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Cape May-Lewes Ferry plays role in climate monitoring

Delaware Public Media

 

Fall is on the horizon in Delaware, and that means it's a big time of year for the Cape May-Lewes Ferry -- not just for cars and passengers, but for weather and climate monitoring equipment aboard the vessels.

Researchers collect data about water quality and seasonal changes year-round on the ferries as they make their 17-mile crossing of southern Delaware Bay.

Jon Cohen is an assistant professor at the University of Delaware, who helps out with the monitoring program in Lewes. He says long-term data sets like what the ferry provides are pretty rare.

"It's really hard when to know to get the boat in certain places at certain times, and so to have this constant data stream coming at you that's always there because the boat is always running, that is what's really powerful about the ferry system," said Cohen.

Cohen says using the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to collect data has been going on for about 5 years and is modeled after similar efforts elsewhere. 

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