CSHS/CRI Rivers Field Course
Principles of Hydrometric, Temperature and Sediment Monitoring in Streams and Rivers
This course generally occurs in July-August.
Registration details are coming up soon.
Description
In collaboration with the Canadian Rivers Institute (CRI), CSHS offers a 5-day field course on streamflow measurements, at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) Field Station located in Sacré-Coeur, 30 km north of Tadoussac, on the shore of Ste-Marguerite River, a tributary of the Saguenay, Québec.
Hydrology and geomorphology are essential components of a large number of ecological processes in rivers and estuaries. Understanding of the components of a hydrological budget, water quality and channel-forming processes is helpful in the study of chemical/biological interactions in aquatic ecosystems. Over the course of the last decades, the modernization of monitoring tools has allowed most water resources managers to distance themselves from data acquisition. However, understanding the requirements of appropriate measurements techniques for discharge, rainfall, water quality and sediments remains essential to appreciate the uncertainty of data that are available and to support data interpretation by water resources practicioners.
This course provides an opportunity for students to take part in field work and learn some standard and safe techniques for streamflow monitoring. Some of the topics include:
- Swift water safety
- Introduction to the water cycle and hydrological budget
- Introduction to the dynamic equilibrium of rivers
- Familiarization with different flow measurement techniques
- Construction of flow rating curves
- Introduction to meteorological and water temperature measurements
- Introduction to sediment sampling in rivers
The emphasis of this course is on field techniques. Students will gain experience using Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (Flow Tracker), Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers, temperature probes and more.