Hydrology - IST
Hydrology
The Hydrology Group provides monitoring and analysis of surface water resources, with a particular focus on addressing issues related to water scarcity and assessing flood risks along watercourses.
Research Areas
The Hydrology Group, in collaboration with Hydrogeology and Aquatic Ecology Group, conducts integrated studies on the status of water resources and manages the quantitative and qualitative monitoring of the cantonal surface water network. Through applied research and an interdisciplinary approach, the Group examines the availability and quality of water resources across different territories, as well as their evolution in relation to human impact, climate change, and risks to the population. The expertise developed is shared externally through research, consultancy, services, training, and outreach activities, promoting a comprehensive vision of the hydrological cycle and the challenges that may threaten it.
The Group provides services such as verifying the estimation of watercourse flow discharge for river restorationects and delineating hazard zones for flood, and debris flow events.
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The Group is responsible for determining and monitoring residual minimum flows to ensure the protection of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and the enforcement of the Water Protection Act. It provides consultancy to the cantonal administration in assessing permits for public surface water withdrawals.
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The Group manages the hydro-meteorological network of the Canton of Ticino on behalf of the cantonal administration, collecting and analyzing rainfall, climate, water level, flow rate, and temperature data from watercourses for over 45 years. The Hydrological Yearbook of the Canton of Ticino is freely available since the 1979 edition. With more than 50 stations and approximately 120 measurement sensors distributed across the territory, the monitoring provides highly relevant information on the state of water resources in the Canton of Ticino and is complemented by aquifer monitoring managed by the Hydrogeology Group. Additionally, the Group offers services for setting up measurement stations and conducting hydrometric measurements.
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The research activities aim to promote a more sustainable management of water resources and are therefore closely aligned with the Hydrogeology and Aquatic Ecology Groups. Notable efforts include applying models to assess areas exposed to natural hazards, monitoring drought conditions, hydrological modeling for flood forecasting, evaluating the effectiveness of reservoirs in flood mitigation, and optimizing hydropower production.
The current challenges posed by climate change and its impact on aquatic ecosystems call for the study of watercourse and lake temperatures. Monitoring these temperatures with high-precision instruments, combined with the use of thermal cameras assembled on drones to map thermal refuges, allows for an in-depth study of aquatic environments and their behavior.
The current challenges posed by climate change and its impact on aquatic ecosystems call for the study of watercourse and lake temperatures. Monitoring these temperatures with high-precision instruments, combined with the use of thermal cameras assembled on drones to map thermal refuges, allows for an in-depth study of aquatic environments and their behavior.
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The electromagnetic current meter, OTT MF pro, is a device used to measure the flow rates of small to medium-sized watercourses. Its operation is based on the variations in the electromagnetic field caused by the movement of water through the sensor, which generates an electric current proportional to the flow velocity. This current is measured and converted into data on flow speed, direction, and, consequently, discharge rate.
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In the Institute operates the following drones:
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DJI Phantom P4 Multispectral Equipped with a multispectral camera featuring six lenses (RGB, Blue, Green, Red, Red Edge, and Infrared). It enables traditional surveys and the use of indices such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), making it ideal for vegetation analysis.
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DJI Mavic 3T Features a multispectral camera with three lenses (RGB, Thermal, and Zoom). Thanks to the high resolution of the RGB camera and its ability to maintain a constant altitude above the ground during flight, this drone enables high-definition photogrammetric surveys.
The drones operated by the Institute are equipped with real-time kinematic positioning (RTK) technology and cameras capable of achieving centimeter-level resolution. Using photogrammetric analysis software like Agisoft Metashape, it is possible to generate Digital Surface Models (DSM) and orthomosaics of the surveyed area, which can then be used to create thematic maps, such as thermal maps.
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The traces system, SOMMER TRACER SYSTEM TQ-S, is a device used to measure the flow rates of mountain streams, torrents, and turbulent watercourses using the tracer dilution method (NaCl). After introducing a predetermined amount of salt into the watercourse, the instrument, placed in the streambed, continuously measures the electrical conductivity and ultimately determines the flow rate of the watercourse.
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Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs), such as the SonTek-RS5, are considered fast and reliable tools used to measure flow rates and velocity profiles in larger watercourses. They operate by emitting sound waves (acoustic) at ultrasonic frequencies, which are reflected by suspended particles and small organisms in the water. By analyzing the frequency shift of the reflected sound waves, highly accurate and reliable results can be obtained.
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Various types and models of sensors are used to measure the water level in watercourses, particularly pressure probes and ultrasonic instruments.
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Various types and models of sensors are used to measure the temperature of watercourses, allowing for both point measurements and vertical column measurements in the case of lakes. These measurements complement thermal images obtained from cameras installed on drones, which are owned by IST.
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Institute of Earth Sciences
Hydrology sector
Campus SUPSI Mendrisio
Via Flora Ruchat-Roncati 15
CH-6850 Mendrisio
Via Flora Ruchat-Roncati 15
CH-6850 Mendrisio