An array of Kilroys can identify the source of water pollution and transmit the data in real-time
WATER QUALITY MONITORING
Real-Time Monitoring Effective water quality monitoring for ecosystem management requires frequent and spatially dense measurements available in near real time. A transition from hand-sampling to automated monitoring will deliver these improvements while reducing overall cost. In an effort to make automated water quality
monitoring accessible to the conservation and resource management communities, the Ocean Research
& Conservation Association (ORCA) has developed and is testing the ORCA Kilroy Network.
The Kilroy Network The ORCA Kilroy Network consists of a wireless network of remote semiautonomous sensor systems. This is coordinated by a central supervisory system that directs operations of the remote systems, collects data,
and relays them via the Internet through a standard web service interface to a geospatial database in near real time. The coordination and data transfer are presently over cellular Internet connections on a wide scale and cabled connections at the station scale. View Larger Image
Remote Subsystems To date, four remote subsystems of the ORCA Kilroy network are in use:
1) a sensor suite measuring flow speed, flow direction, package orientation, water temperature, water level, wave height and wave period
2) a GPS/power/telemetry unit;
3) a network interface unit to simplify off-the-shelf sensor integration into the network
4) a flow-through bathyphotometer to provide a direct biological measurement of bioluminescence intensity.
Each subsystem is integrated at the component level to
lower cost, reduce size, and improve efficiency, sharing the communications infrastructure and power from a solar-charged battery.
Sensor Testing Tests of ORCA’s sensor systems and third-party sensor integrations have been conducted in the Florida Keys, north of Key Largo and at several sites along the Indian River Lagoon in Florida. A nine station test is ongoing in the Chesapeake Bay. The latest measurements are broadcast to the web, with clickable color-coded icons positioned on a Google Map, based upon the most recently reported locations.
Correlating measurements of water flow, water quality, biological indicators (through bioluminescence) and local weather conditions (particularly storm water events) can provide resource managers critically needed data 24/7 for effective ecosystem based management.
ORCA IS DEDICATED TO THE PROTECTION & RESTORATION OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS &
THE SPECIES THEY SUSTAIN THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
& SCIENCE BASED CONSERVATION ACTION.
PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR MISSION.
"ORCA’s Kilroy is
brilliant. The whole concept of a low-cost monitoring network is critical for understanding the ocean so we can better protect it. -
Sylvia Earle, Ph.D.
National Geographic
Explorer-in-Residence
