ALWAS buoy collecting data on a lake in Alaska.  Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI) and the University of Michigan Marine Hydrodynamic Lab.

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* An inexpensive approach to collecting and analyzing water samples in situ.

* This free-floating device is capable of making a wide range of water quality measurements rapidly (up to every 40 sec.) and easily. 

* The data is stored for later retrieval or broadcasted wirelessly for remote access.

* The ALWAS measures a variety of water quality parameters (e.g. temperature, conductivity, nitrate, salinity, total dissolved solids, ammonia, etc.) along with GPS coordinates.

* The ability to measure these parameters in the field while effortlessly covering a large geographic area sets the ALWAS apart at the cutting edge.