The LoVoTECS Network portal provides data to improve the understanding of New Hampshire’s water resources and helps develop a technically advanced workforce by providing educational opportunities to interact with large data sets.
The NH LoVoTECS Network, or more precisely Lotic Volunteer Network, consists of sensors recording temperature, electrical conductivity, and stage (TECS), is funded by the National Science Foundation through a cooperative agreement via the New Hampshire Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive research (EPSCoR) program. The network is coordinated by a group of researchers, staff, and students at Plymouth State University and implemented by a broad group of partners, including educators, researchers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and citizen scientists. Our goal is to improve our understanding of New Hampshire's water resources and help develop a technically advanced workforce by providing educational opportunities to interact with large data sets.
Collaborator Kate York from SNHU downloading sensors in the Merrimack River
NH LoVoTECS volunteers play a fundamental role in maintaining and downloading data from sensors. Without them, the network simply wouldn’t be possible. LoVoTECS has approximately 42 active volunteers that host sensors in 68 independent river or stream systems.
To accomplish this, we have built a state-of-the-art, broad scale and high frequency hydrologic sensing network using simple sensors. The sensors continuously collect data at an interval of 3-5 minutes during warmer months and at an interval of 15 minutes during the winter when access is difficult and potentially dangerous. The majority of the sensor installations took place in the field season of 2012, with some additional sites installed in 2013. The network has been designed to include all watershed sizes, shapes and attributes through 100 paired sites, geographically dispersed statewide in New Hampshire. As the network grows there is potential to cross state lines and include a more regional network.
Active LoVoTECS Volunteers and Partners - Please register to enter collected field data and to upload Hobo-data files.
Members of the general public may use the Query option above to access and download NH LoVoTECS data. Registration is not required to access the data files.