City, state, and government agencies concerned with-water quality measurements have used temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen sensors in the past, but with limited success, especially in shallow waters. Water quality data collection in shallow water areas can be a challenge because it normally requires setting up sensors in several places, plus it is redundant and time consuming. Performing the task manually also has a high chance of disturbing the test area. Large territories and inaccessible areas present difficulties due to a soft bottom or contamination. There is a high probability of disturbing the test area while placing the sensors. In the San Joaquin River Basin in California, for instance, a real-time water quality forecasting model helped improve the management of saline agricultural and wetland drainage to meet water quality objectives. To help alleviate some of the challenges in the South Texas Coastal waters, the instrumentation and software systems of a NASA-funded project led to development of a remotely-controlled, shallow-draft vehicle. The system wirelessly transmits environmental data to a docking and control station in real time.
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