Low-cost water and weather monitoring in the Amazon Basin
A monitoring tool consisting of a modular system of water level and quality sensors, weather stations, as well as web and mobile applications for data collection, management and dissemination. It uses open access platforms to create a low-cost alternative to traditionally used water and weather monitoring methods.
On a regional scale, we seek to investigate environmental factors related to fish migrations in the Amazon Basin. To accomplish this, Florida International University is collaborating with Wildlife Conservation Society, Conservify and numerous local partners to implement a low-cost, high-tech water and weather monitoring network throughout the Amazon Basin.
On a local scale, many communities and actors define these questions, such as local hydrology, micro-watersheds, and white, black, and clear water ecosystems – which may be adjacent to one another and yet have different environments. Ultimately, we seek to answer not only the question concerning the Basin scale, but also questions of local interest.
Contact: [email protected]
Parameters
- Water level
- Water quality: temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen.
- Weather conditions: air temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed and direction.
Tools
- Modular sensor system to monitor weather and water level and quality.
- Mobile application for Android devices allows individuals and local organizations to download field data, transfer the data to the cloud, where it goes through quality control before being made freely available through a web application.
- Web application for management, quality control and dissemination of information
We will generate open data: anyone with an Android device and an internet connection, anywhere in the world, will be able to access and download the data.
Pilots
- Omacha Foundation and National University of Colombia: Puerto Nariño and Leticia, Tarapoto Lakes and Yaguarcaca Lake (Colombia)
- Instituto del Bien Común (Institute of the Common Good): Puerto Bermúdez (Peru)
- Mamirauá Institute: Tefé (Brazil)
- Radio Ucamara and Wildlife Conservation Society: Nauta, at the confluence of the Marañon and Ucayali (Peru)
- San Diego Zoo Global: Cocha Cashu (Peru)
- San Francisco de Quito University and Wildlife Conservation Society: Tiputini, Rio Tiputini (Ecuador)
- Wildlife Conservation Society: Rurrenabaque and Madidi (Bolivia)