AutoSalt Installations

I’ve been meaning to put together a photo gallery of installations. So here it is (if the stand looks off-kilter, it’s just the photographer and not the stand). Please note that Rating Curves have not been developed for all sites. Where RCs are presented, they are the most recent RC from the Salt Portal, and may contain only a few days of data, or a few years. Where multiple rating curves have been developed over time, a more elaborate figure is presented. All sites are a bit different and we will work with you to find the best solution for your site, including finding a local supplier of tank and the best telemetry solution.

Nooklikonnik Creek in Bella Coola, BC, Canada (2021)

Downstream Left Bank ECT Probe and Cool Big A$$ boulder.

The “BackPack” Version of AutoSalt is a 200L tank that straps to a backpack frame, but that’s where the convenience ends. I don’t envy the mighty Vincent who crawled under blowdown to get this to the intake site.

Nooklikonnik AutoSalt RC after 2 months of operation

Introducing… Kronos Time Series! This is the first image of the AutoSalt stage, converted to a hydrograph using the Rating Curve -> Discharge tool for multiple, compound Rating Curves. Interactive! Powerful! Fun!

Eskay Creek in Northern BC, Canada (2021)

Notice the new improved stand has a cage to protect the flow measurement equipment and serves as a handy place to put your coffee. The titlable top shelf allows hortizontal, vertical, or angled orientation to mount a solar panel.

The AutoSalt is installed on a smaller tributary of Tom Mackay, which then flows into Ketchum, thus allowing us to make measurements at 3 locations from a single injection. The orange box is the AutoSalt control box, the yellow is Unidata NRT Telemetry.

H9-Resulting hydrograph showing measurements from up and downstream probes. We measured up to 56 cms with only 5.5kg and 3.7km downstream.

H9-Rating Curve. We can inject a higher dose than 100g to achieve a higher SNR at this site, which is 3.7km downstream.

H8 Rating Curve which has identified a strange shoulder in the rating curve. It seems to be legit, because the points before and after freshet agree.

H8 Hydrograph showing measurements, unsure of the validity of the shoulder yet.

At Eskay, there are 7 AT units logging temperature and conductivity continuously. This allows us to make Salt Dilution Instream Q (SDIQs) at 3 locations and build 3 rating curves from a single AutoSalt. Additionally, using the Water Quality Mixing Model, we can independently estimate the flow at a downstream site from a controlled outflow of significantly different EC water.

Stawamus River at Highway 99 (08GA076)

This AutoSalt tank near the Sea To Sky Highway has adopted a spirit animal to protect it from harm.

The WSC Q is problematic at the lower range, but the AQAc derived Q generally agrees above 2 m3/s.

Stawamus RC from December 16 2020 to March 9, 2021

Martelltal in the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol, Italy (2020)

Markus is stirring the pot here with 24 other international TUM students, Michael, Florentin, Brenda, and Dr Gabriele Chiogna, third from right, top row with a classic Italian hand gesture.

Michael and Florentin pose with their newly installed AutoSalt in the Italian Alps.

Martelltal RC so far

Downstream Right Bank Gauge site and Conductivity probe.

Finstertal in North Tirol, Austria (2020)

Michael is the head of Health & Safety and here’s he’s demonstrating the effect of a high voltage electric fence.

Creek PT and injection site

Downstream mixing reach.

MacKay Creek at Montroyal Boulevard (08GA061), North Vancouver, B.C. Canada (2020)

Lyssa blends in with her surroundings and the LB DS T-HRECS

2m Physical Distance AutoSalt Installation

Upstream Probe to monitor BGECT

Injection System

AutoSalt system showing tank and injection system (left) and control box (grey, right)

The story at MacKay is not so straight forward. The mixing is no complete at higher flows. However, we can get a much better curve using WSC Stage and QComposite from the three downstream probes.

After processing, the QComposite flows agree well with the established WSC RC published on the WSC Realtime site. The Thalweg probe actually is very close to the RC.

Harvey Creek at Lion’s Bay, B.C. Canada (2019)

Dr. Steven Weijs Happy with his new AutoSalt system with LTE Modem capability, then slowly realizing he has been replaced by a stick.

Harvey Creek RC Sep 17, 2020

Winchie Creek near Tofino, B.C. Canada (2019)

Winchie Creek Injection site looking downstream. The injection system injects into the tailrace flow, which then mixes with the mainstem flow and the T-HRECS are installed further downstream to measure the total flow in the Mainstem+Tailrace

Winchie Creek Powerhouse. This is a compliance monitoring site where the salt is injected into the tailrace, but the total flow is measured downstream of the confluence with the mainstem.

Dan Valliquette Crooning Softly by Firelight

First storm to come through and AutoSalt Injections. Recorded on Unidata Neon Sat Telemetry

Resulting Winchie Creek RC developed in Salt Portal from first storm

Lowhee Creek near Barkerville, B.C. Canada

Injection site looking upstream

Downstream EC.T Measurement sites on LB and RB. These eventually were covered with sediment, not a great site.

At this site, the AutoSalt measurements were able to track the changing hydraulic control over time. So far, 5 RCs have been developed a Grade B rating achieve. Grade A was not possible due to the nature of the mobile bed. Normally a mobile bed sounds like an intriguing invention, but not in the case of hydrometrics. Compare to the scatter seen in the Flow Tracker 2019 measurements.

Horizons Regional Council installation at Kumeti Teruhunga, New Zealand (2018)

Installation of Injection Tank at Kumeti Teruhunga

Kumeti Teruhunga DS site showing the LB and RB SDI-12 T-HRECS EC.T probes. These are connected to Campbell Scientific telemetry.

NIWA Rollergate Station, New Zealand (2018)

Rollergate Injection site. The 500 L tank and plumbing was sourced locally. The AutoSalt pressure transducer is housed in the existing stilling well. All telemetry is via satellite UniData NRT

Rollergate Injection Site

Rollergate Rating Curve

WSC Nordic Creek at the Outlet of Nordic Glacier (08NB020) near Golden B.C. Canada (2018)

Nordic Glacier and Creek Catchment

Aerial view of Nordic Creek AutoSalt installation

Nordic Creek Injection site

The points Post July 18, 2018 and Post Aug 10,2018 represent two independent RCs developed from AutoSalt Points. WSC Measurements as triangles.

University of Saskatchewan Peyto Glacier, near Canmore, AB, Canada (2018)

Eric Courtin and I at Peyto Glacier injections site.

Peyto Glacier injection site looking downstream

Two RCs were defined in 2018 for the Peyto site. This was a very difficult site with significant storage between the injection point and the only downstream point where complete mixing occurred.