The rapid pace of industrial growth and the rise in consumerism are increasingly contributing to the deterioration of water quality, posing significant risks to both ecological systems and human health. The urgent need for effective monitoring of water resources to mitigate pollution and ensure the sustainability of these vital ecosystems has never been more apparent. The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies into surface water monitoring presents a transformative approach to addressing these challenges. By automating the collection and transmission of data on water quality, IoT technologies offer a leap forward in our ability to efficiently monitor and manage environmental health. This article explores the application of various data transmission protocols, including Wi-Fi, Zigbee, LoRa, NB-IoT, and BLE, in the context of IoT-enabled water resource monitoring systems. Considerable attention was paid to determining the physical conditions of operation and the limitations they impose on the functioning of water monitoring systems. Each protocol is examined for its potential advantages and limitations in terms of energy efficiency, transmission range, and reliability under the specific conditions encountered in surface water monitoring. Through a comparative analysis, this study not only highlights the distinctive features and suitability of each protocol but also proposes a comprehensive framework for selecting the most appropriate technology based on the specific requirements of water monitoring projects. The findings of this research underscore the critical role of IoT technologies in advancing environmental monitoring and offer valuable insights for the development of more effective and sustainable water quality management strategies.