Solinst Model 615 Drive-Point Piezometer
Features
- Affordable method to monitor shallow groundwater and soil vapor
- Attach to inexpensive 3/4" (20 mm) NPT steel drive pipe
- Can be used for permanent well points or short-term monitoring applications
- Expedited repair and warranty service
- Lifetime technical support
- More
Overview
The Solinst Model 615 Drive-Point Piezometer uses a high quality stainless steel piezometer tip, 3/4" NPT pipe for drive extensions and LDPE or Teflon sample tubing, if desired. Combine these with an inexpensive Slide Hammer and you have a complete system.
Design
The Solinst Model 615 Drive-Point Piezometer has a stainless steel, 50 mesh cylindrical filter-screen, within a 3/4" (20 mm) stainless steel drive-point body, screen support and a barbed fitting for attachment of sample tubing. Optional heavy-duty extension couplings are also available to create a strengthened and more rugged piezometer.
The inner barbed fitting allows connection of 5/8" OD x 1/2" ID (16 mm x 12 mm) LDPE or Teflon sample tubing. This prevents sample water from contacting the steel extension rods, and maintains high sample integrity, even when inexpensive carbon steel extensions are used.
In The News
New map shows significant groundwater depletion in Central California
Groundwater level data collected by a Central California county shows significant drops during the past 12 years, according to a San Luis Obispo Tribune article. 
 Data shows that groundwater has dropped by a minimum of 70 feet from 1997 to 2009 in the Paso Robles area of Central California. 
 In the past four years the areas of most significant decline have expanded north and south. 
 Drought and agricultural withdrawals are the likely culprits for the groundwater decline. 
Some advocates are calling for more responsible water use by vineyards in the area, while farmers note that the recent drought did not help the situation.
Read MoreCal Poly, San Luis Obispo Manages Monitoring Efforts in Morro Bay
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly, SLO), has been monitoring Morro Bay for decades, and while the monitoring program has changed over the years, the dedication to monitoring the bay has remained the same. 
 
The project started in 2006 as a Packard Foundation-funded initiative to monitor water quality flowing in and out of Morro Bay. The goal at the time was to use the data collected to develop and inform an ecosystem-based management plan in collaboration with the Morro Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP). 
 
Since the estuary was the focus at the time, researchers were monitoring water flowing into the estuary from Chorro Creek and Los Osos Creek.
Read MoreGreen Water in Green Bay: Using Data Buoys to Monitor the Southern Bay
While the bay of Green Bay has been referred to as the largest freshwater “estuary” in the world, the watershed hosts intensive agriculture and contributes one-third of Lake Michigan’s total phosphorus load. 
 
 The Fox River flows into the bay, carrying excess nutrients largely the result of non-point source runoff from the watershed. With a history of deterioration extending well into the last century, the bay ecosystem suffered significant declines in water quality. 
 
 This, in turn, stimulated major clean-up and ongoing restoration efforts to improve water quality. Tracking these changes is an important aspect of ecosystem management.
Read More