R&D to Benefit Lake George and Create Industry

Protecting the water quality of Lake George has always been an environmental issue… However, it is also an economic issue. Jim Siplon, chief executive of the Warren County Economic Development Corporation, envisions the clear water of Lake George attracting more than tourists – it can attract industry to the area. 

Siplon spent 20 years of his career focusing on water as the chief operating officer of Just Water in Glens Falls. With his experience backing his vision, he believes that the Lake George Region can be a center for freshwater research and technology.

The Jefferson Project at Lake George is a collaboration between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, IBM research, and the Lake George Association. The goal of the technological study of water is to understand the impact of human activity on fresh water, and how to mitigate those effects. 

This project is focused on building a computing platform that captures and analyzes data from a network of sensors, which track water quality and movement. These sensors are used to create data about the lake’s overall water quality and food web… This technology will help to manage and protect Lake George, but also will create a guide for preserving other important lakes.

There are a variety of variables that are measured by the sensors, including weather, water run off, water circulation, and water quality. The incoming data is wirelessly communicated to multiple computers at IBM and Rensselaer to predict weather events, water runoff from surrounding mountains, and road salt that enters the water circulation. 

To preserve Lake George, it is important to acknowledge that the lake is changing… There has been an increase in Chloride input, algae has increased, and invasive species have taken hold. By utilizing science and technology, there can be both ecological and economic benefits to Lake George and the Lake George region.

For more information, please visit dfwi.rpi.edu