Hydroacoustic Current Meters for the Measurement of Discharge in Shallow Streams and Rivers

Project Plans

ADV

1. Continue testing of POC unit until receipt of refined prototypes.

2. Receipt of refined prototypes by the Maryland-Delaware-Washington, D.C., and Indiana USGS District offices by January 15, 2000.

3. Intensive field tests of the refined prototypes, January 15-June 30, 2001. Testing will begin in the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. and Indiana offices; other USGS offices will also participate in the initial testing. USGS District offices that have expressed an interest in testing include Florida, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Idaho. Discharge measurements will be made with the refined prototype; concurrent discharge measurements will be made with mechanical current meters or other accepted USGS methodologies such as flumes. The comparison data and input from users will be shared with the manufacturer for development of production models.

4. Release of testing results by July 15, 2001, on these Web pages.

5. Release of USGS User's Guide by September 30, 2001. This deadline may coincide, if feasible, with release of a commercially available wading rod. The projected release date of a commercial version is not yet available.
   

Profiler

1. Receive POC prototype by December 15, 2000. Begin bench testing December 15, 2000. Begin field testing January 5, 2001.

2. Investigate and develop a discharge-measurement interface. Complete and test a prototype interface by July 30, 2001.

3. Investigate and develop flotation platform(s) for making wading discharge measurements. Select optimal method by July 30, 2001.

4. Perform discharge measurements, using prototype interface and flotation platform, beginning August 2001. Publish initial results by September 30, 2001. The data and input from users will be shared with the manufacturer.

5. Refine methods of using the profiler; test any refinements in interface, flotation platform, or profiler if necessary. This work would begin October 1, 2001, and continue if funding is available (Fiscal Year 2002 begins 10/1/2001; this project has firm funding committed only for the 2001 fiscal year). A user's guide will be produced, with a target release date coinciding with the availability of a commercial unit (again, depending on funding considerations).

Other Work

Other vendors and instruments will be investigated to the extent that funding will allow. Currently, an acoustic current meter manufactured by Aanderaa Instruments is being investigated as a possibility for this application.

Next: Project Updates

Indiana District hydroacoustics Main Page
Office of Surface Water hydroacoustic Support Pages

• The use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the United States Government.
• All information herein is provisional and subject to revision.
• Emphasis on the instruments described in these pages does not imply that these are the only instruments that can be used for this purpose. The instruments were selected for the following reasons: the instruments are readily adaptable to this purpose, the instruments are on Federal purchase schedules, and the instrument vendors have voluntarily committed resources to this application. Other instruments will be investigated within the limits of project funding and schedules.

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
5957 Lakeside Boulevard
Indianapolis, Indiana
46278-1996
USA
Phone: (317)290-3333
Fax: (317)290-3313
URL: http://sunrise.er.usgs.gov /hydroacoustics/acoustic_wading_rod_plans.shtml
Last modified:Monday, 13-Aug-2007 15:58:47 EDT
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