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Water / issues / College Street Storm Water

This page reports data from the College Street Storm Drain autosampler located at the base of the street near Lake Champlain. The autosampler was purchased with an EPA grant and was placed in the storm drain during the winter of 2002. Data are reported every 15 minutes and are provided by the Burlington Bay Project at the Rubenstein Ecosytem Science Laboratory, part of the new Leahy Center for Lake Champlain.



Current Data

Why are we measuring conductivity?
A rise in conductivity levels can indicate increased levels of pollutants from runoff and wastewater systems. Conductivity measures the ability of the water to conduct an electrical current based on the number of ions present. Distilled water has a conductivity in the range of 0.5 to 3 uS/cm. Studies of inland fresh waters indicate that streams supporting good mixed fisheries have a range between 150 and 500 uS/cm. Conductivity outside this range could indicate that the water is not suitable for certain species of fish or macroinvertebrates.


Running average level 0.28 ft

Running average conductivity 475.17 uS/cm

Running average temperature 60.78 degrees F

Values for last 24 samples, most recent first
Date/timeLevel
(ft)
Conductivity
uS/cm
Temperature
(degrees F)
2004-09-03 12:00:000.31847660.8
2004-09-03 09:00:000.29848660.6
2004-09-03 08:45:000.30148460.6
2004-09-03 08:30:000.2948260.8
2004-09-03 08:15:000.29848060.4
2004-09-03 08:00:000.30548060.6
2004-09-03 07:45:000.30647860.6
2004-09-03 07:30:000.30747660.6
2004-09-03 07:15:000.27847260.6
2004-09-03 07:00:000.31447060.8
2004-09-03 06:45:000.18447061
2004-09-03 06:30:000.14147061.2
2004-09-03 06:15:000.16946861
2004-09-03 05:45:000.347061
2004-09-03 05:30:000.29546861.2
2004-09-03 05:15:000.29946861
2004-09-02 23:45:000.31947660.8
2004-09-02 23:30:000.30847660.8
2004-09-02 23:15:000.29347660.8
2004-09-02 23:00:000.30147660.8
2004-09-02 22:45:000.29347660.8
2004-09-02 22:30:000.31147660.8
2004-09-02 22:15:000.29947660.6
2004-09-02 22:00:000.30247460.6

Graph of water level

The autosampler intake lies at an elevation of 97 ft. When the lake reaches this level, lake water will be documented at the sampling intake. On certain days, the lake will rise as a result of rainfall, and we may measure the level of standing water in the drain.

Graph of Water Temperature in storm drain



Understanding the Data

Check out information on water quality and conductivity from Kentucky Water Watch and EPA's Office of Water.

Read more about Burlington storm water runoff and its effect on Lake Champlain in the March 24 2002 issue of the Burlington Free Press.