The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), in partnership with the Department of Planning and Environment’s Science, Economics and Insights Division, has deployed a smart buoy that uses advanced technology to help track water quality following two recent fish kills at Lake Macquarie.
The custom-built smart buoy uses pumps to automatically sample water from different depths. The water passes through an array of water quality sensors. The data is then transmitted the data to the cloud for real-time analysis.
NSW EPA Chief Executive Officer Tony Chappel said the buoy, deployed near Wyee Point, will contribute to the long-term understanding of water quality in the lake.
“The health of the lake is an important issue for us. The recent fish kills have understandably raised a lot of concern in the community,” Chappel said.
“As the largest saltwater lake in the southern hemisphere, we want to ensure we have the best technology to monitor any changes. Over the next six months, the buoy will provide our teams with vital baseline data to assess salinity, turbidity, oxygen, temperature and pH levels. The biggest benefit of these smart buoys is the real-time data they provide. This will help our teams to spot an issue before it’s too late. Hopefully, this will help protect against any further impacts on the lake’s marine life.
“We know the lake is the heart of the local community. We will continue to do what we can to keep people informed and ensure the best protections are in place.”
The future of smart buoys in NSW
DPIE’s Science, Economics and Insights (SEI) Executive Director Georgina Kelly said smart buoys form part of a network of water quality initiatives set up across the state by the department’s SEI division.
“This technology has been designed and purpose-built by SEI. We typically use these buoys for monitoring water quality in estuaries or for short-term deployments. The shorter deployments tend to follow a flood or bushfire event. We monitor the impact of natural disasters on NSW waterways,” Kelly said.
The EPA’s investigation into the fish kills remains a top priority, with the most up-to-date statement available on the EPA’s website.
To report any pollution or environmental incidents, please contact the NSW EPA 24/7 Environment Line on 131 555.