Hi, I need to collect spore samples from different types of water bodies and shallow aquifers in different areas. As most of these are usually interconnected, how do I find the basin/catchment area (from a map I suppose) so that one whole basin/drainage system is covered? Could someone help by outlining the basic procedural steps in identifying such basins? What resources do I have to consult?
Thanks you very much for your help.
As the area of interest is however primarily flat land I guess it will be a difficult task. I suppose all ponds, lakes water bodies and irrigation canals within the region defined by the parameter can be referred to as a single watershed area?
My primary objective is to not only sample spores but also the routes/channels by which they can spread; thats why I need to find out if the water bodies are interconnected and accordingly sample the strategic locations for spore profile.
The method is called dendritics ( leaf pattern ). The drainage area is called a contributary area. It is all of the land from a high ridge that flows water down the
stems of the leaf (creeks) until it is collected in the main stem (River).
Satellite maps, or contour maps, or more recently, Google Earth provide the
information that allows you to find all the area where water flows from, to the central location that it flows to, in a basin.
The surface area is all of the area where all of the water that falls during a rain storm
must flow to, and pass beyond ... a central point. Observing pictures of various leaf
shapes from trees will help in recognizing similar leaf shapes in catchment basins.
Understanding land gradient towards an existing water body can guide you towards shallow aquifers.
Riparian vegetation patterns are also common signs of high water table or catchment areas.
You can also look a geologic maps to find basin areas where the geologic
strategraphic layers are exposed on both sides of the basin.
Aquifers need some impervious rock layers under them to
contain the water, or at least slow the rate that the water can leave the
Aquifer to less than the rate that new water fills the Aquifer.
Basin can be closed on all sides, or they can have underground rivers
where water enters at one end of a basin, and exits underground at
the other end of the basin.
In Karst topography, the water forms conduits through limestone or gypsum
to move water more quickly from higher elevations to lower elevations.
They are natures storm drainage networks.
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