Water Quality

Water in the park's pond and streams is regularly tested.

The Natural Resources Division at Saint-Gaudens NHS has been monitoring the overall water quality and biological integrity of the park’s aquatic ecosystems since 1997. Six permanent monitoring stations were established in 1997 along the Blow-Me-Down and Blow-Me-Up Brooks and at the Blow-Me-Down Pond. In 2005, a seventh monitoring station was added at the Farm Pond, located on a parcel acquired by the park in 1999. In an effort to track the source of water pollution problems, monitoring is done on a monthly basis. Favorite finds among visiting school groups are Water Pennies and Crayfish, both of which are indicators of a healthy stream.

Each month conductivity, dissolved oxygen (percent saturation and mg/L), depth, pH, temperature, and turbidity are taken at all seven stations. Water samples are also collected at each site then sent to a lab to access the levels of inorganic nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) present in order to detect potential impacts from residential and agricultural run-off. Four of the stations are also evaluated for discharge and macro-invertebrates. Macro-invertebrates are sampled to check for stream quality and pollution, the more organisms found that are pollution sensitive, the healthier the water quality. Fecal coliform testing is also conducted three times per year.