George E. Host, Norman R. Will, Richard P. Axler, Christopher J. Owen, and Bruce H. Munson

Abstract:  New technologies for remote sensing of the environment coupled with interactive visual displays of information have made data on water quality more accessible to resource managers and to the general public. We have developed a robotic water sampling device known as Remote Underwater Sampling Station that transmits near-real time data on lake temperature, oxygen concentration, electrical conductivity, turbidity and pH at programmed depths in the water column to an Internet web site. A suite of interactive tools is available over the web to view and manipulate vertical water quality profiles collected by these units at various temporal resolutions. The tools provide for static and animated two and three-dimensional views of the data. The integration of these hardware and software technologies has proven valuable for education, and for providing the public with interpretable data on the water quality of their lakes.