On October 29th, SECOORA joined USF COMPS Systems Engineer, Jeffrey Scudder, and YSI Senior Applications Specialist, Mike Lizotte, as they hosted a tour of the USF COMPS Clam Bayou water quality station. A University of South Florida St. Petersburg environmental science lab applied classroom knowledge about water quality systems to the field.
During the tour, the students learned about the new YSI Xylem EXO2 Multi-Parameter Water Quality Monitoring sonde. The sonde system measures salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature, turbidity, chlorophyll, blue green algae, and fluorescent dissolved organic matter and depth. This water quality data augments the station’s wind, air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, and barometric pressure measurements.
Mike and Jennifer Bishop, YSI Quality Engineer, showcased a new sensor array they were incorporating into the Clam Bayou station. They installed an YSI WaterLog bubbler and radar water level sensor. Both sensors measure water level using different technologies. Clam Bayou is serving as a developmental site to show how these sensors could be used in a coastal environment to measure sea level rise accurately. Data can also be used by the weather service for storm surge measurement. Bubblers and radars are mainly found in freshwater water quality and level monitoring systems. Pictured below is the system installed.
—-
Images Credit: Jennifer Bishop, Xylem YSI
Related news
Scientist Spotlight: Dr. Frank Muller-Karger
Meet Dr. Frank Muller-Karger, a Biological Oceanographer and Distinguished University Professor at the USF College of Marine Science and co-lead of the U.S. Marine Biodiversity Observation Network. His research integrates satellite data, environmental DNA, and physical sensors to better understand how warming oceans are influencing marine populations.
Webinar | The Sound of Resilience? Listening to Estuaries in a Changing World
Join us on November 5, 2026, at 12:00 PM ET to explore sound is transforming our ability to monitor, understand, and communicate estuarine ecosystem health in a rapidly changing world.
Meet the Recipients for the 2026 Vembu Subramanian Ocean Scholars Award
Meet the 2026 Vembu Subramanian Ocean Scholars! This year’s scholars will attend the 2026 SECOORA Annual Meeting in Atlantic Beach, NC, where they will be paired with experienced mentors who will help support networking, career conversations, and connections within our community.