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Burgwald Rain Gauge Network Design

Focussing the Concept

Chris Reudenbach

Session Overview (Today)

Block Activity Outcome
1 Short pitches of initial concepts Shared understanding of starting points
2 Cluster rotation: Planning Logics Each group selects a guiding siting strategy
3 Design Sprint: Build the Network 20 stations + roles + priority A/B defined
4 Group Pitches + Focused Feedback Clarity of reasoning and justification improved
Homework Specify required data, methods, station roles, and validation anchors; support your specific key design choice with a literature source. Feasible and justified network concept

Context

  • Mixed forest upland catchment (~200 km²)
  • Strong spatial variability in rainfall
  • Goal: build a functional & quality-assured network (≤ 20 stations)

Kickoff: Initial Concepts – Short Pitch (3 min)

Surface the starting assumptions of each group, so that the later design steps (Planning Logic → Network Design → Validation) rest on clearly stated intentions.

Your Pitch (3 Minutes)

Answer exactly these four points — no map detail required, no 20-station list yet:

  1. Focus / Question
    → What spatial or hydrological phenomenon do you want the network to reveal?
    (e.g., canopy interception? storm cells? elevation gradient? runoff response?)

  2. Working Hypothesis
    One sentence about how rainfall varies in the Burgwald.
    (e.g., “We expect stronger variability along elevation + aspect transitions.”)

  3. Draft Region(s) of Interest
    Point to zones, not specific coordinates.
    (e.g., ridge zone / valley corridors / spruce–beech transition belts.)

  4. Known Constraint / Risk
    A practical or conceptual uncertainty you already see.
    (e.g., access, canopy closure, radar bias, limited open-field space.)

Time

  • 5 min pitch per group
  • 3 min clarifying!! questions
  • No critique yet — goal is shared orientation, not evaluation.

Planning Logics (Siting Strategies)

  1. Physiographic coverage (elevation / aspect / forest types)
  2. Information gain (uncertainty reduction / hot-spot infill)
  3. Hydrological coupling (rain → runoff coherence)
  4. Hybrid (forest interception + temporary event scouts + radar integration)

Cluster Exercise – Planning Logic

Your task: - Define 3 siting criteria - Describe 2 typical location signatures - Identify 1 risk - Mark approximate areas on the map

Template: Planning Logic Worksheet (Etherpad Ilias)

Design Sprint – Build the Network

Goal: Create a 20-station design.

Assign roles: - Backbone (core representation) - Infill / Hot-spot reduction - P–Q pair (rain → runoff) - Forest vs. open-field (interception) - Event scout (temporary, mobile) - Reference (long-term bias control)

Template: Network & Roles (OnlyOffice Ilias)

Validation Strategy (Quality Control)

Three anchor points: 1. Co-located double station → measurement quality check 2. Open-field vs. forest under-canopy pair → interception effect 3. P–Q pair → hydrological response testing

Template: Validation Anchors (OnlyOffice Ilias)