Hydrology Badge

Overview

The Hydrology Badge targets the students' skill at sketching and describing stream channel morphology, surveying stream channel geometry, and measuring stream discharge. In the 2017 field course implementation, California experienced a historic snowpack, making the conditions unsafe for in-the-field hydrology work. Thus, this badge was used predominantly in the 2018 implementation.

Badge Goals

  • Students will measure stream velocity and utilize field data to calculate stream discharge.
  • Students will use field data and theoretical hydrologic principles to make predictions about sediment mobility in a stream.
  • Student can collect and analyze field data to correctly determine stream channel geometry and stream discharge with light supervision.

Assessment Categories

The Hydrology Badge Rubric (Acrobat (PDF) 163kB Jul2 20) assesses students in the following categories.

  • Field sketches: are neat and legible, and include appropriate components; sketches clearly differentiate data and interpretation.
  • Stream discharge measurement and analysis: Appropriate and correct data that is neatly presented and corresponds to calculations, error and grain size analyses included, and written interpretations reference data
  • Surveying: Cross-sections and longitudinal profiles include necessary elements and are appropriately accurate; the analysis and interpretations are supported by field observations and measurements

Field Course Activities

The field course activities within this program that students completed in pursuit of this badge.