Deployment of Meteorological Buoy in Missisquoi Bay


Deployment of Meteorological Buoy in Missisquoi Bay

Provided by Dr. Tom Manley, Middlebury College
Email: tmanley@middlebury.edu
Phone: 802.443.3114

As part of the 5-year UVM VT-EPSCoR program, 1 met station (see included pictures) as well as its associated 2 maker buoys and anchors were deployed in Missisquoi Bay for the purpose of long-term monitoring of atmospheric parameters, water temperature, waves, algal blooms and currents in the bay (see attached ‘zoomout and zoomin’ images for visual location in Missisquoi Bay).The met station is located somewhat northwest of the main platform site (maintained by UVM).This installation is the last one that will be deployed by Middlebury College and therefore completes the suite of instrumentation at this main site.

As can be seen in the additional images, there are two orange marker buoys (with evening lighted solar-powered LEDs) that are within approximately 25 ft away of the met station. This is required for the type of ‘draped’ anchor-tethering system required for this instrument in this shallow setting. The met station has an all-around blinking white light on its mast as well as a notification sign to stay 100 ft away from the site as well as my contact information.

The duration of these instruments in Missisquoi Bay will be approximately 3 years with monthly inspections and downloads during the spring, summer and fall months. During the winter, the met station and marker buoys will be removed and the anchor cables will be dropped to bottom, there to be retrieved the following spring.