In 2018, Field Data Solutions, a sister company of Field Environmental Instruments, was tasked with a job at Naval Station Newport on Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. The work entailed monitoring turbidity in the bay while a contractor removed contaminated sediments and rehabilitated rotting pilings supporting a concrete aircraft carrier pier.

FDS’ expertise helped protect Narragansett Bay, the largest estuary in New England that extends over 147 miles and is bordered by cities including Providence, Warwick, and Cranston.

During activities, a sediment control curtain was erected by the contractor to protect the bay. FDS’ task was to monitor the water for possible increases in turbidity as contaminated sediments were dredged and divers pumped concrete underwater into molds to repair the pier.

FDS deployed three YSI EXO2 water quality sondes attached to a coastal buoy just outside the curtain. Data from the sondes was transmitted to the cloud in real time. If turbidity levels exceeded those permitted by the US Environmental Protection Agency, alerts were sent by FDS Connect ™, the company’s real-time monitoring system, to the contractor to suspend work.

FDS’ expertise not only helped protect Narragansett Bay, but also cut costs for the contractor and the US Navy. The use of the company’s real-time monitoring system negated the need for deploying personnel out in the bay to monitor turbidity.