Water Quality Contour Mapping

Water Quality Changes Over Space and Time

In an open body of water such as a bay, water quality may vary considerably in its different regions, and its water quality will also change continually from month to month, season to season, year to year. Tidal influence, land use in the watershed, inflow from tributaries, seasonal temperature changes, and rainfall are the most important factors driving these differences. A Water Quality Contour Map (WQCM) shows the spatial distribution of water quality for a defined period in time. By creating contour maps for multiple different periods, it is possible to detect both spatial and temporal patterns in water quality, and to see trends over time. Learn more »

Click on a parameter name and select a year from the dropdown below to discover spatial and temporal variations in water quality. Clicking on a PDF thumbnail will open the full report for viewing and download. Alternatively, click the "View Image Slideshow" button to view an interactive slideshow of the generated raster images.

Available Parameters (Select One)

Contours of

Select a report to open and view/download the corresponding PDF file. Alternatively, you can open an image slideshow of the contour rasters used in these reports.

Agency Summary

Data collected by the following agencies were used in preparation of these reports.

Agency Period of Record
(Month, Year)
Station Count
(Approximate)
Sample Count
(Approximate)