Top Depth 6.7, Litmus 8: Bottom Depth 6.6, Litmus 8.

Depth at gauge board was 3m

The river was very muddy and ebbing very quickly.

The river was in flood.

The EC measurements had to be estimated as the readings on the Hach meter would not stabilise.

Wind direction - S/SW

Beaufort Number - Fresh, 4-5

Sea state - rough to very rough

EC readings would not stabilise. We took the average of the range.

While water appears cleaner than four days ago, it was still very brown and murky. There was no apparent debris.

The speed of the water flow made it difficult to get accurate depth readings.

NB: Tom was also sampling.

Hach meter took a long while to stabilise on the EC reading.

Water discoloured - very brown

Water sampled and tested at southern end of jetty due to fast current moving the probe

The probes were swept away from the jetty by the fast-flowing current so monitoring was done the at southern end of jetty

Tide flooding.

NB. Jess Coxon helped with sampling.

Fast flowing current made it difficult to collect a  'bottom' sample.

Observations done at southern end of jetty

Tide coming in.

Samples taken from north end of jetty due to strong easterly wind

The 50cm markers of the depth monitor need adjusting.

Turbidity was les than 9 on top and bottom.

We did not do monitoring at B2 (fisherman jetty) and B5 (Taits Point) as the water appeared very dirty due to sewerage discharge into the river as a result of the Barwon Heads sewer system failure event requiring emergency work by Barwon Water over the past few days. We considered the state of the water to be a potential Health and Safety issue.

Water colour very brown due to run off after heavy rain earlier in the week.

White foam forming along water line.

Further sites not visited on day as Carol finished at 10.00 and Ann reluctant to test at Boat Ramp jetty occupied by many fishermen (not regulars).

Water very brown. Lots of heavy rain in the otways recently

Data sheet substituted with note paper (forgotten data sheet) - jane

Measurements made at southern end of jetty because the remote water sampler did no not sink to bottom at side of jetty.

pH measured with dip sticks

Tide flowing out strongly. Dense smoke haze from bush fires.

Hach meter was used but numbered tag was not attached, so cannot be certain that we used our usual meter ie #1, however it has been entered above as Hach1.

Due to fast outward current, all readings were recorded at south end of jetty.

measurements taken at south end of jetty due to strong flow

DM - top and bottom turb 0 NTU removed

Flow estimated as slow (van dorn) and weighted rope were unaffected, although surface water was moving rapidly due to wind disturbance.

Readings taken at south end of jetty due to fast flow

B1 readings taken at south end of jetty due to fast flow causing the Hach sensor to drift with the current.

Large stingray was swimming leisurely beneath the pier.

There is no Ph 4 buffer in the kit.

We decided to record the time of the lower tide for 24 hours and will attempt to be consistent. Not sure which of the low tides other groups record?

There were occasional flecks of white foam coming from under the pier.  Around six anglers were on the pier and one had a cray pot with chicken carcass in it so that may have had something to do with the foam.

Two of the folders are falling apart.

Can the large plastic container in the cupboard be labelled? We assume that it is distilled water, not KCl. Please confirm.

Tidal outflow too rapid to use van Doorn at side of jetty and water shallow there too, hence, readings taken at south end of jetty where van Doorn functioned satisfactorily despite the flow and where the water was deeper.

NB. The van Loon meter only reached to 1.5m(ie it couldnt reach the bottom) due to the fast ebbing current.

Readings done from southern end of jetty, since water very shallow at side.

Bottom uneven - measured depth 2.4m, but weight on probe touched bottom at 2.0m

Turbidity reading for both depths less than 9.

Tide flowing out really strongly.

Only one reading was taken for turbidity and pH as it was difficult to launch the Van Dorn due to high winds and fast flowing water.

Bottom of gaugeboard in seaweed.
Water very shallow at  usual B1 site.  Monitored from southern end of jetty.
Very windy surface water turbulent

Water Level:  Gauge board was in the sand at -0.4m ie "land-locked"

Strong current.  Readings taken at SE corner of jetty

Pier surrounded by sand.

Sampled at SE corner of jetty.  Normal sampling location dry.

Authorities  moved sand from roadway and pedestrian bridge on Monday. Large drifts had built up over these thoroughfares due to high winds last Thursday and Friday.

DO (mg/L) and EC entered in incorrect columns on data sheet

Measurements recorded form southern end of jetty.  Current too strong for use of the van Doorn.

Water level below bottom of gauge board.  Estimate -0.6m

Tide was low and water was running quickly. It was not practical to use the Van Dorn for bottom depth analysis. Early attempts resulted in Van Dorn wrapped around pylon and seaweed at end of pier made alternative site problematic.