Robustness and quality of precipitation and river flow data obtained through participatory monitoring and citizen scienc
Abstract
Apart for the most basic measurements of manual rain and staff gauges, hydrology and water resources are not an evident disciplines for the application of citizen science. High-resolution measurements require elaborate equipment, installation, and maintenance that is typically beyond the scope of non-scientists. Additionally, hydrological analysis has traditionally relied upon long time series of consistent accuracy and precision. Nevertheless, new opportunities for public participation in hydrological research are emerging, driven by increasingly affordable, robust, and more user-friendly technology. Here we analyse the results generated by participatory monitoring of river flow and precipitation in around 30 catchments in the tropical Andes. This monitoring network was set up through a collaborative effort between scientists, NGOs and local communities, with the intention to generate evidence about the impact of land-use change on streamflow. Monitoring was implemented using automatic but low-cost sensors operated and maintained by local users. Tipping bucket rain gauges are used for precipitation, and river flow is monitored with pressure transducers in combination with a V-notch weir to obtain a stable stage-discharge relation. Jointly, the sensors have now collected an equivalent of more than 30 years of data, with a measurement interval of typically 5 or 15 minutes. Analysing the data, we find that the observations themselves tend to be of a quality comparable to scientific observations. However, main issues are related to the continuity of the time series, as sensors eventually fail or run out of capacity in dataloggers or batteries in the most remote locations. Despite these shortcomings, the data have proven to be useful in characterizing land-use impacts well beyond what can be achieved with conventional data collection, thus filling long-standing gaps in local hydrological knowledge. Furthermore, we expect that the advent of new, more robust, resilient, and automatized sensor technologies will alleviate some of the current issues.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFMPA52A..05B
- Keywords:
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- 0499 New fields (not classifiable under other headings);
- BIOGEOSCIENCESDE: 9810 New fields (not classifiable under other headings);
- GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUSDE: 9820 Techniques applicable in three or more fields;
- GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUSDE: 1926 Geospatial;
- INFORMATICS