Environmental monitoring system including an underwater sensor assembly

1. An underwater sensor assembly, comprising:

a frame configured to sit on a bottom of a body of water; and

at least one first sensor connected to the frame, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to measure at least one parameter related to the body of water,

wherein the frame comprises a plurality of legs and a mount, wherein the plurality of legs extend from the mount and are configured to allow water to flow between the plurality of legs, and

wherein at least one leg of the plurality of legs comprises a circular base at a first end, and wherein the at least one leg is connected to the mount at a second end opposite the first end.

2. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the circular base comprises a traction mechanism on a face of the base facing away from the mount.

3. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to measure a distance from the at least one first sensor to the bottom of the body of water.

4. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 3 , wherein the at least one first sensor is further configured to determine a composition of sediment at the bottom of the body of water.

5. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one cable attached at a first end to the frame and extending toward a surface of the body of water.

6. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first sensor comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer.

7. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and wherein the plurality of sensors are located at different distances from the bottom of the body of water when the frame sits on the bottom of the body of water.

8. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and wherein the plurality of sensors are located at a same distance from the bottom of the body of water when the frame sits on the bottom of the body of water.

9. An underwater sensor assembly, comprising:

a frame configured to sit on a bottom of a body of water;

at least one first sensor connected to the frame, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to measure at least one parameter related to the body of water;

at least one cable attached at a first end to the frame and extending toward a surface of the body of water; and

at least one second sensor connected to the at least one cable between the frame and the surface of the body of water.

10. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one second sensor is configured to measure at least one of temperature, conductivity, depth, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen saturation, and dissolved oxygen.

11. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one second sensor comprises a plurality of second sensors connected to the at least one cable between the frame and the surface of the body of water, and wherein the plurality of second sensors are spaced apart from each other along the cable between the frame and the surface of the body of water.

12. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 11 , wherein two or more sensors of the plurality of second sensors are configured to measure a same parameter, and wherein the two or more sensors of the plurality of second sensors measure the same parameter at different depths in the body of water.

13. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one cable is attached at a second end to at least one buoy at the surface of the body of the water.

14. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one cable comprises at least one data line configured to carry data from the at least one first sensor to control circuitry on the at least one buoy.

15. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 14 , wherein the at least one buoy comprises a transmitter in communication with the control circuitry and configured to wirelessly transmit the data to at least one computer located outside the body of water.

16. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine a level of sediment at the bottom of the body of water based on the distance from the at least one first sensor to the bottom of the body of water.

17. An underwater sensor assembly, comprising:

a frame configured to sit on a bottom of a body of water;

at least one first sensor connected to the frame, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to measure at least one parameter related to the body of water;

at least one cable attached at a first end to the frame and extending toward a surface of the body of water,

wherein the at least one cable is attached at a second end to at least one buoy at the surface of the body of the water,

wherein the at least one cable comprises at least one data line configured to carry data from the at least one first sensor to control circuitry on the at least one buoy,

wherein the at least one buoy comprises a transmitter in communication with the control circuitry and configured to wirelessly transmit the data to at least one computer located outside the body of water,

wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine a level of sediment at the bottom of the body of water based on the distance from the at least one first sensor to the bottom of the body of water, and

wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit an alert to the at least one computer when the level of sediment violates a threshold level.

18. An underwater sensor assembly, comprising:

a frame configured to sit on a bottom of a body of water; and

at least one first sensor connected to the frame, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to measure at least one parameter related to the body of water; and

at least one cable attached at a first end to the frame and extending toward a surface of the body of water,

wherein the at least one cable is attached at a second end to at least one buoy at the surface of the body of the water,

wherein the at least one buoy comprises at least one other sensor configured to measure at least one weather related parameter, at least one air quality parameter, at least one wave related parameter, or any combination thereof.

19. An underwater sensor assembly, comprising:

a frame configured to sit on a bottom of a body of water; and

at least one first sensor connected to the frame, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to measure at least one parameter related to the body of water,

wherein the frame comprises a simple polygonal shape with a leg extending from each corner of the simple polygonal shaped frame.

20. The underwater sensor assembly of claim 19 , wherein each of the legs extends from the simple polygonal shaped frame in a direction away from the interior of the simple polygonal shaped frame.

21. A system for environmental monitoring, comprising:

an underwater sensor assembly including:

a frame configured to sit on a bottom of a body of water, and

at least one first sensor connected to the frame, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to measure at least one parameter below the surface of the body of water;

at least one buoy at a surface of the body of water; and

at least one cable attached at a first end to the frame and attached at a second end opposite the first end to the at least one buoy, wherein the at least one buoy comprises at least one second sensor configured to measure at least one parameter above the surface of the body of water.

22. The system of claim 21 , further comprising:

at least one third sensor connected to the at least one cable between the frame and the surface of the body of water.