A key goal of ReesScan is to link the magnitude and pattern of channel change to the river flows driving erosion and deposition.  

 

To monitor these flows effectively we have just installed two new gauging stations on the Rees; the first continuous recording stations on the river.  

 

These sites measure the river level using a combination of radar guns, digital pressure transducers and state-of-the-art acoustic sensors.  

 

By measuring the actual river flow during flood events we will construct a relationship between the river level and the volumetric flow rate (a stage-discharge rating curve) and so will know exactly how much water is flowing down the Rees.

 

Flood flows are precisely measured using a acoustic (aDcp) sensor mounted on a small boat, which profiles the water velocity and measures depth, all corrected using precise GPS fixes.  These data provide unparalleled insights into the 3d hydraulics of the river flow.

 

Measuring the flow is one thing, but for the team to react to events as they come, we need to know when the river is rising after rainfall or snowmelt. 

 

To achieve this, we have linked our upstream gauge, near Invincible Mine, to a satellite communication system and this station now transmits real-time flows back to us through the internet.  

 

Check back here daily to see updated flows and see when it will be a good time to visit the river!