Testing the Waters: A Demonstration of a Novel Water Quality Mapping System for Citizen Science Groups

Abstract

Citizen science initiatives are increasingly using new devices, smartphone apps, and interactive websites to improve data quality and collection procedures, better visualize trends and changes, and increase volunteer engagement and retention. This methods paper reports on the development and demonstration of a prototype water quality instrument array and website to modernize volunteer water quality sampling. Using open source software and off-the-shelf components, our device measures GPS location, dissolved oxygen, temperature, conductivity, and pH at a high sampling rate. Combined with a smartphone app and website, the system provides real-time maps and visualization of water quality data. We demonstrated the device on an 11-day public expedition called “Testing the Waters: A Paddle and Probe Adventure” down the Rock River in Wisconsin. The event was successful in collecting 30,000 GPS-tagged water samples across 324 km providing a unique profile of the river’s water, identifying potential water quality issues, and establishing a baseline for comparison. Through the project and additional volunteer feedback, we learned lessons about a broader-scale adoption including: 1) need to simplify setup and calibration; 2) need for further development of online tools to better communicate with a non-technical audience; and 3) need for a flexible device that works in a variety of situations, e.g., static deployment. The pilot demonstrated the potential of new technology and a low-cost device to expand the types and amount of water quality data collected by citizen monitors.