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Use of Acoustic Doppler Devices to Measure Aquatic Habitat Quality
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Principal Investigator:  Dr. F. Douglas Shields, Jr.

Problem:  Current (water velocity) patterns in streams are quite complex, changing continuously in time and space. Complex flows in rivers are important for mixing, transport, aeration, sediment sorting and physical aquatic habitat across wide range of spatial scales. These patterns are key characteristics of aquatic habitats, but they are difficult to measure and describe.

Objective:  The aim of this research is to develop techniques for using acoustic Doppler devices to measure aquatic habitat quality in streams.

Description of Work:  Two types of devices have been examined. An incoherent Doppler has been placed on the bed in various locations in a small stream to continuously log water depth and the average velocity in the water column above the instrument. Data from several of these instruments have been used to quantify the effects of stabilization structures made from large woody debris on stream habitat. The second type of device, an acoustic Doppler current profiler, (ADCP) has been mounted on a small boat and used to collect water depth, velocity, discharge and bed material information from medium-sized rivers.

Boat with ADCP Little Talla

Incoherent Doppler logger on streambed 

Water depths and velocities mapped using ADCP

Benefit:
The goal of this research is to gain deeper understanding about stream and river ecosystems. This knowledge will used by the USDA, other federal and State agencies and academia to assess problems associated with stream management, human impacts on stream ecosystems and stream restoration.

End Products:
Rigby, J. R. 2003. Developing a Methodology to Characterize Aquatic Habitat at the Reach Scale Through Use of Acoustic Doppler Technology. A Thesis Submitted for to the Faculty of the University of Mississippi in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi.
Shields, F. D., Jr.  2010. Aquatic habitat bottom classification using ADCP.  Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. 136(5), 336-342.
Shields Jr, F.D., Rigby, J. 2005. River habitat quality from river velocities measured using acoustic doppler current profiler. Environmental Management. 36(4): 565-575.
Shields, F. D., Jr., Knight, S. S., Testa, S. and Cooper, C. M. 2003. Use of Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers to Describe Velocity Distributions at the Reach Scale. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 39(6) 1397-1408.
Shields, F. D., Jr., Morin, N. and Kuhnle, R. A. 2001. Effects of Large woody debris structures on stream hydraulics.In D. F. Hayes (ed.), Proceedings of the 2001 Wetlands Engineering and River Restoration Conference, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, VA, CD-ROM.