How to measure water current of the Volga River?

1. Where is Volga River?

It originates in the Valdai Hills and flows through central Russia into the Caspian Sea. The river goes through and around many cities and regions of Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, and Astrakhan.

There are many different types of landscapes surrounding the Volga, including forests, steppes, swamps, and deserts. Because of this, there is a wide variety of wildlife found in and around the river, from fish and birds to mammals.

First, the river is among the oldest habitats on Earth and a resource for subsistence and transportation means for centuries.

2. What flow rate has the Volga river?

The flow rate of the Volga River during a year and especially depending on weather conditions is different. There are high flows during snow melts and heavy rains in spring, and low flow-in summer and winter.

In average, the Volga has a very considerable flow rate that makes it one of the main water bodies in Europe. The flow rate is also altered through dams and reservoirs along the river for the generation of hydroelectric power and control of water management.

3. How to measure water current of Volga River?

Water current measurement of the Volga River is quite imperative for hydrological as well as flood and navigation purposes.

Traditional methods

The conventional methods of measurement of the current in rivers have relatively lowered current meters into the water for direct measurement of flow velocities. This is a very cumbersome and time-consuming process most of the time.

Another older approach is through floats or dyes that observe the movement of the water. By releasing a float or dye at a known location and following its movement downstream, it would estimate the speed of the current. However, this could be less accurate and may be liable to wind and other factors.

Modern technologies

In the last few years, advanced technologies have been developed for the measurement of river currents. Among them, the so-called Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers-or ADCP-can measure water current and thus provide more efficiency and accuracy than earlier technologies.

Why ADCP is a better option?

Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers(ADCP) work on the principle of the Doppler effect to estimate the velocity of water particles. By emitting sound waves and analyzing the shift in frequency of the reflected waves, ADCP current meter calculate with a certain speed at what speed and direction the water flow is moving at depth. This helps in the complete discretization of the current profile across the river.

Compared to traditional methods, ADCP current profiler have several advantages. They can measure the current in an area of considerable size with a lot of speed and very accurately without necessarily being manually operated. Continuous data can also be availed from ADCP to carry out real-time monitoring of the conditions of a river.

3.1 How do the ADCP using the principle of Doppler work?

ADCP doppler work by transmitting a succession of sound pulses through the water. Each of these pulses scatters off the moving water particles, shifting the frequency of the reflected waves. By accurately calculating this frequency shift, the ADCP can determine the velocity of the water particles.

Generally, ADCP flow meter consists of a transducer that can emit and receive sound waves, a logger for recording such measurements, and software for analysis. The transducer can be mounted on a boat, bridge, or fixed structure over the river pointed at various directions to measure current in multiple dimensions.

3.2 What's needed for high-quality measurement of Volga river currents?

To obtain high-quality measurements of the currents of the Volga River, a number of factors should be paid attention to.

Material reliability

The casing of an ADCP meter should be made from hard and resistant-to-corrosion material. It is preferable to use titanium alloy due to its high strength combined with light weight and good corrosion resistance. Therefore, it can be used in such an environment as that of the Volga River.

Small size and light weight

It must be compact and lightweight to make transportation and deployment easy. This is particularly desirable during the measurement of currents in reaches of rivers that are far-flung or from small boats.

Low power consumption

Low power consumption will allow the monitoring of river currents over a long period. The ADCP profiler shall be designed to operate on low power so they can reduce frequent replacement of batteries or other external sources of power.

Cost-effectiveness

Cost is also one of the factors that influence the choice of the measurement equipment. The cost of an ADCP instrument should be reasonable and ensure value for money. This will ensure it can be applied in as many instances as possible and thereby increase the extent of monitoring the currents in rivers.

3.3 How to Choose the right equipment for current measurement?

While the choice of appropriate equipment to measure the currents of the Volga River, there are several factors that a person has to observe.

Determine the measurement purpose

First, one must identify the purpose of measurement. If it is the horizontal current across a certain section of the river that needs to be measured, then HADCP is the one. HADCP are designed for the measurement of current velocity in the horizontal plane and can give detailed information about the patterns of flow and velocities across the river.

If the measurement focuses on the vertical current profile, a vertical ADCP would be more suitable. Vertical ADCP can measure at distinct depths in the current velocity and allow the recognition of the vertical structure of the flow in the river.

Select appropriate frequency

Another important factor for ADCP performance is the frequency of the ADCP. Higher frequencies are usable only in shallow waters and provide a better resolution to measure currents that are flowing fast. Lower frequencies work out better in deeper waters and have better penetration through sediment and other obstacles.

In this paper, a 600 kHz ADCP will be used to cover the depths up to 70 meters for the Volga River, and a 300 kHz ADCP for the depths up to 110 meters.

Consider cost and quality

Lastly, consider the cost and quality while choosing an ADCP. There are numerous brands of ADCP available in the market. You have to find one that is of high quality and relatively affordable.

One recommended brand is China Sonar PandaADCP, which offers high-quality all-titanium alloy material ADCP. The Panda ADCP is famous for its good performance, durable, and affordable price. Website for PandaADCP: https://china-sonar.com.

These are important measurements of water current for the Volga River in terms of assessment and resource management. Compared to traditional techniques in measuring river currents, ADCP are more advanced and convenient. Taking into account material reliability, size, weight, power consumption, and cost, it should be possible to determine the appropriate ADCP for high-quality measurements of the currents in the Volga River.

Here is a table with some well known ADCP instrument brands and models.