BOB (Basic Observation Buoy), an inexpensive, rugged, compact buoy, and FLO (Dock mounted), accommodate standard water quality sondes that can be “daisy chained”. 10 BOBs & FLOs that record water temp, salinity, conductivity, DO, Turbidity, and Chlorophyll a are deployed over a 20 mile stretch of the Chester River in Maryland. The data is viewed on www.hydrovu.com using 20 minute data intervals. Available sensors include Phycocyanin/Phycoerythrin. Depth of measurement is adjustable from 22” to 45” by extending the telescoping center shaft, or cabling beneath the shaft to the bottom. Stainless hardware for anchor or handling lines is integrated in BOB. The buoy is used for aquaculture, water quality monitoring and engineering applications. It is shipped globally in stackable 24”x18”x18” cartons. Ready to sample, BOB weighs less than 20lbs and can be deployed by one person from a small boat.
BOB is assembled with a screwdriver and rubber mallet and anchored with a 5lb fluke anchor . Where docks are available, sonde and data telemetry unit can be installed inside a 4” PVC pipe affixed to a piling. The sonde is inserted through the hinged well cap and hung in the central shaft by a carabiner. The buoy was designed to use In-Situ’s VuLink for data telemetry . Communication occurs through cell phone or satellite transmissions. O nce powered on, the sonde transmits data to a central, Internet accessible, data portal (Hydro-Vu) . The Sonde and Vu-Link contain the buoy’s 3 D Cell batteries which will transmit data for over 3 years.
The objective is to saturate the nearshore, inshore and reservoirs (water security) with these low cost and BOBs and FLOs to allow high resolution spatial and temporal monitoring of water quality parameters. With increased “data fountains” and meshing with satellite imagery, the prediction of HABs onset will be markedly improved.