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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Watershed Physical Processes Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #324563
Title: Development of a portable passive-acoustic bedload monitoring system

Author
item GOODWILLER, BRADLEY - University Of Mississippi
item CHAMBERS, JIM - University Of Mississippi
item Wren, Daniel
item Rigby Jr, James
item HILLDALE, ROBERT - Us Bureau Of Reclamation
item CARPENTER, BRIAN - University Of Mississippi

Submitted to: International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/17/2016
Publication Date: 7/13/2016
Citation: Goodwiller, B., Chambers, J.P., Wren, D.G., Rigby Jr, J.R., Hilldale, R.C., Carpenter, B. 2016. Development of a portable passive-acoustic bedload monitoring system. International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics. St. Louis, MO. July 12-15, 2016. pp. 359-360.

Interpretive Summary: A acoustic system that records the sound of particles impacting in streams was designed, tested and deployed by researchers at the University of Mississippi and the National Sedimentation Laboratory in Oxford, MS. The hydrophone system was designed to be easily deployed and operated by non-experts. In addition, the current prototype system allows for deployments of several weeks at a time with minimal intervention. Several field studies have been conducted at various sites: the Elwha River in Port Angeles, WA; the Trinity River in Weaverville, CA; Bear Creek in Denver, CO; the Walnut Gulch Watershed in Tombstone, AZ; and Halfmoon Creek in Leadville, CO. At each field site, acoustic data was collected alongside physical measurements of bed load transport. Results from these efforts will be presented in addition to details regarding the design and operation of the hydrophone system.

Technical Abstract: A hydrophone-based passive acoustic bedload-monitoring system was designed, tested and deployed by researchers at the University of Mississippi and the National Sedimentation Laboratory in Oxford, MS. The hydrophone system was designed to be easily deployed and operated by non-experts. In addition, the current prototype system allows for deployments of several weeks at a time with minimal intervention. Several field studies have been conducted at various sites: the Elwha River in Port Angeles, WA; the Trinity River in Weaverville, CA; Bear Creek in Denver, CO; the Walnut Gulch Watershed in Tombstone, AZ; and Halfmoon Creek in Leadville, CO. At each field site, acoustic data was collected alongside physical measurements of bed load transport. Results from these efforts will be presented in addition to details regarding the design and operation of the hydrophone system.