Real-Time River Monitoring - City of Indianapolis

Project Overview

River monitoring system with cellular telemetry

Subject to accidental spills, combined sewer overflows, and pollution from industrial sites, the White River requires constant monitoring to protect public health. Given the number of fish kills reported on the river in recent years, it was crucial to maximize the effectiveness of water quality monitoring efforts.

The City of Indianapolis needed to create a system that could quickly retrieve water quality data from various points around the city and analyze it for possible signs of contamination. Officials chose a NexSens real-time data collection network that provides personnel with up-to-the-hour water quality data from multiple sites along the river.

System Description

Data buoy deployment

YSI 6600 multi-parameter sondes monitor temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, ORP, and turbidity. Data from all sites is transmitted to a centralized computer via cellular modems on NexSens 3100-iSIC data loggers.

NexSens iChart software stores the data in a secure database and automatically posts real-time updates to a local network drive for easy viewing by city personnel. The software also automatically generates custom reports at set intervals, which simplifies data management and review. For immediate spill detection, alarms are set up to send e-mails or mobile alerts when parameters exceed their acceptable ranges.

With NexSens continuous, real-time data, the city can quickly respond to water quality impairments, identify contamination sources, and improve data quality — all while saving time and money.