Uncertainty estimation for salt dilution gauging for streamflow measurements

准确的信息，有多少水流经我们的河流是必不可少的规划水电生产，饮用水供应，洪水管理，并确保一个健全的栖息地鲑鱼和其他鱼类。在陡峭的山区溪流中，许多用于确定流量的技术不容易执行。其中一种确实能很好地估计流量的技术是盐稀释测量。在这项技术中，已知少量的普通食盐被添加到河里。在下游几百米处，通过测量水导电的难易程度来测量水的含盐量。水的盐分越低，流过小溪的水就越多，从而稀释了盐分。通过一些计算，流经这条小溪的水量可以相当准确地确定。这些估计的准确程度目前仍是一个争论的来源。由于重要的决策取决于它，我们想知道这种方法在各种情况下的准确性（例如洪水或低流量在干燥的夏天），以及精度如何取决于盐的添加量。在这项研究中，我们将开发更好的方法，把一些测量的准确性，因此，在许多小的数据流中收集的数据可以自信地添加到关于我们的数据流的信息数据库中。这使许多部门受益，并使我们能够密切关注我们最宝贵的自然资源之一。

Accurate information about how much water flows through our rivers is essential for planning of hydropowerproduction, drinking water supply, flood management, and ensuring a sound habitat for Salmonids and otherfish. In steep mountain streams, many of the techniques that are used to determine the streamflow are not easyto perform. One of the techniques that does give a good estimate of the streamflow is salt dilution gauging. Inthis technique, a known small quantity of ordinary kitchen salt is added to the river. A few hundred metersdownstream, it is then measured how salty the water is, by measuring how easily it conducts electricity. Theless salty the water is, the more water was flowing through the stream diluting the salt. With some calculationsthe quantity of water flowing through the stream can be determined quite accurately.How accurately the estimates are is currently a source of debate. Since important decisions depend on it, wewant to know how accurate this method is in various circumstances (for example flood flows or low flowsduring a dry summer), and how the accuracy depends on the quantity of salt added.In this research we will develop better methods to put a number on the accuracy of the measurements, so thatdata collected in many small streams can be confidently added to the database of information about ourstreams. This benefits many sectors and allows us to keep a sharp eye on one of our most precious naturalresources.