Author(s): H. Mader; P. Mayr; K. Fabian; W. Katschnig; M. Wagner
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Simultaneous measurement; Multi-functioning instrumentation; Field data; Measurement technique; Habitat model
Abstract: Habitat research goes back for several decades. The importance of diversifying available habitat for aquatic biota has been shown by many authors throughout the last years. Habitat models normally are based on hydro-morphological and hydraulic parameters. These are the – today known-major factors influencing abundance and distribution of aquatic organisms in rivers and streams. Using advanced techniques s. a. bio-energetic models, a much more detailed hydraulic description of the study site with a three-dimensional velocity field out of measurements or hydraulic modeling is needed. The main goal of the project is to develop a new instrumentation for simultaneous velocity measurement and to optimize the measurement technique to describe the physical habitat characteristics, specially the pattern of currents in heterogeneous, well structured small and medium rivers close to the “real world situation”. The developed and tested new multifunctioning instrumentation, funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF project P 14433-TEC), mainly is a combination of a GPS or a TS with 4 acoustic doppler current meters including pressure transducers (NORTEK®) for physical data collection. Measured data from new equipment and techniques have been evaluated in the hydraulic laboratory of the IWHW by using a 1:1 scale model of a near natural river site with stable riverbed and steady state flow conditions and were compared with existing methods throughout in situ measurements at near natural rivers. Using the new standardized simultaneous measurement equipment and technique within specific river structures, a significant increase of data quality is given at the same level of effort for in situ data collection. The new measurement techniques ensure time and cost efficient data collection very close to the „real world situation “.
Year: 2003