IBM's 'Smart Lake' to Study Water Conservation

IBM Creates 'Smart Lake' In Upstate New York To Study Freshwater Conservation

Using a series of sensors, including underwater sonar, Big Blue scientists working on the Jefferson Project have been able to map Lake George's water circulation, road salt and water runoff from nearby mountains, and even create a weather model. Data from the lake, in upstate New York, is vital to understanding the local ecosystem, and the team hopes the lessons learned from the project will be used to protect freshwater sources worldwide.

“The world’s important bodies of fresh water such as Lake George are precious to people, essential to life and drive the economy, but they're under siege from a growing list of threats," said Harry Kolar, IBM distinguished engineer and associate director of the Jefferson Project, in a statement. “The key to protecting this precious natural resource lies in the data, and the stage is now set to discover a deluge of insights about the delicate ecology of the lake and the factors that threaten it."

Work at the lake started 35 years ago, with scientists manually gathering data, until the Jefferson Project automated a lot of this work in October 2013. The project is expected to finish in October next year, after which the team will have a tech blueprint they can apply to other parts of the world. With the recent droughts in California and floods in Texas, the team is keen to stress the impact freshwater can have on local lives.

Source: IBTimes

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