Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa

Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, North of

Portugal,
Abdulkadir Moallim Abdi Gure, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Earth and
Life Sciences, Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences, De
Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, e-mail:
youngmoallim@yahoo.com

July 20, 2012

Abstract

The main objective of this research project was to apply the knowledge and the skills learned
from the previous Hydrology courses to measure all the components of the hydrological cycle in
the study area. Discharge and water level measurements of the Ribeira da Presa Velha River were
carried out between the 6th and 28th of June 2012 as part of a fieldwork course of the
Hydrology Master at the VU University Amsterdam. The specific purpose of this article is to
present a general idea of the surface water behavior of the Presa Velha catchment during the
start of the dry season. Throughout the fieldwork a number of measurement techniques and
methods were used such as Salt Tracer, Velocity - area, Bucket, Float method, Tipping bucket
systems, and Electrical conductivity (EC) routing in order to get proper data.

The total discharge of the catchment for a period of 22 days was 1.4 mm, from which 0.038 mm
is due to direct runoff and 0.079 mm to base flow. The maximum contribution area over the
total research period was 39173.33 m2. For the 70 km2 Rio Boco catchment, the total discharge
was 1.7 mm. The difference between the two discharges is that Rio Boco catchment is fed by
Ribeira da Presa Velha, Ribeira do Tabuao, Sao Romao and the Ribeira das Mesas catchments.
Therefore it receives slightly more water contribution from these sub-catchments. Throughout
the study period there was only one big rainfall event of 14.9 mm and time to peak was 4 mm/
hour.

1 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

1. Introduction in the catchment is 71 m above sea level at

the southern border. The minimum
This paper is the end product of the field elevation is 8 m, at the outlet of the Ribeira
course Portugal that builds upon the field da Presa Velha. A map of location of the
course Twente in the Netherlands and the
catchment is indicated in Figure 1. The
excursion to the Algarve, Portugal. These
catchment is located in the Lusitanian Basin;
are compulsory courses of the MSc an Atlantic margin rift basin (Post and
hydrology programme at the VU University Waterloo, 2011).The basin is filled up with
Amsterdam. The study took place from Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and
June 6 to June 28, 2012. During this period, Quaternary sediments. Cretaceous clays of
measurements were conducted within the the C5 formation form the hydrological
Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment which is a
base (Barbosa, 1981). These clays are found
sub-catchment of the Rio Boco catchment
at the surface of the catchment, at the river
in the region of Aveiro, Northern Portugal, incisions and form an aquitard for
for the purpose of mapping the hydrology
groundwater flow.
of the catchment and to give an estimation
of water balance of the catchment for a 22 The Quaternary sands, lie unconformably
days period in order to assess the on the clays. This sand is from Holocene
sustainability of the water management fluvial and eolian deposits which form the
practices of the study area. aquifer. Water of this aquifer is abstracted
for irrigation and domestic purposes. These
The main goal of the field course was to do quaternary sands are mainly fine grained,
independent hydrological research and to not well sorted and they have an orange
study the relations between surface water,
colour. The sands consist of silicate
groundwater flow, geology, water quality
minerals such as quartz, feldspar and mica.
and the land use in order to understand
hydrological processes in the Ribeira da
Presa Velha catchment. The paper presents
a general idea of the surface water behavior
of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment
during the start of the dry season in order to
learn about all factors influencing the
response of a catchment, relations between
hydrology, geology, geography and
meteorology.
The topography of the catchment is flat and
the upper part of the catchment is mainly
sand with underneath low permeable clay.
In this way, rainwater will infiltrate easily
and the expectations are that the direct
runoff at the outlet is relatively low which
also means the peak of the discharge at the
outlet is relatively low.
Figure 1: Left: Location of Portugal, right: Field
2. Study area work area (red star).
Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment is located The youngest sediments, and most
in the North of Portugal, 15 km South of abundant on the surface of the catchment
Aveiro and 11 km inland from the Atlantic are the Holocene eolian sands (Ae) and the
Ocean. The catchment area is 23.1 km2 and Holocene eolian dune sands (dd). These are
the topography is relatively flat and has a fine, well sorted and mainly consist of
north-western dip. The maximum elevation quartz (Post and Waterloo, 2011).

2 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

The main soil type in the catchment is a River. In the northern part of the research
podzol (spodosol FAO, 2006). These soils are area, the river will discharge into the Rio
formed because a downward drainage Boco River.
system is present. The vegetation and land
use of the catchment are strongly related to 3. Materials and methods
the geology. The main land uses are mixed
During the study period, several methods
forest with pine trees, eucalypts on dunes
were used to measure the discharges of the
deposits and irrigated agriculture on the
rivers and their tributaries. The methods
high sandy parts and urban areas.
used are shortly described below. More
The annual average precipitation in Aveiro information about the methods can be
region is 913.5 mm (Fonseca et al, 1988). found in van Breukelen et al. (2009). A map
The rainfall is highly seasonal with a peak in of the locations where the measurements
winter. July and August are the driest was conducted is indicated in Figure 2.
months. Potential evaporation ranges 740 to
3.1. Tracer method
940 mm/year, depending on the method
The objective of this method is to measure
used (Post and waterloo, 2009). The mean
the discharge of a river through the use of a
annual air temperature is 15C, ranging from
chemical tracer that is mixed with the river
10C in December/January to 20C in
water. This method is often used for small
July/August (Post and Waterloo, 2011).
or shallow streams where the velocity area
The average number of sun hours varies
method is less easily applicable. The method
between 4 in December to 8 in June/July.
was used at the Ribeira da Presa Velha and
the Rio Boco rivers. To measure the
electrical conductivity, a GMH 3410
conductivity meter, (Greisinger, Germany)
was used. Before injecting the tracer, the
volume of the injected tracer, the injected
tracer concentration and the background
concentration of the river were defined.
Measuring the change in concentration in
time downstream, and using the formula
given in Equation 1 below, the discharge of
the river was calculated.

Where:
Q = River discharge [m3 s-1]
Ci = Concentration of tracer in injected
Figure 2: Research area of the Ribeira Presa Velha solution
catchment with locations of the outlet, the two principal
tributaries and the Rio Boco River. Cb = Background concentration of tracer in
river water
The Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment Ct = Concentration at time t seconds after
consists of a number of small streams that injection of the solution
flow from the South to the North. The V = Injected volume [m3]
Ribeira da Presa Velha River is fed by the
Ribeira da Presa Velha and the Ribeira da 3.2. Velocity - area method
Salta which joins the Presa Velha near the A Nautilus (Ott, Germany) flow meter
city of Ponte de Vagos. These two systems measures the velocity through changes in an
discharge in the Ribeira da Presa Velha electromagnetic field caused by the flow of

3 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

water. Velocity measurements were done at Where A is the cross-sectional area of the
10 points across the river width of the Presa river (m 2).This method is not very accurate,
Velha and Rio Boco rivers. This method thus measurements were repeated at least
was applied in a straight part of the channel seven times at the Presa Velha River.
with no aquatic plants or other disturbing
features. Ott Nautilus flow meter and a 3.5. Water level measurements
measuring tape to measure the water depth
were used. Velocity was measured at a A pressure transducer (Druck, Germany)
depth of 0.6 times the depth, described by was placed at the outlet of the catchment. A
van Breukelen et al. (2010) at an interval of staff gauge (Eijkelkamp, Netherlands) was
10 cm. attached to the pressure transducer support
and used as a reference level. A datalogger
system (VU University, Netherlands)
recorded the water level at 10 minute time
intervals.

3.6. Tipping bucket system and rainfall

The tipping bucket system (TBS) registered

the time of every 0.1 mm, which falls into
the funnel onto a tipping spoon. The data
were registered by a VU-data logger. These
data were used to produce a precipitation
time series which could be compared with
the discharge time series. From this, several
Figure 3 Discharge measurement of the Presa velha River properties of the hydrograph were analyzed.
flow using Natilus Flow meter.

3.3. Bucket method 3.7. Electrical conductivity (EC) routing

During low stages in small rivers the bucket Routing of EC helps to determine the
method was used. The amount of water in a partial contribution of the tributaries to the
specific amount of time is the discharge of discharge of the Ribeira da Presa Velha. The
the river. This method was repeated at least EC was used as a quality parameter of
five times and averaged to compensate for surface water at the two principal tributaries
small variations in natural discharge and/or in the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment and
measurement errors. This method was used was measured at the same time as the
to measure the discharge of the two main discharge to see how it decreased or
Ribeiro da Presa Velha tributaries. increased with distance from the recharge
area to the outlet.
3.4. Float method
The flow velocity of the rivers was 4. Results
estimated by measuring the time it took for
a piece of wood to float a certain distance 4.1. Discharge rating curve
over the river. When the average flow
velocity v [m s-1] in the river was measured, The manual discharge measurements
the discharge Q was calculated according to combined with manual staff gauge readings
Equation 2. were used to convert stage height to
discharge values. This was done by plotting
Q = v * A * 0.85 (2)
the measured discharge values in a scatter
plot with the stage height and adding an

4 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

exponential trendline through the points

(see Figure 2).The equation obtained is Q= 0.0002e18.93H (3)
given below ( equation 3), where Q is
discharge in (m3 s-1) and H is m.

Figure 3: Discharge rating curve of the Ribeira da Presa Velha outlet, June 2012

The measured staff gauge values vary transformed into a discharge time series.
between 26 cm and 40 cm. In these readings The hydrograph together with the
a correction for the zero level H0 of 0.12 cm precipitation during the study period is
was taken into account. The discharge displayed in the Figure 4. The results of the
values (Q) range between 0.02 (m 3 s-1) and hydrograph analysis are detailed below:
0.2 (m3 s-1).
The exponential relation between discharge The Total amount of discharge leaving from
and water depth gives a good fit, with a the catchment (Ribeira da Presa Velha) in
correlation coefficient R2 = 0.990. the research period (06-06-2012 till 22-06-
2012) was1.4 mm. Throughout the study
4.2. Hydrograph analysis period there was only one big rainfall event
of 14.9 mm; time to peak was 4 mm/hour.
Using the Q-h relation, the water level data
from the pressure transducer was

Figure 4: Hydrograph of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment

5 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

 Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

Table 1: Catchment response analysis of the Ribeira da Presa Velha

Rainfall event Rainfall event Effective rain Peff/P Runoff MCA ( m2)
(mm) m3 (mm) coefficient

Direct runoff ( m3) 881.4 14.9 342700 0.038 0.003 2.6 39173.33

Baseflow (m3) 1817.8

Total discharge ( m3) 31156.12
Catchment area ( m2 ) 23000000

The direct runoff (The runoff reaching 4.3. The base flow recession curve
stream channels immediately after rainfall)
generated by the big rainfall event during The base flow recession curve can be
the study period was 881.4 m3 (0.038 mm) in represented as an exponential function (Van
total. The total base flow (is the portion der Griend & Waterloo, 2010). Since the
of streamflow that comes from the sum of Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment is
deep subsurface flow and delayed shallow relatively small (23.1 km2) and the
subsurface flow) for the whole period was observation period was short (three weeks),
1817.8 m3 (0.079 mm. The analysis for the it is therefore assumed that the base flow
rainfall event is showed in Table 1: component of the river discharge behaves
Effective precipitation is the precipitation as a linear reservoir (Figure 5) and it can be
that contributes to direct runoff; Runoff represented with the equation:
coefficient (percentage of precipitation that Ln (qt) = 0.0416t -3.8106, where Q is the
occurs in runoff); MCA (Maximum discharge at the outlet in m3/day and 25 is
Contributing Area). Due to the evaporation the reservoir constant (K) in days. Once the
differences during a day and night, water equation of the master recession curve is
levels have a day and night regime because available, the Linear Reservoir Theory
of variation in transpiration. A daily [Viessman et al., 1977] can be applied.
variation was observed to be an average of The equation for the linear reservoir is:
0.01 m3/s, the maximum water level occur ( )
between 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the minimum The equation of the master depletion
water level occurs between17 p.m. and 22 curve
p.m. Then the reservoir constant,
days

Figure 5: Base flow recession curve and the linear reservoir equation.

6 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

The figure 5 shows the base flow recession used. The following results are produced by
curve of the Ribeira da Presa Velha analyzing the Rio Boco water level and
catchment. We can observe from Figure 5 discharge data. The total discharge of the
the discharge values are fluctuating widely Rio Boco catchment during the study
which could be due to the rainfall storms. period was 1.7 mm, from which 0.1241 mm
There is gradual decrease of the discharge is due to direct runoff and 0.147 mm to
until June 6th and then it slowly rise again base flow.
until July 8th where it starts to decrease again
continuously, which means there is During the study period there were different
apparently another reservoir that joins the rainfall events, the major one was a rainfall
first reservoir and most likely causes the event of 19 mm, time to peak was
increase of the discharge. mm/hour and the peak discharge was 0.16
m3/s. It was also observed a daily variation
4.4. Discharge of the Rio Boco of 0.004 m3/s in the discharge with a
minimum values between 18:00h and
Discharge was measured four times at the 22:00h and the maximum between 7:00h
Rio Boco catchment during the research and 10:00h. The difference between the two
period and a rating curve was determined discharges is that Rio Boco catchment is fed
(Figure 6). To provide a hydrograph, the by Ribeira da Presa Velha, Ribeira do
zero-point level of 0.3 m was taken into Tabuao, Sao Romao and the Ribeira das
account to produce a discharge time series. Mesas catchments. As a result Rio Boco
On the other side, More measurements River receives slightly much water
were needed to get better accuracy of the contribution from these sub-catchments
Q-h curve therefore the data of 2010 were
.

Figure 6: Discharge rating curve of the Rio Boco River, June 2012

7 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

Figure 7: Hydrograph of the Rio Boco catchment

4.5. EC routing lateral inflow component (Appelo et al.,

1983). The unknown volume of
EC routing was used to measure the groundwater inflow was determined by
contribution of groundwater to the total using an average EC of 700 , since
discharge. However, some rivers were dry the groundwater is originating from the
during the research period; consequently the Quaternary aquifer and 700 is
EC routing was only used in Presa Velha chosen as an average for water from this
outlet and its two principal tributaries. aquifer. The ECs of the two main tributaries
Locations at which EC was measured are where very low (290 and 279
given in Figure 2. The measured and ) compared with the Ribeira Presa Velha
estimated discharge values together with the outlet, (401 ).
measured EC values are visible in Table 2.
With the use of EC routing, groundwater
contribution can be estimated, especially the

Table 2: Partial contribution of groundwater to Ribeira da Presa Velha

Site Site Discharge EC ( ) Temperature Partial contributions (%)

No. (m3/s)

1 Q out 0.042 401 19

2 T1 0.020 290 20 50
3 T2 0.012 279 18 30
4 Qg 0.008 700 21 20

8 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

hydrographs showed that the Presa Velha

catchment has a rapid response to rainfall,
with a steep peak, due to the dominant
presence impervious clay soils in the area.
Furthermore, the decrease in stage height
and discharge at the Ribeira da Presa Velha
could be as a result of a long dry period
without rainfall. The river most likely
reaches a critical value for the base flow and
will run dry approximately after eight days
when there is no fresh input of precipitation
is obtained.

The Total discharge leaving from the

Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment
throughout the study period (06-06-2012 till
22-06-2012) was1.4 mm, this value is
slightly lower compared to the year of 2010
where the total discharge was 2.8 mm.
because that year there was a rainfall of 39.4
mm which is quite higher compared to this
year where the rainfall totals for the 22 days
of the study period was only 25.1mm. On
the other hand, It is certainly seems quite
Figure 5: Water types of the samples and the geological difficult to compare the discharge value of
map
this year with the one of the last year (2011).
5. Discussions The river did not show any peak, thus it was
only found an average base flow discharge
In comparison with the discharge of 2010 of 1.6 mm with a total precipitation of 2.9
(2.8 mm), the measured discharge value at mm for the whole study period.
the Ribeira da Presa Velha during the study
period was in the lower part of the The total base flow of Ribeira da Presa
discharge rating. The total discharge is Velha for the whole period was 1817.8 m3
slightly lower than the discharge of 2010 (0.079 mm). This value is slightly lower
(Leguijt, 2010) in the Ribeira da Presa Velha compared to the year of 2010 where the
catchment due to recorded less rainfall in base flow was 2 mm. According to the
the study period. On the other hand, the discharge of the Rio Boco in June 2012, the
number of measurements for the Q-h curve calculated discharge is lower compared to
was not sufficient to get an accurate fit for the total discharge in 2010. The total
this year. More measurements were needed discharge of the Rio Boco catchment for
to improve the accuracy of this Q-h curve; the study period was 1.7 mm, from which
therefore, the data of 2010 from B.P. Leguijt 0.1241 mm is due to direct runoff and 0.147
were used. mm to base flow whereas, the discharge of
2010 was 5.8 mm in 2010 (Kaland, 2010)
The rating curves have rather a high because the amount of the precipitation
variability and this may related to the storms occurred that year was higher. On the other
as well as the different measuring methods side, it was impossible to compare the
that were used. The interpretation of the discharge of this year with the discharge

9 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

values of 2011 due to the low precipitation want to thank the rest of the group for the
in that year and it was only observed base nice moments we had in Portugal.
fallow value of 1.6 mm.
Bibliography
6. Conclusion
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Throughout the study period a general Hydrodynamics, surface water
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catchment was obtained and more runoff response analysis, Faculty of
specifically the discharge related Earth and Life Sciences
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discharge-, and electrical conductivity (EC) Sciences, , Amsterdam, September
measurements. A discharge rating curve was 2011.
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discharge values. The converted discharge downstream Presa Velha
values were plotted in a hydrograph, catchment, Department of Earth
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analyses, such as the rating curve were environmental Sciences, 2010.
needed an improvement due to the short B. Pereira Barbosa. Carta geologica de
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period of 22 days was 1.4 mm, from which Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment.
0.038 mm is due to direct runoff 0.079 mm Field cource Portugal report, July
to base flow. For the 70 km2 Rio Boco 2010.
catchment, the total discharge was 1.7 mm. C.A.J. Appelo, R. Becht, A.A Van de
Griend, and T.C.M Spierings.
Acknowledgements Buildup of discharge along the
course of a mountain stream
This article could have not be done without deduced from water quality routings
the help of Sanne, Joel, Donovan and Lucas (EC routings). Journal of Hydrology,
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teamwork that we had during this field FAO. Guidelines for soil description. Food and
course, as it, lastly, helped me to promote Agriculture Organization of the
my hydrological system thinking skills. United Nations, Rome, 4 edition,
Furthermore, the author would like to 2006.
express hearty thanks to Maarten Waterloo Fonseca, J. C., Janicas, M. G. R., Proena,
who is certainly encouraged me throughout M. C. G. F., 1988. Panaroma no
the study period and Michel Groen, Ilja van Distrito, VII Jornadas de Sade de
Meerveld for their supervision and support Aveiro, Administrao Regional de
at any time I needed it. As a final point, I Sade. Grfestal, 222 ppHandbook
for Field Hydrological Measurements.

10 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences

Surface water hydrology of the Ribeira da Presa Velha catchment, in the area of Aveiro, Northern Portugal A.M. Abdi Gure

Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences,

VU University, Amsterdam, 2007.
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Hydrology. Harper and Row
Publishers, second edition, 1977.
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V.E.A. Post and M. J. Waterloo. Course guide

for the fieldwork in the Aveiro Region,
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11 VU University Amsterdam | Department of Hydrology and Geo- Environmental Sciences