structure > project group Z > scientific project Z1 > site management and monitoring

Scientific Project Z1 - Monitoring and site management

Central monitoring and site management

Staff

Main objectives of this project are the planning, implementation and technical maintenance of the central monitoring program within Chicken Creek catchment and the scientific evaluation of monitoring data. In addition, the project coordinates research and sampling activities at the catchment and at the Experimental Area in Welzow-Süd.

With respect to Chicken Creek catchment the three main tasks of the project are

1. Monitoring: Continued recording of meteorological and hydrological parameters, documentation of surface development, characterisation of soil and soil solution development as well as the monitoring of plant and soil fauna colonisation;
2. Site management: Planning and coordination of field work via obligatory online access permission, planning and execution of excursions, contact with site owner Vattenfall Europe Mining AG;
3. Services within the CRC/TR 38: Installation and maintenance of monitoring instruments, advice and assistance for other subprojects and partners outside the CRC, supply and technical maintenance of infrastructure (electricity, vehicles, access and path network) as well as quality assurance, processing and supply of the monitoring data.

In a first step, the site was subdivided by a regular grid of 20 m x 20 m using GPS technique. Soil sampling was carried out to characterise main substrate properties and its spatial distribution within the catchment. This sampling proved the Quaternary substrate to be relatively homogeneous both horizontally and vertically and showed little amounts of carbon and nitrogen.

Several groundwater gauges and TDR probes as well as three flumes and two weirs were taken into operation to determine the hydrologic properties of the catchment. Thereby, the amount and the composition of the water are analysed at several locations: quantity and quality of precipitation, groundwater body, outflow into the pond as well as catchment discharge.

Aerial images are taken regularly for the monitoring of surface structure development within the catchment. These images together with topographical surveys are used to compile high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of the catchment.