Entropy-Based Assessment of Water Quality Monitoring Networks

Abstract

Assessment of water quality monitoring networks requires potential methods to delineate the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of current monitoring programs. To this end, the concept of entropy has been considered a promising method in previous studies as it quantitatively measures the information produced by a network. This paper revises the entropy methodology developed in an earlier study and introduces a new approach for the assessment of combined spatial/temporal frequencies of monitoring networks. The results are demonstrated in the case of water quality data observed along the Mississippi River in Louisiana.