The generation of permanent high-quality hydrological data is vital to the success for research related to the hydrological open-air laboratory (HOAL) Petzenkirchen. To achieve this goal, regular maintenance and upkeep of technical equipment and infrastructure are essential.
Looking back to the 20th and 21st September 2023, a lot of important tasks were on the agenda including removing deposits of sediment and calcium carbonate on measurement weirs, excavating downstream creeks to increase the weir head in order to ensure a proper functionality of the H-Flume. Furthermore, electrical boxes where cleaned, rust was removed and coated with anticorrosive paint. To ensure that those susceptible boxes stays dry, new sealings were put in place and hygroscopic dry backs were renewed. The roof of the largest measurement station had to be replaced because of weathering and damages due to wetness and animals. Since fall is just around the corner, two weirs were covered by nets to prevent leaves falling into the weir and eventually clogging it. The inlet of the erosion measurement station was extended to ensure that it accounts for the entire runoff of the according part of the catchment.
Those and many more tasks were successfully fulfilled during two days of sunny field work and good mood which would not have been possible without our many motivated colleagues from the Technical University of Vienna and the Federal Agency of Land and Water. A big thanks to Matthias Oismüller and Leon Hohenstein for organizing the “Schwerpunkttage” and carrying out preparatory tasks in advance! Also, a warm thank-you to all our much-appreciated helpers: Jürgen Komma, Günther Schmid, Matthias Konzett, Thomas Brunner, Christian Fleis, Asma Khalil, Vinicius Bogo Portal Chagas, Miriam Bertola, Juraj Parajka, Peter Valent, Florian Darmann, Matthias Karner. Hopefully, the after-work ice cream and the perfect weather combined with some physical activities as a counterpart to long days in the office were worth the effort.