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Supported parameters and equipment
A quick overview of the common community science tests we currently support.
We support many common community science tests. If your preferred test is missing, please contact us and tell us what you use.
Our pre-set templates are meant to save setup time. You can always edit parameters and equipment so your volunteers use the form that fits your project.
We will also link each parameter to its standards reference.
Not visible, Absent, Less than 5%, 5 to 33%, More than 33%
Problem plant species spotted during survey (UK)
Parameter options
None, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed, Giant hogweed, Skunk cabbage, Curly waterweed, Floating pennywort, Other
Vegetation on shore or riverbank
Parameter options
No plants – bare soil, No plants – paved or hard surface, Short plants (grasses, flowers), Tall plants (grasses, flowers), Scrub or shrubs (woody stems), Saplings, Mature trees, Other
Wildlife spotted during survey (UK)
Parameter options
None, Otter, Dipper, Water vole, Kingfisher, Dragonflies / damselflies, Heron, Fish, Grey wagtail, Bat, Mayflies / caddisflies, Other
Not visible, Absent, Less than 5%, 5 to 33%, More than 33%
Problem plant species spotted during survey (UK)
None, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed, Giant hogweed, Skunk cabbage, Curly waterweed, Floating pennywort, Other
Vegetation on shore or riverbank
No plants – bare soil, No plants – paved or hard surface, Short plants (grasses, flowers), Tall plants (grasses, flowers), Scrub or shrubs (woody stems), Saplings, Mature trees, Other
Wildlife spotted during survey (UK)
None, Otter, Dipper, Water vole, Kingfisher, Dragonflies / damselflies, Heron, Fish, Grey wagtail, Bat, Mayflies / caddisflies, Other
Issue reporting
Evidence of recent pollution
Parameter options
None, Small amount, Moderate amount, Large amount, Other
Odour
Parameter options
None, Sewage, Petroleum, Algae, Natural, Other
Outfall aesthetics
Parameter options
No odour or discoloration, Faint smell and/or slight discoloration, Mild smell, discoloration, and small covering of sewage fungus, Strong smell, discoloration, large covering of sewage fungus, Gross smell, sewage, significant sewage fungus, extensive problem
Outfall flow
Parameter options
No flow, Trickle, Low, Moderate, High
Outfall impact
Parameter options
No visible impact, Within 2 metres, Between 2 and 2 metres, Between 10 and 30 metres, Greater than 30 metres
Outfalls, pipes and drains
Parameter options
No outfall observed, Outfall present – no flow, Outfall present – flowing, Flow causing discolouration, Flow causing odour, Other
Pollution signs
Parameter options
White, opaque water, Blue-coloured water, Yellow-coloured water, Tea-coloured, brown water, Black, slity water, Foam or scum on water, Sewage-related debris, Cooking oil or fat, Food waste, Vehicle oil, Silt or construction materials, Other
Pollution sources
Parameter options
Industrial discharge, Residential discharge, Urban/road discharge, Highway discharge, Other
None, Small amount, Moderate amount, Large amount, Other
Odour
None, Sewage, Petroleum, Algae, Natural, Other
Outfall aesthetics
No odour or discoloration, Faint smell and/or slight discoloration, Mild smell, discoloration, and small covering of sewage fungus, Strong smell, discoloration, large covering of sewage fungus, Gross smell, sewage, significant sewage fungus, extensive problem
Outfall flow
No flow, Trickle, Low, Moderate, High
Outfall impact
No visible impact, Within 2 metres, Between 2 and 2 metres, Between 10 and 30 metres, Greater than 30 metres
Outfalls, pipes and drains
No outfall observed, Outfall present – no flow, Outfall present – flowing, Flow causing discolouration, Flow causing odour, Other
Pollution signs
White, opaque water, Blue-coloured water, Yellow-coloured water, Tea-coloured, brown water, Black, slity water, Foam or scum on water, Sewage-related debris, Cooking oil or fat, Food waste, Vehicle oil, Silt or construction materials, Other
Pollution sources
Industrial discharge, Residential discharge, Urban/road discharge, Highway discharge, Other
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 0.1 m and above 20.0 m are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 m and above 50.0 m are flagged as "Issue detected".
Equipment (with range/unit)
Secchi disk (20 cm diameter)
measuring 0.0 - 50.0m
Secchi disk (30 cm diameter)
measuring 0.0 - 50.0m
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 0.1 m and above 20.0 m are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 m and above 99.0 m are flagged as "Issue detected".
Equipment (with range/unit)
Ruler (Imperial)
measuring 0.0 - 1000.0ft
Ruler (metric)
measuring 0.0 - 1000.0m
Secchi disk (20 cm diameter)
measuring 0.0 - 50.0m
Secchi disk (30 cm diameter)
measuring 0.0 - 50.0m
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 0.1 m and above 20.0 m are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 m and above 50.0 m are flagged as "Issue detected".
Secchi disk (20 cm diameter)
measuring 0.0 - 50.0m
Secchi disk (30 cm diameter)
measuring 0.0 - 50.0m
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 0.1 m and above 20.0 m are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 m and above 99.0 m are flagged as "Issue detected".
Ruler (Imperial)
measuring 0.0 - 1000.0ft
Ruler (metric)
measuring 0.0 - 1000.0m
Secchi disk (20 cm diameter)
measuring 0.0 - 50.0m
Secchi disk (30 cm diameter)
measuring 0.0 - 50.0m
Bedrock, Boulders, Cobble, Gravel - pebble, Sand, Silt / clay, Artificial, Not visible, Other
Ice on
Parameter options
true, false
Natural obstacles to fish or flow
Parameter options
None, Debris dam - partial, Debris dam - full width, Fallen tree, Other
Water flow
Parameter options
Still, Slow, Steady, Surging
Water level
Parameter options
Dry, Low, Average, High, Very high (bank full), Flooded
Parameter
Parameter options
Channel bed materials
Bedrock, Boulders, Cobble, Gravel - pebble, Sand, Silt / clay, Artificial, Not visible, Other
Ice on
true, false
Natural obstacles to fish or flow
None, Debris dam - partial, Debris dam - full width, Fallen tree, Other
Water flow
Still, Slow, Steady, Surging
Water level
Dry, Low, Average, High, Very high (bank full), Flooded
Chemical tests
Air temperature
Automatic QA rules
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below -30.0 °C and above 45.0 °C are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below -45.0 °C and above 55.0 °C are flagged as "Issue detected".
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 12.0 mg/L and above 1500.0 mg/L are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 mg/L and above 3000.0 mg/L are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings and readings change by more than 200.0% from the median, they're flagged as "Needs review". Readings below 12.0 ppm and above 1500.0 ppm are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 ppm and above 3000.0 ppm are flagged as "Issue detected".
Equipment (with range/unit)
Hach teststrips (chloride - high range)
measuring 250.0 - 7000.0mg/L
Fluorometer in ng/µL
measuring 0.0 - 100000.0ng/µL
Fluorometer in ppm
measuring 0.0 - 100000.0ppm
Fluorometer in µg/L
measuring 0.0 - 1000.0µg/L
Unspecified equipment (chlorophyll a)
measuring 0.0 - 10000.0mg/L
Conductivity
Automatic QA rules
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 10.0 μS/cm and above 5000.0 μS/cm are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 2.0 μS/cm and above 25000.0 μS/cm are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings, and readings are 3.0 times the standard deviation of the median value, they're flagged as "Needs review".
Equipment (with range/unit)
HM Digital COM-100 multimeter (conductivity)
measuring 0.0 - 9990.0μS/cm
HM Digital EC-3 multimeter (conductivity)
measuring 0.0 - 9990.0μS/cm
Other pen-type meter (conductivity)
measuring 0.0 - 1000000.0μS/cm
WaterWorks Nitrate/Nitrite Test Strips (nitrite-nitrogen)
measuring 0.0 - 10.0mg/L
Oxygen
Automatic QA rules
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 20.0 % and above 120.0 % are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 % and above 150.0 % are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings and readings change by more than 75.0% from the median, they're flagged as "Needs review". Readings below 3.0 mg/L and above 12.0 mg/L are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 1.0 mg/L and above 14.99 mg/L are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings, and readings are 3.0 times the standard deviation of the median value, they're flagged as "Needs review".
Equipment (with range/unit)
AZ instruments optical meter (%)
measuring 0.0 - 200.0%
AZ instruments optical meter (mg/L)
measuring 0.0 - 25.0mg/L
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 5.0 and above 10.0 are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 2.0 and above 12.0 are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings and readings change by more than 25.0% from the median, they're flagged as "Needs review".
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 0.0 °C and above 35.0 °C are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below -5.0 °C and above 40.0 °C are flagged as "Issue detected".
Equipment (with range/unit)
Digital thermometer
measuring 0.0 - 100.0°C
HM Digital COM-100 multimeter (temperature)
measuring 0.0 - 55.0°C
HM Digital EC-3 multimeter (temperature)
measuring 0.0 - 80.0°C
Other multimeter (temperature)
measuring -5.0 - 100.0°C
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below -30.0 °C and above 45.0 °C are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below -45.0 °C and above 55.0 °C are flagged as "Issue detected".
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 12.0 mg/L and above 1500.0 mg/L are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 mg/L and above 3000.0 mg/L are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings and readings change by more than 200.0% from the median, they're flagged as "Needs review". Readings below 12.0 ppm and above 1500.0 ppm are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 ppm and above 3000.0 ppm are flagged as "Issue detected".
Hach teststrips (chloride - high range)
measuring 250.0 - 7000.0mg/L
Fluorometer in ng/µL
measuring 0.0 - 100000.0ng/µL
Fluorometer in ppm
measuring 0.0 - 100000.0ppm
Fluorometer in µg/L
measuring 0.0 - 1000.0µg/L
Unspecified equipment (chlorophyll a)
measuring 0.0 - 10000.0mg/L
Conductivity
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 10.0 μS/cm and above 5000.0 μS/cm are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 2.0 μS/cm and above 25000.0 μS/cm are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings, and readings are 3.0 times the standard deviation of the median value, they're flagged as "Needs review".
HM Digital COM-100 multimeter (conductivity)
measuring 0.0 - 9990.0μS/cm
HM Digital EC-3 multimeter (conductivity)
measuring 0.0 - 9990.0μS/cm
Other pen-type meter (conductivity)
measuring 0.0 - 1000000.0μS/cm
WaterWorks Nitrate/Nitrite Test Strips (nitrite-nitrogen)
measuring 0.0 - 10.0mg/L
Oxygen
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 20.0 % and above 120.0 % are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 0.0 % and above 150.0 % are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings and readings change by more than 75.0% from the median, they're flagged as "Needs review". Readings below 3.0 mg/L and above 12.0 mg/L are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 1.0 mg/L and above 14.99 mg/L are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings, and readings are 3.0 times the standard deviation of the median value, they're flagged as "Needs review".
AZ instruments optical meter (%)
measuring 0.0 - 200.0%
AZ instruments optical meter (mg/L)
measuring 0.0 - 25.0mg/L
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 5.0 and above 10.0 are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below 2.0 and above 12.0 are flagged as "Issue detected". If there are more than 3 readings and readings change by more than 25.0% from the median, they're flagged as "Needs review".
Equipment limits are enforced. Readings below 0.0 °C and above 35.0 °C are flagged as "Needs review". Extreme readings below -5.0 °C and above 40.0 °C are flagged as "Issue detected".
Digital thermometer
measuring 0.0 - 100.0°C
HM Digital COM-100 multimeter (temperature)
measuring 0.0 - 55.0°C
HM Digital EC-3 multimeter (temperature)
measuring 0.0 - 80.0°C
Other multimeter (temperature)
measuring -5.0 - 100.0°C