TIAER employs a full-time field staff comprised of biologists, hydrologists, and other individuals trained to assist as needed. The staff is proficient in the following activities:
- Establishing, maintaining, and monitoring remote automated water quality monitoring equipment.
- Collecting, processing, and transporting water quality samples.
- Performing recreational and aquatic life Use Attainability Analyses (UAAs) and habitat assessments.
- Designing, constructing, and maintaining experimental field plots.
- Deploying multiprobe sondes and automated samplers.
- Time-of-travel studies.
- In situ measurement of sediment oxygen demand (SOD).
- In situ measurement of algal productivity.
- In situ measurement of algal growth potential and nutrient limitation.
- Velocity measurements and rating curve development.
- Collection, preservation, and analysis of E. coli and Enterococci samples.
- Ground truthing to validate land-use maps.
- Maintenance of real-time monitoring systems.
- TIAER’s Field Operations group maintains a variety of equipment to successfully complete its water quality monitoring activities. This equipment includes:
- Isco™ carousel automated water samplers and programmable bubbler type level meters.
- YSI Multiprobes.
- Conventional and Doppler technology current meters.
- Electronic rain gauges.
- Boats for a variety of aquatic environments.
- GPS and surveying equipment.
- Backpack electrofishing equipment and seines.
- A vehicle fleet to access sampling locations.
