Thematic Area: Environmental Science
Managing aquatic systems using
in-situ sensor technologies
Valerie McCarthy, Dundalk Institute of Technology
Background:
• Lakes and rivers are used for a range
of ecosystem services including supply
of potable water, recreation and
fisheries.
• Lakes are sensitive to what happens in
the catchment, particularly climate
and nutrient loading.
Developments in lake monitoring
Until recently monitoring relied on discrete
samples, later analysed in the laboratory.
Typically provided weekly to monthly
resolution.
Now possible to monitor automatically
at high frequency using sensors
mounted on in-situ platforms or buoys.
Allows new insights into the processes
that drive change at sub-daily and hourly
intervals & web-based observations now
possible.
Proposed Activities
Overall Goal:
• To deploy monitoring systems and use the data
collected to gain new insights into system
processes.
• Focus on the use of high-frequency data from
lakes and reservoirs to inform water resource
management.
• Specific interest in the role of aquatic ecosystem
functioning in carbon processing now and under
future climate change scenarios.
Relevant Areas:
• Application and development of in-situ sensors for lake
monitoring
• Data acquisition and management.
• Ecological modelling
Contact: Eleanor.Jennings@dkit.ie; Valerie.mccarthy@dkit.ie