Measuring the impact of torrential precipitation events on small Mediterranean catchments

This projects aims at the development of a cost-effective sensor combination for a high spatial and temporal resolution monitoring of morphodynamics. The system records a dynamic section of a gully within the Parapuños catchment in western Spain.

The heart of the installation consists of four synchronized DSLR cameras triggered once a day and additionally by a rainfall gauge. The latter allows for a real-time documentation and quanitification of rainfall- and runoff induced surface changes. An array of geophones installed around the cameras records river bed-load transport and intents to enable a direct comparison of water surface and river bed processes when directly compared to the 4D camera data.

Additionally to the above mentioned sensor network we installed soil moisture sensors and rain gauges throughout the catchment to capture highly localised precipitation events. The acquired data can then be used to further improve hydrological models and to differentiate geomorphic processes in a dynamic landscape.

The project is done in co-operation with the Research Institute for Sustainable Territorial Development, University of Extremadura and the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Geomorphology Section.

The project is funded by the Hanna Bremer Stiftung.