Federal, State Water Leaders Tour Clemson Intelligent River

Water chiefs from Washington and Columbia came to Clemson University Thursday to view innovative technologies for monitoring and protecting clean water.

Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Catherine Templeton, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control commissioner, toured campus components of Clemson University’s Intelligent River research. The project uses small, data-gathering sensors linked to a powerful computer network that can transmit environmental conditions in easy-to-understand formats to virtually anyone with a computer or smartphone.

Clemson is one of only three universities nationwide Stoner is visiting for an update on innovative research related to EPA initiatives.

Technology innovation can ensure that future actions are more sustainable and be an economic driver, helping businesses thrive and creating jobs.

"EPA is committed to fostering the use of innovation and technology to advance our common goal of clean and safe water," Stoner said. "We need to discover new ways forward to meet today’s demands and tomorrow’s challenges, and projects like Clemson's Intelligent River help address these critical issues."

In South Carolina, Templeton oversees water standards and regulations. Intelligent River technology has the potential to help DHEC track water pollution and flow.

"Water is this state's most precious resource. Without it the health of our citizens suffer, the quality of our environment falters, and the prospects for economic development dry up,” Templeton said. “We applaud Clemson for their foresight and innovation in preserving and managing such a vital resource."

EPA earlier this year released a blueprint that highlights agency plans to advance and promote technology innovation across various EPA water programs.

Stoner and Templeton, accompanied by Institute of Applied Ecology director Gene Eidson, who leads the Intelligent River applications, attended presentations by researchers. The visit also included a demonstration of the digital watershed, a major project component on campus at Hunnicutt Creek.

“We are putting in place a network of sensors that can transmit a constant flow of data to scientists monitoring the health and quality of our fresh water and marine environments,” said Eidson. “It provide scientists, professional environmental managers and the public with real-time information about environmental characteristics — water quality, stormwater runoff, even tree growth — from any Internet access point.”

The university awarded a $1.5 million grant to develop the cyber platform and four demonstration projects. The National Science Foundation has awarded the university $3 million to design, develop and deploy a basinwide network of computerized sensors to monitor water quality along the 312-mile length of the Savannah River.