Long-Term Monitoring Instrument Deployment and Real-Time Data System Testing

May 13, 2026

Vinh Chau Town, Soc Trang Province, Vietnam

On 12–13 May 2026, researchers from the Mekong Delta Living Lab project deployed a long-term monitoring system in Vinh Chau, Soc Trang Province. The campaign included the installation of Diver and Mini Buoy instruments for continuous water-level and current monitoring over more than 45 days, together with field testing of a WaveGauge system and the Living Lab database platform to evaluate real-time data transmission, storage, and visualization.

As part of the 2026 field monitoring program, the ICOE research team carried out a field campaign in Vinh Chau, Soc Trang Province, to deploy long-term monitoring instruments and evaluate the project's real-time data management system.

The first objective was to install Diver and Mini Buoy instruments along the mangrove forest edge. The monitoring system operated continuously for more than 45 days, from 12 May to 30 June 2026, collecting long-term records of water levels and currents. These observations provide valuable datasets for hydrodynamic analyses and serve as essential inputs for calibrating and validating numerical models of waves, currents, and sediment transport within the study area.

Location for installation and measurement of Mini Buoy and Diver equipment at Vinh Chau wharf, Can Tho city.

The process of installing the Diver and Mini Buoy devices at the edge of the forest.

The second objective focused on testing the WaveGauge system and the newly developed Living Lab data management platform. The field experiment evaluated the capability of the monitoring system to collect, transmit, receive, and process environmental data in real time.

Researchers also assessed the platform's ability to automatically synchronize, store, and visualize incoming observations from the field. The successful trial demonstrated the stability and readiness of the Living Lab database for future operational monitoring campaigns and continuous environmental data management.

The process of installing the WaveGauge device at the edge of the forest.

The Living Lab database management system receives data transmitted in real time from WaveGauge devices and visualizes it on the system.

This field campaign represents an important milestone in integrating long-term environmental monitoring with digital data infrastructure, strengthening the project's capacity to investigate coastal hydrodynamics, mangrove ecosystems, and climate resilience throughout the Mekong Delta.