The Growing Need to Monitor Groundwater
The need for coordinated groundwater management has grown as aquifers vital to municipal, agricultural, and industrial use are being diminished across the United States. Water-challenged Western states have increased regulatory efforts to facilitate water conservation and replenish aquifers. California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act is one of the most visible examples of such regulatory efforts as it requires regional Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to develop Groundwater Sustainability Plans that allocate water to users within basins based on water use and availability.
To assist in maintaining local control of groundwater policy decisions, it is important for local decision makers to understand the groundwater levels and pumping conditions in their jurisdiction. Effective monitoring by local groundwater use agencies prevents their being placed under probation and the state intervening in local groundwater use issues. Additionally, groundwater monitoring enables documentation of historical water usage and for unused water allotments to be traded to other users. Monitoring devices that use satellite communication are especially useful for monitoring groundwater sources in rural areas that have limited to no cellular coverage.
About Ranchbot Monitoring Solutions
Ranchbot is a remote monitoring solution provider that specializes in remote water monitoring through satellite enabled hardware. Proprietary monitors and sensors drive data to the MyRanchbot software platform that provides user with alerts and reporting on water use trends. Ranchbot provides customizable water alerts in near real time, equipping users with actionable insights to facilitate improved water resource management. Ranchbot devices are engineered to withstand rugged field conditions, maintain connectivity in remote locations, and seamlessly connect to other IoT devices supported by Ranchbot.
Remote Sensors for Groundwater Monitoring
Ranchbot water level monitors record ground water level using a submersible, hydrostatic sensor that measures the weight of the water column above the sensor. Ranchbot water level sensors can be placed in wells up to 880’ deep to measure aquifer depth and recharge over time. Ranchbot’s premier monitor is powered by a solar-powered battery, can connect to 5 additional wired devices and sensors, and can connect to 10 wireless sensors via LoRa point-to-point Wi-Fi.
Groundwater can also be monitored using Ranchbot lite, which can connect to a single water level sensor, but at reduced hardware and subscription costs. Ranchbot lite is powered by a replaceable battery with a lifespan of up to 3 years.
Ranchbot flow meters add the capability to monitor volume and flow rate of water pumped from groundwater sources. Flow meters can be installed in 1” to 6” diameter pipes and connect to Ranchbot monitors through a wired cable connection. A single Ranchbot Monitor can connect to up to three flow meters.
More information about Ranchbot’s product ecosystem, visit ranch-bot.com. To inquire about how Ranchbot can monitor groundwater, contact the sales team at 512-706-9084 or sales@ranch-bot.com.