Estuaries are vital ecosystems where freshwater and saltwater mix, supporting diverse habitats, local economies through tourism and mariculture, and providing essential ecosystem services

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded South Carolina State University $499,328 on January 15, 2026, under the 1890 Institution Capacity Building Grants program (CFDA 10.216) to develop and deploy a low-cost unmanned surface vehicle equipped with sensors for real-time water quality monitoring in South Carolina estuaries.

SCSU will design and validate the USV at key estuary systems including the ACE Basin and Winyah Bay, addressing gaps in comprehensive spatiotemporal water quality monitoring that currently limit mariculture operations and ecosystem protection in the region. The USV platform will provide expanded spatial coverage and continuous data collection at lower operational cost than existing monitoring systems, with validation against current programs to assess economic feasibility. The project will strengthen SCSU's research capacity while supporting local mariculture industries, the Gullah-Geechee Nation, and habitat maintenance through improved water quality data. The initiative will also provide educational research experience for students and research opportunities for early-career investigators.

Performance occurs in Orangeburg, South Carolina, with a period of performance from January 15, 2026, through January 14, 2029.

Effective monitoring of estuarine water quality is crucial to protect mariculture operations in human health and aquatic ecosystems. However, comprehensive systems to monitor spatiotemporal water quality dynamics in estuaries are lacking, particularly affecting the mariculture industry and the gullah-geechee nation. This proposal aims to enhance south carolina state university's (scsu) research capacity by developing a low-cost unmanned surface vehicle (USV) equipped with sensors for real-time water quality monitoring. The USV will address the limitations of existing programs by offering expanded spatial coverage, continuous data collection, and cost-effective operation. The project will involve designing and deploying the USV at key estuary systems, including the ACE basin and winyah BAY, to validate its effectiveness against currentmonitoring systems and assess its economic feasibility. The initiative will bolster scsu's research capabilities to improve water quality monitoring in south carolina's estuaries, support local mariculture industries, offer educational research experience for students, provide early career investigators with research opportunities, and attribute to better maintenance of habitats.