Boaters on Lake Erie can be prepared for conditions on the water before even leaving their homes, they just have to send a quick text to a buoy. (Yes, you read that right.)
New smart buoys on the lake receive your texts and respond with details including water temperature, wave height and weather conditions.
Each buoy is a part of the Great Lakes Observing System and has a specific number to text. They are located all across Lake Erie and are accessible to anyone with a cell phone.
“It might be a person on a sailboat, it might be a charter boat fisherman and they can get that information that helps them make decisions on where they want to go, what the conditions are, any information around health and public safety,” said Cleveland Water Alliance President and Executive Director Bryan Stubbs.
The smart buoys can help those using the lake for recreational purposes, but will also give county health boards a useful tool to track harmful algal blooms and other water quality concerns.
For the full list of buoys, click here.
You can text the name of any buoy with a fully numeric name to 1-866-218-9973 to receive the latest observations from that buoy.
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