Phillipsdale Landing
Overall, water quality at Phillipsdale Landing was fair to good this week. Weather conditions were wet this week, with a total of 3.02 inches on March 20th, recorded at T.F. Green. Blackstone River flow declined over the course of the week only to increase at the end with the March 20th storm. Surface salinity remained well below bottom salinity. Surface salinity this week averaged 13.2 ppt and ranged from 6.5 ppt to 24.5 ppt. At the bottom, salinity averaged 22.5 ppt and ranged from 9.6 ppt to 28.6 ppt. Temperatures increased this week, averaging 16.6°C at the surface and 15.0 at the bottom. Surface temperatures ranged from 13.8°C to 20.0°C, while bottom temperatures ranged from 12.6°C to 17.8°C.
Dissolved oxygen (DO) at Phillipsdale Landing remained above the hypoxia threshold of 2.9 mg/L at the surface. DO dropped below the hypoxia threshold at the bottom for a few hours on the night of May 17th. Surface DO averaged 9.1 mg/L and ranged 6.7 – 11.4 mg/L. Bottom DO concentrations averaged 6.2 mg/L and ranged from 0.5 mg/L to 10.5 mg/L. Chlorophyll readings rose from the previous week, averaging 12.9 ug/L at the surface and 26.2 ug/L at the bottom. Maximum chlorophyll at the surface reached 107.5 ug/L on May 15th. Please note that tidal fluctuations and Blackstone River flows greatly influence water column salinity, temperature, and DO at this location. Also, please note that portions of chlorophyll data from the surface and bottom sondes from May 14th – 20th are not included in the summary above due potential fouling interference which is common at this site.
Bullock Reach
Bullock Reach sondes will be deployed later this spring for the 2023 monitoring season.