Water Chemistry Data
Beginning in 2025, the Saint Anne’s-Belfield School embarked on a partnership with Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) to monitor chemical parameters of the tributaries to the public drinking water reservoirs maintained by RWSA. This work required a Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) approved by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
In addition to approving our QAPP, DEQ provided grant funding for the purchase of laboratory equipment to launch this effort. We now monitor six parameters (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, organophosphates, and turbidity) at eight sites across the Rivanna River and Totier Creek watersheds each month when travel and access conditions permit.
Sample collection and testing are performed by several School cohorts, including science classes, Environmental Pathway students, student clubs, and faculty.
The data collected by our students directly impacts state-level research. Check out our most recent data on our local waterways.
QAPP Problem Statement
Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) maintains several public drinking water reservoirs that serve the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. While RWSA monitors water quality, including chemical parameters, in their reservoirs, data on the water quality of their tributaries is limited. A regular program of water chemistry monitoring will provide data across seasonal variations of reservoir inputs and can help focus water-quality improvement efforts.
St. Anne’s-Belfield School is committed to contributing to the stewardship of our watershed. For nine years, our Environmental Studies and Research Senior Seminar has worked with the Dept of Wildlife Resources (DWR) on identifying and tracking the James River Spineymussel, holding a license from DWR for that purpose. Characterization of stream properties, including chemical parameters, that support the Spineymussel has been an element of this effort, giving the School experience with these testing protocols.
Another aspect of the School’s commitment to environmental stewardship is our Environmental Pathway Certificate in our curriculum. An element of this pathway is certification in citizen science water monitoring to develop a pipeline of young adult environmental stewards to serve the Rivanna and other watersheds in the coming decades.