What an amazing GLE! Thanks to all of the GLOBE folks for their hard work in organizing and planning this event, it was an extraordinary week of learning, science, and sharing for everyone involved. The opening ceremony at Killarney House set a high bar for best exhibit venue and it was great to see so many people fired up for the week ahead.
For the next several day's I was out in the field with equipment at two field sites to collect water quality data on the Owengarrif River. Sampling took place at the Upper Torc above the falls and the Lower Torc at the mouth of the river.
With the SPARKvue app we connected to dissolved oxygen, pH, and conductivity sensors to complete the Water Quality Protocol. We also deployed the weather sensor to get our GPS data and quickly record ambient conditions at the sites. In addition to the sensor data students also measured the wet perimeter, slope of the bank, and conducted a survey of the macroinvertebrates. Happily, all of the indicators suggest the Owengarrif is in good shape, albeit with record low flow rates according to the rangers which is attributed to a prolonged drought and heat wave.
With the data collection "work" over there was a little time left over for some fun so we broke out a fleet of DJI drones and captured aerial photographs and video of the site, some of which was used in the students final presentations.
A big thank you to the participants, staff, and our Irish hosts for a great conference!
Here's a short video summarizing a handful of the highlights from the field work, enjoy!
