Hydrology - the Antwerp Connection
When I heard that a team of scientists from Antwerp. Belgium was to visit the site in 1995 to undertake research into the hydrology of Buxton Heath, I jumped at the chance to meet them. Little did I realise that our first meeting would result in such a long-lasting collaboration, or an equally long friendship.
This first meeting took place on Sunday 30th July 1995, when I was able to greet project leader Dr. Dirk Boeye, Veronique Van Haesebroeck, and Geertje Wijten. The following Saturday, 5th August, they were joined by another research colleague, Bart Verhagen.
This first meeting took place on Sunday 30th July 1995, when I was able to greet project leader Dr. Dirk Boeye, Veronique Van Haesebroeck, and Geertje Wijten. The following Saturday, 5th August, they were joined by another research colleague, Bart Verhagen.
During their 2 weeks at Buxton Heath, they installed a series of peizometers (dip wells) in a transect across the valley mire, from north to south. From that point onwards, Buxton Heath Wildlife Group would take monthly measurements from these and e-mail the results to Dirk. After a while, we increased the frequency to weekly readings to provide more meaningful data.
Dirk and some of his team had also been investigating several other mire systems, mostly in their own Antwerp area. As with Buxton Heath, dip wells had been installed on those other sites, but the team always had to collect the data themselves, which they could only do infrequently, whereas we provided them with a very prompt, regular, and efficient 5-star service!
Dirk and some of his team had also been investigating several other mire systems, mostly in their own Antwerp area. As with Buxton Heath, dip wells had been installed on those other sites, but the team always had to collect the data themselves, which they could only do infrequently, whereas we provided them with a very prompt, regular, and efficient 5-star service!
The readings were performed by removing the top cap of a dip well, and inserting what looked like a tape measure into the tube. The device was a bit more sophisticated than an ordinary tape measure though, as it had a probe mounted on its tip, and once this made contact with the water inside the tube,
the unit bleeped. At that point, a reading was taken from the tape measure scale, which indicated how far down the tube the water level was located. The device was powered by a special long-life battery.
Suspended from the cap of each tube was a data logger (a 'Diver'). This measured water pressure and the accumulated data could be downloaded directly into a laptop, on-site, via a specially designed connector.
the unit bleeped. At that point, a reading was taken from the tape measure scale, which indicated how far down the tube the water level was located. The device was powered by a special long-life battery.
Suspended from the cap of each tube was a data logger (a 'Diver'). This measured water pressure and the accumulated data could be downloaded directly into a laptop, on-site, via a specially designed connector.