Estuarine Science

Water chemistry deals with all properties of the water and all the substances in the water. In an estuary like Narragansett Bay, the water and the substances in the water are always changing. The changes of the water are due to of the influence of both fresh water from the land and salt water from the ocean. Scientists monitor water chemistry in Narragansett Bay to determine the health of the bay. These are some of the water properties measured in Narragansett Bay.

Temperature What is Water Temperature? How do we measure Water Temperature? What is the temperature of Narragansett Bay? What can we lean about Narragansett Bay by measuring water temperature?	Salinity What is salinity? How do we measure Salinity? What is the salinity of Narragansett Bay? What can we learn about Narragansett Bay by measuring salinity? Why is the ocean salty?
Oxygen What is dissolved oxygen? How do we measure dissolved oxygen? How much dissolved oxygen is in Narragansett Bay? What can we learn about Narragansett Bay by measuring dissolved oxygen?	Chlorophyll a What is chlorophyll a? How do we measure chlorophyll a? What are the chlorophyll a values in Narragansett Bay? What can we learn about Narragansett Bay by measuring chlorophyll a?
pH What is pH? How do we measure pH? What is the pH of Narragansett Bay? What can we learn about Narragansett Bay by measuring pH?