Narragansett Bay Water Quality Monitoring Network

Bay fixed-site monitoring data are provided by the cooperative efforts of the RI Department of Environmental Management Water Resources Division, the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Narragansett Bay Commission, the URI Graduate School of Oceanography, Roger Williams University, and the Bay Window Program.

Buoys were equipped with two sondes that measured temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and depth at approximately 1 meter from the bottom and 0.5 meters below the surface. In addition, chlorophyll fluorescence was measured by the near surface sonde. Measurements were collected at fifteen minute intervals and transmitted to shore via cellular modems every eight hours or via radio signal every fifteen minutes. The instruments were serviced every two weeks to minimize biofouling.

Additional Data Sources and Information:

  • URI-GSO data from Professor Dana Kester
  • Narragansett Bay Commission EMPACT project
  • Narragansett Bay NERR Historical Data

    Recent Publications:
    Bergondo, D.L., Kester, D.R., Stoffel, H.E., and Woods, W.L., 2005, Time-Series Observations During the Low Sub-Surface Oxygen Events in Narragansett Bay During Summer 2001, Marine Chemistry 97, 90-103.

    Codiga, D.L., 2008. A Moving Window Trigger Algorithm to Identify and Characterize Hypoxic Events Using Time Series Observations, with Application to Narragansett Bay. Technical Report 2008-01. Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI. 101pp.

    • Daily Average Data
    The following data files represent daily averages calculated from raw 15 minute recorded data. These data are preliminary; they are subject to corrections after post-deployment re-calibration of sensors. Users are expected to cite the appropriate source for the data and meet any wishes of the researchers listed in the "header" or "notes" sections of the data files.
    Year Location Data File
    1999 N. Prudence (NP) NP_1999_dailyave
    S. Prudence (SP) SPru_1999_dailyave
    2001 Bullock Reach (BR) BR_2001_dailyave
    N. Prudence (NP) NP_2001_dailyave
    S. Prudence (SP) SPru_2001_dailyave
    2002 Bullock Reach (BR) BR_2002_dailyave
    N. Prudence (NP) NP_2002_dailyave
    S. Prudence (SP) SPru_2002_dailyave
    2003 Conimicut Point and N. Prudence (NP) NP_2003_dailyave
    2004 Bullock Reach (BR) BR_2004_dailyave
    Mount View (MV) MtV_2004_dailyave
    N. Prudence (NP) NP_2004_dailyave
    Phillipsdale (PD) Phillips_2004_dailyave
    Popasquash Point (PP) PP_2004_dailyave
    2005 Bullock Reach BR_2005_dailyave
    Ft. Wetherall FtW_2005_dailyave
    Mount View (MV) MtV_2005_dailyave
    N. Prudence (NP) NP_2005_dailyave
    2006 Bullock Reach (BR) BR_2006_dailyave
    Conimicut Point (CP) CP_2006_dailyave
    Mount Hope Bay MH_2006_dailyave
    Mount View (MV) MtV_2006_dailyave
    N. Prudence (NP) NP_2006_dailyave
    Popasquash Point (PP) PP_2006_dailyave
    Quonset Point (QP) QP_2006_dailyave
    2007
    Conimicut Point (CP) CP_2007_dailyave
    (GD) GD_2007_dailyave
    Mount View (MV) MtV_2007_dailyave
    N. Prudence (NP) NP_2007_dailyave
    Popasquash Point (PP) PP_2007_dailyave
    Quonset Point (QP) QP_2007_dailyave
    2008
    Bullock Reach (BR) BR_2008_dailyave
    Conimicut Point (CP) CP_2008_dailyave
    (GB) GB_2008_dailyave
    N. Prudence (NP) NP_2008_dailyave
    Sally Rock (SR) SR_2008_dailyave
    Time Series Data
    Year(s) Location Data File
    9/00 - 1/01 Bullock Reach (BR) Bullock_Reach_00-01
    5/95 - 12/00 GSO Pier (GP) GSOPier_95-00
    5/95 - 5/04 GSO Pier (GP) GSOPier_95-04
    12/00 - 2/01 Pomham Rocks (PR) Pomham_00-01
    Copyright 2005 | Narrbay