June 2012 Water Quality Trip

June Water Quality Sampling

June 14, 2012

It was my first trip out on the Kuskokwim for work-related purposes. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect - I’d done water quality sampling before, but that was back in Pennsylvania.  I’d been out on the Kuskokwim before, but that was for  fun!  Combining these two experiences in my mind to try and get an idea of what was to come left me with one thing: uncertainty.

So the drive down the river to Georgetown was just as I remembered it and expected it to be - gorgeous.  We probably couldn’t have had a better day for it, weather wise.  

The sampling site for monitoring wells 1 & 2 was just a short walk up the bank from the Kuskokwim, across the river from Georgetown.  Lots of mosquitos, check.  GTC uses a YSI 556 for the testing.  We took measurements for about an hour at each monitoring well, and then gathered water samples to submit for further testing in Anchorage.

Next we took samples from the Kuskokwim and the George.

I had never been up the George and since the water was high, we were able to get the boat pretty far up.

We made a quick stop in Georgetown before heading back up to Sleetmute - here’s a snapshot of what Georgetown looks like from the boat:

Will got us back to Sleetmute safely, and the trip back was just as pretty as the trip there.

I look forward to many more opportunities to get out on the River to Georgetown.  With views like this, what more could you want?