Work

An IoT Device for Autonomous Groundwater Monitoring: Solar Energy Harvesting, Power Management, and LoRa Communication

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Measuring the water table level is a critical factor in irrigated agriculture in arid regions, as it can significantly influence the exchange of water and nutrients with crops. This work presents the design, implementation, and field validation of an open-source, solar-powered IoT device for autonomous groundwater level monitoring, combining long-range low-power LoRa communication, a non-contact pressure-based level sensor using the trapped-air capillary method, and an efficient power management stage that seamlessly switches between solar and battery power. Unlike existing commercial leveloggers, which are costly and lack integrated wireless telemetry and solar-based autonomy, the proposed platform is presented as a fully open-source, low-cost alternative purpose-built for unattended deployment in areas without grid power or cellular coverage. The system was validated through a multi-day field trial and dedicated communication tests, demonstrating a stable power conversion efficiency of 84–90%, a five-day autonomous operation without any deep-discharge event, high linearity (R2 = 0.9998) of the level module over a 0–2 m range with a resolution of approximately 1.94 mm per ADC count, and a reliable LoRa link of up to 8.51 km in an urban/suburban environment despite non-line-of-sight conditions. With an estimated hardware cost of approximately $100 USD per unit, the device represents a low-cost, low-maintenance tool capable of generating knowledge about water resources to optimize irrigation and crop management in the face of climate change.

Source: Hardware

DOI: 10.3390/hardware4030016

Authors: Danilo Coletto Gallego, Juan Vanzolini, Rodrigo Santos, Gabriel Eggly

Institutions: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Centro Científico Tecnológico - Bahía Blanca, Universidad Nacional del Sur, National Agricultural Technology Institute

Language: English

Topic: Arduino and IoT Applications

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207