Chum Creek’s Water Quality Monitoring Project
The Chum Creek Landcare Group has a project, involving as many people as possible, aimed at improving the overall health of Chum Creek and its tributaries (including Myers Creek), as well as the terrestrial part of the catchment. Initially we focused on Chum Creek itself and its adjacent riparian vegetation, examining water quality and vegetation. The first stage is to learn where there are weed or creek problems and where there is sensitive vegetation, including rare and endangered species or ecosystems, then determine priorities for protection.
Chum Creek Water Monitoring
A higher conductivity value indicates that there are more chemicals dissolved in the water.
Turbidity is caused by particles suspended or dissolved in water that scatter light making the water appear cloudy or murky.
2016
During 2016 we began systematically sampling the water from Chum Creek to assess its physical, chemical, and biological quality. Results of this survey were presented in our summer, 2017/2018, newsletter. Some are given to the left. The full report of this sampling is available here.
2018
This survey was done again in 2018 with a more detailed look at the biological quality and the turbidity of the creek water.
2020
More recently, in 2020, an instrument shelter was constructed on a property beside Chum Creek and equipped with a datalogger and probes which continuously measure streamflow, turbidity, temperature, and electrical conductivity. This will provide a more comprehensive picture of the physical and chemical quality of Chum Creek.