Gaging Whitewater: Preliminary Results of a Passive-Acoustic Stream Gage
Abstract
Small, steep watersheds in rapidly uplifted terrain are an extremely important component of the global sediment cycle. However, our ability to monitor these areas has been extremely limited. In response to the need for better instrumentation in these fragile and remote areas, we have constructed a portable, low-impact hydrophone-monitoring system capable of recording bulk changes in the energy of the flow. Based upon proven oceanographic technology, we have been able to capture variability in two different upland streams: one sediment-starved (the South Fork Skykomish River in the north Cascades), one sediment-choked (the Carbon River on the north face of Mt. Rainier). Our results are very preliminary, but they do indicate that this technology has the potential of discretely monitoring some of the most beautiful places on Earth.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002AGUFM.H11C0848P
- Keywords:
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- 1815 Erosion and sedimentation;
- 1821 Floods;
- 1860 Runoff and streamflow;
- 1894 Instruments and techniques