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Originally Posted by mcdude
Mac:
I'm not sure about the BIG lake (and it isn't listed) but for the past two years I have participated in the Volunteer Lake Assessment Program (VLAP) on my little lake. Among other samples taken and sent to the state lab are samples taken at the inlet of each of the three streams as they come into the lake and then another sample is taken from a few hundred yards up the stream as well. One of the tests they run on these samples is for e-coli and in this way they can pinpoint the location of of possible infiltration into the lake.
McD |
While straying a bit here perhaps this is a good time for some brainstorming. I recall the request for VLAP volunteers on one of your other websites. It seemed to me at that time that while a good idea, it was such a small sampling, so infrequently done, that on Winni it wouldn't get "the job" done. I asked myself how could such tasks be automated for little $$s such that they could be done more often, at more places so as to get a good database. Part of the testing was measuring water turbidity (clarity) and that's pretty easy to do electronically and cheaply. Fact is it's
been done and can be correlated to the standard SECCHI disk measurements. Measuring pH and conductivity could also be done about as easily I reckon. The part I couldn't get handle on was measuring chlorophyll and other biological and chemical properties. Given these would still require that people go out and samples be taken I didn't see any great improvement from getting more turbidity data. Perhaps there's more that could be done automagically or perhaps turbidity by itself has some value. I dunno.
ps - I'd design the equipment in the link somewhat differently and surely less expensively. Attach such probes to markers and add a solar cell for power, MCU for control and data storage. Depending on what's desired for measurement frequency and ease of retrieval ... perhaps as low as $50 for each "station".