Application of Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters for Streamflow Measurements

Abstract

The U.S. Geological Survey ?USGS? principally has used Price AA and Price pygmy mechanical current meters for measure- ment of discharge. New technologies have resulted in the introduction of alternatives to the Price meters. One alternative, the FlowTracker acoustic Doppler velocimeter, was designed by SonTek/YSI to make streamflow measurements in wadeable conditions. The device measures a point velocity and can be used with standard midsection method algorithms to compute streamflow. The USGS collected 55 quality-assurance measurements with the FlowTracker at 43 different USGS streamflow-gaging stations across the United States, with mean depths from 0.05 to 0.67 m, mean velocities from 13 to 60 cm/s, and discharges from 0.02 to 12.4 m3 /s. These measurements were compared with Price mechanical current meter measurements. Analysis of the comparisons shows that the FlowTracker discharges were not statistically different from the Price meter discharges at a 95% confidence level. DOI: