OSW Hydroacoustics Home Page
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been collecting streamflow information for the Nation's streams since 1889. The USGS has been involved in developing and using acoustic flow measurement technology since the late 1960s to improve the accuracy of an efficiency of streamflow measurements. Since the early 1980s the USGS has worked cooperatively with manufactures to develop and enhance the use of acoustic Doppler instruments. ADCP performance and operational characteristics are changing frequently as hardware and software continue to improve. Frequent revisions of software, firmware, and documentation revisions are expected in the foreseeable future. The purpose of this website, supported by the Office of Surface Water, is to provide relevant information to hydroacoustic technology users in the USGS; however, most of the information provided herein is available to all users of hydroacoustic technology.
What's New?
Bathymetry Mapping Basics Webinar
Recorded Webinar has been posted to the Hydroacoustics Webinars page.
OSW Technical Memorandum 2008.02 Upgrade of Rio Grande/Workhorse Firmware
OSW Technical Memorandum 2008.02, Upgrade for Rio Grande/Workhorse Firmware to Address Potential Bias in Discharges Measured Using Water Mode 12. This memorandum requests that the users of the Teledyne RD Instrument (TRDI) Workhorse acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) upgrade their firmware as soon as possible in response to a potential bias in water mode 12 velocity and discharge measurements.
OSW Hydroacoustic Webinar Series
The Office of Surface Water hosts webinars on various hydroacoustics topics. The proposed topics for upcoming webinars can be viewed at the new OSW Hydroacoustics Webinar page. As it is possible that the topic for a given month may change in response to scheduling conflicts or other problems, it is important to periodically check the above Web pages for any updates. We will make an effort to offer two different sessions for each Webinar and post a recording of one of the sessions on the OSW Hydroacoustics Webinar page. In addition, the OSW will send out an announcement for each Webinar with the dates and times and along with instructions for participating in the Webinar.
WinRiver II, Version 2.02 Available
WinRiver II 2.02 contains minor bug fixes to version 2.01 and 2.00 (recommended in OSW Technical Memorandum 2008.01). (This memorandum requested that USGS users switch to use of WinRiver II by April 1, 2008.) OSW recommends that USGS users upgrade to version 2.02. Upgrading should not result in any changes in measured discharge. WinRiver II Version 2.02 is now available from the Moving-Boat Deployments Software web page for those that have an agreement that allows the USGS to distribute the software to their agency. Others may download it from the TRDI website.
Featured Topic: Special Edition of the Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
American Society of Civil Engineers published an entire edition (December 2007) of the Journal of Hydraulic Engineering on hydroacoustic research and applications. This publication includes eight papers with USGS authors (see table of contents below). USGS authored papers are available in pdf by clicking on the titles below. Individual papers from non-USGS authors can be purchased at ASCE's Online Library.
Table of Contents
Editorial
Acoustic Velocimetry for Riverine Environments
Marian Muste, Tracy Vermeyen, Rollin Hotchkiss, and Kevin Oberg
Technical Papers
Comparison of Fixed- and Moving-Vessel Flow Measurements with an aDp in
a Large River
Ricardo N. Szupiany, Mario L. Amsler, James L. Best, and Daniel R. Parsons
Evaluation of Mean Velocity and Turbulence Measurements with ADCPs
Elizabeth A. Nystrom, Chris R. Rehmann, and Kevin A. Oberg
Field Assessment of Alternative Bed-Load Transport Estimators
D. Gaeuman and R. B. Jacobson
Correcting Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Discharge Measurements Biased
by Sediment Transport
David S. Mueller and Chad R. Wagner
Improved Estimation of ADCP Apparent Bed-Load Velocity Using a
Real-Time Kalman Filter
C. D. Rennie, F. Rainville, and S. Kashyap
Flow Measurement Using Flying ADV Probes
Thomas MacDougal Clunie, Vladimir I. Nikora, Stephen E. Coleman,
Heide Friedrich, and Bruce W Melville
ADCP Measurements of Gravity Currents in the Chicago River, Illinois
Carlos M. Garcia, Kevin Oberg, and Marcelo H. Garcia
Turbulence Descriptions in Two Cobble-Bed River Reaches
Mark C. Stone and Rollin H. Hotchkiss
ADV Measurements around a Cluster Microform in a Shallow Mountain
Stream
Kyle B. Strom and Athanasios N. Papanicolaou
Framework for Estimating Uncertainty of ADCP Measurements from a
Moving Boat by Standardized Uncertainty Analysis
Juan A. Gonzalez-Castro and Marian Muste
Errors in Acoustic Doppler Profiler Velocity Measurements Caused by Flow
Disturbance
David S. Mueller, Jorge D. Abad, Carlos M. Garda, Jeffery W Gartner,
Marcelo H. Garda, and Kevin A. Oberg
Validation of Streamflow Measurements Made with Acoustic Doppler Current
Profilers
Kevin Oberg and David S. Mueller
Technical Notes
Application of Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters for Streamflow Measurements
Michael Rehmel
Epilogue
Call for Collaboration in WMO Project for the Assessment of the
Performance of Flow Measurement Instruments and Techniques
Janice M. Fulford, Paul J. Pilon, Zurab Kopaliani, Patrick J. McCurry,
and Claudio Caponi
