Data Acquisition and Management System for Flathead Lake Biological Station

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Established in 1896, the Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) has a long tradition of field-based education and research. In 1980, emphasis on limnology was initiated. FLBS now has a 15-member staff and an annual budget of $700,00 (60% extramural). An additional $2 million has been invested in new housing and a Freshwater Research Lab. NSF awards have provided a 30` research vessel (1987-88) and research on stream hyporheos (1987-90) and food webs of oligotrophic lakes (1990-92). FLBS research and monitoring (e.g., daily discharge and temperature; chemical variables and biota) has generated long-term data bases for over 50 sites in the 22,241 km2 Flathead River Basin. For example, limnological and hyrological data for Flathead Lake date to 1902. Because these data bases are essential to research on the structure and function of the Flathead River-Lake Ecosystem, a data archival and management will be developed and enhance continuous data acquisition capability around long-term research objectives. A computer system for data base management, a midlake buoy and weather station for Flathead Lake and global positioning (GPS) and automated water column profiling systems (i.e., continuous GPS, CDT, transmissometer and sonar data logged on a portable computer for input to existing GIS for the research vessel are to be acquired. These items, coupled with existing data loggers, sensors and samplers, compose the hardware of the data base system. A full-time person will be employed to coordinate routine data acquisition and to manage FLBS data bases for research use and for the needs of visiting investigators.