Cost-Effective Method to Remotely Monitor Streamflow Provides Accurate Measurements

The Problem

Streamflow data provide an abundance of information to municipalities, state and federal agencies and researchers. The data can be used for managing storm surge water and finding pollution sources using watershed models to estimate the movement of sediments and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. Many techniques for measuring and recording streamflow data can be costly to install and maintain.

The Work

Brian Haggard, professor of biological and agricultural engineering, worked on a three-year study with graduate student Abbie Lasater to evaluate a low-cost method for remotely monitoring streamflow in smaller streams that feed into larger watersheds, such as the White River. The study was supported by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant, administered through the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission.

The researchers used three upward scanning, SonTek-IQ acoustic doppler instruments to periodically monitor streamflow discharges at 12 research sites in the upper Poteau River watershed in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. Cables connected the devices to battery packs, and data ports were mounted above the high-water levels of each stream.

The researchers collected stream depth continuously at each location and storm surge data following rain events.

The Results

The compact SonTek-IQ units provided effective and accurate measurements in the small stream settings. Central to this research was determining if the devices could accurately measure flow through the irregular channels of natural streams because they have been typically used in manmade waterways like irrigation canals where the shape and volume of the channels are known.

The research team developed methods to anchor the devices securely in the stream bed and determined how the devices interact with the environment of the streambed. For example, the researchers noticed how the sensor surfaces can be obscured during high water flows by sand, fine gravel or other materials. Haggard continues to use the devices in ongoing research.

​

The Value

The tools and processes identified in this research could eventually be used as a cost-effective data collection method for monitoring streamflow. Human activity and natural changes have great influence on available freshwater sources. Monitoring streamflow under extreme conditions is essential for understanding how environmental stresses affect freshwater ecosystems. Long-term streamflow data is essential to understand changes in hydrology and trends in natural disturbances like floods and drought.

About the Researcher