Cobbs Creek Water Quality Monitoring & Visualization
​The Cobbs Creek Stream Team project is a partnership between the University of Pennsylvania and local high schools. We work to improve Cobbs Creek’s water quality by involving students, community members, and researchers in a year-long monitoring effort. This website shares and visualizes the water quality data collected as part of the project.​​
Cobbs Creek
Cobbs Creek is an important waterway that flows through the city and contributes to the health of the Schuylkill River. The creek provides a home for local wildlife, but urbanization is taking a toll on its well-being. With more roads and buildings in the watershed, stormwater runoff has increased, leading to flooding, erosion, and poorer water quality.
Research from the Philadelphia Water Department and Biohabitats highlights these challenges and the ongoing efforts to restore the creek, including stream restoration and watershed management projects aimed at improving both the creek’s ecosystem and water quality.​
Given these challenges, it’s crucial to study and monitor the water quality in Cobbs Creek. By tracking its health, we can better understand the impacts of urbanization, identify pollution sources, and guide restoration efforts to improve the creek’s ecosystem and overall water quality. Below is a map highlighting the location of Cobbs Creek and the associated sampling point in the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center.
Our Method
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The data for this visualization were collected using the AquaTroll 500 remote sensor, equipped with a telemetry box to upload the data to the server. We gathered over 15 types of water quality data. Our monitoring adheres to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PADEP) Tier 3 standard. The collected data is then analyzed, visualized, and shared through Tableau and HydroVu dashboards. The Tableau Dashboard (under the Data Dashboard section) provides interpretation and analysis of the data, while the HydroVu platform (under the View Live Data section) allows the community to explore real-time water quality trends and gives advanced users the ability to conduct their own analysis.
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The pictures below, provided by Jazmin Ricks and David McCabe, show the locations of the sensor and the telemetry box under the bridge.
Who are we? ​
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Our team includes faculty from Penn’s Earth and Environmental Science (EES) department and the Water Center at Penn, along with partnerships with the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center (CCCEEC). The project is supported by Penn Master’s students and local high school interns from West Philadelphia, who conduct water quality monitoring, data analysis, and community outreach. Our collective goal is to improve water quality, promote environmental education, and strengthen engagement between Penn and the local community.​
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​Read more about the Water Center at Penn's partnership with the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center (CCCEEC) on environmental justice and public education here. ​​
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