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65 new OTT ecoLog 500 stations in Denmark for a crop cutting research project

The associated sets of water level and water flow data, together with detailed records of the physical conditions, can form the basis for calculating the specific effects of the crop cutting on the water level and the manning number (expressing the resistance to the water's free flow in the watercourse) and the temporal variation thereof. Data can also form the basis for an analysis of how any changes in shape affect both the manning number and the water flow capacity.

Learn more in the background and monitoring solution tabs

Groundwater level sensor and data logger

OTT ecoLog 500 Water Level Logger

Water level sensor with built-in datalogger for surface and groundwater applications

The OTT ecoLOG 500 is a self-contained water level instrument offering flexible remote data options and unequaled performance for the price.

  • Surface water Groundwater
  • Vented pressure cell
  • Waterlevel/Pressure, Water temperature
  • Measures, stores, and transmits water level and temperature data
  • ± 0.05% FS
  • Yes

Background

The overall working hypothesis of the project is that new methods and changed times for crop cutting can be identified, which can optimize the crop cutting in relation to the water flow capacity, while at the same time there will be positive effects on the ecological state, compared to today, where the crop cutting in many streams are not optimized for either drainage or environment.

Specifically, the following hypotheses will be tested in the project:

  1. A selective cutting of swamp plants in the watercourses will improve the watering capacity, as they resist the flow of water to a greater extent than the water plants.
  2. The cutting of the brinker will significantly increase the watering capacity at the large runoffs where there is the greatest risk of flooding, as the water flow capacity at large runoffs is particularly adversely affected by the brink's plants.
  3. The likelihood of goal fulfillment is increased by both selective cutting of swamp plants and brink cutting, as aquatic plants impart physical variation to the watercourses and thus improve the habitat conditions of the water-flow organisms.
  4. Targeting of the timing of crop cutting could give a better effect of the cutting both in water flowability and in terms of agricultural utility value of the cutting, since the biomass is greatest in the watercourses late in the summer, while the drainage requirement is often greatest during periods of field work.

The project is implemented over a five-year period. Such a long project period is necessary in order to systematically document the effects of the different types of crop cutting methods and times for water-feeding ability and for the biological conditions.

Monitoring Solution

Orbicon is responsible for setting up and operating the 65 hydrometric measuring stations needed to document the effects of crop cutting on the watering ability. For documentation of the effects of the crop, the crop cutting and the shape development on the water level and the water flow capacity, a water level logger OTT ecoLog 500 is established on each test section, which, with mm precision, records the water level with short time intervals. To be able to separate the effect of crop, crop cutting and mold development from the effect of the water flow size and variation (the greater the water flow, the higher the water level), a number of water flow stations are established. In the case of continuous registrations of the water level and 10 water flow measurements per. year, detailed water flow data can be obtained for each test route.

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