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Mini Secchi

Transform your smartphone into a professional water quality monitoring tool. Measure water clarity and color with the precision scientists need.

Water Quality Environmental Monitoring Citizen Science EU H2020

Part of the EU H2020 MONOCLE project, Mini Secchi brings standardized water monitoring to everyone. Whether you're a researcher, student, or citizen scientist, this app enables you to contribute valuable data to global water quality databases.

How Mini Secchi Works

The Mini Secchi companion app uses your smartphone's camera together with a physical Mini Secchi disk (provided by Brewtek) to measure water transparency and color - two key indicators of water quality. The app guides you through the measurement process, ensuring consistent, scientifically valid results.

Mini Secchi app interface showing Forel-Ule color measurement

Mini Secchi app interface for measuring water color using the Forel-Ule scale

Demonstration Video

Credit: MONOCLE/Stefan Simis

Key Features

  • Water Clarity Measurement: Determines turbidity and transparency levels
  • Color Analysis: Measures water color intensity using the Forel-Ule scale
  • Standardized Protocol: Follows scientific methodology for consistent results
  • GPS Integration: Automatically records measurement location
  • Data Sharing: Contributes to global water quality databases

Scientific Applications

  • Lake and River Monitoring: Track seasonal changes in water quality
  • Pollution Detection: Identify sources of water contamination
  • Ecosystem Health: Monitor aquatic ecosystem conditions
  • Climate Research: Study impacts of climate change on water bodies
  • Satellite Validation: Ground-truth satellite water quality measurements

Research Partners

Key Collaborations

  • EU H2020 MONOCLE Project: Multiscale Observation Networks for Coastal waters, Lakes and Estuaries
  • University of Exeter: Water quality assessment methodologies
  • UNCW: Coastal water monitoring applications
  • NASA: Satellite-based water quality monitoring integration

Funding Support

  • European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program
  • Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for advancing scientific research tools

Recent Publication

Latest Research (2025)

"An innovation of two established methods for monitoring water colour and clarity: participatory science using the mini- and midi- secchi disks"

Brewin, R.J.W. et al. (2025). Frontiers in Environmental Science.

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of Mini Secchi for participatory science, with over 900 devices distributed worldwide.

Read Full Paper

Getting Started

Mini Secchi is available on multiple platforms:

Educational Use

Perfect for classrooms and field trips. Teachers and students can:

  • Learn about water quality indicators
  • Practice scientific measurement techniques
  • Contribute to real scientific research
  • Compare water quality across different locations

Resources