Water for the Future: Upgrading the Robinson Forest stream monitoring network to improve quality and accessibility

罗宾逊森林(http://robinson-forest.ca.uky.edu/))的河流监测网是阿巴拉契亚地区最有价值的水产研究资源之一，它为了解地面采矿和森林管理对淡水资源的影响提供了关键信息。然而，该站的监测设备陈旧和陈旧。该项目将为河流监测网络提供关键设备升级，这将提高该网络收集的河流流量和水质信息的质量和可及性。该项目还将升级现有的罗宾逊森林气象站，并增加另一个气象站，这将提高从这一重要设施收集的天气数据的质量和可及性。更好的数据质量将使研究人员能够对淡水资源的人为(采矿、伐木)和自然(昆虫、火灾)影响进行更敏感和更强大的分析。了解这些和其他水质问题对于保护和改善河流健康至关重要，特别是在阿巴拉契亚地区。此外，更好的数据可访问性将使这些有价值的信息可供其他研究人员、负责水资源保护和管理的州和联邦机构以及普通公众使用。随着时间的推移，该项目将有助于减少河流退化，并导致继续制定改进的流域管理指南，改善阿巴拉契亚及其他地区的河流健康。该项目将升级罗宾逊森林现有的河流监测网络，以提高数据质量和数据可及性。目前，监测设备陈旧，技术陈旧，需要大量的维护时间来收集和处理数据。该项目将允许研究人员在线直播水流数据，极大地改善PI和其他调查人员的数据可及性。该项目还将增加网络的导电性和温度传感能力。目前，这些和其他水质参数只按周收集一次，从水质监测的角度来看，这相对不敏感。该项目将允许以15分钟的间隔收集电导率和温度数据，还将允许在线直播这些数据。这些升级将改善这些数据的质量和可获得性，改善肯塔基大学的私人投资机构以及其他机构和机构的访问和合作学者和科学家的利用率。除了升级河流监测网络外，该项目还将升级现有的罗宾逊森林气象站，并增加一个气象站。这些气象站将通过肯塔基州的Mesonet平台在线直播天气数据，增强英国调查人员和合作者的数据可用性。这些改进将显著提高现有调查人员和潜在的新合作伙伴调查重要项目的能力，包括了解露天采矿对阿巴拉契亚河流径流和水质(以及相关的水生和河岸野生动物)的影响，制定对河流影响最小的森林管理准则，以及了解阿巴拉契亚地区的参考质量溪流和水质。最后，这些升级将使肯塔基大学相关课程的学生和合作机构能够实时获取这些数据。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The stream monitoring network at Robinson Forest (http://robinson-forest.ca.uky.edu/) is one of the most valuable aquatic research resources in the Appalachian region, and it provides critical information for understanding impacts of surface mining and forest management on freshwater resources. However, the monitoring equipment at this station is outdated and obsolete. This project will provide critical equipment upgrades to the stream monitoring network, which will improve both the quality and the accessibility of the streamflow and water quality information collected by this network. This project will also upgrade the existing Robinson Forest weather station and add another weather station, which will improve the quality and accessibility of weather data collected from this important facility. Better data quality will allow researchers to perform more sensitive and powerful analysis regarding manmade (mining, logging) and natural (insects, fire) impacts on freshwater resources. Understanding these and other water quality issues is essential for the protection and improvement of stream health, especially in Appalachia. In addition, better data accessibility will make this valuable information available for use by other researchers, state and federal agencies tasked with water resource conservation and management and the general public. Over time, this project will help reduce stream degradation and lead to the continued development of improved watershed management guidelines, improving stream health in Appalachia and beyond. This project will upgrade the existing stream monitoring network at Robinson Forest to enhance both data quality and data accessibility. Currently, the monitoring equipment is old and technologically obsolete, and requires a significant amount of upkeep time for data collection and processing. This project will allow researchers to live-stream streamflow data online, dramatically improving data accessibility for PIs and other investigators. The project will also add conductivity and temperature sensing capability to the network. Currently, these and other water quality parameters are collected on only a weekly basis, which is relatively insensitive from a water quality monitoring perspective. This project will allow collection of conductivity and temperature data at 15-minute intervals, and will also allow live-streaming of these data online. These upgrades will improve the quality and accessibility of these data, improving utilization by both PIs at the University of Kentucky and visiting and collaborating scholars and scientists from other institutions and agencies. In addition to upgrading the stream monitoring network, the project will upgrade the existing Robinson Forest weather station and add an additional weather station. These stations will live-stream weather data online via the Kentucky Mesonet platform, enhancing data availability for both UK investigators and collaborators. These improvements will significantly enhance the ability of existing investigators and potential new partners to investigate important projects including understanding impacts of surface mining on Appalachian streamflow and water quality (and associated aquatic and riparian wildlife), developing forest management guidelines for minimal stream impacts, and understanding reference quality streamflow and water quality in Appalachia. Finally, these upgrades will make these data accessible in real-time for students in relevant courses at the University of Kentucky and collaborating institutions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.