Author(s): J. S. Lessels; T. F. A. Bishop
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Keywords: Water quality; Sampling; Geostatistical; Load estimation
Abstract: Water quality sampling occurs throughout Australia to monitor the health of catchments. Due to Australia's variable climate event-based water quality sampling has become widespread. This research examines the two dominant sampling schemes used in Australia; routine (monthly) and event-based sampling. A linear model of co-regionalisation (LMCR) was used to model auto and cross-correlated discharge and total phosphorus data, from this both variables were co-simulated. From the simulations, different sampling schemes were applied. Estimations of total load were made using a linear mixed model (LMM) which models the relationship between discharge and concentration while accounting for the auto-correlation. Threshold exceedance was also used to compare the two sampling techniques. Further comparisons were made between model estimates and raw sample analysis. The results show that the event-based sampling is more accurate than routine sampling for load estimation. However both sampling schemes are limited in the accuracy of their estimates.
Year: 2011