Scotland River Temperature Monitoring Network (SRTMN)

Quality control

Quality control of temperature data is critical to ensure precise, unbiased analyses and reliable management advice. Consequently, SRTMN was established according to standard operating procedures (SOPs) that conform to the Joint Code of Practice (JCoP) for Research to ensure the collection of reliable, traceable data. The quality control framework ensures consistent logger calibration, deployment, download and data storage, which is particularly important as SRTMN is delivered through collaboration between numerous organisations. SRTMN SOPs are available to download below.

Flowchart for field temperature datalogger calibration, deployment, retrieval and data storage FC.

Schematic diagram showing the interrelatedness of Standard operating procedures used Under SRTMN. The diagram is split into two parts that cover (a) calibration and (b) logger deployment and data collection procedures.

Documents available for download

Note that to download the below files you should navigate to the top of the page and click on ‘Supporting Documents’.

MFL 1000 - field temperature datalogger calibration, deployment, retrieval and data storage.

Describes the processes for setting up, calibrating, installing, downloading, maintaining and storing data from temperature dataloggers. The primary purpose of these datalogger deployments is to improve understanding of temperature variability and underlying processes and to allow the prediction of current and future river temperatures.

SOPFL 1010 - external calibration of reference loggers

Describes the external calibration of reference dataloggers by an accredited calibration laboratory.

SOPFL 1020 - internal calibration of field loggers and database site/sensor setup

This procedure covers the site/sensor setup in the Freshwater Laboratory Environmental Observation (FLEObs) database, the analytical procedure and methodology for calibration of field dataloggers.

SOPFL 1025 - calculation of calibration coefficients from internal and external calibrations

Instructions for obtaining calibration coefficients (bias corrections) for temperature dataloggers. These calibration coefficients relate the ‘recorded’ temperature to the ‘true’ temperature for each datalogger and provide an estimate of uncertainty in the resulting data.

SOPFL 1030 - datalogger setup for field deployment

Procedure covers installation and deployment of stream temperature dataloggers.

SOPFL 1040 - datalogger download, data transfer and storage 

Procedure covers datalogger download and transfer of data from the field to final storage in the FLEObs database.

SOPFL 1050 - export of temperature data from the FleOBS database 

Procedure covers the Export of temperature data through Business Objects.

B 919 - field data sheet

Provides an example field data sheet used to collect important metadata at the time of logger deployment and recovery.

B939 - calibration coefficient visualisation template

Excel template for visualising calibration coefficients.