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Dec.
9, 2002 |
Rensselaer a Partner in Monitoring the Hudson
River
Rensselaer is part of a $1 million pilot research
project to develop a system to observe, monitor, and collect data
on and about the Hudson River.
The Hudson Riverscope will include monitoring
sites on the Hudson River in Waterford, Saratoga County, and
Piermont Pier, Rockland County, that will provide data on
the flow of materials in the river, the spread of zebra mussel
larvae, and tracking of suspended contaminants such as polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs). This data will be used to help analyze and
even predict the spread and impact of contaminants and will
provide a better understanding of river behavior.
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The "Hudson Riverscope" is a joint project
of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University,
and Rensselaer that will monitor the Hudson River in order to
protect the historic waterway. It is the first incubator research
project of the Rivers and Estuaries Center on the Hudson. In January
2000, Governor Pataki announced plans to create a world-class
research institute for the study of the Hudson River and its estuaries.
The Hudson Riverscope will include monitoring
sites on the Hudson River in Waterford, Saratoga County, and Piermont
Pier, Rockland County, that will provide data on the flow of materials
in the river, the spread of zebra mussel larvae, and tracking
of suspended contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
This data will be used to help analyze and even predict the spread
and impact of contaminants and will provide a better understanding
of river behavior.
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Gerald Katzman
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"Rensselaer will be an active partner in
this pilot research project," said President Shirley Ann
Jackson. "There is no question that the development of new
science and technology for monitoring the Hudson River will serve
as a national model, and ensure the health of the river for years
to come."
Funding for the system includes $500,000 in federal
monies secured by Congressman James T. Walsh for the Rivers and
Estuaries Center, $230,000 in-kind resources from Pace University,
Lamont-Doherty, and Rensselaer, $100,000 from New York state,
and $200,000 from research institutions.
More than 20 communities have expressed interest
in housing the Rivers and Estuaries Center on the Hudson. Twelve
sites are undergoing further review to determine their site suitability.
A final site will be chosen in 2003.
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