Dissolved Oxygen Monitoring at Hydro-Electric Plants

While the advantages of hydro-electric plants certainly outweigh the risks, the construction of these plants can be disruptive to surrounding aquatic ecosystems. Often, the dissolved oxygen (DO) content of the water may change from pre-construction conditions.

Underwater life relies on dissolved oxygen to breathe. Low DO levels can be harmful or, in some cases, lethal to these aquatic species. Because of this, hydroelectric dams often have FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) permit requirements for monitoring the water quality, specifically dissolved oxygen levels, at certain locations upstream and downstream of the plant.

Fondriest Environmental offers dissolved oxygen monitoring solutions that are ideal for these hydro-electric plant regulatory monitoring needs. A Fondriest real-time dissolved oxygen monitoring system can often be put into place with a fixed PVC pipe deployment (illustration to the left), which is able to mount along bridges, piers, dams, railroad trestles, other structures in the river, or river bank sites near the hydro-electric dam facility. Alternatively, buoy-based deployments or in-facility options are available.

These flexible and powerful dissolved oxygen monitoring systems have been refined over the years to meet the specific needs of hydro-electric dam FERC requirements. Multi-parameter sonde systems can house and protect several underwater sensors, and rugged data logging equipment and analysis software from NexSens Technology are specifically designed for remote environmental monitoring applications. These systems can be configured with a wide array of sensors, data logging, telemetry, and data management options and features.

For additional information, read more about Fondriest’s Real-Time Dissolved Oxygen Monitoring systems. To hear more, call a Fondriest Environmental application engineer at 888.426.2151 or email customercare@fondriest.com.