Remote - Winter 2013 - (Page 15)

Applications Satellite for Early Flood Warning Between shifting weather patterns and human activity, forest fires are a frequent occurrence. Some fires have bigger impacts than others. On June 26, 2011, a tree fell on a power line in Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. The sparks immediately ignited the parched vegetation and started burning the forest at a rate of one acre per second. Dubbed The Las Conchas fire, the inferno burned parts of Bandelier National Monument, Santa Clara Pueblo and Cochiti Pueblo. By the time it was over an estimated 156,000 acres of land had been burned, making it the largest wildfire in New Mexico at the time. The loss of vegetation from the fire was just one of the catastrophic outcomes. With much of the vegetation removed and the ground becoming hydrophobic (or vitrified), heavy rain in the Jemez Mountains in August 2011 led to flash floods. Although newly implemented flood protection had reduced damage to the recently renovated historic visitor center, many park trails had been severely impacted. Post Wildfire Water Level Monitoring Knowing that it could take many years for the terrestrial ecosystem to recover, the agency responsible for maintaining the park needed to find a way to closely monitor the area's water cycle. They were particularly concerned about heavy rains that could once again cause flash floods, thereby threatening lives and damaging property and park assets. The agency turned to Colorado-based OneRain to provide several water level monitoring sites. Each consisted of a stream gauge connected to a SkyWave satellite messaging terminal and powered by a 10 watt solar panel. One of the solution's most important features is the ability to receive data from water gauges within 20 seconds of being collected and sent. The capabilities allow the local agency to quickly receive information that allows them to assess flood threat levels. The solution was quickly tested for its effectiveness. On July 25, 2013, rains in the region led to a 17 foot high wall of water barreling through a local canyon towards the visitor center. Fortunately, real-time water level information allowed the local agency to mobilize flood protection measures in advance. The early warning ensured that no one was hurt and damage to the visitor center and surrounding areas was minimized. Satellite - Growing Trend for Water Applications The United States EPA states that on average 14 percent of the water treated by water systems is lost to leaks. Some systems have reported losses exceeding 60 percent. As water becomes scarcer, the need to closely monitor this vital resource is growing. The use of satellite messaging terminals will also continue to grow in water monitoring applications. Aside from metering and level monitoring, this type of device is being used for weather monitoring for mining companies as well as water quality/quantity monitoring for utilities. The reason these devices are well suited for water applications is that they are a highly cost-effective means of implementing a communication link in remote areas. They do not require any investment in radio infrastructure and line-of-sight issues are typically limited to "do we have a clear view of the sky?" These terminals also provide the flexibility to be able to send as much data as the user wants to send when they need it. The ability to communicate with the remote site is also an attractive feature as it allows users to query statuses as well as control devices such as valves. As potable water becomes more precious, the drive to monitor its availability will continue to grow and satellite messaging terminals will increasingly become a necessary part of the equation. SkyWave Mobile Communications is a global provider of wireless data communications for the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) market. SkyWave's products provide dependable communication, tracking, monitoring and remote management of fixed and mobile assets. For more information, please visit www.skywave.com. Remote Site & Equipment Management \ Winter 2013 15 http://www.skywave.com http://www.remotemagazine.com/internetofthings/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Remote - Winter 2013

Editor’s Choice
Message Oriented Middleware - The Future of SCADA
Enhanced SCADA Access and Big Data Lead to New Analytics & Optimization Capabilities
Approaches to Powering Telecom Sites
Satellite Communications for Water Metering and Other Water Applications
Remote Magazine Launches Internet of Things North America
Geospatially Integrated Surveillance Systems
Tier 1 Operator Case Study: Intelligent Site Management
SCADA - The Brain of the Smart Grid
SCADA
Networking
Security
Onsite Power
Industry News

Remote - Winter 2013