Technology | Vessels | R/V Lake Guardian

Research Vessel Lake Guardian

At 180 ft long and displacing 850 tons, the R/V Lake Guardian is owned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and operated by EPA’s Chicago-based Great Lakes National Program office. Built in 1981, the Lake Guardian formerly was an offshore oil field supply vessel. EPA acquired the vessel in 1988 and converted it for fresh water research purposes. Based in Bay City, Mich., the Lake Guardian is EPA’s newest and largest monitoring vessel on the Great Lakes.

The Lake Guardian can travel 6,000 mi at a cruising speed of 11 knots. With a permanent complement of 13 crew members, the ship can accommodate up to 29 additional passengers, though on average, only nine or 10 additional passengers accompany a mission. EPA scientists use the ship primarily to gather chemical and biological data from the Lakes, as well as data concerning pollutant concentrations in the water, sediment, air, fish and other organisms. Using the vessel, EPA scientists conduct biannual, month-long monitoring surveys during April and August to collect samples from up to 20 pre-established locations on each lake.

Guest scientists who wish to conduct research from the vessel usually do so during the scheduled survey missions, free of charge. If they commission the ship during the off-season however, EPA charges a fee, which varies depending on the costs of fuel and supplies.

Science and Research Support

The ship supports three interior laboratories—a 208-sq-ft chemistry lab, a 300-sq-ft biology lab and a 128-sq-ft multipurpose lab. Researchers can store samples in a 79-sq-ft walk-in refrigerator and a 45-sq-ft walk-in freezer. In addition, the Lake Guardian is fitted with four 20-ft modular labs. The modular labs are secured onto the deck of the ship and are customized to accommodate the needs of various research activities. The ship theoretically can be equipped with eight modular labs altogether, but the other four have never been installed.

The ship also is equipped with several useful research devices. A data sonde is used to measure water properties such as depth, temperature, conductivity, pH, photosynthetic light penetration, water transparency, and chlorophyll content. Another water sampling device, the rosette, captures an exclusive water sample from any desired depth and brings it to the surface. Scientists use the rosette to measure certain parameters of water samples, such as phosphorus and chloride levels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lake Guardian also is equipped with a “clean room,” which is housed in the chemistry lab. Special air filters, constant positive air pressure and a restricted admittance policy virtually guarantee an uncontaminated environment for storing samples.

To collect microscopic biological samples like phytoplankton, scientists aboard the Lake Guardian use plankton nets. While straining for plankton, the nets sometimes can get clogged by algae. But scientists aboard the Lake Guardian have access to a unique tool—the “phytoplankton vibrator”—which constantly shakes the nets to prevent algae from settling on the sides of the nets, making plankton collection easier.

Other permanent science devices aboard the Lake Guardian include equipment used to sample air contaminants, a box corer used to take samples from the lake bottom, and a sled-like device that is dragged behind the ship to capture plankton.

Navigation and Communications

The Lake Guardian navigates via a global positioning system and various tools such as radars, a gyrocompass, fathometers and radios. Ship-to-shore communications aboard the ship were upgraded in the winter of 2002 to include fax via sat phone, internet access via KVH TracNet and email via SSB HF radio through www.marinenet.net. The ship, however, rarely sails more than a few days between ports, where supplies and provisions are replenished.

Click here to learn more about the R/V Lake Guardian.

 

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