Home > Products > Level & Flow > Level SensorsWater Level & Flow Sensors
Below you will find information and links to sensors that can assist you in monitoring water level and flow in nearly any application. If you are not sure which technology is best for your needs then please contact our sales department and we can assist you in choosing a product that will best meet your needs.
Water Level Sensor Types
Pressure Transducer
 This is one of the most popular sensors used to record water level. There is a pressure sensing element located near the tip of the sensor that measures water and air pressure. Using formula you can then convert pressure (psi) into feet, inches, mm etc. Many of these type of sensors have a vent tube inside the sensor cable to cancel out the pressure error introduced by air pressure. This increases the accuracy of the sensor.
We offer multiple pressure transducers from many different manufacturer's. There are many options to choose from such as senor output, size, pressure range, accuracy and internal logging abilities. Please contact us for pricing.
A few models available are: (click below for a PDF brochure)
Ultrasonic Distance Sensors
 The ultrasonic sensor is based on an electronic transducer that determines the distance to a target by sending out ultrasonic pulses and measuring the time it takes for the echoes to return. These are used frequently in snow depth monitoring and water level monitoring. There are multiple manufacturer's of these types of sensors. The main difference is sensor accuracy, quality of materials used to build the sensor, and the distance and target width the sensor can measure or read. One of the benefits of this type of sensor is that there are no moving parts and no contact with the water or substance being monitored.
Models we offer include: (click model for brochure)
- SD100 by Judd
- SR50A by Campbell Scientific
- Special order models available, call for details.
Radar Distance Sensors
The radar level sensor is a more accurate option for non-contact level sensing. It also offers the ability to measure at a great distance between the sensor and the target, compared to the ultrasonic sensor. One of the benefits of this type of sensor is that there are no moving parts and no contact with the water or substance being monitored.
There are a few different versions of this model based upon specifications.
[Download a Radar Level Brochure]
Shaft Encoder or Potentiometer Float & Pulley
We offer two types or Float & Pulley type sensors.
Potentiometer and AquaPod
 The AquaPod, pictured to your left, is a complete water level monitoring system with datalogger. It uses a float and pulley setup with a potentiometer that measures the electrical resistance based upon the position of the pulley. The AquaPod is an economical way to record water levels in irrigation ditches and ponds or lakes. The datalogger records the feet or inches of water. You can purchase the system as a whole, or just the sensor with float and pulley, setup and add to your own datalogger.
Brochure for AquaPod
Float & Pulley Specs
Shaft Encoder
 A shaft encoder is similar to the potentiometer system like the AquaPod, but instead of an electrical resistance the system counts pulses based upon turns of the pulley. This gives you a bit more accuracy and also a larger range of water level change to be measured.
These are very popular with Federal agencies such as the BLM and USGS. The shaft encoder is low maintenance and generally has a very long life span. One benefit of a shaft encoder or float and pulley is the fact that they can handle freezing conditions without damaging the sensor. Download a brochure - H331 Shaft Encoder
Thalimedes Shaft Encoder
 The OTT Thalimedes float-operated shaft encoder level sensor and logger takes proven level measurement technology to the next stage. Designed for continuous, unattended monitoring in ground and surface water applications, the Thalimedes is a very low cost solution for new measuring sites and is extremely easy to connect to existing paper chart recorders, making a digital upgrade simple and cost-effective. Easy to use, highly compact and self-contained, the entire instrument can fit in well pipes as small as 4" in diameter. A digital interface offers the added convenience of remote monitoring from the office or field.
Thalimedes Brochure
Bubbler Water Level Systems
 Compressed air produced by a piston pump flows
via a measuring tube into the water to be measured.
The pressure created in the measuring tube is directly
proportional to the water column above the
bubble chamber. The sensor determines the barometric
air and bubble pressure one after the other.
By taking the difference between the two signals,
the sensors calculates the height of the water level
above the bubble chamber.
Bubblers are popular due to the fact that in a flood zone any instrument in the water is at a high risk to be damaged or lost, a bubbler has an inexpensive bubble tube that extends into the water and so the value of lost instrumentation is greatly reduced.
We offer a few models of bubblers click below for a brochure. Contact us for all available options.
CBS - Compact Bubbler Sensor
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