Ford Lake Dam Installs Multi-Point Dissolved Oxygen Buoys
Dayton, OH, May 9, 2008 - The Charter Township of Ypsilanti recently deployed two multi-point dissolved oxygen monitoring buoys along with a multi-parameter weather station at Ford Lake along the Huron River in Ypsilanti, MI.
The system will serve two purposes for the Township: To meet FERC Regulations of dissolved oxygen measurement upstream and downstream of the Dams Hydroelectric Plant; and to complement a corrective action algae management plan that is currently being tested on the lake.
During late summer months, Ford Lake experiences massive algae growths, causing localized fish kills and foul odor. As a result the Lake has been the site of a research study sponsored by the USEPA and USDA since 2006. The study, led by Professor John Lehman of the University of Michigan, probes the causes and possible corrective measures for the nuisance algal blooms that plague Ford Lake.
The multi-point dissolved oxygen monitoring buoys are deployed at two locations near the Dam, both in Ford Lake and downstream of the Huron River. Also mounted on the roof of the Hydroelectric Plant is a Vaisala WXT510 multi-parameter weather sensor to measure wind speed & direction, liquid precipitation air temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure.
By making this data available to all interested parties via the NexSens WQData web datacenter, researchers can investigate the interactions of weather conditions and river water quality in real-time. Combined with historical data, Dr. Lehman and his group hope to develop new theories that can guide future lake management efforts both on the Huron River and nation-wide.
Ford Lake is one of the largest impoundments on the Huron and has been used for hydroelectric power purposes since 1932. The Ford Lake Dam was originally constructed by Henry Ford, who was an expert on hydroelectric power generation. It is currently owned and operated by Charter Township of Ypsilanti, MI.
For more information on the latest in environmental data logging and software technology, contact Paul Nieberding or visit www.nexsens.com.
About NexSens Technology - Recognizing the need for real-time environmental data, NexSens Technology, Inc was started in 1999 and is quickly becoming the preferred supplier for environmental researchers. The company's unique focus on water quality and weather sensors gives researchers valuable system features and capabilities not found in generic data logging equipment.
Read Complete Story...