Great Brook
Great Brook is located on the northwest end of Kezar Lake off West Stoneham Road. Great Brook drains a large portion of the White Mountain National Forest. Water quality monitoring data have been collected since 2008.
Water quality
total phosphorus
Since 2009, total phosphorus at Great Brook has remained below 12 ppb.
ph
pH has revealed no statistically significant trend over time. pH fell below the range suitable for aquatic life from 2015-2017.
dissolved oxygen
Dissolved oxygen at Great Brook remains above the Maine DEP standard of 7 ppm for Class A streams. Note that dissolved oxygen readings are collected mid-day and do not represent the lowest oxygen readings for that day. Dissolved oxygen is typically lowest in early morning when decomposition and respiration processes dominate over photosynthesis.
e. coli
Since 2008, E. coli at Great Brook has been less than the Class A stream geometric mean of 64 col/100mL. However, E. coli at Great Brook has been increasing in the last ten years.
water temperature
Water temperature increased at Great Brook from April to August and then steadily declined until retrieval in November, following closely with observed air temperature (hourly data obtained from the Fryeburg weather station).
historical water temperature
Median annual water temperature (denoted by solid line in grey boxes) at Great Brook has remained relatively consistent since 2014. Some years have more variability in water temperature than other years.
flow
Water level data collected at Great Brook shows that the stream responds quickly to precipitation (daily precip data obtained from the Fryeburg weather station).