Environmental measurement

Organisation: Vaisala Oyj

Time: 1/1/2010 – 1/1/2012

Description:

The degradation of marine habitats is especially distinct in semi-enclosed seas such as the Baltic Sea. In the gulf of Riga degradation is caused in-part by increased under-drainage of peat covered wetlands and a tendency towards intensification of agricultural practices.

Effective reduction of point-source pollution depends largely on sustained ambient-, and water quality monitoring and the enforcement of derivative regulations.

Understanding the complexity of the interplay between the hydrological cycle and biosciences is crucial for developing sustainable agricultural practices and associated regulations. A best understanding of these complexities can, according to current knowledge, be achieved through combined hydrological modelling and monitoring programs. Further, given that an understanding of the interplay between point-source pollution and runoff mechanisms can be achieved, it would be possible to enact preemptive measures through use of real-time data feeds and forecasting services.

Real-time data feeds and forecasting can be used to create decision support systems (DSS) for responsible authorities and the public.

Vaisala pledges to donate a water quality monitoring site at a chosen location along the Pärnu River and deliver a hydrological modelling and forecasting system to the Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (EMHI) as part of our commitment to improve the health of the Baltic Sea.

It is in our plan to also provide a web services to the public for real-time data and forecast information access.

The hydrological modeling and real-time DSS will be based on public domain and open source technology, allowing the possibility to duplicate such systems at very low costs to other river basins draining in to the Baltic Sea.

Vaisala pledges to donate:

A water quality probe at a chosen monitoring site along the Pärnu River for Tallinn Technical University (TTU).

Deliver a hydrological modelling and forecasting system to the Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (EMHI).

Provide a web services to the public for real-time data and forecast information access.