Eawag — one of the world’s leading water research institutes — specializes in innovative research in aquatic science.

Bioretention cells are an important element in stormwater management: they capture water from sealed surfaces, reduce surface runoff, and promote groundwater recharge. However, the infiltration performance of such systems changes over time — often unnoticed until irregularities are detected during maintenance.

At Eawag and Empa’s campus, this process is systematically monitored. Surface ponding and soil moisture are continuously measured to gain a better understanding of the underlying processes. For this purpose, Eawag relies on Decentlab’s DL-TRS12 | Soil Moisture, Temperature and Electrical Conductivity Sensor for LoRaWAN® and DL-MBX | Ultrasonic Distance / Level Sensor for LoRaWAN®.

The collected data supports not only scientific research but also the development of methods for the early detection of changes in infiltration performance.