Field Hydrology

River Bourne in Plaxtol, England

I've been practising field hydrology more or less since I was a child. In the early years this involved simply playing in the streams that flowed through my neighbourhood in the village of Plaxtol in the Weald of Kent. One small stream called The Spout even flowed through the back garden. Another larger one, the River Bourne, flowed just beyond the bounds of the garden and both of these streams provided an endless source of fascination and fun. My brothers and I would watch from the window as heavy rains caused the streams to swell and burst their banks with muddy water. We would wade in the larger stream and explore its intricate system of riffles and pools, chasing small fish. We would experiment by damming up the flow of the smaller stream and releasing the water to simulate a flood.

Takiya River in Murakami, Japan

Now, about 30 years later, it is much the same, except that my local rivers have changed and when I go to the field I tend to take a lot more equipment with me! But my basic fascination with rivers and flowing water has remained strong. This blog is dedicated to field hydrology, and in particular, field hydrology at the Takiya River catchment where I have been measuring and monitoring hydrological processes with my students since the year 2000. Takiya River provides the perfect environment for us to study and learn about the hydrological cycle and rivers in their natural form, relatively free from the impacts of human activities. Let us learn, but most of all, let's enjoy it!