SonTek, a Xylem Brand

Name: SonTek, a Xylem Brand
Address: 9940 Summers Ridge Road, San Diego, CA, 92121, US
Telephone: +18585468327
Price range: $$

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SonTek, a Xylem Brand

SonTek manufactures acoustic Doppler instrumentation for water velocity measurement in oceans, rivers, lakes, canals, harbors, estuaries, and labs.

Our instruments use sound waves to tell you how much, how fast, and in what direction water is moving. Simply put, our instruments use sound waves to tell you how fast water is moving, where it is moving, and even if it is not moving at all. Our customers are scientists, engineers, hydrologists, research associates, water resource planners and anyone that needs to collect velocity (speed) data in

every kind of body of water imaginable. Our products could be as easily found in a university laboratory as they could in the deep ocean, along the coast, or in a river, lake, or stream. From the depths of the Pacific Ocean, to the Amazon River, to the small creek in your backyard, there are SonTek/YSI instruments hard at work every day.

09/02/2026

Download both: https://info.xylem.com/rs/240-UTB-146/images/bathymetric-survey-checklist-and-project-scope-guides.pdf?version=0

Most survey headaches start before you get to the site. These two practical resources — a Bathymetric Survey Project Scope and a Bathymetric Survey Checklist — are designed to help teams plan the work properly and be ready for the field. They’re flexible templates that can be adjusted to fit your own workflow, equipment, site conditions, and project requirements.

08/25/2026

El Niño prep isn’t just about flooding or drought—it’s about being ready for both.

Our downloadable PDF, Preparing Water Monitoring Programs for El Niño Extremes, shares a practical look at how flexible flow and water-quality monitoring can help agencies prepare for an uncertain season.

It covers high- and low-flow extremes, preseason readiness, and a layered approach using continuous monitoring, field verification, and targeted surveys/post-event assessment.

Download the full paper here: https://info.xylem.com/rs/240-UTB-146/images/preparing-water-monitoring-programs-el-nino-extreme.pdf?version=0

08/12/2026

We were happy to welcome 15 water monitoring professionals to SonTek this week for SonTek-RS5 ADCP discharge measurement training.

The group included participants primarily from the California Department of Water Resources, along with the County of Ventura, Rincon Consultants, and West Yost Associates. The training started with classroom instruction on ADCP principles, followed by a tour of our manufacturing facility to see the precision that goes into every instrument.

From there, the group headed to Peñasquitos Creek in Mira Mesa, San Diego, for hands-on field practice with the RS5. Participants worked through practical deployment techniques, including transect setup, discharge measurement, data review, and best practices for collecting reliable hydrologic data.

Thank you to SonTek Applications Engineers Isaac Jones and Xue Fan for leading the training. Education is an important part of how we support the water monitoring community, both locally and around the world.

08/06/2026

Download paper: https://info.xylem.com/rs/240-UTB-146/images/sontek-sl-iq-thresholds-filters.pdf?version=0

Why would flow drop to zero when water is still present?

Our latest SonTek Tech Tip explains a common cause for unexpected zero velocity or flow values in SonTek-SL and IQ data: the Velocity Threshold setting. In some low-flow conditions, valid measurements may be filtered to zero.

Download the tech tip for a quick, practical setting to check before pulling an instrument from the field.

Ask our PROs about your unique field site or application! [email protected]

08/01/2026

Today, our San Diego team stepped away from the workday to enjoy one of our favorite traditions: the annual SonTek Summer Family Picnic.

The main event was a highly anticipated pickleball “grudge match” led by team captains Hakan Erdem and Ben Mains. Players represented either the Flow Riders or the Power Pingers, battling through competitive brackets, plenty of good-natured trash talk, and more than a few questionable calls. In the end, the Power Pingers claimed the victory, but everyone earned a medal and helped create some great memories along the way.

Days like this are a welcome reminder that what we share goes well beyond the work itself. It is also about the friendships, laughter, and sense of community our employees have built together.

A heartfelt thank-you to our Employee Activity Committee, whose members volunteer their time and energy to make events like this possible:

First group photo, back row, left to right: Alex Alvarado, Carter Sitar, Eric Rawa, Hakan Erdem, Jennifer Love Brown and Chris Paffendorf
Front row, left to right: Hsiao Hua Wu and Elizabeth Rodriguez
Not pictured: Mike Nguyen

Thank you to everyone who participated, brought their families, cheered from the sidelines, and made the day special. The final score may belong to the Power Pingers—but this one was a win for the entire San Diego team.

07/29/2026

El Niño does not create the same monitoring challenge everywhere. One region may be preparing for floods, sediment, and rapidly changing discharge, while another is managing drought, low velocities, or stressed water supplies.

Our new paper offers practical guidance for preparing equipment, protecting field crews, validating ratings, and maintaining reliable discharge data as conditions change. Take a look at the infographic, then download the full paper for the complete discussion.

Download the paper: https://info.xylem.com/rs/240-UTB-146/images/preparing-water-monitoring-programs-el-nino-extreme.pdf?version=0

07/28/2026

This month’s Know Your PRO spotlight features Justin Stockley, a trusted Xylem technology expert known for bringing practical insight, regional experience, and genuine enthusiasm to the water monitoring community.

Whether he’s supporting customers in the field or encouraging the next generation of hydrographers, Justin helps make hydrology more approachable, meaningful, and field-ready.

Reach out to Justin, or meet one of your local PROs today! -> [email protected]

07/21/2026

Our Xylem environmental team is in Tuscaloosa, Alabama this week for the USGS National Water Data Training Workshop, with team members representing SonTek, YSI, Inc.I, and HYPACK.

The workshop focuses on the data, tools, and technologies that USGS teams use to collect, process, manage, and share environmental information. We’re glad to be part of the conversation and to connect directly with hydrologists and technicians who work with these instruments and workflows in the field.

This kind of feedback matters. Whether we’re talking about Surfbee, the SonTek-QC4, or other monitoring technologies, conversations with USGS staff help us better understand what field teams need today—and what they may need next.

Pictured in the group photo from L to R: Amanda Whaling, Jessica Latzko, Kyle Waits, Dan Ritter, PhD, PG, Zack Henderson, Kevin Labbe, Brian Bendis, Randy Hadland, and Janine Campbell.

07/09/2026

Recent field training with Ventura County Public Works Agency Watershed Protection District brought SonTek ADCP experts Kevin Labbe and Matt Klipfel to the base of Matilija Dam for hands-on bathymetric survey training.

The session, held with Ron Marotto and local hydrographers, focused on collecting depth and underwater terrain data that can support sediment management, hydraulic modeling, and restoration planning. For a project like the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project, understanding what is happening below the surface is a critical part of planning what comes next.

A great day of field training tied directly to meaningful watershed work.

Learn more at [email protected]!

06/24/2026

Different platforms, same goal: confident measurements and great data.

Sound principles. Good advice.

Questions about the right ADCP deployment for your application? [email protected]

Address

9940 Summers Ridge Road
San Diego, CA
92121

Telephone

+18585468327

Website

http://www.sontek.com/

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