scholarly journals Citizen Scientists Contribute to Real-Time Monitoring of Lake Water Quality Using 3D Printed Mini Secchi Disks

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grinson George ◽  
Nandini N. Menon ◽  
Anas Abdulaziz ◽  
Robert J. W. Brewin ◽  
P. Pranav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Estuarine System ◽  
Water Colour

Citizen science aims to mobilise the general public, motivated by curiosity, to collect scientific data and contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge. In this article, we describe a citizen science network that has been developed to assess the water quality in a 100 km long tropical lake-estuarine system (Vembanad Lake), which directly or indirectly influences the livelihood of around 1.6 million people. Deterioration of water quality in the lake has resulted in frequent outbreaks of water-associated diseases, leading to morbidity and occasionally, to mortality. Water colour and clarity are easily measurable and can be used to study water quality. Continuous observations on relevant spatial and temporal scales can be used to generate maps of water colour and clarity for identifying areas that are turbid or eutrophic. A network of citizen scientists was established with the support of students from 16 colleges affiliated with three universities of Kerala (India) and research institutions, and stakeholders such as houseboat owners, non-government organisations (NGOs), regular commuters, inland fishermen, and others residing in the vicinity of Vembanad Lake and keen to contribute. Mini Secchi disks, with Forel-Ule colour scale stickers, were used to measure the colour and clarity of the water. A mobile application, named “TurbAqua,” was developed for easy transmission of data in near-real time. In-situ data from scientists were used to check the quality of a subset of the citizen observations. We highlight the major economic benefits from the citizen network, with stakeholders voluntarily monitoring water quality in the lake at low cost, and the increased potential for sustainable monitoring in the long term. The data can be used to validate satellite products of water quality and can provide scientific information on natural or anthropogenic events impacting the lake. Citizens provided with scientific tools can make their own judgement on the quality of water that they use, helping toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 of clean water. The study highlights potential for world-wide application of similar citizen-science initiatives, using simple tools for generating long-term time series data sets, which may also help monitor climate change.

scholarly journals Citizen Science Tools Reveal Changes in Estuarine Water Quality Following Demolition of Buildings

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1683
Author(s):  
Nandini Menon ◽  
Grinson George ◽  
Rajamohananpillai Ranith ◽  
Velakandy Sajin ◽  
Shreya Murali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Dissolved Oxygen ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Secchi Depth ◽  
Lake Water Quality ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Water Colour ◽  
Water Quality Variables ◽  
The Impact

Turbidity and water colour are two easily measurable properties used to monitor pollution. Here, we highlight the utility of a low-cost device—3D printed, hand-held Mini Secchi disk (3DMSD) with Forel-Ule (FU) colour scale sticker on its outer casing—in combination with a mobile phone application (‘TurbAqua’) that was provided to laymen for assessing the water quality of a shallow lake region after demolition of four high-rise buildings on the shores of the lake. The demolition of the buildings in January 2020 on the banks of a tropical estuary—Vembanad Lake (a Ramsar site) in southern India—for violation of Indian Coastal Regulation Zone norms created public uproar, owing to the consequences of subsequent air and water pollution. Measurements of Secchi depth and water colour using the 3DMSD along with measurements of other important water quality variables such as temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) using portable instruments were taken for a duration of five weeks after the demolition to assess the changes in water quality. Paired t-test analyses of variations in water quality variables between the second week of demolition and consecutive weeks up to the fifth week showed that there were significant increases in pH, dissolved oxygen, and Secchi depth over time, i.e., the impact of demolition waste on the Vembanad Lake water quality was found to be relatively short-lived, with water clarity, colour, and DO returning to levels typical of that period of year within 4–5 weeks. With increasing duration after demolition, there was a general decrease in the FU colour index to 17 at most stations, but it did not drop to 15 or below, i.e., towards green or blue colour indicating clearer waters, during the sampling period. There was no significant change in salinity from the second week to the fifth week after demolition, suggesting little influence of other factors (e.g., precipitation or changes in tidal currents) on the inferred impact of demolition waste. Comparison with pre-demolition conditions in the previous year (2019) showed that the relative changes in DO, Secchi depth, and pH were very high in 2020, clearly depicting the impact of demolition waste on the water quality of the lake. Match-ups of the turbidity of the water column immediately before and after the demolition using Sentinel 2 data were in good agreement with the in situ data collected. Our study highlights the power of citizen science tools in monitoring lakes and managing water resources and articulates how these activities provide support to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets on Health (Goal 3), Water quality (Goal 6), and Life under the water (Goal 14).

scholarly journals KnoWare: A System for Citizen-based Environmental Monitoring

10.28945/3500 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 125-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy J Storer ◽  
Joseph T. Chao ◽  
Andrew T Torelli ◽  
Alexis D Ostrowski
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Monitoring ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Mobile Device ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Reliable Data ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Timely Feedback ◽  
Quality Measurements

Non-expert scientists are frequently involved in research requiring data acquisition over large geographic areas. Despite mutual benefits for such “citizen science”, barriers also exist, including 1) difficulty maintaining user engagement with timely feedback, and 2) the challenge of providing non-experts with the means to generate reliable data. We have developed a system that addresses these barriers. Our technologies, KnoWare and InSpector, allow users to: collect reliable scientific measurements, map geo-tagged data, and intuitively visualize the results in real-time. KnoWare comprises a web portal and an iOS app with two core functions. First, users can generate scientific ‘queries’ that entail a call for information posed to a crowd with customized options for participant responses and viewing data. Second, users can respond to queries with their GPS-enabled mobile device, which results in their geo- and time-stamped responses populating a web-accessible map in real time. KnoWare can also interface with additional applications to diversify the types of data that can be reported. We demonstrate this capability with a second iOS app called InSpector that performs quantitative water quality measurements. When used in combina-tion, these technologies create a workflow to facilitate the collection, sharing and interpretation of scientific data by non-expert scientists.

scholarly journals Innovation Through Collaboration

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Lynne Powell ◽  
HanShe Lim ◽  
Iain Brown ◽  
Tao Huang ◽  
Niels C. Munksgaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Water Quality Data ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Urban Catchments ◽  
First Time ◽  
Industry Community

With little data available on the quality of stormwater discharging from urban catchments to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), the driver for the Smart Catchments: Saltwater Creek project was “If we don’t monitor, we can’t manage”. To do this, near real-time high-frequency discharge and water quality data are needed. A second driver was to make available, for the first time in a GBR catchment, near real-time water quality data for Council’s management actions but also for the community from an education perspective to engage them in water quality issues. Working collaboratively with industry, community, educators and scientists, the project, led by Cairns Regional Council, fulfils a commitment to the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan. This paper presents a more holistic and effective approach to monitor and manage water quality runoff from urban catchments.

scholarly journals KnoWare: A System for Citizen-based Environmental Monitoring

10.28945/3510 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy J Storer ◽  
Joseph T. Chao ◽  
Andrew T Torelli ◽  
Alexis D Ostrowski
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Monitoring ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Mobile Device ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Reliable Data ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Timely Feedback ◽  
Quality Measurements

Non-expert scientists are frequently involved in research requiring data acquisition over large geographic areas. Despite mutual benefits for such “citizen science”, barriers also exist, including 1) difficulty maintaining user engagement with timely feedback, and 2) the challenge of providing non-experts with the means to generate reliable data. We have developed a system that addresses these barriers. Our technologies, KnoWare and InSpector, allow users to: collect reliable scientific measurements, map geo-tagged data, and intuitively visualize the results in real-time. KnoWare comprises a web portal and an iOS app with two core functions. First, users can generate scientific ‘queries’ that entail a call for information posed to a crowd with customized options for participant responses and viewing data. Second, users can respond to queries with their GPS-enabled mobile device, which results in their geo- and time-stamped responses populating a web-accessible map in real time. KnoWare can also interface with additional applications to diversify the types of data that can be reported. We demonstrate this capability with a second iOS app called InSpector that performs quantitative water quality measurements. When used in combina-tion, these technologies create a workflow to facilitate the collection, sharing and interpretation of scientific data by non-expert scientists.

scholarly journals The consequences for stream water quality of long-term changes in landscape patterns: Implications for land use management and policies

2021 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
pp. 105679
Author(s):  
António Carlos Pinheiro Fernandes ◽  
Lisa Maria de Oliveira Martins ◽  
Fernando António Leal Pacheco ◽  
Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Landscape Patterns ◽  
Land Use Management ◽  
Stream Water Quality ◽  
Long Term Changes

Long-term changes in water quality and ecological status of lakes in the Wielkopolska National Park and its buffer zone with special reference to effectiveness of the lakes’ protection

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnieszka E. Ławniczak
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
National Park ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Buffer Zone ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Long Term Changes ◽  
Protection Strategies

AbstractThis paper evaluates water quality and ecological status of lakes located in the Wielkopolska National Park and its buffer zone. Changes in water quality were analyzed from 1974 to 2012 in order to assess the effectiveness of the protection strategies implemented on the studied lakes since 1957, i.e. the date when the park was established. The ecological status of the lakes was assessed with the use of macrophytes as well as hydromorphological and physicochemical analyses performed in 2012. Changes in water quality of the studied lakes within the last 40 years were analyzed based on available published and unpublished data, as well as field studies. All water bodies are characterized by advanced eutrophication. However, evaluation of the ecological status showed good status of the charophyte-dominated lakes, i.e. Lake Wielkowiejskie and Lake Budzyńskie. Lack of significant differences in physicochemical water qualities between the park and its buffer zone indicated that measures implemented to protect the water, particularly in the park, are ineffective. This study shows that more radical conservation measures are necessary to protect and improve the water quality, not only in WPN and its buffer zone but also in the whole catchment area.

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