About This Course

This course is designed to allow flexible learning for people who are engaged in the water quality sector and who wish to strengthen their knowledge of water quality monitoring in rivers, lakes and reservoirs. An effective water quality monitoring programme requires an appreciation of the hydrology, chemistry and biology of a water body and how they influence water quality. The aim of this course is to introduce the essential characteristics and functioning of rivers, lakes and reservoirs and to demonstrate how this information is taken into consideration when planning and implementing a water quality monitoring programme to assess natural conditions and human impacts. Some of the key water quality issues experienced in rivers and lakes are highlighted. Different methods used for sampling are described, together with some approaches to using monitoring data for water quality assessments in relation to different water quality issues or intended uses of the water.