Stevens Introduces New SMART SDI-12/RS-485 Sensors Featuring Integrated Programming to Simplify the Analysis of Data
Stevens introduces two new digital sensors with a smart mix of unique features and an attractive price point. The first in a line-up of rugged digital sensors, they offer built-in processing of measured data, eliminating the need to perform complex calculations to process the data for many applications. Stevens’ Smart PT is a ceramic membrane […]
Webinar Recording – Soil Sensors Field installation, Management Practices and Troubleshooting
On April 20, 2017 we hosted the first in a series of soil physics training webinars. Here is the recording of the session as well as the slide deck we used. The webinar covered the following: Installation of soil sensors and things you should consider before going into the field. Best management practices and recommendations […]
HydraProbe FAQs
Here are 7 questions and answers about using the Stevens HydraProbe. Q: What is the difference between the terms “real dielectric constant” (RDC) and the “real dielectric permittivity”? A: The terms real dielectric constant and real dielectric permittivity are often times used interchangeably and in a matter of speaking, are synonyms to one another. The […]
How to Protect Met Stations From Lightning Above and Below Ground – An Illustrated Guide
Learn how to properly protect environmental monitoring equipment, and in particular the Stevens HydraProbe from damage due to lightning strikes. Download PDF 7.1 MB
Improved Water Supply Forecasts Using Soil Moisture Data
HydraProbe used to improve water supply forecast from 3 SNOTEL sites in Idaho over traditional antecedent conditions using the principle component forecast model Much of the water in the Western United States used for irrigation, municipal supplies and hydro-electric production originates as winter snow pack at higher elevations. Since the early 1900s, the correlation between […]
Soil Moisture Applications and Practices Using the HydraProbe Soil Moisture Sensor
Over the past ten years, environmental monitoring has become increasingly important. Environmental factors such as climate change, dwindling water resources, and threatened habitats are driving the need to monitor the environment and implement better policies to protect it. Many natural processes in the environment are driven by or in some ways related soil hydrological processes. […]
Stevens HydraProbe Helps in Landslide Research
Each year during the wet season we hear news reports about landslides in America and abroad. Sometimes these events happen in unpopulated areas but unfortunately they also occur in areas where people live, causing property damage and taking lives. But what causes these events and what can be done about them? That’s what Dr. Burns, […]
HydraProbe Field Portable Used to Validate the Soil Moisture Active Passive Satellite Data in Manitoba
The calibration and validation of remotely sensed soil moisture products relies upon an accurate source of ground truth data. The primary method of providing this ground truth is to conduct intensive field campaigns with manual surface soil moisture sampling measurements, which utilize gravimetric sampling, soil moisture probes, or both, to estimate the volumetric soil water […]
OSU Researchers Deploy Stevens Equipment in Study of Green Infrastructure Treatment for Groundwater Runoff
Stormwater runoff pollution is a serious issue that faces almost every urban and suburban environment. In older city infrastructure, runoff from roofs, parking lots, and streets flows directly into the sewer system and must be handled by the municipal wastewater treatment facility, increasing the amount of work the system must undertake. For the past 30 […]
NRCS Urban Soil Primer
The Urban Soil Primer is intended to give planning officials and people who live in urban areas an introduction to soils. It provides information important in planning and managing land resources in a manner that helps to prevent or mitigate problems associated with sedimentation, contamination, runoff, and structural failure. In non-technical language, this publication describes […]
The Role of Soil Moisture on our Climate, Weather and Global Warming
Global warming is a topic that has received much attention in the media, especially during the hot days of summer. The process by which carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere prevents the escape of thermal energy into outer space is known as the greenhouse effect. The higher the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere the […]
Introduction to Soil Surveys for Agronomic Use
The USDA’s Introduction to Soil Surveys for Agronomic Use, entitled “From the Surface Down”, is an introduction to soil types, horizons, and how they are measured. The intent of this publication is to increase user understanding of soils and acquaint them with the contents of a soil survey and supplemental interpretations that are important to […]
Soil Geomorphology and Identification
When working with or studying the soil, it’s important to know what type of soil is being examined. Each type of soil has different characteristics, and will have different effects on water infiltration rates, water holding capacity, evapotranspiration rate, and other soil characteristics. Soil sensors are one popular way of measuring soil moisture, salinity, temperature […]
Stevens Enhances Groundwater Remediation Effectiveness
The Stevens HydraProbe is now being used to monitor the progress of a new groundwater pollution clean up method called phytoremediation. Phytoremediation is the method by which trees are used to pull contamination out of groundwater. Remediation of contaminated aquifers can take many years to complete. The need for clean, healthy rivers, lakes and streams […]
Stevens Water and US Farm Bill Helps Farmers Optimize Crop Irrigation & Fertilization
Agriculture is a major element for survival of the human race and of the economic system. 42 percent of the world’s laborers are employed in agriculture, making it by far the most common occupation. With agriculture using approximately 60 percent of available freshwater withdrawals, concerns continue to grow over farmers implementing water conservation practices. Increasing […]
New Features Available in HydraMon v.1.3
We’ve updated our HydraMon app for iOS and Android devices. HydraMon allows users to configure and download data from the HydraProbe soil sensor through the HydraProbe Field Portable. Here’s what’s new in v.1.3: Ability to log the location of the sample using your smartphone’s GPS Add a memo to the data set Add an image […]
Calibration of a Capacitance Soil Sensor Required to Achieve the Level of Accuracy Required for Satellite Ground Truthing
This study published in American Meteorological Society’s BAMS journal demonstrates the extent of variability in readings one can expect with a soil moisture sensor based on capacitance technology. To obtain the highest level of accuracy that is required for remote sensing applications, capacitance-based soil sensors often need to be recalibrated. The HydraProbe is an impedance-based […]
Free Software Lets You Use HydraProbe to Determine Soil Water Retention Curve
The Soil Water Characteristics software is a hydraulic properties calculator, developed by the US Department of Agriculture and Washington State University. It estimates soil water tension, conductivity and water holding capability based on the soil texture, organic matter, gravel content, salinity, and compaction. The Soil Water Characteristics software is a hydraulic properties calculator, developed by […]
Using the HydraProbe Soil Sensor for Determination of Flood Risk in the New York State Mesonet
In January 2014, the Department of Homeland Security established the New York State Early Warning Weather Detection System. The centerpiece of the system is the New York State Mesonet, a network of 125 weather stations across the state, with at least one site in every county. Each site measures temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, […]
Featured Research Using the HydraProbe Field Portable
A new study “Investigating the backscatter contrast anomaly in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery of the dunes along the Israel–Egypt border” will appear in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, Volume 46, April 2016, Pages 13-21. For the study, the researchers used the HydraProbe Field Portable (now called HydraGO C) extensively. Click here to […]