Can we deploy a system of remote sensors in local groundwater wells in order to measure and manage water table levels? A system of remote sensors would measure water levels in local wells. When water levels dropped below a critical level at which the salt concentration is below a certain threshold, for example, 150 mg/L, the sensor would share this information with a centralized monitoring server.
This requires simultaneous measurements of water level and salt concentration. Salinization as well as many soil-water interface parameters can be measured indirectly through electrical conductance monitoring devices (electrical conductivity probes).
[Is there a specific example of a district at high risk of desalinization?]
Groundwater wells draw on the surface water table. As the amount of water in the wells diminishes, the amount of salinity in the water table rises, damaging the soil and reducing water quality for drinking and irrigation for the entire area. Water table management is thus best approached as a collective effort.
This project would identify the relevant wells in the given water table, and install sensors in the wells which would register when the water declined below a preidentified level. The sensor would send this information back to the server. The server would recognize when a critical number of wells fell below the preidentified level, indicating an imminent challenge to the water table.
This information would be used to trigger a community water conservation and management response. [Would this be centralized? What insitution would manage this? How would farmers be notified? How would their response be managed?]
[Who would be the primary stakeholder? Is this most effective for an NGO--i.e. leading a water management response--or an individual--i.e. mass message notification to local farmers? Who do you see as the primary beneficiary? This will influence the way we write this story.]
[?? What about availability of sensors? What brand and type? What is their durability/longevity? What are the limitations of their range? Where would they transmit signals to? Where would the central server be located? What are the energy/connectivity limitations in that area?]
[Anything to add?]
Do similar resoures [remote sensor projects for water management] exist? Do sainization sensors exist? Has this been tried in other places or countries, or is there a similar model for other sectors?
[Who would own the problem? What location would it be deployed? Would it be in conjunction with another program?]
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