Because of its importance to the park and surrounding communities, water has been monitored in Yellowstone National Park for over a century. Flow monitoring records began in 1889 at the Yellowstone River, 1923 at the Lamar River, and 1913 at the Madison River. These long-term records provide unique opportunities to examine how flows in the region may be responding to documented changes in air temperatures and snowpacks. We monitor water quality and river flow at sites in the Yellowstone, Lamar, and Madison rivers. Daily flow measurements are recorded from U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gages that are co-located with monitoring sites. Between April and November each year, we measure core water quality parameters, including dissolved oxygen (how much oxygen a river has), pH (how acidic or alkaline the water is), water temperature, and conductance (a useful measure of its total dissolved compounds). We also collect water from across the entire width of the river and at multiple depths that is tested for various chemical and metal components in commercial laboratories. Local climate stations provide air temperature and precipitation information.
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