2 months later and she's finally made it into the field! Every field visit is different, so this blog post will document my experience, my thoughts, and what I hope to do differently next time.
Although I started my PhD back in September, I finally visited one of my field sites this week. It has taken this long to reach this point due to organising so many individuals, equipment and technology failure. Furthermore, my supervisors were conscious that visiting my site may be overwhelming early on; for this I am grateful, I have had sufficient time to read relevant literature about leaky dams.
I cannot believe that this was my first time seeing a leaky dam. I have lived, breathed, and researched leaky barriers for 2 whole months. I understood their hydrology, their engineering, their cost-benefit, their context within NFM, yet I had never seen what they looked like in person. I can happily say I was not disappointed. I should mention here that there is not just one style of leaky dam, oh no, there are endless leaky dam possibilities. However, I can now appreciate that leaky dams (at least at my field site) seamlessly integrate with the landscape; they looked natural and strong, part of a dynamic system between the surrounding woodlands and the river itself.
It was a beautiful day when my team visited laptop and broom in hand. Although the sunshine gradually turned to drizzle, our moods were not dampened (but the laptop was), as it was a successful day of gathering data and troubleshooting equipment issues. Moreover, visiting this site made my PhD feel like a reality, it gave me context, and has since motivated me to do more research with the landscape clear in my mind.
For the sake of sensor security I won't disclose the exact locations of the field-sites. This equipment is valuable (not only monetarily, but also the data!) and I'm still trying to learn how they work alongside the complex software. Therefore, I plan on visiting the site possibly every month initially, in order to improve on my HOBO and STARFLOW software skills, as well as to ensure that the equipment is working well and not gathering debris.
Method:
- Write brief field descriptions
- Take photos and videos of the river and surroundings
- Clear any debris caught in sensor equipment (leaves and branches)
- Plug the sensor into the laptop and upload HOBO flow data
- Measure the water depth by measuring height of sensor tube
- Replace sensor and set everything back to normal
- Travel on foot to the next site and repeat
To improve our experience next time, beyond controlling the weather, bringing a plastic bag to protect the laptop from any rain will minimise potential technological issues. A measuring stick (>2m) would be useful as the tape-measure is difficult to use when working over the edge of a bridge downwards. Additionally, if I remember to pack my sandwich that would be a bonus.
My tips for fieldwork:
1) pack lunch, layers, a plastic bag (RIP environment) and a towel
3) write down EVERYTHING
4) have a positive attitude
5) WE LOVE MAPS
6) write a blog post about your experience