In addition to taking water samples, depth profiling, that is, taking instrument measurements at a number of depths through the water column, is carried out at a number of sites throughout the Bay.  Depth profiling is also performed routinely at the fixed monitoring stations to confirm the accuracy of data being returned by the stations. The equipment used records general water quality parameters such as Dissolved Oxygen (% Saturation and mg/l), turbidity, conductivity, salinity, pH, temperature and depth.

The water samples are subjected to accredited laboratory analysis for one or more groups of chemical, biological and microbiological parameters (see below).