USDA Forest Service
 

Pacific Southwest Research Station

 

Pacific Southwest Research Station
800 Buchanan Street
West Annex Building
Albany, CA 94710-0011

(510) 559-6300

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. USDA logo which links to the department's national site. Forest Service logo which links to the agency's national site.

Research Topics Water and Watersheds

About this Research:

Participating Programs:

Contributing Scientists and Staff:

Research:
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Related Links:
  • CALFED watershed improvement program on the Lassen National Forest.
Featured

The Kings River Experimental Watersheds hosts the Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory--a National Science Foundation effort to gain a better understanding of the zone of earth where "rock meets life." The critical zone extends from the tops of the trees to the groundwater and covers the entire earth where there is land. Dowload the video created by a UA Flandrau Science Center team to introduce the motivation and science involved in the National Critical Zone Observatory research program.

Kings River Experimental Watershed

Featured

The Kings River Experimental Watersheds hosts the Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory--a National Science Foundation effort to gain a better understanding of the zone of earth where "rock meets life." The critical zone extends from the tops of the trees to the groundwater and covers the entire earth where there is land. Dowload the video created by a UA Flandrau Science Center team to introduce the motivation and science involved in the National Critical Zone Observatory research program.

DATA TRANSMISSION NETWORK (TELEMETRY)

The USDA Forest Service has developed the capability to transmit data from standard data loggers at remote sites over the Forest Service VHF radio frequencies. The National Forest System provides a continuous radio network throughout the Sierra Nevada except in the National Parks. This capability was supported by the Kings River Experimental Watershed (KREW) on the Sierra National Forest and developed and implemented by Ted Etter of the USDA Forest Service at the Missoula Technology and Development Center (tetter@fs.fed.us, 406-329-3980). Start up costs range from $1,400 to $1,800 per location.

Yagi directional antennas for redirecting signals to the Foreest Service repeater. The Foret Service radio network is used to transmit data to the Forest office. This system uses the existing infrastructure of Forest Service FM radios, broadcasting on the least-used channels. It allows data to be retrieved automatically from remote forest sites and is working with ISCO® and Campbell Scientific® data loggers.  A modem from Teledesign Systems® of San Jose, CA, solved the problem of shipping data over a channel designed for voice communication. This modem has several features that allow it to work with radios, such as generating a push-to-talk signal to key the transmitter. Dual-tone, multifrequency (DTMF) signals, like those used by touch-tone telephones, are used to communicate and help manage power consumption. The telemetry system runs off of the same solar system as the stream discharge and meteorology towers at each location.  Depending on the terrain between the host station or repeater and the remote sites, the 5-watt Bendix-King® radios can transmit signals up to 80.5 km (50 miles).  The system has been operating since July 2002 at KREW.

Last Modified: Apr 29, 2011 02:31:14 PM