The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has launched a world-first mission to develop a ground-to-space water quality monitoring system.
Chief Executive of CSIRO, Larry Marshall said the AquaWatch mission aimed to develop an extensive network of Earth observation satellites and ground-based water sensors to deliver near real time monitoring and forecasting for water quality.
Dr Marshall said that once fully operational, AquaWatch would provide near real-time updates and predictive forecasting – a weather service for water quality.
“Imagine taking your family to the local swimming spot and being able to open your phone and check the water quality before they dive in,” Dr Marshall said.
“Or better yet, getting a forecast for the water quality days before you planned your family day out,” he said.
“Now imagine the impact of this if you were an environment manager, able to receive advance warning of the oxygen-depleted blackwater events often responsible for mass fish kills.”
Dr Marshall said that overseas, in places where people still faced the risk of unsafe water for basic needs like drinking and sanitation, such a service could be a game-changer.
He said the ingenuity behind AquaWatch was that it integrated Earth observation with other science capabilities like in-situ sensing, ecosystem modelling, engineering, data science and artificial intelligence.
“Working with a range of implementation partners, AquaWatch will extend from rivers to coasts, with the ability to monitor bays, coastal wetlands, aquaculture farming, mangrove forests and coral reefs, including the Great Barrier Reef,” the CSIRO Chief Executive said.
