Fieldwork

Flow measurements are conducted using Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), Sontek M9, during winter and fall seasons. To collect bathymetry and flow data, the moving boat technique is used by dragging the sensor on the river. On the other hand, the stationary deployment technique is required to obtain vertical velocity distribution under the open surface and ice-covered conditions. Under the open surface condition, the sensor must be kept as stable as possible throughout the recording. Under the ice-covered condition, however, minimizing the sensor motion is relatively easier. A gas auger should be used to open holes in the thick ice layer to release the sensor into the water.

A sharp bend of the Red River in Fargo, ND is selected as the study area. Field surveys started in the Fall season of 2019 and have still been continuing. The vertical flow profiles under the open surface and the ice-covered condition are investigated by using the raw data sets from the ADCP. Moreover, river morphology is also collected with the moving boat technique to generate the three-dimensional model of the interested river reach.