Low‐Cost Pneumatic Sensor for Water Level Detection in Gauging Stations

Permanent stream gauge stations are a vital feature of river monitoring and water management worldwide, and their use is rapidly increasing. Water level sensors in gauging stations are subjected to a harsh physical environment and are generally the most troublesome component and may easily introduce corrosion, electrical interference and other potentially damaging influences to the other components. One technology currently available to address the shortcomings of traditional submersible sensors is pneumatic detection of stage. The primary advantage of this type of sensor is that it provides physical separation of electrical components from the water. They are also highly advantageous in systems with high silt or debris loads. The cost of pneumatic sensors has fallen in recent years and is comparable with submersible pressure sensors of similar range and resolution. The issue with pneumatic sensors is that there is a large gap in the literature addressing the development, use and accuracy of this sensor type. This paper presents a case study detailing the development and use of a low‐cost pneumatic sensor and examines its suitability for use in streams and irrigation canals. The performance of the sensor is also evaluated against two types of traditional low‐cost submersible pressure sensors. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.