In construction projects near water—whether sea, river, or lake—there are often requirements for turbidity measurements, which means measuring the concentration of particles in a liquid, in this case water.
When building or excavating close to the shoreline (e.g., bridge, quay, road, or land reclamation in the sea), soil, clay, and other fine particles can easily be washed into the water. This makes the water cloudy (increases turbidity). Turbidity measurements are therefore carried out to:
- Monitor environmental impact
- High turbidity can harm fish and benthic organisms by clogging gills or covering spawning areas with silt.
- Aquatic plants and algae receive less light → reduced photosynthesis.
- Document compliance with environmental requirements
- Authorities and environmental agencies often set limits on how many particles may be released into rivers or the sea during a project.
- Turbidity measurement is a simple, fast, and standard method to demonstrate compliance.
- Sustainable management of the work
- If measurements show turbidity levels that are too high, the contractor may be required to halt operations, deploy silt curtains (turbidity curtains), or change methods.
Turbidity measurement in construction projects is used to protect the aquatic environment from pollution, ensure compliance with environmental regulations, and manage the work in a sustainable way.
The images show the installation of turbidity sensors in the Nidelva, carried out on behalf of a local contractor who is about to start construction activities where monitoring and reporting are required.
Scanmatic provides measurement, monitoring, and reporting of turbidity based on battery-powered buoys with sensors from recognized suppliers, combined with in-house developed, highly energy-efficient IoT technology that enables reliable and cost-effective operation throughout the entire project period.
Scanmatic – Technology for harsh environments.