Water Color Photos

Add a photo to any entry in your journal — a catch, a sighting, or a standalone note. If the photo shows open water, WaterWatcher reads the color automatically. No separate mode, no extra steps, and no catch required. This helps track water conditions over time and contributes real data to conservation research.

• ·Take a photo showing open water — a straight-down angle works best, but any clear shot of the surface is fine
• ·Try to keep the water covering most of the frame — a photo where the catch is still in frame or water is only in part of the shot won’t produce a reading
• ·On shallow or clear water where you can see the bottom, angle toward a deeper or darker patch if one is nearby — substrate visible through the water column can affect the color reading
• ·Avoid heavy glare from direct sun hitting the water surface at a low angle; overcast or shade is fine
• ·Natural light works best — avoid direct artificial light on the water

After you upload the photo, WaterWatcher checks it in the background — no waiting required. If it shows predominantly open water, it reads the color using the Forel-Ule scale — a standard marine scientists have used for over a century to track water clarity and quality — and logs it as part of that entry’s conditions. Refresh the page to see the result.

Water color is a real signal — it reflects things like runoff, algae, and clarity trends over a season. Every reading you log, whether or not you catch anything, adds to a picture researchers and conservation partners use to understand the fishery.