Water Stewardship Information Sources

Citation Hydrological and meteorological observation network on an outer coast island of the coastal temperate rainforest
Organization Hakai Institute
URL http://www.hakai.org/research/kwakshua-watershed-program/hydrology-and-climate
Abstract/Description or Keywords The 2013-2014 field season saw the expansion of the real-time weather and surface water observation network for the Kwakshua Watershed Program to seven discharge gauging stations (watersheds 1015, 819, 844, 693, 703, 708 and 626), six low and four middle elevation weather stations measuring rain, temperature and relative humidity and one high elevation weather station on Mount Buxton. The primary objective of the network is to describe weather inputs and stream discharge among the seven focal watersheds, for both short and medium term research questions. The network will also provide long term climate and hydrological monitoring on the central coast for many operational and research needs as time progresses. Weather and water related data are available near real-time using an extensive telemetry network. A prototype automatic discharge system (auto-salt) was installed in watershed 708 to remotely measure stream discharge at pre-determined stream depths to enable rapid rating curve development. Rating curves are under development in all seven watersheds, with many low to moderate flows captured through the summer of 2014. As of November 2014, over 30 moderate to high flow discharge measurements have been collected using auto-salt at watershed 708. To better understand event based DOC dynamics, several rain events were sampled manually and with an innovative remote rack sample method. We are now able to calculate DOC fluxes from the seven focal watersheds, addressing one of the core questions of the Kwakshua Watershed Program.
Information Type project
Regional Watershed Central Coast
Sub-watershed if known Kwakshua
Aquifer #
Comments
Project status ongoing
Contact Name Bill Floyd
Contact Email [email protected]