ICOM Project Updates

What’s new with projects supported

by the Instrumentation Committee

Date of presentation

Your name and contact information

Projects by priority, July 2006

1. HIF: testing commercially available equipment2. Testing commercially available hydro-acoustics3. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions4. Quantitative PCR for enteric viruses (new)5. Integrate bottom track & GPS to optimize ADCP

navigation6. Alternatives to DGPS in moving bed situations7. Appropriate use of non-contact stage instruments8. Lab. evaluation of borehole acoustic Doppler vel.

meter9. Photo-optical imaging particle tracking10. ADCP flow disturbance

Color key: ALL, QW, SW, GW,

11.WiFi and bluetooth for data collection12.ADCP next generation 13.Suspended sediment or TSS with

acoustic & optic instruments14.Wave piercing tethered boat15.Tethered and remote ADCP boats16.GPS unit testing17.Fixed-platform radar for surface-water vel.18.Multi-frequency hydroacoustics

Projects by priority, July 2006

Color key: QW, SW, GW,

Projects by discipline

1. HIF: testing commercially available equipment7. Appropriate use of non-contact stage instruments

2. Testing commercially available hydro-acoustics

5. Integrating bottom track & GPS for ADCP navigation6. Alternatives to DGPS in moving bed situations16. GPS unit testing

11. WiFi and bluetooth for data collection15. Tethered and remote ADCP boats14. Wave piercing tethered boat

10. ADCP flow disturbance12. ADCP next generation

17. Fixed-platform radar for surface-water velocityColor key: ALL, QW, SW, GW

13. Suspended sediment or TSS with acoustic & optic instruments

18. Multi-frequency hydroacoustics9. Photo-optical imaging particle tracking

3. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions

4. Quantitative PCR for enteric viruses (new)

8. Lab evaluation of borehole acoustic Doppler velocity meter

Projects by discipline

Color key: QW, SW, GW

Format of project updates that follow

• Need—why the project is important

• Status—as of July 2006• Plan—for next 6 months• Other—Problems,

specifications, features, etc.

•Need—Evaluation of new hydrologic instrumentation for consistency and accuracy, validation of manufacturer's specifications and USGS requirements. Tests include submersible pressure sensors and water-quality monitors.

•Status—Results too numerous to list. See separate HIF presentations at http://1stop.usgs.gov/icom/general/present.htm.

•Plan—Continued testing. Publish results in Instrument News, journals and the HIF’s web page.

1. Testing commercially available equipment at the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility

City Hall and Downtown Waveland, Mississippi, a few miles from the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility

2. Testing commercially available hydroacoustic instruments

•Need—Test and evaluate performance of acoustic instrumentation for discharge measurement, develop USGS protocols, and provide feedback to vendors.

•Status—WinRiver : analyzing data for modes 5,7,11,12. FlowTrackers: published report. Compiling field tests for FlowTracker and Streampro.

•Plans—Collect data from new SonTek ADP firmware, Streampro range. Flowtrackers: finalize approach for estimating measurement uncertainty and effect of sampling no. Index velocity: publish tech memo, channel master tip sheet.

4. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction system

•Need—Enhance ability to evaluate, determine sources, and analyze in real-time: human pathogens present in water. Q-PCR amplifies and detects gene sequences and IDs and quantifies microbial pathogens.

•Status—Method obtained. DNA extraction method selected. Initial beads found to be inadequate.

•Plan—Generate standard curve, determine method sensitivity. Develop and test new beads.

•Other—Collaboration with USEPA National Homeland Security Research Center.

QPCR Thermalcycler

4. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction for enteric viruses

•Need—Existing project (06.02) limited to bacteria and wrapping up. This project will expand to include additional viruses.

•Status—New project July 2006.

•Plan—Ohio Water Microbiolgy Lab will evaluate use of Q-PCR for viruses.

•Need—An system integrating bottom tracking and DGPS would minimize errors in ADCP measurements. Semi-autonomous boats could provide less error prone, more repeatable cross sections than manually controlled.

•Status—Contract with U of Ottawa, Canada awarded. Field data collection begun to find tune coefficients for Kalman filtering.

•Plan—Collect additional field data, receive deliverables from Ottawa, independently test filter, initiate discussions with manufacturer.

5. Integrating bottom track and GPS for ADCPs to optimize navigation

6. Alternatives to Differential GPS in moving bed situations for ADCPs

•Need—Evaluate a less costly GPS “loop” method of accounting for the bias in ADCP measurements caused by the movement of sediment near the streambed.

•Status—Modeled and field evalations done, journal article and USGS report underway.

•Plan—Publish USGS report and technical memo of procedures for measurements in moving bed. Section testing of moving bed.

Evidence of moving bed, 1951 flood,Kansas

Flow

DUP

Actual boat track

Apparent trackFrom ADCP

•Need—Determine if commercially available non-contact (radar and acoustic) sensors have total measurement uncertainty adequate for stage-discharge relationships and are comparable to uncertainty of existing contact stage instrumentation (stilling wells and pressure sensor systems).

•Status—Laboratory wave generator developed, temperature testing of new models performed. New vendors coming forward.

•Plan—Continue lab and field evaluation of existing and new models. Develop policy on use of radar stage sensors.

7. Appropriate use of non-contact stage instrumentation

8. Lab evaluation of borehole horizontal flowmeters

•Need—Evaluate accuracy of borehole flowmeters for measuring GW flow rates and directions. Data important to hydrologic studies.

•Status—Four flowmeter technologies tested at the HIF: heat pulse unit accurately measured velocities, acoustic and optical had issues. Manuscript drafted.

•Plan—Continue work on publication. Develop simulated fractured rock aquifer for further testing. Complete journal article.

9. Photo-optical imaging particle tracking

•Need—Develop high-resolution digital cameras and analytical software to determine sediment concentration and particle-size in near real time. Replace VA tube technology.

•Status—Working version of flow cell completed and being tested, optical clarity down to clay-sized particles..

•Plan—Establish mathematical equation to relate smallest particles (< 75 m) to size range of whole sample. Modify high magnification lens and strobe backlight, patent multi-port flow cell, establish CRADA to commercialize.

10. ADCP flow disturbance•Need—New ADCPs measure slow velocities within 5-cm of the transducer, so measurements may be affected by ADCP. Evaluate how ADCP housings effect flow patterns; identify ways to minimize flow disturbances.

•Status—Numerical model validated with field data. Paper submitted to ASCE journal. Reynolds and Froude numbers in determining magnitude of effects. Recommended 25-cm blanking distance probably adequate.

•Plan—Test different instrument configurations in model.

•Other—Software may have other applications in USGS.

Side view of model shows velocities nearest ADCP accelerate past, but red arrow velocities normal to ADCP beam are not “seen” as well as slower velocities, so low bias results near ADCP head

11. WiFi and bluetooth for data collection

•Need—Evaluate better, less costly methods of transmitting data from ADCP to laptop.

•Status—Various configurations explored, determined WiFi waiver not needed, testing setups.

•Plan—Explore use of PDAs and wireless radios so laptop can be left in vehicle, develop tip sheet. Evaluate Oyster—a low power PC chip on radios that collect data on-board boat.

Image from http://www2.noticiasdot.com/publicaciones/2004/0804/0508/noticias050804/images/wifi-bluetooth.jpg

12. ADCP-Next generation•Need—To foster development of smaller ADCPs that operate in shallower water (1-1.5 ft), and are operated by hand or remote control.

•Status—RFP contract awarded to RDI for dual array 600/2400 kHz unit to measure in depths as shallow as 0.3-0.6 m.

•Plan—Prototype produced, testing next.

13. Estimating suspended sediment or TSS with acoustic and optic instruments•Need—Evaluate feasibility and methods for acoustic and optic instruments to continually estimate suspended sediment or TSS concentrations.

•Status—Multi-instrument evaluation in Georgia of several frequencies of ADVMs and a LISST (laser in-situ scattering and transmissometry) instrument. Data being collected and analyzed. Prepare procedures for servicing and maintaining the instruments.

•Plan—Continue testing and write quality-assurance procedures.

14. Wave-piercing tethered boat (new ’07)

• Need—Design a tethered boat for ADCP measurements that would be stable in fast flows with wave action.

• Status—New project, 2007.

• Plan—Provide input to contractor that will develop prototype.

•Need—Encourage development and evaluate ADCP platforms for easier and safer discharge measuring methods. •Status—

•Tethered boats available; new designs underway. Safety leashes available.•Remote-controlled boats: taking orders, new prototypes being made.

•Plan—Complete and test SeaRobotics and OceanScience prototypes. Prepare guidance on RC boat use.

15. Tethered and remote boat evaluations for ADCPs

16. GPS unit testing

•Need—Determine if less costly GPS with Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) can accurately measure boat velocity for ADCPs.

•Determine limitations to DGPS for boat velocities when bottom tracking is not available

•Status—>850 measurements analyzed by USGS & Water Survey of Canada. Handheld GPS not recommended. VTG data stream best. WAAS might work for ADCP but verify when no moving bed present. Coast Guard beacons vary in accuracy. Report underway.

•Plan—Complete draft report.

17. Fixed-platform radar for surface velocity

•Need—To provide safe, non-contact sensor for measuring water surface velocity from a fixed angular position relative to flow that compensates for cosine vector of flow direction.

•Status—Units provided by University of Washington were bench tested. Modifications made and reissued. Flume being constructed at HIF and testing plan developed.

•Plan—Begin testing hardware configurations and initial flume work.

•Other—Measurement range from 0.5 – 24 ft/sec

Multi-frequency hydroacoustics (new ’07)

• Need—Develop and evaluate multi-frequency hydro-acoustic ADVM for determining suspended continuous sediment concentration and particle size

• Status—New project, 2007.

• Plan—Work with vendor to develop instrument, then field test and develop protocols.

Photo of a single-frequency ADVM

Long-term testing projects at the HIF

• Commercially available equipment

• Continuous water-quality monitors

• Submersible pressure sensors

Color key: QW, SW, GW,

Testing results of commercially available equipment are on-line at

http://wwwhif.er.usgs.gov/uo/instrument/teststatus/

http://wwwhif.er.usgs.gov/uo/

Submersible Failed, 21

Submersible Passed, 91

Total Tests = 269 1st Test Failure = 29

Nonsubmersible Failed, 8

Nonsubmersible Passed, 149

New Pressure SensorsNew Pressure Sensors

2. (continued) HIF testing of commercially available equipment— Testing Section QA/QC

Initial Fail, 96Initial Pass, 106

Total Sensors = 202

Used Pressure SensorsUsed Pressure Sensors

2. (continued) HIF testing of commercially available equipment— Testing Section QA/QC

QW Monitors Failed, 3

QW Monitors

Passed, 112

Non Pressure SensorsNon Pressure Sensors

Failed, 768

Passed, 2165

New Stock QW Monitors New Stock Initial Inspection

2.6% Failed26 % Failed

Individual items checked

2. (continued) HIF testing of commercially available equipment— Testing Section QA/QC

Estimated uncertainty of Estimated uncertainty of various stage-measuring various stage-measuring

instrumentationinstrumentationSystem

Change in stage

30 ft 2 ft

Submersible Pressure Sensor1

0.60% 0.73%

Bubbler1 0.64% 0.73%

Float-well System2 0.02% 0.33%

Radar3 0.09% 1.39%1Pressure sensors – 22psig, 0.02%FS2Float well – 10-in float; 1.25# counter weight;

1/200 res. Encoder; 12-in drive wheel

3Radar - +/- 0.026ft

Radar Findings So Far

• Temperature may affect radar measurements.

• Stilling well acts as a low pass filter

• 15 minute sampling period can result in increased measurement uncertainty (aliasing)

• Radar possibly biased “low” for wavy conditions.

• Radar is less accurate when air gap increases.

• Funny things with some models, data jumps & many units have poor temperature performance

Recently Completed Projects

Magnetic head for pygmy meter Float measurement with timing chips Radar-based non-contact water level sensors Sit-down cable-car stress evaluation Laser stage system Teflon churn splitter J&H motor & control replacement 1-L bag sampler Heavy (D-99) sampler Borehole acoustic flow meter

Color key: QW, SW, GW,

Other ICOM-associated projects

Canada’s Remote Cableway Traveler—2nd generation