Milk River and Missouri River Continuous Water-Quality Monitoring
The Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, in collaboration with the Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water Supply System (ASRWSS), is monitoring water quality on a seasonal basis at three U.S. Geological Survey streamgages along the Milk River and Missouri River.
Seasonal water-quality monitoring has been implemented to identify water conditions that could potentially affect the ASRWSS filter system that withdraws water from the Missouri river near Wolf Point, Montana for rural water supplies. Three sites have been established to act as an early warning system to prevent clogging of the ASRWSS filter system.
A river’s water quality is influenced by minerals dissolved and suspended in the water. A variety of physical properties, chemical concentrations, biological components help describe the quality of the water. At these sites, sondes are installed to measure in real-time the specific conductance (how well water conducts electricity), water temperature, acidity (pH), dissolved oxygen (oxygen available for aquatic life), oxidation-reduction potential (chemical conditions), fluorescent dissolved organic matter (glowing substances), turbidity (water clarity), and total algae of the rivers. Water-quality samples are collected four times per year to correlate with the real-time data collected with the sensors to concentrations of minerals in the water. This will enable real-time concentrations of certain water-quality constituents and minerals.
![View from USGS streamgage 06175510 at dusk looking towards the Missouri River](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/storytelling_grid/public/media/images/06175510_dusk_0.jpg?itok=hmPk85-R)
![View from USGS 06174500 streamgage in late summer looking at the Milk River](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/storytelling_grid/public/media/images/Milk%20River%2006174500%20view-Edit.jpg?itok=IPE-BNMN)
![Bridge at USGS streamgage 06177000 during winter with ice over on the Missouri River](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/storytelling_grid/public/media/images/06177000_20190325_DS.jpg?itok=edbDdniW)
Title
Title
USGS 06174500 Milk River at Nashua, Montana
USGS 06175510 Missouri River at East Frazer Pump Plant
USGS 06177000 Missouri River near Wolf Point, Montana
Below you'll find our project partner.
The Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, in collaboration with the Assiniboine and Sioux Rural Water Supply System (ASRWSS), is monitoring water quality on a seasonal basis at three U.S. Geological Survey streamgages along the Milk River and Missouri River.
Seasonal water-quality monitoring has been implemented to identify water conditions that could potentially affect the ASRWSS filter system that withdraws water from the Missouri river near Wolf Point, Montana for rural water supplies. Three sites have been established to act as an early warning system to prevent clogging of the ASRWSS filter system.
A river’s water quality is influenced by minerals dissolved and suspended in the water. A variety of physical properties, chemical concentrations, biological components help describe the quality of the water. At these sites, sondes are installed to measure in real-time the specific conductance (how well water conducts electricity), water temperature, acidity (pH), dissolved oxygen (oxygen available for aquatic life), oxidation-reduction potential (chemical conditions), fluorescent dissolved organic matter (glowing substances), turbidity (water clarity), and total algae of the rivers. Water-quality samples are collected four times per year to correlate with the real-time data collected with the sensors to concentrations of minerals in the water. This will enable real-time concentrations of certain water-quality constituents and minerals.
![View from USGS streamgage 06175510 at dusk looking towards the Missouri River](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/storytelling_grid/public/media/images/06175510_dusk_0.jpg?itok=hmPk85-R)
![View from USGS 06174500 streamgage in late summer looking at the Milk River](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/storytelling_grid/public/media/images/Milk%20River%2006174500%20view-Edit.jpg?itok=IPE-BNMN)
![Bridge at USGS streamgage 06177000 during winter with ice over on the Missouri River](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/storytelling_grid/public/media/images/06177000_20190325_DS.jpg?itok=edbDdniW)
Title
Title
USGS 06174500 Milk River at Nashua, Montana
USGS 06175510 Missouri River at East Frazer Pump Plant
USGS 06177000 Missouri River near Wolf Point, Montana
Below you'll find our project partner.