Time-Lapse Photography: Low-Cost, Low-Tech Alternative for Monitoring Flow Depth
Publication: Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 23, Issue 2
Abstract
Streamflow information is collected worldwide and used in the areas of engineering design, water supply planning, and hydrologic and water quality analysis, among others. Available data from intermittent and ephemeral streams in arid regions are sparse because streamflow is highly variable and infrequent. Due to a lower perceived priority to monitor intermittent and ephemeral streams, it is more difficult to justify the economic expense of traditional monitoring equipment. This study demonstrates that time-lapse photography can provide a viable, low-cost, low-tech option for measuring stage (water depth) at stream gauging stations. A time-lapse camera was set up to record images of a channel and staff gauge in an ephemeral urban catchment in central New Mexico. During flow events, stage can be read from the time-lapse images and converted to a discharge time series. In the course of a 2-year test period, 33 runoff events were recorded. With approximately $200 in materials, this method costs only a fraction of conventional gauging stations.
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Acknowledgments
The author thanks Mr. Charles Thomas, Mr. James Service, and Mr. Dave Gatterman for their review and comments.
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Published In
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
Volume 23 • Issue 2 • February 2018
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 29, 2017
Accepted: Aug 24, 2017
Published online: Dec 15, 2017
Published in print: Feb 1, 2018
Discussion open until: May 15, 2018
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