Students recently had the opportunity to get out in the field to do some hands-on field work in our 3rd year Watershed Hydrology course.
Dr. Jennifer Totten, course instructor, explains, “Students are learning to acquire stream-flow data by hands-on measurement in the Rideau. They also get to compare their data with the real-time data simultaneously obtained by the Environment Canada recording station (in the concrete bunker just above the rapids!). They have a chance to see the variation of current with depth and width as they work their way across the channel just above the rapids. They get the chance to find out what the challenges are in collecting actual stream data (weeds, deep spots, slippery rocks, wind, changing places & maintaining their profile, long tape measures that break, and of course, leaky hip waders!). They learn to work together for safety & efficiency and have fun playing in the water on a really nice day! We are so lucky to have a wade-able river right on campus!”.
