What do you think is the easiest way to get a precise water surface elevation of a still pond?
I would say putting the rod in the pond to the bottom after leveling from the bench mark. Then
you could read the intercept at the pond surface and subtract that from the intercept at the HI
getting an effective rod reading for the elevation at the surface.
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Depending on finding a convenient location, just putting the rod at the water line on the shore is simpler and probably just as accurate.
I do this kind of thing all day, 5 days a week. I don't think there's a lot of precision involved. I do the best I can under varying conditions. The water could be still, slightly turbulent, whatever. I measure down from a nail in a boat dock, a disc on a headwall, an x-cut on a wingwall, etc. If necessary, I break out my level, tripod, bipod, and 25 ft. topo rod. You could drive a wood hub or stake flush with the surface of the water and take a rod shot on it. You could also step firmly on the ground as close to the water's edge as possible, take a rod shot there, and then subtract from your minus how much water is covering the rod. You know all this already, I'm sure.
You could drive a wood hub or stake flush with the surface of the water and take a rod shot on it.
To answer the original poster's question, this would be the easiest way to get a precise water surface elevation of a still pond.
Be sure to record the date, and possibly even the time.
Paul in PA
What do you think is the easiest way to get a precise water surface elevation of a still pond?
Be sure to specify the time and date of recording. The water level will vary from day to day. Which makes sweating out the precision moot.
Yes, I record the date of the observation. The time is an excellent suggestion.
I know a professor who had the task of observing the elevation of a pond for?ÿ
five years in order to get the mean. Wow! Talk about about taking advantage
of a situation.
For: Not my real name
Question:?ÿyou ask "get a precise water surface elevation"?ÿ ?ÿ just what do you call precise?
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JOHN NOLTON
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Well... as precise as you can get it. Think about the stake suggested by field dog or the method I planned to use.
As an example, if you measure something five times and the result is always the same then that is precise.?ÿ
Do you have a suggestion?
as precise as you can get it
Do you mean: only as precise as I want it to be?
you could always set up a tide gauge...
if you measure something five times and the result is always the same then that is precise.?ÿ
But is it accurate?
(Look at the upper right corner of the picture)
@dougie No I'm not looking for an accurate elevation. I want the most precise method. I gave an example of my professor's project using five years of data to compute a statistical mean. That is not the goal here. It is a still pond. Also, I am familiar with the definition of precise and accurate.
i use a stilling bucket?ÿ
i use a stilling bucket?ÿ
Ok, what is a stilling bucket?
@jules-j It would be a bucket with no bottom that would interrupt any surface motion inside while keeping the elevation the same. Pascal's principle.
