Exploring Affordable Sensors for Salinity and Bathymetry Measurements in the Russian River Estuary Using Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vehicles

The Russian River, a vital watercourse in Northern California, faces challenges related to its estuarine ecosystem's health, particularly in sustaining salmonid populations. The river's mouth frequently forms a sandbar during the summer, impacting the merging of freshwater and saltwater, crucial for salmonid migrations. Limited prior research focused on the river's estuary due to methodological constraints, which resulted in data collection at only a few locations. This proposal outlines the deployment of an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) to autonomously survey the Russian River estuary. The project's main objectives include developing a salinity measurement system, integrating SONAR for bathymetric data collection, employing coverage planning algorithms, and conducting comprehensive water quality assessments at multiple estuary locations.