The “Lakes Go Digital” project team has returned from Lithuania, where one of the project’s key activities—a 24-hour calibration was carried out on Lake Mastis.
To ensure the data collected in real-time by the smart buoys is as accurate and reliable as possible, researchers from the Institute of Aquatic Ecology (Latvia) ventured out onto the lake every two hours over the course of a full day to collect water samples and take measurements using a multi-parameter probe. They measured the same water quality parameters that are continuously monitored by the smart buoy.
The smart buoys record a range of vital water quality indicators every minute, providing municipalities and lake managers with up-to-date information on the ecological status of the water in real-time. The next step involves laboratory analysis, where field measurements will be compared against the buoy’s data to assess the monitoring system’s accuracy and ensure the highest possible data quality.
Alongside this scientific work, the Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Mykolas Romeris University and the Public Institution National Regional Development Agency also conducted an educational session for children and young people from the “Akvalina” family center in Telšiai. Participants learned how smart buoys work, what ecosystem services are, and how scientists assess a lake’s value, health, and ecological status.
Photo: Kristine Plinta
The project “Lakes Go Digital – Real-time water quality monitoring in urban lakes using smart buoys” is co-financed by the Interreg VI-A Latvia–Lithuania Program 2021–2027 and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).