Monitoring Suspended Sediment Concentration (SCC) in open waters helps understanding various environmental and ecological dynamics of rivers and canals. By providing insights into the concentrations of particles -primarily soil, silt, and organic matter- suspended in the water, one can make informed decisions that affect a range of sectors.
In Europe, we see sediment-load monitoring playing a vital role in:
Assessing water quality and habitat conditions for fish, larvae and other organisms
Monitoring and predicting sediment depositions in rivers and harbours; or for dam and reservoir management
Understanding the impact of agricultural runoff on nearby water bodies
Monitoring the effects of storms and floods
Provide insight into the impact of construction and development projects
The need for a continuous and economic sediment monitoring
Weather events and human activities are inherently unpredictable, causing wide fluctuations in SSC. This variability necessitates frequent and continuous online monitoring, often in remote or difficult-to-reach locations under challenging conditions. Minimizing the need for site visits not only reduces operational costs but also enhances safety.
The Olpas Advantage: Extended Maintenance Intervals
This is where the Olpas measurement technology excels. The innovative sensors from Olpas boast maintenance intervals up to six times longer than traditional state-of-the-art optical sediment sensors. Routine maintenance of Olpas sensors is remarkably simple, requiring only a quick wipe with a wet cloth - no need for replacing wipers.
In most circumstances a 'once-per-saison' maintenance visit is enough
Efficiency and Reliability
Adopting Olpas sensors for sediment measurements offers substantial benefits:
Increased Efficiency: Teams can allocate their time more effectively, allowing for the deployment of more sensors within the same annual maintenance budget.
Enhanced Reliability: The robust Olpas measurement technology is highly resistant to (bio)fouling, ensuring longer intervals between maintenance. Additionally, these sensors are designed to minimize drift, providing consistently accurate measurements over time.
By choosing Olpas sensors, organizations can optimize their monitoring processes, leading to more accurate data collection and reduced operational costs.
Moving to Olpas sensors for Sediment measurements frees up time of your team and allows more sensors to be deployed with the same yearly maintenance budget
Read more about the background of the OLPAS Measurement Technology.
Read about field-testing the Olpas sensor in the Aa river and the installation of an Olpas TSS sensor.