Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of water movement; specifically, we monitor the inputs and outputs to better understand the role of streams and precipitation on lakes.
The hydrology program is responsible for monitoring the process of water movement and is a very important part of the research conducted at IISD-ELA. Automated loggers have been installed on many lakes to continuously monitor lake levels throughout the open water season and sometimes, with the aide of heaters, in the winter months as well. Monitoring lake levels only tells part of the story for major water movement processes, so in some lakes we have also set up loggers to monitor stream inflows and outflows. Water samples are sometimes taken at these streams to give researchers a better idea of nutrients coming into and leaving the lakes.
Currently we monitor the following parameters in the hydrology program:
- Stream flows for lake inputs and outputs
- Continuous lake-level monitoring
The hydrology program is closely linked with the meteorology program. Precipitation has a large effect on inputs into the lakes at their watersheds. Below is a typical hydrograph showing water movement through an individual station.
