Date of Award
12-2009
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Legacy Department
Biosystems Engineering
Committee Chair/Advisor
Privette, III, Charles V
Committee Member
Hayes , John C
Committee Member
English , William R
Abstract
ABSTRACT
As economic development proceeds special care must be taken to preserve and sustain our water resources. Monitoring the storm water from a watershed during a rainfall event can help quantify any changes in water quantity and quality. An accurate means of measuring flow is necessary for all watershed monitoring projects. This study was conducted to analyze the performance of stage, turbidity, and temperature measuring devices in a laboratory setting as well as on Honeycutt Creek in Clemson, South Carolina.
The stage measuring devices under study include: a radar level sensor, ultrasonic transmitter, pressure transducer, and a bubbler module. A remote small watershed monitoring station gathered weather, stage, turbidity, and temperature data at Honeycutt Creek. An analysis of the performance of the stage measuring devices and water quality sensors in the field would be conducted.
The analyses of the stage measuring devices were conducted in a controlled laboratory setting using regulated water levels in a tank. In Honeycutt Creek the water level was recorded by hand and compared to the output of the devices. Water quality trends of turbidity and temperature were analyzed based on stage.
Results concluded that laboratory analyses proved the pressure transducer to be the most accurate method of measuring stage. The bubbler module had field results that were more accurate and had the best correlation to the accurate. Given the chaotic nature of the bubbler field data, the recommended stage measuring device for field applications is the pressure transducer.
Recommended Citation
Crane, Rebecca, "PERFORMANCE OF STORM WATER STAGE AND QUALITY MEASURING INSTRUEMTNATION OF A SMALL WATERSHED USING A REMOTE MONITORING STATION" (2009). All Theses. 749.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/749