KEMMERER
by Danny Dorsel & Vince Maillard
March 21, 1997
Table of Contents
Introduction to Surface Water
Surface water is most commonly used for recreational or drinking water purposes. Which ever the case may be, the quality of the water must be maintained. If the water becomes overly turbid or heavily populated with aquatic weeds, it will be uninviting for recreational use. Fish will also encounter problems if a strain on the oxygen in the water is experienced due to decay of aquatic plant life. In regards to drinking water, the amount of treatment required depends on the condition of the raw water. Large quantities of metal ions and organic matter will cause large amounts of chemicals to be added and will increase the detention time required in the various basins of the water treatment facility.
In order to maintain a certain level of quality, the water must be sampled and analyzed. For most surface waters, one sample of the water will not be representative of the entire body; therefore, samples must be taken at various locations in the horizontal and vertical direction. There are several types of water samplers available to use that allow the investigator to sample water at discrete depths within a body of water. The featured sampler for this site is called the Kemmerer. Other types of samplers include the Nansen and the van Dorn, which is discussed briefly in the Recording of Thoughts on the Kemmerer.
The following video shows typical surface water where a water sampler such as the Kemmerer maybe used to sample the water. (The video is of Spring Hollow Reservoir in Roanoke, Virginia.)
Video of Typical Surface Water
Video by Vince Maillard (after viewing video, please click on BACK to return to this web page)
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What is a Kemmerer and how to use it
The major differences in water samplers are in their closing devices and general design. They vary in the volume of water they can hold, and a typical one and the one featured on this site has a capacity of two liters. Most samplers are metallic or plastic models. The Kemmerer in the picture intakes water in a vertical direction and is made of brass. The procedure for sampling at different depths is as follows:
- Prepare Kemmerer for sampling by pulling the stoppers from the collection cylinder.
- Clamps should be positioned on the top of the ring to prevent the stoppers from falling and sealing the cylinder.
- Lower the Kemmerer gently into the water allowing it to fall to the desired depth (depth is typically indicated by markings on the rope attached to the Kemmerer).
- Once the desired depth is reached, the messenger is dropped to release the clamps, and thereby sealing the water in the cylinder.
- After pulling the Kemmerer out of the water, water can be released through the spout into sample bottles.
- The remaining water in the Kemmerer can be released by dislodging the stoppers.
The following video demonstrates how a Kemmerer works by illustrating where the water enters, where the clamps are and what they do, and how the weight causes the stoppers to seal the cylinder.
Video of Mechanics of Kemmerer
Video by Vince Maillard (after viewing video, please click on BACK to return to this web page)
The following video illustrates how a Kemmerer is used to sample water by lowering it into the water, sealing the water in the cylinder, and distributing the water into sample bottles.
Video of Kemmerer in Action
Video by Daniel Dorsel (after viewing video, please click on BACK to return to this web page)
Dr. Hoehn, a professor in the Civil Engineering Department at Virginia Tech, talks in general about the use of the Kemmerer and the van Dorn samplers. Please click here to listen to
Dr. Hoehn's thoughts on water samplers. 
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References
- Lind, Owen T. 1974. Handbook of Common Methods in Limnology. The C. V. Mosby Company. St. Loius. pp. 26-31
Send comments or suggestions to:
Student Authors: Daniel S Dorsel, ddorsel@vt.edu, and Vince Maillard, vmaillar@vt.edu
Faculty Advisor: Daniel Gallagher, dang@vt.edu
Copyright © 1997 Daniel Gallagher
Last Modified: 09-10-1997
