816359 Hydrological field studies

Type
Practical course
Semester hours
3
Lecturer (assistant)
Böhm, Katharina , Mehdi-Schulz, Bano , Koch, Franziska
Organisation
Hydrology and Water Management
Offered in
Sommersemester 2025
Languages of instruction
Englisch, Deutsch
Content

In this course, soil hydraulic and stream hydrological measurements are undertaken and the results are analysed in connection with the weather / climate and remote sensing data in the small forested catchment area. Infiltration, soil physical and vegetation index measurements will be collected, and the spatio-temporal analyses of open data (e.g. remote sensing) pertaining to climate, hydrology, soil and vegetation will be carried out. The significance of point measurements and the heterogeneity of parameters in the study area will be analysed. In addition, meterological and hydrological measuring stations in the area will be visited and discussed.
The hydrological catchment to be investigated is located in the Rosalia area (approx. 1 hour south-east of Vienna). The course consists of 2 seminar dates (26.3.2025, 13:00-15:00 and 7.5.2025, 13:00-16:00) in the seminar room, as well as a 3-day field visit and stay in the Rosalia catchment (26.-28.5.2025).
Previous knowledge expected

Hydrological background and knowledge of the B.Sc. program is required. A previous / parallel participation in the courses 'Hydrology and Water Management 2' or 'Hydrological Processes and Modelling' is beneficial. A prior knowledge of hydrological measurements is also an advantage.
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

+ Select and apply the appropriate hydrological measurement method, including novel methods, to capture a given hydrological process
+ Measure and quantify the variability of soil and plant parameters in a local area of a small watershed
+ Visualise and interpret existing hydrometeorological data from a continuous recording hydrological or meteorological measurement network
+ Explain the biophysical connections of different water balance components in a small catchment
+ Evaluate and discuss in-situ field measurements, hydrometeorological data, remote sensing data as well as static information (soil maps, DEM, land cover)
+ Analyse and present the effects of temporal and spatial hydrological variability at different scales
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.