ONSETHOBO U26-001 dissolved oxygen Recorder for monitoring dissolved oxygen in endangered mussel habitat

Northern Georgia will soon have a new freshwater reservoir: Lake McIntosh. The proposed 650-acre lake would sit on the border of Fayette County and neighboring Coweta County, eventually providing more than 10 million gallons of potable water per day. But first, the Fayette County water system needs to assure the US Fish and Wildlife Service that the endangered mussels living in the targeted creeks will be safe.

That's where Chris Crowe and his team come in in the CCR environment. Atlanta-based group biologists conduct natural resource studies, endangered species surveys, impact assessments, and many other studies for clients.

For this project, they are conducting physical and biological analyzes of the creek, the proposed reservoir downstream. Along with their usual data collection tools and technical gear, including some underwater temperature data loggers, they used an Onset U26-001 Dissolved Oxygen Data Logger.

The amount of dissolved oxygen in water is an indicator of health; high dissolved oxygen is associated with biological productivity, low dissolved oxygen means decreased biological productivity. Since all animals, including mussels, require oxygen to breathe, dissolved oxygen is an important indicator of the relative health of an aquatic animal's environment.

Under the Endangered Species Act, species are required to be consulted for any project that may affect a federally protected species or its critical habitat. The determination of the McIntosh Lake project could affect several federally protected mussel species.

Previously, Crow and his team measured dissolved oxygen in the field with handheld probes. “Our selection is done manually,” Crowe explained, “meaning once a week we need to go to the field meter before dawn.” It is customary to measure dissolved oxygen just before dawn, when it is at its lowest level.

Onset's U26-001 Dissolved Oxygen Logger is self-contained and can be deployed to measure in one body of water, fresh or salt water, for several weeks. It records a user-selected dissolved oxygen level, and the data is time-stamped and can be downloaded to a laptop or data shuttle; companion software allows for configuration and start-up, data viewing and analysis. The logger provides an accuracy of 0.2 mg/L, maintains calibration for six months, and notably features easy replacement of the sensor cap.

U26-001 Dissolved Oxygen Logger Easy Position. "It's important that the loggers are placed in the part of the deep-flow mixed area," Crow explained, "with the sensors low enough so they won't be exposed to the survey if the water level drops." metal fence. U26-001 Dissolved Oxygen Logger in post with post contact, and fits vertical U-shaped slot posts.

In early May 2012 the project started. We did the DO measurements manually the first few times we went to the site, then we started the logger. We deployed it, checked it on site a week later to make sure it was working, and then downloaded it again The data were taken at four to five week intervals." The team also verified the logger's measurements with a calibrated handheld dissolved oxygen probe.

Crow likes the U26-001 dissolved oxygen logger he can get. Now, when he and his team visit the site, they bring the Vision Base Station, plug it into a laptop's USB port ", download the data, reset, and off you go!" he says.

As expected, DO levels were lowest in midsummer. Streams have the lowest streams, and the highest temperatures (cold water dissolves gas more than warm water -- think cold vs. warm soda). "We can see the highs and lows, we can see the day/night cycle now, and also "confirm that predawn is, indeed, the time when dissolved oxygen is lowest. "It's letting that confirm its existence," he said.

The data will provide dissolved oxygen information needed by Fish and Wildlife Services, and will help determine how reducing flows will affect dissolved oxygen organisms -- and thus flows. Data Services, Baseline Data for Habitat Comparisons at Lake McIntosh Dam. Long-term monitoring of the flow-related dissolved oxygen release from the dam is required, and this monitoring will be performed by the Fayette County Water System by CCR.

onset's U26-001 dissolved oxygen Recorder, graphing and analysis software, low price.

Will they rely on this dissolved oxygen data logger for future projects? Now that Crow is confident in the device's performance, the answer is yes.

"It comes down to cost. It's more cost-effective if you can put a data logger in and save money and less time traveling to site."