News | January 20, 2010

Turbidity Monitoring Buoy Automates Reporting Requirements

Source: YSI, a Xylem brand

YSI has released a new buoy designed for monitoring around dredge and construction activities. The EMM68 buoy collects real-time turbidity data and sends it via telemetry to project managers, dredge operators, and regulation agencies.

Operators and environmental managers can continuously measure water quality parameters such as turbidity and dissolved oxygen around silt curtains and downstream from project sites. YSI's dredge monitoring system uses the YSI 6600 sonde to monitor just below the surface of fresh water and shallow marine waters.

The EMM68 buoy is lightweight and easily deployable by two people. One dredge monitoring system can be moved around a site, or several systems can be deployed for a comprehensive water quality record. The platform is designed with a protective cage to prevent damage from boats or from frequent re-deployments on new projects.

Data at Your Fingertips

Data is collected every 15 minutes and transmitted to a secure web site. Data can be viewed on a web-enabled phone, and email alerts deliver data to those who can act on it. This readily accessible data is preferable to water quality sampling which might occur once per day. Continuous data allows operators to manage dredge activities and react quickly if sediment levels exceed environmental limits.

Key Features and Benefits of EMM68

  • Small size: Easy to set up and move around dredging sites, reducing your deployment costs
  • Sends remote data: Transmits real-time data, making you aware of changing conditions as they occur
  • Affordable: Pricing makes buoy accessible for short-term dredge or construction monitoring projects
  • Robust: will withstand multiple deployments, and handling by the operations crew

Larger Hydrological Platform also Available

YSI also offers the EMM350 PISCES monitoring platform, which was recently deployed on the Upper Hudson River during dredging to remove PCB-contaminated sediment.

The PISCES supports water quality, water velocity, and meteorological sensors. It can be deployed by two people with a truck and a small boat, and it can be easily moved to different points of interest around a dredging or construction site to capture data. Use the PISCES platform in high-current river applications.

SOURCE: YSI, a Xylem brand