Hydroacoustic Training
A variety of training opportunities in hydroacoustics have been developed by the USGS, Office of Surface Water. These include formal training classes, short courses, workshops, and occasional Web-based seminars. Formal training courses are scheduled each year and include basic, advanced, and review classes. Information on course registration and course content are provided in these pages.
The following classes have been developed by the USGS for the purpose of training personnel in hydroacoustics. These classes are typically offered at least once per year and usually are held in or near USGS Water Science Center offices. The
schedule for training classes for the next 12 months is typically fixed in late August. The USGS also provides training to other agencies, including Environment Canada, Environment Agency of England and Wales, New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, the Swedish Meteorlogic and Hydrologic Institute, and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate.
Class Descriptions
- This 5-day class provides an introduction to the use of ADCP's and ADP's for streamflow measurement. USGS employees are required to attend this class for routine operation of ADCPs. The class combines lectures and hand's-on use of ADCP's for collecting streamflow. The emphasis of this course will be on the practical aspects of using ADCP's for streamflow measurements. Some of the topics that will be covered during the course include (1) basic principles of ADCP operation, (2) configuration files, (3) basic procedures for streamflow measurement, (4) review ADCP measurements and compute discharge, and (5) trouble-shooting problems encountered in the field. OSW policy requires that ADCP operators attend this class before routinely using ADCPs. The cost for this class is $1,100 for USGS personnel and $1,150 for non-USGS personnel.
- The purpose of this class is provide ADCP users with training on advanced applications of ADCP's. Topics covered include: (1) Use of GPS, (2) Alternatives to GPS, (3) Optimizing ADCP configuration, (4) Collecting and processing data for velocity mapping, (5) Use of echo sounders with WinRiver, (6) Data review procedures, and (7) Advanced field tests. The cost for this class is $1,100 for USGS personnel and $1,150 for non-USGS personnel.
- This 4-day class provides an introduction to the use of acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVM's) and acoustic velocity meters (AVM's) for computation of continuous records of streamflow. Meters that will be covered include ADVM's such as the SonTek Argonaut SL and the Nortek EZ-Q. This class concentrates on the development of index-velocity ratings for the production of streamflow records from velocity (and stage) data. Some of the topics covered include: (1) basic principals of ADVM and AVM operation; (2) site selection and installation considerations; (3) development and evaluation of index-velocity and stage-area ratings; (4) streamflow record generation; and (5) quality-assurance methods. The class includes lectures and "hands-on" exercises. The exercises will include developing ratings using real hydroacoustic current meter data and producing streamflow records from the data using USGS ADAPS software. The cost for this class is $1,100 for USGS personnel and $1,150 for non-USGS personnel.
- This 4-day class provides instruction on using WinRiver II to review streamflow measurement data collected using RDI ADCP's. The following topics are covered during the class, (1) review of basic principles of ADCP operation, (2) USGS policy on use of ADCPs, (3) ADCP direct commands, (4) review of basic procedures for streamflow measurement, and (5) using WinRiver IIto playback and review ADCP discharge measurements. We will also have one day with field work using StreamPro ADCPs.The cost for this class is $800 for USGS personnel and $850 for non-USGS personnel.
Attendance
- Attendance to USGS training classes is limited USGS employees and cooperating agencies. USGS cannot provide training to private-sector personnel except in very rare circumstances. USGS cooperators and other agencies may attend if they have a current funding agreement with a USGS office and if space is available. Attendance to most classes is typically to 16 students, except for the ADCP refresher class. Some offerings of the Streamflow Measurment using ADCPs class accomodate as many as 24 students. Priority is given to personnel who are actively engaged in use of hydroacoustics instruments and methods.
Pre-requisites
- Attendees must complete pre-class activities. Attendees to the Streamflow Measurment using ADCPs class must complete some reading assignments, load software used in the class, and verify that it will work on the laptop they will be using during the class. In addition, each student attending that class must commit to making at least 2 discharge measurements within 2 months of completing the class and having those measurements successfully reviewed by a USGS ADCP instructor. Attendees for each of the classes will have basic PC computer skills, including rudimentary knowledge of how to use Windows programs, edit files with a text editor, etc.
The USGS provides several other opportunities for less formal training activities. These include some Web-based training, workshops, and short courses offered periodically.
- A CD-ROM based training class called "Measurement of Stream Discharge by Wading", has been developed by K. Michael Nolan and Ronald R. Shields. This course contains a section that covers the use of the Flowtracker for making wading discharge measurements.
Hydroacoustics Workshops
- A Hydroacoustics Workshop is held every 2-3 years. The the most recent Hydroacoustics Workshop was held in April 2007, in St. Louis, MO. The goal of the workshop is to share information on recent developments in acoustics as it relates to measurement of velocity, streamflow, and sediment concentrations. The workshop is intended to provide an opportunity for a diverse audience to learn about recent developments in hydroacoustics and successful tools and techniques employed by others. Although sponsored by the USGS, Office of Surface Water, it attracts a wide audience from other water-resources related agencies and international organizations.
Short Courses
- The OSW offers short courses periodically, often in conjunction with the Hydroacoustics Workshop and meetings such as regional data conferences. These short courses are usually announced in conjunction with these conferences. They include such topics as "Techniques for Reviewing ADCP Discharge Measurements", "Complex Index Velocity Ratings", "StreamPro Policies and Procedures", "Use of Flowtracker", and "Best Practices for ADCP Measurements".
