Laguna Madre Water Quality Monitoring
Sponsored by: National Park Service
The Laguna Madre is a bay system located along the Texas coast from Galveston to South Padre between a series of barrier islands and the Texas mainland. Limited freshwater inflow and connectivity to the Gulf of Mexico has historically created dynamic hydrology in the bay system. The National Park Service partnered with the Conrad Blucher Institute in early 2008 to install and maintain two real-time water quality stations located near the Bird Island Basin and near the mouth of Baffin Bay. Water samples are also collected and sent to a lab for nutrient analysis on a monthly basis. Long-term water quality monitoring efforts in the Laguna Madre will give insight into the unique hydrology in the bay system and aid in implementing proper management and conservation strategies.