With 14 monitoring stations spread across Narragansett Bay, the Fixed Site Monitoring Network keeps a constant eye on water quality, offering insight into long-term trends and whether management actions are making a difference. Maintained by a coalition of agencies and scientists, including GSO’s Marine Ecosystems Research Lab (MERL), the network gathers key environmental data every 15 minutes from May through November, with a few stations operating year-round. Each summer, GSO partners with RIDEM to monitor areas vulnerable to hypoxia—dangerously low oxygen levels that can trigger fish kills—and to support water quality assessments required under the Clean Water Act. Meet Heather and Michael, key members of GSO’s MERL Lab who play a major role in keeping the Narragansett Bay Fixed Site Monitoring Network running smoothly!
