HomeC. Qualifications and Experience
Southern DataStream is a new hydrologic engineering and scientific consulting firm composed of staff experienced in local and regional water research and monitoring. Southern DataStream was established for the specific purpose of providing water management/research agencies with reasonably priced data collection services conducted by professionals with a commitment to both the goals of regional projects and to the critical QA/QC aspects of these projects.
The delivery of quality data provides the foundation for all subsequent management decisions. Prior experience in similar projects over the past 15 years has clearly demonstrated that the regional research and management projects are seriously limited by the lack of specialization of tasks. All too often, those assigned the tasks of developing management strategies and its associated scientific foundations are also required to perform the field site development and monitoring tasks because of lack of properly trained support personnel available at a reasonable cost. It is this niche in southwest Florida’s environmental and water management system that Southern DataStream seeks to fill.
Southern DataStream currently has only two other projects: (1) the SFWMD/DEP-funded data collection and analysis project at Buck Island Ranch for cattle agro-ecology and (2) a SFWMD equipment contract to provide instrumentation for twelve multi-sensor hydrologic monitoring sites in the Caloosahatchee watershed. Both are described in detail on the proposal website. Not only are our staff experienced in Campbell Scientific, Stevens, Belfort, and other similar instrumentation, but Southern DataStream designs and manufactures a line of custom dataloggers and stage/flow measurement equipment. Our staff is also very experienced with monitoring site construction, installation, instrument maintenance, and data collection under severely adverse conditions and in remote locations.
Dr. John C. Capece, Supervising Engineer
A resume is attached. A complete CV is available at http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~wq/capece/capece.html.
Dr. Capece holds a Ph.D. in agricultural engineering from University of Florida with specialization in soil and water (hydrology). He is experienced in the use of various hydrologic instruments including Campbell Scientific and Stevens models. He has graduate coursework experience in most component aspects of hydrology (surface, ground, stochastic, etc.) and computer modeling. Dr. Capece is also very familiar with southwest Florida water resource issues and thus has a direct appreciation for the need for data accuracy.
Mr. Ed Rawlinson, Technician
Mr. Rawlinson holds a A.A. from Edison Community College. He has served in the Army National Guard and has experience as an EMT (emergerncy medical training). Prior experience in the field of hydrologic instrument systems includes one year employment (1997) under Dr. Capece as a site installation and data collection technician and a second year of employment (1998) under Dr. Hilary Swain of Archbold Biological Station as a data collection technician for the Buck Island Ranch MAERC project. Within this assignment he was responsible for data collection, maintenance and water quality sample processing for a project involving 20 CR10X stations equipped with digital encoders and ISCO 3900 automatic water samplers plus 3 full weather stations and 5 supplement tipping bucket raingages. Mr. Rawlinson has completed the formal CSI training course offered by AMJ in the operation and programming of CR10 dataloggers. His recent re-employment (1999) with Dr. Capece has provided him with valuable data analysis experience, reinforcing his appreciation for the critical importance of complete, clean, and accurate data sets and thus the pivotal role hydrologic technicians play in the water science and management team.
Mr. Jorge Rodriguez, Technician
Mr. Rodriguez has worked with Dr. Capece as a instrument technician, data analyst, and computer programmer since 1994. He graduated with honors from LaBelle High School in 1996. He continues to pursue a A.A. degree at Edison Community College. Mr. Rodriquez has an operational knowledge of a variety of sensor systems and is extremely proficient is the operation and maintenance of most Campbell Scientific dataloggers. He also excels at detecting and resolving instrument malfunctions. Mr. Rodriguez is a proficient programmer in the CR10 environment as well as in other software environments such as visual basic, spreadsheet macros, and HTML.
Current Clients (new clients of Southern DataStream)
Dr. Kenneth L. Campbell, Professor
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Frazier Rogers Hall – UF
Gainesville FL 32611
Tel: 352-392-8534 Fax: 352-392-0242Dr. Patrick Bohlen, Assistant Director
MacArthur Agroecology Research Center
300 Buck Island Ranch Road
Lake Placid, FL 33852
Tel: 941-699-0242 Fax: 941-699-2217Dr. Eric Flaig, Courtesy Assistant Professor
SWFREC-UF/IFAS
2686 SR 29 North
Immokalee, FL 34143
Tel: 941-658-3400 Fax: 941-658-3469Former Clients (former clients of Dr. Capece while with UF-IFAS)
Mr. Ananta Nath, Supervising Engineer
Big Cypress Basin, SFWMD
Tel: 941-597-1505
Served as peer review consultant for the Big Cypress Basin hydrologic model providing independent academic evaluation of the modeling approaches and products provided by SFWMD contract consulting engineers. Completed December, 1997.
Dr. Ken Cummins, Distinguished Scientist (Sample Document Attached w/ more on website)
Ft. Myers Service Center, SFWMD
Tel: 941-338-2929
Provided data collection and analysis services for Caloosahatchee River hydrology and water quality study. Developed extensive SOP manuals and web resources. Conducted monthly data collection trips with support technicians. A complete description of this project is available on the proposal web site. Completed March, 1999.
Dr. Charles Vavrina, Associate Professor (Sample Document Attached w/ more on website)
SWFREC-UF/IFAS
2686 SR 29 North
Immokalee, FL 34143
Tel: 941-658-3400 Fax: 941-658-3469
Designed, installed, and monitored an irrigation freeze protection system in Collier County at Pacific Tomato Growers property (near Hwy 858 and Camp Keais Strand). This project involved 4 CR10 systems with a total of 150 sensors (thermocouples) plus weather station. A complete description of this project is available on the proposal website. Completed March, 1999.
Mr. Michael Boyle, Director of Utilities
City of LaBelle, 481 W. Hickpoochee Av.
LaBelle FL 33935
Tel: 941-675-2872
Researched, designed, established and currently maintain an information web site describing water quality issues, risks and solutions related to the drinking water contaminant Trihalomethanes. This is perhaps the most extensive web page on the subject in the country. The page also documents with photographs and schematics for local consumers the processes employed by the LaBelle and Port LaBelle water treatment plants. Access to this project is provided on the proposal web site. Completed November, 1998.
Dr. Robert McGovern, Professor
5007 60th Street East
Bradenton, FL 34203-9324
Tel: 941-751-7636
Designed, installed, and monitored a solarization study in Collier County at SWFREC. This project involved 4 CR10 systems with a total of 100 sensors (thermocouples) plus weather station. Completed December, 1997.
Availability of the Firm
Southern DataStream is available to handle the Big Cypress Basin Monitoring project. We currently have only two other projects: (1) the SFWMD/DEP-funded data collection and analysis project at Buck Island Ranch for cattle agro-ecology and (2) a SFWMD equipment contract to provide instrumentation for twelve multi-sensor hydrologic monitoring sites in the Caloosahatchee watershed. The BCB monitoring RFP, if awarded to Southern DataStream, would constitute the basis for continued employment of Southern DataStream’s two highly competent and energetic technicians, Mr. Jorge Rodriquez and Mr. Ed Rawlinson.
SubContractor Agreements N/A