The City of Ottawa measures water quality for many of its streams and rivers. Information about the monitoring program is available at: https://ottawa.ca/en/living-ottawa/environment-conservation-and-climate/protecting-ottawas-waterways#water-quality-ottawas-rivers-lakes-and-streams
Anyone can download and analyze this data. The City measures 20 values about once a month (although there are gaps, usually in winter), with data available from 1998 through 2014 for some locations and parameters. 2015 data had not yet been posted as of February 2016 when we generated the graphs.
Measured parameters are:
E Coli – Total
Lead Extractable
Molybdenum Extractable
Cadmium Extractable
Conductivity
Hardness
Alkalinity
Chloride
Calcium Dissolved
Total Suspended Solids
Sodium Dissolved
Sulphate
Magnesium Dissolved
pH
Silicon Dissolved
Potassium Dissolved
Iron Extractable
Aluminum Extractable
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen
Total Nitrite Nitrate
Ammonia
Manganese Extractable
Total Phosphorus
Total Phosphorus
Reactive Phosphorus
Zinc Extractable
Copper Extractable
Chromium Extractable
UNH3asN
Nickel Extractable
Cobalt Extractable
Temp-Field (C)