Hydrology

Course report and introduction to hydrology in Spain

Jorge Martinez Guanter

Index:

Hydrology, (what is?)......2 Fields of work in hydrology...5 Hydrologic cycle...6 Cycle phases Groundwater Surface water Runoff Water resources in Spain.....10 Factors affecting Spanish rivers Climatology of Spain Spanish basins and rivers Hydrologic situation in the Valencian Community....15 Hydropower energy in Spain...16 Engineering Hydrology.....17 Catchment Discharge Streamflow Measurement Problems using current meters Course works...21 Laboratory work: Rainfall measurements......22 Water level measurements (Report).27 Adcon telemetry.30

Hydrology, (what is?)

Hydrology is the science that encompasses the occurrence, distribution, movement and properties of the waters of the earth and their relationship with the environment within each phase of the hydrologic cycle. Domains of hydrology include hydrometerology, surface hydrology, hydrogeology, drainage basin management and water quality analysis, fields where water plays a central role. The water cycle, or hydrologic cycle, is a continuous process by which water is purified by evaporation and transported from the earth's surface (including the oceans) to the atmosphere and back to the land and oceans. All of the physical, chemical and biological processes involving water as it travels its various paths in the atmosphere, over and beneath the earth's surface and through growing plants, are of interest to those who study the hydrologic cycle.

There are many pathways the water may take in its continuous cycle of falling as rainfall or snowfall and returning to the atmosphere. It may be captured for millions of years in polar ice caps. It may flow to rivers and finally to the sea. It may soak into the soil to be evaporated directly from the soil surface as it dries or be transpired by growing plants. It may percolate through the soil to ground water reservoirs (aquifers) to be stored or it may flow to wells or springs or back
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to streams by seepage. They cycle for water may be short, or it may take millions of years. People tap the water cycle for their own uses. Water is diverted temporarily from one part of the cycle by pumping it from the ground or drawing it from a river or lake. It is used for a variety of activities such as households, businesses and industries; for irrigation of farms and parklands; and for production of electric power. After use, water is returned to another part of the cycle: perhaps discharged downstream or allowed to soak into the ground. Used water normally is lower in quality, even after treatment, which often poses a problem for downstream users. The hydrologist studies the fundamental transport processes to be able to describe the quantity and quality of water as it moves through the cycle (evaporation, precipitation, streamflow, infiltration, ground water flow, and other components). The engineering hydrologist, or water resources engineer, is involved in the planning, analysis, design, construction and operation of projects for the control, utilization, and management of water resources. Water resources problems are also the concern of meteorologists, oceanographers, geologists, chemists, physicists, biologists, economists, political scientists, specialists in applied mathematics and computer science, and engineers in several fields.

Fields of work in hydrology:

General hydrology: hydrological branch that describes the general hydrological and water cycle processes in nature, studying the physical sense of the phenomenon. Applied hydrology: the hydrology branch studying hydraulic engineering and other aspects of hydrology dealing with its application to fields related to the development and utilization of water resources. Hydrometry: focuses on the measurement of hydrological variables, basically field work, where the proper use of measuring instruments, proper selection of the premises in which the measurements are made and the correct interpretation of results is critical the quality of the information collected. Continental hydrology: a branch of hydrology that deals with hydrological processes in continental areas with special emphasis to the continental phase of the water cycle. Agricultural hydrology: branch of hydrology dealing with hydrological phenomena described by considering the agricultural point of view. Hydrogeology: part midway between hydrology and geology that deals with the study of freshwater and especially the groundwater and its use.

Forest hydrology: the study of the hydrological cycle, the circulation of water between the earth and the atmosphere in the mountains, forests or other natural areas.

Hydrologic cycle:
It is called the hydrologic cycle to the general movement of water upward and downward by evaporation from precipitation and surface runoff and groundwater. On this definition we can make some observations: 1) is not as simple as water evaporates from the ocean rushes over the continents. In the figure below shows that in both media evaporation and precipitation occurs, it is true that dominates the ocean evaporation and precipitation on the continents.

2) The groundwater runoff is much slower than the superficial. The slow groundwater runoffcycle gives some fundamental characteristics, such as the rivers continue to flow long afterthe last rainfall.

Cycle phases

As it is a cycle stages might consider starting from any point, but it is more intuitive to begin in precipitation and consider the paths taken by water falling on the continents in precipitation:

Evaporation: part evaporates from the soil surface (pools) or have been retained in the leaves of trees. Infiltration: water can follow these paths in turn:

Evaporation: water evaporates from the soil moist, not related to vegetation Transpiration: plant roots absorb water infiltrated into the soil, a small part is retained for growth and most of it is transpired.

The sum of evaporation and transpiration is the Evapotranspiration.

Interflow or subsurface runoff that side after a short distance before reaching the water table just surfacing.

Finally, the remaining water runoff results in groundwater. Groundwater: Ground water commonly is an important source of surface water. The contribution of ground water to total streamflow varies widely among streams, but hydrologists estimate the average contribution is somewhere between 40 and 50 percent in small and medium-sized streams. Ground water also is a major source of water to lakes and wetlands. Ground water serves as a large subsurface water reservoir. Of all the freshwater that exists, about 75 percent is estimated to be stored in polar ice and glaciers and about 25 percent is estimated to be stored as ground water. Freshwater stored in rivers, lakes, and as soil moisture amounts to less than 1 percent of the world's freshwater. Velocities of ground-water flow generally are low and are orders of magnitude less than velocities of streamflow. The movement of ground water normally occurs as slow seepage through the pore spaces between particles of unconsolidated earth materials or through networks of fractures and solution openings in consolidated rocks. Under natural conditions, ground water moves along flow paths from areas of recharge to areas of discharge at springs or along streams, lakes, and wetlands

Surface runoff: The rainwater is not evaporated or infiltrated runoff. Although several things can happen: Some water is evaporated from the surface of lakes and rivers. Another part may be retained as snow or ice on lakes and reservoirs. Finally an important part is the rapid surface runoff, which is still ongoing way to the sea.

Water resources in Spain:

Factors affecting Spanish rivers:

Climatic factors: affects to the discharge and even to the stage, velocity and depth. Terrain and topography: affects to the organisation of the hydrographic zones and in the erode and sediments. Even, affects to the posibility of build hydropower plants. Lithology: if rocks of the base of the river are made of clay, itll be a surface flow. If that rocks are of limestone, it could be a ground water flow. Vegetation: more vegetation makes less erode of the river and affects to decrease evaporation. Human being.

Climatology of Spain: Climate: The study of all the daily weather allows us to establish the characteristics of the climate at each location. The climate is the set of atmospheric conditions that characterize an area. The two most important conditions in the climate are temperature (variations of it in different seasons and the average annual temperature) and rainfall and its distribution during the year. The temperature and amount of rainfall an area depend on latitude, relief and its distance from the sea.

Climatic variations in Spain depending the zone:

Mediterranean climate:

- It is characteristic of the Balearic Islands and virtually the entire Mediterranean coast. - There is abundant rainfall and when there fall as storms, and at stations where they are most abundant are in autumn and spring. - They are dry and hot summers, with mild temperatures and abundant rainfall winters.

Ocean Climate:

- It is typical in coastal areas north and northwest of Spain, which are influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea. - Are persistent rainfall and are distributed evenly throughout the year, minimum and maximum value in summer in winter. - They are soft winter temperatures and little cold and cool summers.

Continental Mediterranean:

- Is characteristic of much of the Plateau, the Ebro basin and parts of Andaluca. - With abundant rainfall, especially in winter and spring, and summer scarce and stormy. - With cold winters and very hot summers.

Subdesert:

- It is characteristic for the area between the coast of Alicante and the coast of Granada, the Canary Islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. - With low rainfall. - Winter temperatures warm and very hot in summer.

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Subtropical:

- It is characteristic of much of the Canary Islands. - With mild temperatures year round. - With very little rainfall and especially when they fall, they do in winter.

Mountain:

- It is characteristic of the mountain ranges of our country. - When there is rainfall, which sometimes are constantly repeated, fall as snow. With these characteristics are accentuated latitude. - The summers are cooler than lowland and cold winters.

To determine the distribution of Spanish rivers and streams of different basins, we have to study first the country's geography and climate in the different regions. The majority of Spain's peninsular region consists of the Meseta Central, a highland plateau rimmed and dissected by mountain ranges. Other landforms include narrow coastal plains and some lowland river valleys, the most prominent of which is the Andalusian Plain in the southwest. The country can be divided into three different basins: Atlantic rivers: Duero, Tajo, Guadiana and Guadalquivir Cantabric rivers: Bidasoa, Pas, Vesalla, Sella, Naln, Mio Mediterranean rivers: Turia, Segura, Jcar and Ebro

Atlantic rivers: The rivers of the Atlantic are the longest and highest flow. Highlights include the Tajo river(1,008 km), Duero (897 km) and Mio (340 km). The watercourses of the Cantabrian are shorter and rains due to the proximity of his birth near the sea. Due to the structure of the relief, the Galician rivers have allowed the creation of numerous reservoirs (Eume in the homonymous river, the Mio Belesar, San Esteban and Siqueiros in the river Sil).
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The channels of the River Tajo at Caceres and Badajoz Guadiana River are regulated by a large number of lakes and reservoirs. In the Tajo built the Alcntara reservoir, with more than 3,160 hm 3, and its tributaries are the Borbolln, Gabriel y Galn and Rosarito.In the Guadiana there are seven reservoirs: those of Cjara, Garcia de Sola, Orellana, Zjar, Montijo, Alange and La Serena, with a capacity of 3232 hm3.

The Duero River rises in Urbin peaks and flows into the Atlantic Ocean in the Portuguese city of Oporto. Its basin is 79,326 km2 and collects and uses the abundant rainwater and contributions pluvio-nival of the mountains that almost surround the plateau, making it the second largest river of the peninsula, with 570 m3/sec

Regarding the most important reservoirs of the rivers of the Atlantic slope, especially hydrologic jump called Aldeadvila I and II to be, overall, the first in Spain in power (1,146 MW) and annual production (3,500 GWh of average: 1 June , 3% of national total). This adds to the spectacle of the works, with a retaining wall, which has a dome shape, height 140 m and 250 m in length. The most important river is the Guadalquivir (657 km), which follows an east west, with the great artery of the valley of the same name. Passes, for much of its route, boxed SierraMorena, causing a steep slope in itstributaries on the right(Jandula, Mares,Guadalmellato, Guadiato and Bembzar). On the left bank extends a great plain that crosssome mighty tributaries, from among which the river Genii. The lower reaches of the river is a wide plain with swamps and marshes. Flows near the town of Sanlucar de Barrameda.

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Cantabric rivers: In the cantabrian basin, rivers as we have said are short, and fast enoughrate. The hydrographic network leads south to north and consists of short rivers flow constant andfast water. The most important are the Deva, with its tributary the Cares, Sella, with its tributaries Place, Mampodre and Cobra, which at its mouth forms the Ribadesella estuary, the river that forms the Naln Pravia, the Navia, the most length (159 km) and the Eo.

Mediterranean rivers: They are generally longer than those of the Cantabrian, although not as much as those of the Atlantic (excluding the Ebro) because they are born too close to the sea mountain systems (Pyrenees-Catalan Coastal Cordillera, Iberian and Betic Cordilleras). Because ofits weather flow decreases from the north (wetter) to the south, where droughts presents strong that can become dry riverbeds (wadis) much of the year. The Ebro is the most important river in Spain, 928 km in length and with a drainage basin of 85,550 km. However, the mean annual flow decreased by approximately 29% during the 20th century due to many causes: the construction of dams, the increasing demands for irrigation and the evaporation (higher than the rainfall, due to low rainfall, high sunshine and strong and dry winds) from reservoirs in the river basins. This situation has a direct impact on the deltaic system at the mouth of the river because its hydrological dynamics are mainly controlled by the river discharge.
reservoir water in the Ebro river:

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Hydrologic situation of the Valencian Community

Our region, the Valencian community has a Mediterranean-type drainage system, whose essential characteristic is the marked irregularity. Surface runoff is reduced as a result of the high permeability of the carbonate materials that make up most of the territory, so that a high percentage of useful rain infiltrates into the aquifers. Flooding occurs occasionally very violent, favored by deforestation of the watershed, which usually cause catastrophic human and economic effects far reaching. This characteristic of Valencia is known rivers ancient. Most rivers in the Valencian Community are integrated into the Jcar basin except Bergantes River and its tributaries in northwestern Castelln (Ebro basin) and Segura in the south of Alicante. The total length of streams with permanent water is 1500km, divided as follows according to the provinces: Castelln, 350km, 850km Valencia, Alicante 300km.

The main rivers are Jcar, Turia and Mijares Segura, whose main characteristics are:

The total contribution of the rivers, in Valencia, is 3300hm3/ao distribution with the following watersheds:

These contributions are distributed unevenly and temporarily do not agree with changing demands. For this reason, in the Community have built a series of dams to regulate these flows of water. Moreover, in the Valencian Community have emerged serious political problems of water management, particularly scarce in the south of the community. The water problem in Spain is important, as a result of water distribution and irregular rainfall has led to talk of two Spains, a wet and dry, with periods of drought that exacerbated the shortages and the prospect of the dreaded climate change, with torrential rain, but widely spaced in time that can prolong dry periods, may further aggravate.
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Hydropower energy in Spain:

Hydroelectric Development

The first hydroelectric power plants in Spain were constructed at the end of the last century. In 1901 40% of the electric power plants existing in the country were of the hydroelectric type. With the appearance of alternating current at the beginning of the 20th century it became possible to transport electricity over great distances and there was a large scale development of hydroelectric power plants. The construction of major hydroelectric works called for considerable economic resources and numerous private companies were created, several of which continue to exist to this day. The creation of a series of public electricity companies at the end of the forties added to the efforts which had been made before that time by the private electricity companies and boosted hydroelectric development. Due to the great irregularity of precipitation patterns many dams were built for combined irrigation and hydroelectric use. From the mid-sixties, the growing number of electricity generating installations in Spain became increasingly based on fossil fuel thermal power plants and later on nuclear power plants, which meant a gradual decrease in the percentage of hydro power in the total installed. Nevertheless, major pumping stations were built and there has been a continuing refurbishment of existing hydroelectric power plants and construction of new plants. Nowadays Spain is in line with other OECD countries regarding the production of electricity, with18.5% of this energy from hydropower. The development of hydroelectric power in Spain in recent decades has been ever increasing although the latter's participation in the total electricity produced has decreased (92% in 1940 vs. 18% in 2001) This is due to increased production of thermal and nuclear power in the last 50 and 30 years respectively. The installed power in Spain in 2008 was 18,451 MW.16 The hydraulic production plant is the largest installed capacity of the dam on the Duero river called Aldeadvila (Salamanca) with 1140 MW, followed by Jose Maria de Oriol reservoir on the Rio Tajo (province of Caceres) with a 915 MW. There are more than 7 plants over 500 MW of energy installed all over Spain all legislated by a national use of water plan called PHN (Hydrological National Plan).

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Engineering Hydrology:
In this work, we have previously explained concepts such as the water cycle and the runoff and the different types of them. Now, we will continue with concepts related to the study of engineering hydrology.

Catchment:
A catchment or drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean. In closed drainage basins the water converges to a single point inside the basin, known as a sink, which may be a permanent lake, dry lake, or a point where surface water is lost underground. The drainage basin includes both the streams and rivers that convey the water as well as the land surfaces from which water drains into those channels, and is separated from adjacent basins by a drainage divide In hydrology, the drainage basin is a logical unit of focus for studying the movement of water within the hydrological cycle, because the majority of water that discharges from the basin outlet originated as precipitation falling on the basin. A portion of the water that enters the groundwater system beneath the drainage basin may flow towards the outlet of another drainage basin because groundwater flow directions do not always match those of their overlying drainage network. Measurement of the discharge of water from a basin may be made by a stream gauge located at the basin's outlet. Rain gauge data is used to measure total precipitation over a drainage basin, and there are different ways to interpret that data. If the gauges are many and evenly distributed over an area of uniform precipitation, using the arithmetic mean method will give good results. The catchment is the most significant factor determining the amount or likelihood of flooding. Topography Topography determines the speed with which the runoff will reach a river. Clearly rain that falls in steep mountainous areas will reach the river faster than flat or gently sloping areas. Shape Shape will contribute to the speed with which the runoff reaches a river. A long thin catchment will take longer to drain than a circular catchment.

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Size Size will help determine the amount of water reaching the river, as the larger the catchment the greater the potential for flooding. Soil type Soil type will help determine how much water reaches the river. Certain soil types such as sandy soils are very free draining and rainfall on sandy soil is likely to be absorbed by the ground. However, soils containing clay can be almost impermeable and therefore rainfall on clay soils will run off and contribute to flood volumes. After prolonged rainfall even free draining soils can become saturated, meaning that any further rainfall will reach the river rather than being absorbed by the ground. Land use Land use can contribute to the volume of water reaching the river, in a similar way to clay soils. For example, rainfall on roofs, pavements and roads will be collected by rivers with almost no absorption into the groundwater.

Discharge:
Discharge is the volume rate of water flow, including any suspended, dissolved chemical species and biologic material, which is transported through a given cross-sectional area. The equation to calculate the discharge is: the discharge (Q) is equal to the product of the stream's cross-sectional area (A) and its mean velocity ( ):

where

Q is the discharge ([L3T1]; m3/s or ft3/s) A is the cross-sectional area of the portion of the channel occupied by
the flow ([L2]; m2 or ft2) is the average flow velocity ([LT1]; m/s)

The velocity is measured simply with a method by timing the movement of a float over a known distance. The determination of discharge at a permanent river gauging station is best made by measuring the flow velocities with a current current meter. The catchment discharge of a river above a certain location is determined by the surface area of all land which drains toward the river from above that point. The river's discharge at that location depends on the rainfall on the catchment
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or drainage area and the inflow or outflow of groundwater to or from the area, stream modifications such as dams and irrigation diversions, as well as evaporation and evapotranspiration from the area's land and plant surfaces. In storm hydrology an important consideration is the stream's discharge hydrograph, a record of how the discharge varies over time after a precipitation event. The stream rises to a peak flow after each precipitation event, then falls in a slow recession. Because the peak flow also corresponds to the maximum water level reached during the event, it is of interest in flood studies. Analysis of the relationship between precipitation intensity and duration, and the response of the stream discharge is mmm by the concept of the unit hydrograph which represents the response of stream discharge over time to the application of a hypothetical "unit" amount and duration of rain, for example 1 cm over the entire catchment for a period of one hour. This represents a certain volume of water (depending on the area of the catchment) which must subsequently flow out of the river. Using this method either actual historical rainfalls or hypothetical "design storms" can be modeled mathematically to confirm characteristics of historical floods, or to predict a stream's reaction to a predicted storm. The relationship between the discharge in the stream at a given cross-section and the level of the stream is described by a rating curve. Average velocities and the cross-sectional area of the stream are measured for a given stream level. The velocity and the area give the discharge for that level. After measurements are made for several different levels, a rating table or rating curve may be developed. Once rated, the discharge in the stream may be determined by measuring the level, and determining the corresponding discharge from the rating curve. If a continuous level-recording device is located at a rated cross-section, the stream's discharge may be continuously determined. At the end of this explanations, some laboratory works are included to see how we do this in the practice.

Streamflow or channel runoff:

Streamflow is the flow of water in streams, rivers , and other channels, and is a major element of the water cycle. It is one component of the runoff of water from the land to water bodies, the other component being surface runoff. Water flowing in channels comes from surface runoff from adjacent hill slopes, from groundwater flow out of the ground, and from water discharged from pipes.
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The discharge of water flowing in a channel is measured using stream gauges or can be estimated by the Manning equation.

Measurement:
There are a variety of ways to measure the discharge of a stream or canal. A Stream gauge provides continuous flow over time at one location for water resource and environmental management or other purposes. For purposes that do not require a continuous measurement of stream flow over time, current meters or acoustic Doppler velocity profilers can be used. For small streams a few meters wide or smaller weirs may be installed. Problems in Gauging using current meters Small streams: The depth of flow may be insufficient to cover ordinary current meter. Mountain streams: Streams with steep gradients and high velocities cannot be gauged satisfactorily by the velocity area method and alternative means must be used, e.g., dilution gauging. Large streams: There is always difficulty in locating the instruments accurately at the sampling points and inaccuracies invariably occur. Measurements of depth have to be corrected due to inclination of the meter cable. In deep swift flowing rivers heavy weights are attached that causes a drag downstream from the vertical.

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Course Works

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Laboratory work: Rainfall measurements.

Rainfall simulators are tool that has been used for more than 30 years to evaluate hydrologic parameters such as infiltration, runoff, erosion, and sediment yield. They can apply reasonably reproducible quantities and intensities of water to areas up to 10's of square meters. While the runoff hydrograph from rainfall simulator plot appears to be simple picture of the runoff event, it represents continuous integration of all factors that affect the runoff flow such as surface roughness, infiltration rate, water application rate, plot slope, and vegetation composition and density. Some of these factors are constant with time during the runoff event, ie., plot slope and vegetation composition. Other factors, such as infiltration rate change with time. Because of the complexity and interaction of site factors, it is difficult and maybe erroneous to select single component or portion of the runoff hydrograph to characterize the runoff process or to use as determinant in evaluating treatments or watershed performance.

Using S10 Rainfall Hydrographs we tried to measure and demonstrate, on a small scale, some of the physical processes found in hydrology. These fall into two related categories: the relationship between rainfall and runoff from catchment areas of variable permeability the abstraction of ground water by wells, with or without surface recharge from rainfall.

Thus it is concerned with that part of the hydrological cycle bounded by the arrival of 'net rainfall' on the ground surface and the catchment runoff by surface streams.

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The instrument: The unit used in this laboratory work was the rainfall hydrograph Armfield S10, which has the following features: A unit designed to obtain catchment rainfall and runoff values as functions of time. Comprising a bench- or floor-standing tank with two overhead square pattern spray nozzles supplying water via a flow control valve, flow meter and solenoid valve. A motor driven traversing vessel with seventeen compartments is moved by timer beneath the outlet at a preselected rate to collect the runoff and provide an immediate display of the hydrograph. The tank is 1.2m in length x 0.8m wide x 0.2m deep. The flow range is 0.4 to 4.4 litres/minute.

This apparatus, give us the possibility to simulate and measure this different situations: storm hydrographs from single or multiple storms storm hydrograph from a previously saturated catchment storm runoff from an impermeable catchment effect of a moving storm on flood hydrograph effect of reservoir storage on flood hydrograph effect of land drains on flood hydrograph

Procedure: Demonstrations are initiated using a gravel lled tank which incorporates facilities for supplying water to the surface of the gravel and measuring the runoff. The gravel tank is manufactured in stove enamelled mild steel supported by a painted mild steel frame. The equipment can be bench mounted or free standing on a laboratory oor. Water is supplied to two overhead square pattern spray nozzles via a ow control valve, ow meter and solenoid valve. Detachable see-through curtains

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around the tank contain any spray. Runoff is conducted to an outlet at one end of the tank. A collection and measuring unit is located near to the outlet from the tank. This comprises a traversing vessel divided internally into 17 storage compartments. The collecting vessel is mounted on a plinth incorporating a motor drive and central drainage trough. A control console is used to control the traversing vessel and the water supplied to the spray heads. The time each compartment is located under the tank outlet can be preselected and the overall time from the start is displayed. Water collected in the vessel provides an immediate histogram of runoff as a function of time. A range of accessories allows demonstrations of surface reservoir retention, depression storage effect and land drainage. These comprise: Polythene sheet for impermeable catchment Four plastic containers for reservoir storage Permeable pipe for tile drain

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So what we do on laboratory work? A control console is used to control the traversing vessel and the water supplied to the spray heads. The time each compartment is located under the tank outlet can be preselected and the overall time from the start is displayed. Water collected in the vessel provides an immediate histogram of runoff as a function of time.

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 With the vessels catching the runoff water, we measure the quantity of water based on the discharge (was in cm^3/min). After this measurements, we made an Excel spreadsheet with the results for the different flows and times with the graphs:

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Water level measurements (Report)

On November 10th morning, we went with some other Lithuanian guys and with Erikas Martinaitis to take some information data about the water level and other measures like depth, velocity and flow discharge of an affluent of the Nemunas river. So we take a car and arrived to the river, and the first thing to do was to take data from the pressure transducer installed there.

This pressure transducer called DipperTEC made by SEBA company, has 3 sensors: water level sensor, temperature sensor and conductivity sensor. To take data from the meter, we use a portable laptop where using StreamPro Software we could download the registry of the values of the water level.

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Some of the measurements done with the pressure transducer

10.11.2011 00:00:00 10.11.2011 01:00:00 10.11.2011 02:00:00 10.11.2011 03:00:00 10.11.2011 04:00:00 10.11.2011 05:00:00 10.11.2011 06:00:00 10.11.2011 07:00:00 10.11.2011 08:00:00 10.11.2011 09:00:00 10.11.2011 10:00:00

18.350 18.383 18.417 18.449 18.482 18.510 18.537 18.561 18.585 18.603 18.619

m m m m m m m m m m m

After that, we started to use the acoustic Doppler catamaran system for the measurement of the profile and the discharge, the channel cross sectional area and the velocity: For doing this, one of the Lithuanian guys went up to the bridge above us with a rope.

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That guys crosses the river two times with the rope tied to the catamaran. So the catamaran acoustic Doppler system send the information that we required to our computer in real time.

After all, it was a very useful experience and a good time with that people learning how to use those instruments.

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Who is Adcon Telemetry? Adcon Telemetry Gmbh in its present form was established in October 2003. Its Headquarters are located in Klosterneuburg near Vienna, the capital of Austria. This is where the R&D Team of Adcon designs and develops digital radios for data transfer, based on UHF and GSM/GPRS technology. Adcon Telemetry focuses on telemetry solutions, based on its own ultra low-power radio technology and GSM/GPRS modems, both being integrated into our own range of loggers Adcon has focused on building compact and robust devices, which are extremely simple to install and operate, and excel thanks to their superior hardware technology.

In their website, they present the targets to reach by the company, which are
They purpose is building networks that cover huge areas, be it a large farm, the distribution network of a drinking water supplier, a province, a state or even an entire country, etc

At the same time as supplying excellent hardware products, Adcon wants to provide their customers with a convenient and powerful software tool that lets them visualize the data we deliver comprehensibly, process it easily and distribute it back to their customers via the Internet. This useful software is called addVANTAGE Pro and its constantly being updated by the company.
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Nowadays, Adcon telemetry is focusing on delivery solutions (not just in products). This solutions deals with different working areas like:
Agricultural disease management Irrigation management: soil moisture, evapotranspiration, irrigation monitoring Accure water data: level and flow monitoring Efficient water management: water management, leak detection, pressure monitoring Environmental monitoring

I this work, I have focused more in the solutions that Adcon offers to the agricultural disease management, because in the future it will be my field of work. This solutions are:

In the new techniques known as precision farming", the selective use of inputs such as water, fertilizers or chemicals, becomes indispensable. The growing environmental awareness of consumers further accelerates this process. Adcon was one of the first companies to offer a tailor-made solution for improved agricultural risk management.

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Adcon climate wireless stations: Plant disease initiation and development is a function of the interaction of several factors. That interaction is often referred to as the "Disease Triangle". Adcon Telemetry's plant disease risk assessments are based on the disease triangle. Adcon hardware (climate stations) in the field collects environmental data and delivers it to the receiver where it is available for processing by the addVANTAGE Pro software.

Standard sensors Temperature Relative humidity Leaf wetness Precipitation

Additional sensors Wind speed and direction Atmospheric pressure Soil temperature Soil moisture Solar radiation Water level Conductivity

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This climate stations has some of this sensors:

Precipitation:

Leaf wetnesss

Temperature & PH

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Some other important information for farmers are provided by other features like frost warning: With the help of Adcon's weather monitoring equipment, decreasing temperatures are always under control. The farmer can define wet temperature low limits (calculated as a function of temperature and relative humidity). Then, when the temperature drops below the predefined thresholds, the software sends an alarm via email or SMS. The farmer can activate frost protection equipment and reduce crop loss to a minimum or prevent it at all.

And about the growing degree days: The growth and development of plants, insects, and many other invertebrate organisms is largely dependent on temperature. Many organisms slow or stop their growth and development when temperatures are above or below threshold levels. The accumulation of thermal energy over time is known as degree-days or heat units. Degreedays and other heat unit measurements have been used for determination of planting dates, prediction of harvest dates, and selection of appropriate crop varieties. Adcon technologies gives the farmer the punctual information about this days and the best way to take care of their crops.

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