MINIATURE "Q-BOAT"
MEASURES RIVER FLOWS SCIENTISTS ARE USING a remote-controlled miniature speedboat to gauge New Zealand river flows. It's red, cute, and just two metres long. They call it a "Q-boat", but there's no mystery about these ships. "The Q-boat is the only one of its type in the country," says NIWA Principal Technician Wayne McGrath. NIWA's Dunedin, Rotorua and Hamilton branches are the latest to use it, and the Q-boat technology has recently secured a contract for NIWA to measure river flows at sites operated by the Waikato Regional Council. Onboard is an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler which produces a record of water current velocities, width and depths using sonar. The ADCP sits snugly inside the waterproof miniature speed boat while the operator remotely controls the boat from the riverbank. River flow and height is measured by immersing a staff- gauge, similar to a ruler, in the river which gives a quick and easy visual indicator of the river's water level. The Q-boat measures the flow, and the relationship between that measurement and the river's water level gives a relationship know as a 'rating' for the river. The river flow data is then transferred via enhanced Bluetooth directly to a laptop computer operated by a second scientist. The Q-boat is more accurate than using traditional methods for gauging river flow and the results are instant. It is also much safer as staff no longer have to stand on road bridges to get these measurements.
The Q-boat was initially tested in the South Island, on the Clutha, Pomahaka and Taieri Rivers.
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remote Tokelau THE NEW ZEALAND government has signed a two year agreement with international company PB Sea-Tow to provide a safe and reliable ferry service for Tokelau. Tokelau can only be reached by ship, and since the previous
ferry, the MV Tokelau, was taken off route earlier this year, New Zealand has been helping to find a replacement solution. The charter will cost approximately $12 million, providing an interim shipping solution until longer term transport options can be put in place. The PB Matua can carry 36 passengers internationally and 50 passengers domestically. It can take up to 120 tonnes of cargo and has full maritime compliance for unrestricted use in international waters.
The charter is part of a $17 million transport package that will fund the construction of a new passenger ferry, investigate the construction of a small coral runway on Nukunonu, and develop safe and effective ship to shore operations.
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September/October 2012 Professional Skipper 43 GMS_NZPS_QPV_FCI.indd 1 21/09/2009 7:28:03 p.m.
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