Hydrological Research fieldtrip

The Scenario The University of Philippines are asking ISM to form a survey team to gather data about the condition of the river and surrounding vegetated area in the Novoliches Watershed Reservation, Quezon City. Bantay Kalikasan and UP are concerned about the land use conflicts in the area, as human encroachments such as squatters establish themselves in the area. Squatters burn vegetation and clear areas of land and pollute the soil and rivers, which has a negative impact on the natural environment. There is a real concern that these actions will increase the likelihood of flooding put those people in danger.

The Research Question Will human encroachments within the drainage basin of the Calumpit river will result in an increased likelihood of flooding….. “If informal settlers where to build in this area? what impacts would this have on this part of the drainage basin, and how their families likely to be effected”

Impact on People Impact on Environment Human encroachments within the drainage basin of the Calumpit river will result in an increased likelihood of flooding. Impact of human encroachments: Impact on People Impact on Environment

What is a hypothesis? A tentative explanation that can be tested by further investigation.

Assessment Medium: Group report Major: SAQ in class test – Sort Answer Questions

Location of site – see maps….

(A)The Vegetation Site Infiltration, Diversity, height & coverage in Vegetated area Diversity & Coverage & Infiltration in Sparsely vegetated area

(B)The Biodiversity Site Abundance & Diversity measurements Area for Vegetation, soil & water pH measurements

(C) The River Processes Site The transects for groups measurements in the stream, for wetted perimeter, cross sectional area & velocity & boulder size 5 4 3 2 1

(D) The Flooding Assessment Site You will be looking for evidence along the river bank

(A) The Vegetation Site (a) Essential Question: What is the impact of the vegetation on the hydrological cycle within the drainage basin and how do changes in the vegetation affect the cycle? 1) Soil Infiltration: Using an Infiltrometer in a densely and sparsely vegetated area 2) Vegetation Diversity: The number of different types of species in a quadrant placed in a densely and sparsely vegetated area these are measurements of the soils hydraulic conductivity 3) Vegetation Coverage: The % vegetation coverage in a quadrant placed in a densely and sparsely vegetated area 4) Vegetation Height: Highest vegetation in center square of quadrat

(B) The Biodiversity Site (b) Essential Question: What is the overall environmental quality of the area? And to what extent has the area been affected by human activity? Diversity of Species: The number of different species found each time a net sample is taken Abundance of aquatic life: The Total number of organisms found each time a net sample is take Water and , Soil & Plant PH – using a PH sensor (acidic or alkali) (6.5 to 8.0 alkaline is the optimum for fresh water)

(C)The River Processes Site (c )Essential Question: What are the key river processes and what do these tell us about flooding and flood risk in the past, now and in the future? 1) The Wetted Perimeter: Measured using a weighted tape measure at different points in the river bed 2) The Cross Sectional Area: Measurement of the width of the river divided by the average depth measured using a ruler at spaces of 50cm apart and averaged (or then plotted on a chart, and the cross sectional rectangles are then totaled) 3) Hydraulic radius: A measure of channel efficiency, calculated by dividing the cross sectional area by the wetted perimeter (more efficient channels are less likely to flood) 4) Velocity: Measured using a velocity meter (at 60% of river depth), or timing how long it takes for a piece of cork to move 5 meters on the surface (5 trials) 5) Discharge: in cubic meters per second, calculated by multiplying the velocity by the cross sectional area

(D)The Flooding Assessment Site (d )Essential Question: What evidence is there to suggest that the river has flooded in the past and to what extent? 1) Photographs: 5 photos showing evidence of flooding (e.g. erosion, transported material which has been deposited) 2) Maximum Cross Sectional Area: Based on the evidence in the area suggesting how high the river was during a flood 3) Sediment Size - long axis of large boulders transported during flooding: Using a Transportation Curve (Hjulsrom, 1935) , it is possible to estimate the velocity of stream required to transport the large boulders on the river bed, from this the discharge of the river during flooding can be estimated – measurement of boulder diameter is required (largest boulder in each cross section)

Hypotheses…… Hypotheses (a) Human encroachments will lead to reduced vegetation cover and diversity and changes in infiltration rates (b) There is a seasonal difference in the environmental quality of the area. The areas is clean and free from human encroachments. (c) The Calumpit river has the potential to flood the entire area (through a comparison of river as it is now and during flooding)

Fieldtrip preparation You will work in groups of 5 and your groups will familiarize yourselves with the four areas of data collection The aim of this session is to create & familiarize yourself with the equipment you will be using on the fieldtrip Develop hypotheses from (a) (b) (c & d)

Tape Measure this will be used to measure the cross sectional area of the stream and the wetted perimeter Take the depth every 50 cms to get the average To measure the wetted perimeter this will be weighed down with rocks

Inflitrometer A ruler is used to monitor how much time it takes for 5 cms of water to infiltrate Data will be recorded on the data sheet

Infiltration rates: Vegetated area (A) The Vegetation Site Infiltration rates: Vegetated area Put 5 centimeters of water in the infiltrometer and time how long it takes to infiltrate into the soil on a dense and sparsely vegetated area. The dense area represents an area without human encroachments & the sparse area represents and are where they have been human encroachments. Level of water Time taken In Inflitrometer to infiltrate 5 cm 4 cm ……….. 3 cm ………… 2 cm ………… 1 cm ………….. 0 cm ………….. Total time taken: ________ (minutes) To find out the average infiltration rate of your soil divide 5 by the total time taken, this will give you the average rate in cm per minute Average infiltration rate in vegetated area: ________ (cm/min)

Infiltration rates: Sparse area (A) The Vegetation Site Infiltration rates: Sparse area Put 5 centimeters of water in the infiltrometer and time how long it takes to infiltrate into the soil on a dense and sparsely vegetated area. The dense area represents an area without human encroachments & the sparse area represents and are where they have been human encroachments. Level of water Time taken In Inflitrometer to infiltrate 5 cm 4 cm ……….. 3 cm ………… 2 cm ………… 1 cm ………….. 0 cm ………….. Total time taken: ________ (minutes) To find out the average infiltration rate of your soil divide 5 by the total time taken, this will give you the average rate in cm per minute Average infiltration rate in sparse area: ________ (cm/min)

(C) The River Processes Site Measuring velocity Using Cork, measure the velocity of the stream (in the middle of the stream), by timing how long the Cork takes to travel 5 meters Do this 5 times and work out the average velocity= distance time

Wetted perimeter & velocity (C) The River Processes Site Wetted perimeter & velocity Wetted perimeter of stream _______ meters Velocity of the stream = Trail 1 = ____seconds Trail 2 =____seconds Trial 3 = ____seconds Trial 4 = ____seconds Trial 5 = ____seconds Average _____ seconds to travel 5 meters The stream velocity in meters a second ______ velocity= distance time

Measuring the Cross Sectional Area (C) The River Processes Site Measuring the Cross Sectional Area To measure the cross sectional area of the stream, – hold the tape measure to the bank at each end – this will allow you to measure the width of the stream To measure the depth divide the stream into verticals – these will be every 50 cms You will then use the meter stick to the depth of the stream at each vertical Average these out and then times this by the stream width to get the cross sectional area

Cross sectional area (average depth x width) ………cm (C) The River Processes Site Measuring the wetted perimeter, cross sectional area & hydraulic radius Width……………… Put in the other verticals (50 cm away from each other – the first two are marked), and record the depth midway between each one Number of verticals …….. Average depth………. Cross sectional area (average depth x width) ………cm Hydraulic radius =………………… Depth of vertical B)……… Depth of vertical A)………

Boulder size long axis of the largest boulder in the area (D) The Flooding Assessment Site Boulder size long axis of the largest boulder in the area Largest boulder

(D) The Flooding assessment Site Boulder Size Using a Transportation Curve (Hjulstrom, 1935) , it is possible to estimate the velocity of stream required to transport the large boulders on the river bed, from this the discharge of the river during flooding can be estimated Measurement of long axis of largest boulder is required (largest boulder in each cross section)

(D) The Flooding Assessment Site The Hjulstrom Curve…….

Erosion, Transport & Deposition The Hjulstrom curve is used to estimate the velocity needed for erosion, transportation, and deposition Analysis: 1) A particle of sediment sized 10mm would be eroded by a river velocity of 500cm/sec TRUE / FALSE 2) A particle of sediment 10mm would be transported by a river velocity of 90cm/sec TRUE / FALSE 3) A particle of sediment 0.01 would be eroded by a river velocity of 10cm/sec TRUE / FALSE

Assessing the potential of the river to flood (D) The Flooding Assessment Site Assessing the potential of the river to flood 1) Long Axis of largest sediment: ………………. Velocity Needed to Move Largest sediment:……………. (based on Hjulstrom curve) 2) Width of River in flood……………… Average Height of river in flood…………… Cross sectional Area of River in Flood………….. (av. Width x Height) Estimated Wetted Perimeter in flood…………… (depth x2 + width) 3) Estimated Discharge of river in flood………….. (Cross sectional Area x Velocity) * Remember to take 5 photos of evidence of flooding The Hjulstrom Curve…….

Vegetation diversity, coverage & height in Vegetated area (A) The Vegetation Site Vegetation diversity, coverage & height in Vegetated area Measure vegetation diversity by throwing the quadrant to your feet randomly, and counting the Number of different plant specie in the quadrat – in a sparse area to represent where there are human encroachments and a dense area to represent where there have not been human encroachments Vegetation coverage/density will be recoded by eyeballing and estimating the % coverage on a sparsely and a densely vegetated area. To measure the height of vegetation measure the highest piece of vegetation from the center square of the quadrat and record its height in cm using a small ruler Diversity Trial 1….. Trail 2….. Trial 3….. Trial 4….. Trial 5….. Average no of species…….. Coverage Trial 1….. Trail 2….. Trial 3….. Trial 4….. Trial 5….. Average % cover…….. Height Trial 1….. Trail 2….. Trial 3….. Trial 4….. Trial 5….. Average Height (cm)……..

Vegetation diversity, coverage & height in Sparse area (A) The Vegetation Site Vegetation diversity, coverage & height in Sparse area Measure vegetation diversity by throwing the quadrant to your feet randomly, and counting the Number of different plant specie in the quadrat – in a sparse area to represent where there are human encroachments and a dense area to represent where there have not been human encroachments Vegetation coverage/density will be recoded by eyeballing and estimating the % coverage on a sparsely and a densely vegetated area. To measure the height of vegetation measure the highest piece of vegetation from the center square of the quadrat and record its height in cm using a small ruler Diversity Trial 1….. Trail 2….. Trial 3….. Trial 4….. Trial 5….. Average no of species…….. Coverage Trial 1….. Trail 2….. Trial 3….. Trial 4….. Trial 5….. Average % cover…….. Height Trial 1….. Trail 2….. Trial 3….. Trial 4….. Trial 5….. Average Height (cm)……..

The environmental health of the area (B) The Biodiversity Site The environmental health of the area We can record the number of different species we find in the river We can also record the total amount of life we find in the river (abundance) as well at take not of the names of the different species This will be done over 5 trials, holding the net in the water for 30 seconds, and seeing how many species come into the net, lightly disturbing the bed of the river in front

Vegetation, soil & water pH (B) The Biodiversity Site Vegetation, soil & water pH pH is a measure of acidity and basicity (alkali) Using the Litmus paper record the PH on the soil on the bank, in the river channel and on a vegetated area For aquatic life the pH should be between 6.0 and 8.5 pH units – what is the pH like at the river? Vegetation pH …………….. Soil pH………………. Water pH……………..

Biodiversity & the environmental health of the area (B) The Biodiversity Site Biodiversity & the environmental health of the area Diversity (number of different species) Trial 1….. Trail 2….. Trial 3….. Trial 4….. Trial 5….. Average no of species per trial…….. Total no of species…….. Abundance (of living organisms) Trial 1 Trail 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Average no of living organisms per trial …… Total no of living organisms….. Abundance & diversity is measured by holding the net in the river for 30 seconds and lightly disturbing the bed of the river in front Names & numbers of organisms Use the litmus paper to get this data: Vegetation pH …………….. 2) Soil pH ………………. 3) Water pH

Infiltration Rates: Mini Investigation In today class you will complete a mini investigation into infiltration rates on different types of soil. You need to come up with a hypothesis about comparing infiltration rates on 3 types of soil (bare soil, partially eroded soil, and grass) You will then go down to the MS courtyard and gather data to test your hypothesis using the infiltrometer. You can do 3 trials on the different areas. We will then come back to class and analyze the data, and share it with the class, you should also think about potential problems with the data collection methods

Collating the data…. Create a bar chart and email to: marshalldy@ismanila.org

Answer in your groups – questions to check your understanding What is the main reason for carrying out this research? What is the wetted perimeter? How do you measure the wetted perimeter of an irregular shaped stream with rocks and boulders in the channel? How can we predict the velocity needed to transport large boulder? How do we measure infiltration rates? How do human encroachments influence the soil & vegetation in the drainage basin? On the geography fieldtrip, you will be studying the river …….. What is the name of the protected area of land you will be visiting? What are the names of the organizations we will be working with on the fieldtrip? Why is the watershed so important for metro manila? Why does it need to be protected? How do you calculate the discharge of a river? How do you calculate the hydraulic radius of a river? How do you calculate the average depth of a river channel? How do you measure the velocity of a stream? What does the hjulstrom curve allow you to do? What instrument do you use to examine vegetation diversity & coverage? What instrument do you use to examine vegetation height? How do you check whether soil, water or vegetation is acidic or alkali? How many data collection ‘stations’ will there be on the fieldtrip? List all the data collection equipments you will be using? List all the data you will collect What time does the bus leave to go to the watershed? What should you bring with you?