DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW-COST, HAND-HELD MULTI-SENSOR SYSTEM FOR THE MONITORING OF SMALL WATER BODIES

Abstract

For small-scale monitoring of small water bodies, conventional methods such as GNSS or total station measurements are used. The data acquisition is usually carried out in profile form supplemented with extra measurements of break edges, slope edges or bank courses. However, these methods can be used efficiently only on small sections and with low temporal resolution. At the same time, as the length of rivers or creeks to be monitored increases, the cost-effectiveness of the above methods decreases. Further limitations such as very small sections that are difficult to access and also sections that are sometimes heavily overgrown also prevent the use of large measuring platforms. By contrast, with use of a hand-held compact multi-sensor platform it is possible to survey several hundred kilometres of the smallest rivers and creeks. This publication demonstrates the use of such a platform to record micro-watersheds. For this purpose, the Creek4D project, the measurement principle and the sensor technology used are shown. In addition, first measurement data and the calibration strategy are shown.