1. Hydrological Research fieldtrip

2. 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.

3. 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”

4. 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

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

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

8. Location of site – see maps….

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

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

11. (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

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

13. (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

14. (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)

15. (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

16. (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)

17. 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)

18. 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)

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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)

22. 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)

23. (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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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)………

27. 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

28. (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)

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

30. 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

31. 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…….

32. 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)……..

33. 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)……..

34. 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

35. 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……………..

36. 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

37. 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

38. Collating the data…. Create a bar chart and email to:

39. 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?