Water and Weather Monitoring Buoys

Update: Fall 2013 - The Keweenaw Waterway North and South Buoys have been removed from Lake Superior for the winter. They will be deployed again in the summer 2014 field season.

The Michigan Technological University Keweenaw Waterway North and South Buoys have near real-time reporting capabilities and were designed meet the primary goals of the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS). The buoys are two of the data collection instruments used in Lake Superior's north and south entrances to the Keweenaw waterway. The buoy data are also available through the UGLOS portal located at https://uglos.mtu.edu/.

Michigan Tech and MTRI are implementing key observing systems and modeling improvements that focus on critical needs of the Great Lakes region that affect the health, ecological integrity and economic viability of the region. Priority issues are climate change impacts, ecosystem and food web dynamics, protection of public health, and navigation safety and efficiency. The Lake Superior Water Monitoring and Information System focuses on education, research, and development of technology to sense and understand the Great Lakes environment.

The Keweenaw Waterway North and South Buoy design, deployment, and monitoring is in collaboration with Dr. Guy Meadows, the Director, Great Lakes Research Initiatives, Great Lakes Research Center, Michigan Technological University.

Data Acquisition Capabilities

North Buoy (Station 45023)

  • Air Temperature
  • Water Temperature Profile
  • Wind Direction
  • Wind Speed & Gust
  • Pressure and Dew Point
  • Wave Height
  • Wave Period
  • Solar Radiation & Photosyntheticly Active Radiation (PAR)
  • Conductivity
  • pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO) & Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP)
  • Blue-Green Algae
  • Chlorophyll
  • Turbidity
  • Currents (ADCD)

    • temperature data

    Example Temperature Data Acquired

    South Buoy (Station 45025)

     

    The TIDAS 900 Buoys are located approximately 3.5 miles off the shoreline of the north and south entrances to the Keweenaw waterway at the depth of approximately 22 meters.

    Buoy Locations

    North and South Buoy Locations

    For Additional Information

    Robert Shuchman, Ph.D.
    Co-Director
    734.913.6860
    shuchman@mtu.edu

    Charlie Kerfoot, Ph.D.
    Professor, Biological Sciences
    906.487.2791
    wkerfoot@mtu.edu

    https://uglos.mtu.edu/

    buoy head

    Download and View Data

    The water quality and observational data collected using the Ranger III and Keweenaw Waterway North and South Buoy instrumentation can be retrieved using the interactive online database. The database allows users to view data by interactive chart or mapping application.

    NOTE: Fall 2013 - The Keweenaw Waterway North and South Buoys have been removed from Lake Superior for the winter. They will be deployed again in the summer of 2014.

    The Keweenaw Waterway North and South Buoy data is updated every 10 minutes using a wireless connection and is shared and distrubuted with other observing websites. For alternative ways to view this data see GLOS, UGLOS (45023), UGLOS (45025) and NOAA's National Buoy Data Center.

    buoy deployment