The following projects summaries are examples of EcoTrack Services’ capabilities and experience as it relates to Water Quality and Environment Monitoring:
Global Research for Agricultural, Forestry, Watershed and Climatology Monitoring
Value: >$920K
Period of Performance: March 2011 – present
EcoTrack Services provides soil and water quality testing resin systems and conducts nutrient analysis in its own wet chemistry laboratory in support of research and development, US Government, and commercial studies in worldwide applications. The work supports broad studies in agriculture, forestry, watershed science, and climatology studies. Over 300 peer-reviewed publications have resulted from clients who have used the EcoTrack Services resin systems. To support its international partners, EcoTrack Services has developed rigorous procedures and protocols that allow our international partners to realize the full potential with our agricultural and environmental insights. Greater than 90% of these international university and non-profit studies include working with local students and support staff. In addition, our lab processes are easily adopted and we have mature analytic platforms that can easily integrate with commercial GIS platforms across the globe.
Walla Walla Valley Watershed Monitoring
Value: $53K
Period of Performance: June 2012 – present
EcoTrack Services manages and directs the environmental sampling of the Mill Creek watershed in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington State. Activities include the placement, retrieval and analysis of Eco-Track Services patented system. Eco-Track Services personnel provide all support necessary for environmental studies directed at the benefits to be gained from using a passive environmental sampler for watershed testing. The Eco-TrackerTM sampling device (US Patent 8,763,478 B2) acts as a continuous data logger and contains ion-exchange resin to track specific contaminants of interest. The primary use includes nutrient sampling activities such as those associated with nutrient loading and algal blooms in major watersheds. The ion-exchange resin can be selected to target specific compounds of interest and are primarily used to access Best Management Practices and/or Natural Resource Damage Assessments.
EcoTrack Services conducts nutrient analysis in its own wet chemistry laboratory within the William A. Grant Water and Environmental Center on the campus of Walla Walla Community College. The laboratory includes an ICP-OES, ICP/MS, FIA Flow Injection Analyzers, and analytical standards. This process is governed by our internal procedures and processes specific to the care, handling, cleaning and leaching of ion-exchange resins.
Turf Association Grant – Turf and Water Quality Monitoring
Value: $67K
Period of Performance: 2011 – 2013
EcoTrack Services performed water quality and soil nutrient monitoring for pre-selected golf courses within the Pacific Northwest. The goal of the project was to study current conditions and recommend changes to nutrient management plans and practices within the Turf industry. EcoTrack Services staff completed three years of studies directed at how bioavailable nutrient levels in the soil profile can be correlated to plant tissue levels within turf grass. The study demonstrated how innovative soil nutrient monitoring systems can be used to predict nutrient levels within the soil profile and predict changes in the grass tissue as a leading indicator to crop and petiole sampling efforts. Additionally, Eco-Track Services supported all field-sampling activities and completed all analysis of the resin systems used for soil and watershed sampling activities. Buoy systems were deployed within watersheds and the Eco-Track Services resin systems were exchanged on a weekly basis to measure the relative change in off-target nutrient concentrations reaching and impacting local watersheds, including rivers, ponds, lakes and small streams. Annual monitoring reports were issued to the local golf courses and turf association groups.