Informing Change in the Indus Basin Commissioning Report ...€¦ · Informing Change in the Indus...
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Informing Change in the Indus Basin Commissioning Report: Indus Telemetry September, 2018
Transcript of Informing Change in the Indus Basin Commissioning Report ...€¦ · Informing Change in the Indus...
Informing Change in the Indus Basin
Commissioning Report: Indus Telemetry
September, 2018
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Informing Change in the Indus Basin
Commissioning Report: Indus Telemetry
Authors: Tousif Bhatti, Arif Anwar, Azeem Shah
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Executive Summary
Over a decade ago Pakistan made its first concerted effort to improve the quality of data
acquisition and reporting of flows at key locations throughout the Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS).
This effort led to a system that was known amongst water professionals as the “Water and Power
Development Authority (WAPDA) Telemetry”. Through this investment of approximately $6.000M in
2006 hardware was procured, installed and commissioned throughout the irrigation system and at barrages
on the major rivers. Control rooms etc. were constructed to house equipment, disseminate data etc.
Unfortunately this investment did not yield the anticipated dividends. Despite installing state-of-the-art
hardware of the time, disputes quickly arose between various agencies about the accuracy and validity of
reported data and information. The technology choice in part constrained by the available technology of
the day was expensive to maintain – in particular the subscription to satellite services for transmission of
data and the need to provide mains power at every location. There appears to be a renewed interest in
investing in better data and information in the IBIS. Examples of recent/ongoing investments include;
Punjab Barrages Improvement Project IV, Baluchistan Water Resources Project, Water Capacity and
Advisory Services and KP Early Flood Warning System. The goal of this current study is to inform and
guide these ongoing and future investments.
Following on from a successful proof-of-concept wherein one instrument was installed at Lower
Bari Doab Canal, Punjab, in this work three additional instruments were installed at Upper Swat Canal,
Kirther Canal, and Pat Feeder Canal in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan and Sindh respectively. In
recognition of the sensitivity around monitoring of water between provinces, this work was set up with the
Pakistan Council of Water Resources (PCRWR) in lead with support by IWMI. The significant time and
effort invested by PCRWR and supported by IWMI to build consensus on the relatively modest
installation (one in each province) is reflected in the correspondence included in Annex 1 of tis report.
The instruments were commissioned to measure range from the instrument to the water surface in
each of these canals. The range is measured continuously but averaged and recorded every 15 minutes and
then transmitted using mobile phone technology to a remote (cloud) data center server three times per day.
This interval is user-defined but needs to be selected to conserve power particularly for short overcast
winter days. At the server, the data is post processed. This involves certain quality checks and then
integrated with canal section parameters and instrument properties to estimate discharge, delivery
performance ratio and volumes. The data both measured and derived are archived on the server and also
disseminated through digital signage, short-message-services (SMS) and through applications such as
Excel, Access, file-transfer-protocol. This report describes in considerable detail all the technical details to
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commission these instruments including calibration checks, validation and verification, programming of
instruments, the dashboard and the procurement of hardware. The report also details technical details on
the meta-data including sampling periods, data logging periods, data transmission periods, latenc and data
integrity. The report also provides costs of the various hardware components.
The report concludes that with considerable advances in information and communication
technology, provided informed and judicious decisions are made, it is feasible to establish a telemetry
system that is affordable and sustainable. However this does require a highly skilled, specialist small team
to install, commission, maintains and manages such a system. This does require a rethink as to which
institutions within Pakistan’s water institutions landscape can take on this role and whether there is an
opportunity to introduce new (private sector) actors. This report also briefly discusses the limitations of
telemetry (what it will not do). In particular in a telemetry system that measures only range (or depth) and
uses a rating table to estimate discharge, the rating table is the Achilles heel of any such system. This
report recommends that to some extent permanent measuring structures with well defined rating curves
can address this problem, however this again requires careful consideration of which institutions will
undertake the construction, the location of any construction, the type of measuring structure and who
might undertake the monitoring thereafter. One could argue it is the attention to these rather than the
hardware per se that will determine the success or otherwise of any future investments in digital data of the
Indus Basin Irrigation System.
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1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................................... 7
1.2 Informing Change in Indus Basin: Facilitating Inter-provincial Dialogue on Water ......................... 9
1.3 Targets for 2018 .......................................................................................................................................... 11
2. Indus Telemetry ............................................................................................................................................... 13
2.1 The Process ................................................................................................................................................. 13
2.2 Institutional Engagement .......................................................................................................................... 13
2.3 Demonstration of Technology ................................................................................................................. 15
3. Automated Data Acquisition ......................................................................................................................... 17
3.1 Reconnaissance and site selection ............................................................................................................ 17
3.2 Selection of Instruments ........................................................................................................................... 20
3.3 Site Preparation ........................................................................................................................................... 21
3.4 Instrument Programming and Calibration.............................................................................................. 25
3.4.1 Programming Ultrasonic Level Sensors ......................................................................................... 25 3.4.2 Filtering & Response Time .............................................................................................................. 27 3.4.3 Calibrating Ultrasonic Level Sensor ............................................................................................... 28 3.4.4 Programming Field Camera ............................................................................................................. 29 3.4.5 Programming Modems ..................................................................................................................... 31 3.4.6 Configuring the Datalogger ............................................................................................................. 32 3.4.7 Setting up the Datalogger ................................................................................................................. 34 3.4.8 Data-logger Programming ................................................................................................................ 35
3.5 Instrument Commissioning ...................................................................................................................... 36
4. Data Processing and Management ................................................................................................................ 39
4.1 Indus Telemetry Server .............................................................................................................................. 39
4.2 Data Processing .......................................................................................................................................... 39
4.2.1 Data Sampling Period ....................................................................................................................... 39 4.2.2 Data Logging Period ......................................................................................................................... 39 4.2.3 Data Transmission Period ................................................................................................................ 39 4.2.4 External Parameters .......................................................................................................................... 40 4.2.5 Data Transmission and Latency ...................................................................................................... 41 4.2.1 Data Post-Processing ........................................................................................................................ 42
4.3 Indus Telemetry Dashboard ..................................................................................................................... 43
5. Information Dissemination ............................................................................................................................ 46
5.1 Display Screens ........................................................................................................................................... 46
5.1.1 Programing Raspberry Pi modules ................................................................................................. 47 5.1.2 SMS Alert Service .............................................................................................................................. 47 5.1.3 MS Access Reports and Excel Workbooks ................................................................................... 48
6. System Costs..................................................................................................................................................... 49
7. Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 50
8. Annex 1: Key Correspondence ...................................................................................................................... 52
9. Annex 2: Anomaly in Discharge Rating Tables for Pat Feeder Canal ..................................................... 53
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10. Annex 3: Sensor Calibration and Validation ............................................................................................... 54
11. Annex 4: Datalogger CR Basic Programming ............................................................................................. 55
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1. Introduction
1.1 Background
There is a perception that four main provinces of Pakistan have little trust in the monitoring data
on water drawn by other provinces from the main canals. How far this perception holds true cannot be
judged as there are no scientific studies or literature available to support or reject this conjecture . A
possible cause of mistrust between the provinces is the outdated flow measurement and reporting
methods used by provincial irrigation departments. A large part of the existing Indus Basin Irrigation
System was built by British engineers in early 20th century during the colonial era. After independence in
1947, responsibility for the maintenance and operation was entrusted to the provincial irrigation
departments. There has been much expansion and modernization of the canals and structures (hardware)
but very few efforts have been made to modernize management including the use of current
communication and information technology.
It is widely acknowledged that Pakistan needs to improve the mechanism by which it accounts for
water distribution of the Indus River and its tributaries. Recognizing this need, Pakistan’s Water and
Power Development Authority (WAPDA) installed an electronic system to measure water levels and flows
at various key locations along the Indus Basin Irrigation System and to transmit this data electronically -
referred to as the Telemetry System - in 2004. Launched amid much fanfare, expectations from the system
were very high: “The Telemetry System will develop confidence amongst the provinces and the data will automatically be
transmitted to the federal and provincial governments on their monitoring sites without human interference on real time basis
simultaneously in parallel”, the Federal Minister for Water and Power said on 1st Dec 2004, the day the system
was officially launched.
Unfortunately, this investment (reported to be in the range of USD 4.5 million) did not meet the
acceptance criteria of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA). Similarly, the provinces expressed serious
reservations about the quality of the reported data. The Friends of Democratic Pakistan, in a highly
influential 2012 report concluded: “A decade ago a telemetric system was installed to automate the measurement and
reporting process, but it has not worked “.
The late John Briscoe and Usman Qamar in their seminal work of 2005: “Pakistan’s Water
Economy Running Dry”, stated that there can be “...no higher priority for water management in Pakistan than to
move aggressively in putting in place a totally transparent, impartial system for implementation of the Accord “. The
authors further describe three key requirements:
A rigorous, calibrated system for measuring water inflows, storages, and outflows be put in
place;
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The measurement system be audited by a party which is not only scrupulously independent
and impartial but is seen to be so by all parties;
Reporting must be totally transparent and available in real time for all parties to scrutinize.
The imperative for improved data and information (quality, quantity and timeliness) is reiterated in
Pakistan’s National Water Policy’s (2018) with a very ambitious timeline.
Under the existing institutional setup to manage Pakistan’s water resources, Indus River System
Authority (IRSA) is primarily responsible to ensure that surface water is allocated and utilized by all the
provinces according to Water Apportionment Accord (WAA) of 1991. IRSA allocates provincial water
shares based on probabilistic estimates ahead of each cropping seasons. All four provincial irrigation
departments then report to IRSA how much river water is withdrawn into various canal systems on daily
basis i.e. discharge data at head of the canals. The volume of water is then aggregated on a 10 daily period.
IRSA then use this data for water accounting for a season. The data acquisition methods by provincial
irrigation departments are dated and occasionally questioned by the lower riparian provinces. Many efforts
have been made to improve data acquisition methods in the past by IRSA. Among these a notable effort
was to install a telemetric system at 26 key locations of the Indus basin Irrigation System (IBIS) with a
huge investment in 2004. Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) installed the instruments
to monitor real time flow for IRSA. However, that version of telemetry remained unsuccessful due to
various technological and institutional issues.
In this backdrop, IWMI took on the task to showcase a technically feasible and economically
viable prototype of telemetry system that IRSA can upscale to the entire IBIS. First prototype was installed
in Punjab for which the activities were supported by component 3a of the project “Informing Change in
Indus Basin (ICIB)” supported by the Department for International Development (DfID), UK. The
‘Indus Telemetry’ is a brand identity that encompasses; the technology used for acquisition of flow data in
the canals of Indus Basin Irrigation System, the post-processing of the data, its archiving, and, the
dissemination of information derived from this data. Indus Telemetry is a collaborative knowledge
partnership of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) and the International
Real-time monitoring of river flows by IRSA is to be ensured through inter alia
telemetric monitoring to maintain transparent water accounting system and to
check the increasing trend of unaccounted-for water in the Indus System of Rivers.
This task should be completed before the end 2021. National Water Policy, GoP (2018) Clause 28.4(v)
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Water Management Institute (IWMI) with support from the Ministry of Water Resources, the Indus River
System Authority and all four provincial irrigation departments.
This knowledge partnership effort digs deep into past experiences to develop knowledge for future
investments in telemetry It also explores a range of issues including water measurement, electronics,
communication, and institutional issues. The purpose of this report is to capture that knowledge to inform
future decisions and investments in any telemetry system for the Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS).
1.2 Informing Change in Indus Basin: Facilitating Inter-provincial Dialogue on Water
Component 3a of the project: ‘Informing Change in the Indus Basin (ICIB)’ was designed to
support and facilitate inter-provincial dialogue within Pakistan in order to improve the investment
decisions made by the provinces. The dialogue has helped reinforce a consensus between the provinces on
the need to move forward, and identify the issues where there were easy gains (e.g. water accounting). The
issues where considerable difference of opinion remain (e.g. water trading, water storage, environmental
flows, sectoral reallocation), require a more gradual and subtle approach. The dialogue has also contributed
to the greater understanding of provincial perspectives and the views of water experts. The prototype (as
discussed in previous section) is influencing development investments such as the ‘Punjab Barrages
Improvement Project’ and further engagement with the Punjab Irrigation Department for technical
support in developing a systematic groundwater monitoring system.
This section features an overview of this technology prototype installed at one of the irrigation
canals in the Punjab. An instrument was commissioned at the Lower Bari Doab Canal, Punjab, Pakistan in
February 2017 (Figure 1.1). The instrument is programmed to measure the distance (range) from an
ultrasonic range finder to the water surface continuously and record the data at 5 minute intervals (5 min.
average). The data is then sent using mobile phone technology to a secure remote (cloud) server where the
data is post-processed. The instrument is programmed to send data twice per day and although this
frequency is user-defined and can be increased, this frequency has been set to minimize power
consumption. The instrument is powered by modest solar panels (20W) and is not connected to the
electricity grid.
Since the installation of this instrument, there have been no breakdowns (data outages) and data
integrity (proportion of data records received to that expected) stands at 99.9%. This confirms that even
though mobile phone coverage can be limited in rural areas, it is adequate for the purposes of transmitting
data. A comparison of the digitally acquired data and the data acquired manually shows robustness, with a
deviation of less than 1% (Figure 1.2).
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Once the data is received at the server, the data is post-processed using additional canal parameters
such as elevation of the instrument, rating functions, function parameters etc. to estimate discharge,
Delivery Performance Ratio (DPR) and weekly and seasonal volumes.
Figure 1.1: Indus Telemetry—instrumentation at Lower Bari Doab Canal, Punjab, Pakistan
Figure 1.2: A comparison of digitally acquired data with manually acquired data
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The information from Indus Telemetry is available through the internet at any location. As a
proof-of-concept an Indus Telemetry ‘Display Wall’ displaying near real-time information on a dot matrix
LED screen has been commissioned at the PCRWR headquarters in Islamabad, Pakistan. Access to the
information is controlled through server level usernames and passwords.
Although such a system is far less labor intensive than the existing system, it does require highly
skilled labor for servicing and maintenance to manage the large volume of data that is generated, and the
choice on an institution with the necessary capacity to manage such a system is critical.. An alternative
approach may be for the Government to acquire data (through data contracts with private sector service
providers) rather than attempting to establish in-house capacity to maintain complex electronic hardware
and processing systems. This is known as Data as a Service (DaaS) and is analogous to Software as a
Service (SaaS).
1.3 Targets for 2018
The technology prototype to automate flow measurement generated strong interest by the
government ministries and its line agencies. In collaboration with Pakistan Council of Research in Water
Resources (PCRWR), IWMI installed a display screen at the PCRWR headquarters in Islamabad. Branded
as “Indus Telemetry”, the system was inaugurated by the Federal Minister for Science and Technology,
Rana Tanveer Hussain on 03rd May 2017 at PCRWR headquarters.
The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) also showed a keen interest in Indus Telemetry. The
Chairperson and Director Operations paid a visit to the installation at LBDC in May 2017. The
Chairperson IRSA also agreed to engage with Indus Telemetry if the prototype was to be rolled out in the
remaining provinces. In this context, IWMI requested additional resources (time and financing) for
Component 3a of the ICIB project. The Department for International Development (DfID), UK agreed
to provide additional resources for:
1. Use of Indus Telemetry as an entry point to engage IRSA and the Ministry of Water
Resources.
2. Expanding engagement with Provincial Irrigation Departments using Indus Telemetry as an
entry point.
3. Encourage more dialogue on issues where the first round of dialogue (section 1.2) indicated
relative consensus e.g. improve the water accounting through Indus Telemetry, third party
water audits, public access to water accounts by declassifying historical records, and using
Social Network Analysis (SNA) to provide quantitative estimates of trust/credibility between
provincial irrigation institutions in Pakistan.
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This Report focuses on first two deliverables: (i) the expansion of Indus Telemetry to three further
provinces and (ii) engagement with IRSA and provincial Irrigation Departments. This report details the
process of achieving the targets and also provides technical details on Indus Telemetry.
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2. Indus Telemetry
2.1 The Process
The Indus and its tributaries are the major sources of fresh water supply feeding Pakistan’s large
scale irrigation system. The water is distributed among the Provinces of Pakistan according to the
principles laid out in the Water Apportionment Accord (WAA), a consensus document, consisting of 14
clauses and 8 appendices, approved by the highest offices of the four provinces of Pakistan and ratified by
the Prime Minister. The Indus River System Authority (IRSA), established through an act of parliament
(Government of Pakistan, 1992), is responsible for implementing the Accord, with all four provinces and
the federal government as members of the IRSA Board. IRSA allocates water each season to each
province guided by the WAA and forecast river flows from statistical/empirical estimations. The
provincial irrigation departments are responsible for withdrawing the provincial share of water through the
primary canals (essentially large irrigation canals) of the province. Measuring canal withdrawals is a
challenging job and plays an important role in IRSA’s water accounting process. The existing practice is to
estimate canal flows at head of each canal by reading a manual gauge mounted on an adjacent vertical wall
and estimating discharge using rating curves/hydraulic equations, the information conveyed from site to
the Irrigation Department typically by mobile phone. All the received data is typically stored in analogue
(paper) form and is not widely disseminated or accessible. This method is labor intensive, easily
manipulated and inaccessible which causes mistrust among the provinces. Indus Telemetry provides an
advanced, cutting-edge technological solution to enhance data acquisition, communication and the
opportunity to improve relationships between provinces.
The process to expand Indus Telemetry to Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has dual
goal of institutional engagement and demonstration of technology.
2.2 Institutional Engagement
The beneficiaries of Indus Telemetry range from the Government of Pakistan through the various
institutions - from the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), Ministry of Water Resources, Pakistan
Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) – to provincial irrigation departments of the Sindh,
Punjab, KPk and Balochistan. Engagement of beneficiaries is key to successful adoption of any
technological solution proposed by any research effort; this project is no different with the emphasis on
fully engaging key national and provincial agencies.
The ICIB project is a major step towards institutional engagement between IWMI with PCRWR,
the pre-eminent federal water research institution in Pakistan. As part of the development of the
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prototype, IWMI in partnership with PCRWR held meetings in all the four provinces of Pakistan and the
capital Islamabad to understand key stakeholders’ opinions and perceptions on the Accord, with PCRWR
playing a key role, and was central in garnering IRSA’s interest in the pilot phase of Indus Telemetry
program. In this current extension phase, PCRWR is central in building key stakeholder interest and
commitment - particularly from IRSA and the irrigation departments of the provinces - by providing
resources, training and support to the field staff at PCRWR regional offices in order to maintain, and
troubleshooting hardware issues at field installations.
The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources is required through the very statute under
which it was created to “Develop and maintain national water resources database, for use by the planning, implementing
agencies and public”. Hence the work being undertaken in piloting the Indus Telemetry falls well within the
legal remit of PCRWR, and, as a research organization, PCRWR recognizes and appreciates the
importance of good quality data. On the other hand, as PCRWR has no vested interest to skew Indus
water data one way or another as PCRWR is not responsible for managing the waters of the Indus Basin.
Hence, PCRWR can provide independent quality assurance and control without any potential conflict of
interest. Furthermore, as a federal government institution PCRWR also has the legitimacy to certify the
data as demonstrated in the role it undertakes for water quality testing of bottled drinking water.
Another meaningful way of engaging key government intuitions is by means of an Indus Telemetry
Advisory Committee (herein referred to as Committee). The Terms of Reference drafted for this
Committee state that it is to provide essential advice and guidance to this endeavor. The advice and
guidance will include but not necessarily be limited to technical interaction e.g. equipment specification,
calibration, location, data acquisition and also the processing, archiving and dissemination of data and
information and on the use of data for IRSA Water Account Reports, dialogue and discussion.
The Committee has been formed through a series of meetings between PCRWR and IWMI staff
with the Chairman IRSA, the secretaries of the four provincial irrigation departments, and Project Director
(WCAP), and Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR). Table 1 shows a brief history of these meetings and
nominated members of the Committee (Focal Persons) by each institution. All official correspondence in
arranging these meetings was made by PCRWR (Annex 1). During the meetings, the provincial secretaries
showed a keen interest in Indus Telemetry and provided the necessary permissions to install one
instrument at one canal each in KP, Sindh and Balochistan. The name of canals is also listed in Table 2.1.
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Table 2.1: Meetings with key government institutions
Institution Dated Location Canal Committee Member/ Focal Person
Irrig. Dept. KPK 13 Apr 2018 Peshawar Upper Swat Canal Mr. Zahoor Muhammad Executive Engineer
Irrig. Dept. Balochistan
18 Apr 2018 Quetta Kirther Canal Mr. Abdus Sattar Lakhti Chief Engineer
Irrig. Dept. Sindh 19 Apr 2018 Karachi Pat-Feeder Canal Mr. Zareef Iqbal Khero Project Director
MoWR (WCAP) 27 Apr 2018 Islamabad - Mr. Muhammad Ukasha Program Officer
Indus River System Authority (IRSA)
18 May 2018 Islamabad - Mr. Khalid Idrees Rana Director Operations
Irrig. Dept. Punjab 02 Jul 2018 Lahore Lower Bari Doab Canal Mr. Habib Ullah Bodla Chief PMIU
The functioning of the Committee is heavily dependent on IRSA as it is the legal authority to
implement the Accord and also legally required to provide water accounts. The IRSA Act No XXII of
1992 (Rules and Regulations) states that “Actual observation and compilation of the data shall be the responsibility of
the respective Provinces, Water and Power Development Authority and other allied organizations, while the process shall be
monitored by the Authority”. Hence the data acquisition services contract proposed in Indus Telemetry is well
within the legal framework of Pakistan. Once the data is acquired and quality controlled by PCRWR, IRSA
can use that data in its bi-annual Water Accounts to show compliance and/or deviation from the Accord,
examine long-term trends and explore future alternatives and courses of action.
2.3 Demonstration of Technology
The technology used for the Indus Telemetry can be divided into three interlinked sub-processes
i.e. (i) automated data acquisition and communication, (ii) data processing and management, and (iii)
information dissemination.
i. The Automated Data Acquisition sub-process is explained in the flow diagram (Figure 2.3)
which involves a range of activities from selection of instruments to their physical
commissioning at the selected sites. The steps involved in undertaking these activities are
explained in Chapter 3.
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Figure 2.3: Automated Data acquisition and Communication
ii. Data Processing and Management involves the processing of raw data received from in-
field installations at a data server. Several external parameters (the parameters not measured
by the automatic sensors) are needed to convert the raw data into meaningful information
e.g. discharge, delivery performance ratio etc. Archiving of data is dealt during this sub-
process (see Chapter 4).
iii. The processed data is then disseminated to target audiences using several methods. One
example is a dot matrix display screen installed at the reception wall of PCRWR
headquarters in Islamabad. This scrolling display shows hourly discharge at the selected
locations where instruments are installed. Information can be disseminated to pre-
registered recipients via an SMS Alert service providing a daily summary of discharge and
gauge depth at the selected canal locations by text message to their mobile phones.. This
sub-process is explained in detail in Chapter 5.
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3. Automated Data Acquisition
The first step towards automated data acquisition is to collect relevant information about the site
where the instruments are to be installed. Such reconnaissance visits to the potential site are indispensable
in data acquisition. Selection of suitable locations and type of instruments are also made during the visit.
3.1 Reconnaissance and site selection
During the meetings with the provincial irrigation departments of KPk, Sindh and Balochistan,
each department designated one canal in the province for the installation of instruments. The designated
canals are Upper Swat Canal (KPk), Pat-Feeder Canal (Sindh) and Kirther Canal (Balochistan). Joint
technical team of PCRWR and IWMI undertook reconnaissance visits to the selected canals and met with
the management of each the irrigation department.. In consultation with irrigation staff, specific locations
along the designated canals were finalized. Table 3.1 lists the chronology of reconnaissance visits.
Table 3.1: Reconnaissance visits to the designated canals
Canal Selected Location Dated Institution
Upper Swat Canal 1RD 19+500
Benton and Auxiliary Tunnels
04 May 2018 25 May 2018
Irrig. Dept. KPK
Kirther Canal RD 116+000 14 May 2018 Irrig. Dept. Balochistan
Pat-Feeder Canal RD 109+000 15 May 2018 Irrigation Dept. Sindh
The site selected at Upper Swat Canal (USC) is located approximately 6 km. downstream of the
Amandara Headworks on the River Swat from where USC originates. This site is located in Malakand
district of the KPk province. The technical team paid two visits to USC to select the location as shown in
Table 3.1. In the first visit, it was observed that although there is a manual gauge installed in a stilling well
just downstream of Headworks but it in very poor condition (Figure 3.1). Further investigation revealed
that water flow is not monitored at this location by the Irrigation Department, KPk but further
downstream at a concrete crump-weir structure built across the canal, some 19500ft further downstream
(referred to as RD 19+500). This measuring weir structure has four bays, and downstream of this weir,
flows are diverted into two canals that lead into the Benton and Auxiliary tunnels each with an identical
capacity of 1800 cusec (Figure 3.2).
1 “Reduced Distance” or RD is the distance along the canal measured from the head as a linear distance. It is normally reported as RD followed by the distance in ft with a + sign as a separator (e.g. RD 19+500)
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Figure 3.1: Upper Swat Canal at Amandara Headworks
Figure 3.2: Upper Swat Canal at RD 19+500
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Pat-Feeder and Kirther are inter-provincial canals that service the irrigation needs of both Sindh
and Balochistan provinces. Pat-Feeder Canal off-takes from Guddu Barrage near Kashmore, Sindh and
transfers water to Balochistan downstream of cross-regulator at RD 109+000. Kirther Canal receives water
from Sukkur Barrage in district Sukkur in Sindh and traverses within Sindh provinces up to the Garang
cross-regulator at RD 98+000, where it enters into Balochistan.
The Irrigation Department Sindh expressed an interest in installing instruments near the transfer
point of the Pat-Feeder canal between Sindh and Baluchistan at RD 109+000. The cross regulator at this
point is a gated structure with manual gauges installed upstream and downstream of the regulator. Gauge
readers from both irrigation departments are deployed at the structure, who take independent readings and
report this to their respective departments - just one example of the deep mistrust between provinces.
The gauge readings are then converted into discharge rates by using a rating table/equation. During the
reconnaissance visit, it was noted that there are misunderstandings between the Irrigation Departments of
Sindh and Baluchistan over the rating table, and can be traced back to an attempt of IRSA to revise the
rating table for this location used to estimate discharge, when IRSA commissioned a study in 2014 for
river flow measurements at 5 sites of the Indus Basin. One of the tasks of this study was to develop a
stage-discharge relationship (rating table/equation) and calibration of discharge coefficients through
physical discharge measurements for different flow conditions (ranging from low to high flow conditions).
This IRSA commissioned study also took the Pat-Feeder canal at RD 109+000 into consideration and
developed a revised rating table which IRSA suggested both Irrigation Departments adopt. Unfortunately,
the Irrigation Departments of Sindh and Balochistan never could agree to the revised ratings table and at
the moment, the two Departments use different rating tables to convert gauge readings into discharge and
therefore report different discharges for the same gauge reading (see Annex 2). This is yet another example
of mistrust in the flow monitoring methods. Indus Telemetry does not address this issue and the technical
teams deliberately choose not to revise the rating tables, as revision to rating tables is a sensitive issue
which not only requires the prior consensus of the stakeholders but also trust in the agency undertaking
the in-field study. The PCRWR and IWMI reconnaissance team had a frank exchange of views with the
irrigation department representatives of both provinces. As to the way forward to overcoming this present
issues between the two provinces, they did agree that there should be a dedicated measuring structure e.g.
the flume or weir at the transfer point of the provinces. Such measuring structures, if properly designed
and implemented would resolve the issue of rating tables as they work to a fixed equation and do not
require frequent revisions. Secondly, the structure should be designed according to international best
practices and the monitoring of flow should be managed by a credible third party agency (not the
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Irrigation Departments). The Irrigation Officials agreed these steps would go a long way towards resolving
the mistrust between the provinces.
A similar situation was observed by the reconnaissance team at Kirther canal. The water issue
between Sindh and Baluchistan is so critical and sensitive, that even the physical geographic boundary
between Balochistan is disputed, and hence where exactly is water transferred from the Sindh to the
Balochistan? The geographic boundary of Balochistan does not start immediately downstream of the
Garang regulator at RD 98+000, yet Sindh reports all flow downstream of this location as the water
released toward Balochistan. Sindh’s position is that this is the furthest point they have on Kirther Canal
towards Baluchistan at which they can practically measure discharge – again as no dedicated measuring
structures has been constructed or considered implemented. Balochistan’s perspective is that the
geographic boundary of Balochistan is few kilometers downstream of this regulator and along this reach of
the canal there are several outlets which draw water directly from the canal and largely irrigate farms within
Sindh, with Sindh Irrigation Department dismissing such claims by stating that the provincial boundary is
very vague and these outlets primarily irrigate farms within Balochistan!
Within this context the Balochistan Irrigation Department requested that any instruments for
Baluchistan should not be installed at Garang regulator but within Balochistan province (as interpreted by
the Baluchistan Irrigation Department) so that they can monitor the actual flow which enters into
Balochistan. A suitable location was identified at RD 116+000 downstream of a canal crossing bridge and
it was selected as the final site for instrumentation. A retaining wall on the canal right bank provides a
suitable base to mount the instrumentation structure. The water surface at this location is tranquil
providing a good target for the ultrasonic sensor. The flow in the canal in the reach around RD 116+000
reasonably approximates uniform flow which is the underlying assumption of any open channel rating
function. A drawback of this site is that there is no existing gauge installed at this site and thus no existing
rating table. Hence the instrument will only be reporting depth of flow at this location until a rating table
can be calibrated. IWMI has also agreed to install a laser-cut stainless steel manual gauge at the site to
verify electronic measurement. The irrigation department of Balochistan accepted responsibility of
developing rating table with technical assistance from PCRWR and IWMI.
3.2 Selection of Instruments
After selecting the locations along the designated canals for measuring instruments, the next step
was the choice of appropriate instruments with which automated flow monitoring can be implemented.
From its instrumentation experience in other canal commands in Punjab, IWMI preferred a set of highly
robust and reliable instruments, as the transaction costs for visiting a site and troubleshooting quickly
21
exceed the capital costs if unreliable choices of technology are made. The measuring instruments selected
have been tried and tested for flow monitoring for more than three years in field conditions. Table 3.2
provides brief description of components of the instruments used for in-site installation and the web links
to their detailed specifications.
An ultrasonic level sensor is the main sensor attached to the data logger which senses the variation
in water levels from the known elevation where it mounted and measures the distance (range) from the
mounted location to the water surface electronically. Using additional parameters (parameters not
measured by the sensor) the depth of flow in the channel can then be estimated during the post-processing
phase. An ultrasonic sensor has the advantage that it is a non-contact sensor (does not touch the water)
and therefore is less prone to fouling from debris and/or sediment in the water. It has no moving parts
and requires very modest power – an important criterion given the entire instrument is powered by a
modest 20W solar panel and a rechargeable battery. For all Indus Telemetry installations, the teams utilized
ultrasonic level sensors at all four canals to measure depth of flow in the canals.
A typical datalogger can be connected to a wide variety of sensors and a number of sensors
simultaneously. Hence at any one site it is technically possible to include additional sensors to measure for
example; turbidity of the water, temperature of water, salinity of water etc as required. Most sensors
require very little power but power does remain an important criterion if instruments are to be powered
with a modest solar panel only.s
3.3 Site Preparation
Site preparation is a detailed process. Once the correct set of instruments are identified and
procured, an instrument layout plan is prepared for the specific site, and depending upon the site
conditions, a range of ancillary work is needed to prepare it for instrumentation. The factors considered in
planning are safety, ease of access to the working area for installation and future maintenance, and a small
footprint for the hardware. Typical ancillary work includes:
Stainless Steel Gauges (laser cut);
Poles and cross arm;
Space frame;
Mounting plates and cantilever for ultrasonic level sensor;
Security fence/ box; and
Civil work.
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The existing manual gauges (staff gauges) for water level measurement at most of the canals are of
poor quality. Generally, these gauges are made of mild steel and marked with ordinary paint which is often
not a very precise measuring tool. As these are installed in water they rust very quickly and the graduations
and numbering becomes illegible. Faced with this, the gauge readers are compelled to take readings based
on judgment and hence the accuracy of flow data is compromised. Another innovation through Indus
Telemetry was to fabricate high quality stainless steel gauges which will not rust when immersed in water.
These gauges are laser cut so accurate to the millimeter and the graduations and digit markings do not
degrade with time. Four gauges have been provided IWMI to the irrigation departments in KPk, Punjab
and Balochistan who will install them at the selected instrumentation locations.
Box 1: Physical Security of Instruments/Assets
Installing scientific/electronic equipment in remote areas is vulnerable to vandalism and
theft. Interference/impact by animals such as water buffaloes may also cause damage to the
delicate instruments. This results in the disruption and loss of data. It time consuming and
resource expensive to replace damaged or lost components that need be procured and replaced
not to mention the loss of faith in the system.
The locations selected in this work are at important/critical infrastructure and there is
24/7 security at these sites. There have been no incidents of damage or theft at any of four
installations. However, in earlier attempt of monitoring flow with instruments at tertiary irrigation
canals, we did experience a few incidents of damage and vandalism of instruments. Typically this
involved theft/damage of items which could be seen attractive and valuable e.g. solar panel and
batteries. Although the solar panels are a very modest 20W which can at best only power up small
electrical items, however panels have to be installed outside of water- tight locked boxes to receive
sunlight and this makes them vulnerable to theft and they are immediately recognizable (unlike
perhaps a data logger). The following guidelines can reduce risk of damage and vandalism:
Install poles of reasonable height with solar panels mounted at the top. The height should
not be too long to make panels difficult to clean.
Use anti-climb spikes on the poles where possible.
Lock down the instrument enclosures.
Place a friendly warning at the enclosure.
Sensitize community and employees of the local institutions about the benefits of the data
and seeking their support in protecting the instruments.
Using mesh wiring fence and razor wires in heavily-trafficked installation sites.
Insuring the instruments/assets particularly for long term deployment.
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The choice of material and size of poles, cross-arm, cantilever and space-frames etc. depends upon
site conditions and layout plans for the instruments. In some cases, instruments are secured by using
fences, enclosure boxes and razor wire. Physical security of the instruments is an important consideration
during site preparation, although in all cases the Irrigation Departments have agreed that their staff will try
to ensure the installation is protected. Box 1 summarises some important considerations to secure the
instruments deployed at remote locations. They are wary of being blamed for incidents of deliberate
vandalism or accidental damage. In most cases site preparation requires a little civil engineering, mostly
limited to constructing concrete plinths and foundations for the poles/frame for attaching and suspend
sensors, cabling etc.
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Table 3.2: List of components used in Indus Telemetry
Name of component Purpose Manufacturer Specification details
Ultrasonic Level Sensor Measures range from instru-ment to water surface
Automation Product Group (APG), Inc.
https://www.apgsensors.com/sites/de-fault/files/datasheets/IRU-6429.pdf
Data logger Configure and logs data from sensors
Campbell Scientific Inc. https://www.campbellsci.com/cr800
Communication Peripheral/Modem Communicates data Sierra Wireless https://source.sierrawireless.com/devices/ls-series/ls300/
Surge Suppressor Kit Campbell Scientific Inc. https://www.campbellsci.com/31317
Field Camera Takes picture of manual gauge Campbell Scientific Inc. https://www.campbellsci.com/ccfc
Charge Regulator Campbell Scientific Inc. https://www.campbellsci.com/ch100
Solar Panel (10W) Campbell Scientific Inc. https://www.campbellsci.com/sp10
Omni Cellular Antenna Campbell Scientific Inc.
Weather Enclosure Campbell Scientific Inc. https://www.campbellsci.com/standard-enclosures
Backup Battery/Cables and Accessories
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3.4 Instrument Programming and Calibration
Four instruments - ultrasonic sensor, data logger, modem and field camera - are programmed
before in-field deployment, with the ultrasonic sensors calibrated so accurate distances can be measured.
This section provides the process of programming and calibration in detail.
3.4.1 Programming Ultrasonic Level Sensors
Ultrasonic level sensors function on the principle of sending sound waves that echo off of a target
and return to the transmitter. The term ultrasonic implies ‘outside of the range of the human ear’ -
typically any sound wave above 20 kHz. This method is highly accurate, and the sensors used in the Indus
Telemetry installations can measure ranges with an accuracy of 0.25% of detected range.
The speed of sound is a constant under fixed atmospheric conditions, from the time from the
sound burst to the return is measured and this related to range using a linear (straight line) function. The
sensor’s microprocessor reports a voltage that is proportional to the distance. The voltage is converted to
the range through a simple linear equation. The speed of sound varies with temperature; therefore
ultrasonic sensors typically also include a thermometer to measure temperature and then correct the
estimate of range for temperature.
Ultrasonic level sensors are typically quite small, low maintenance, and easy to ship and install.
Typically, they will have microprocessors that also allow for more advanced control. Ultrasonic sensors do
require an unobstructed air column between the sensor and the target, and anything that deflects or
absorbs the signal, or acts as a false surface, may cause erroneous readings. This can result from physical
obstructions, excessive foam, heavy vapors, thick dust and light powders. Hence the control circuits
generally include a microprocessor that is user programmable to define filters and identify and discard
outlier measurements.
Indus Telemetry uses ultrasonic level sensors to measure distance to water surface. These sensors
can be programmed using proprietary hardware (programing unit) and a software available from the
manufacturers (Figure 3.3). The programming procedure as explained by the manufacturer is as follows:
Ultrasonic sensors are designed for use in level applications with ranges from as 100mm (4 inches)
to 8m (30 feet). They can function both indoors and outdoors, and are capable of monitoring in cold and
hot weather. Automatic temperature compensation is standard in these sensors.
26
Figure 3.3: Automation Product Group (APG) software and calibration in lab.
There are three main settings to adjust:
Pulse Strength & Sensitivity;
Filtering & Response Time; and
Output & Trip Points.
Pulse Strength & Sensitivity: The pulse strength controls fine tune sound wave bursts for
optimal detection for the specific application, while the sensitivity setting gives control over how hard the
sensor will listen for echoes. To put it simply, pulse strength is like the volume control on a speaker, while
sensitivity is like that on a hearing aid. Adjusting the sensitivity is important, as the pulse strength should
only be as high as is necessary to get a good return signal. If pulse strength is left on high all the time, it
will wear down faster - just as a speaker blows out if kept at maximum volume. Unlike a speaker, the
ultrasonic transducer - the part that makes and receives the sound waves – will not blow out. If it is
necessary to have the pulse strength ramped up high to get a good return signal, this usually implies the
sensor is not powerful enough for the application. Ultrasonic level sensors are available in various
operating ranges and other features. Table 3.3 provides few models (APG) used to monitoring water
levels. In our technology prototype we have selected mid-range sensors (IRU-6429).
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Table 3.3: Ultrasonic Level Sensors.
Sensor Type (APG) Operat-ing Range
Response time
Accu-racy
Supply Volt-age (V)
Output (mA)
Operating Temp. (C)
Temp. Com-pensa-tion
Data Log-ging
Mid Range Ultra-sonic Level Sensor IRU-2420
1-25 ft Upto 50 Hz, or once every 20 ms
± 0.25% 12-28 4-20 -40-60 internal No
Long Range Ultra-sonic Level Sensor IRU-3430
1.5 to 50 ft
Up to 50 Hz, or once every 20 ms
± 0.25% 12-28 4-20 -40-60 internal No
Short Range Ultra-sonic Level Sensor IRU-5000
4-79 inch
Up to 50 Hz, or once every 20 ms
± 0.25% 12-28 4-20 -40-60 internal No
Mid Range Ultra-sonic Level Sensor with Data Logging IRU-6429
1-30 ft Up to 50 Hz, or once every 20 ms
± 0.25% 12-28 4-20 -40-60 internal Yes
High Sensitivity Ul-trasonic Level Sen-sor IRU-9400
0.5-35 ft
Up to 50 Hz, or once every 20 ms
± 0.25% 12-28 4-20 -40-60 internal No
Sensitivity settings control the receiving of echoes. If the sensor is set overly sensitive, it will start
to pick up unwanted echoes and report erroneous readings. Having to keep sensor sensitivity very high is a
symptom of either a low pulse strength setting, a target that absorbs or dissipates your signal, or a sensor
with too short a measurement range. Balancing pulse strength and sensitivity is crucial to a reliable
measurement a durable sensor.
3.4.2 Filtering & Response Time
Filtering out unwanted echoes with an ultrasonic level sensor requires setting maximum and
minimum detection distances, the averaging of readings, and the response speed to changing levels.
Setting maximum and minimum detection distance causes the sensor to ignore any echoes outside of that
maximum and minimum distance. The minimum detection distance is actually controlled by lengthening
the blanking distance, which is the short distance adjacent to the sensor face where nothing can be
detected. The maximum distance setting helps to ignore static or mobile objects in the distance.
Averaging readings is a way to smoothen out rapid level changes, e.g. the water surface disturbed
by ripples. This feature is very useful, unless the target is a very slow moving, perfectly still surface to
detect. For any turbulence or uneven movement on the surface, and averaging becomes very valuable. This
setting tells the sensor how many samples (singular readings) to include in the calculation of the average
observation. The larger the sample size selected, the greater the smoothing effect.
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Controlling the response speed to changing levels is helpful for filtering out a lot of noise. This
setting is called a window, or a set distance selected in front of and behind the current distance reading.
This is a moving window that follows the current accepted reading. Along with the window, a user sets the
number of samples the sensor needs to detect out of the window before it validates a new level, essentially
forcing the sensor to double check the changes in the level before it reports an output.
Both averaging and the windows settings can speed up and slow down response time. If the
application is for a fast moving target, then these parameters have to be adjusted judicially. Lower
averaging and a looser window are required to keep up with rapid changes.
3.4.3 Calibrating Ultrasonic Level Sensor
Once all the parameter settings are complete, the programmed sensor will report a voltage. In
order to convert voltage into distance a function between voltage and distance needs to be developed. This
is typically a linear equation and the parameters (intercept and slope) can be estimated using ordinary least
squares regression.
Figure 3.4: Calibration of Ultrasonic Sensors
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The laboratory procedure to calibrate and validate the ultrasonic sensor (Figure 3.4) follows a set
of steps. The first is to test the stability of the sensor. For this the ultrasonic sensor is programmed and
continuously switched on (taking readings every second) facing to a fixed surface i.e. wall or floor. The
voltage is logged by connecting the sensor to a data logger, with the voltage data for several hours
collected without changing the position of sensor/target. The Coefficient of Variation (CV) is then
estimated for this data set and the voltage stability test is passed if the CV remains less than a user defined
threshold. In our case we accepted a sensor if the CV was no greater than 1%.
The next step is to establish an empirical relationship between sensor voltage and distance. For
this, the sensor is mounted on a movable stand and targeted towards a fixed surface (herein called a
setting), with the actual distance between the sensor face and the target surface measured with a digital
range finder. At least five (averaged over 2 minutes) readings are taken at each particular setting. This
process is repeated at 20 random settings. The mean voltage data at all 20 settings is then again
randomized from which 10 data points are used to develop (calibrate) empirical relationship between
voltage and measured distance. For the remaining 10 data points, the equation from the empirical
relationship is used to estimate distance and compared with the measured distance for validation. We use
Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE) as an indicator for validation; if the MAPE is less than 1% the
validation is passed and sensor is ready for field deployment. Table 3.4 provides the indicators and
acceptable range for sensor calibration and validation. The results of stability test, calibration and
validation for all the sensors are given in Annex 3.
Table 3.4: Calibration and validation of ultrasonic sensors. Test Indicator Formula Acceptance Limit
Voltage Stability Coefficient of Variance (CV) 𝐶𝑉 (%) = 100 ×
𝑆𝐷
𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛
CV<1%
Calibration Voltage-distance relationship
Validation Mean Absolute Percent Error (%)
𝑀𝐴𝑃𝐸 =∑ |
𝑀𝑡 − 𝐸𝑡
𝐸𝑡|𝑛
𝑡=1
𝑛
MAPE<1%
3.4.4 Programming Field Camera
We have used field grade programmable cameras to take pictures of the manual gauges at the
instrumented locations. The purpose of taking these pictures is to ensure the quality assurance of
electronic data from ultrasonic sensors. The details of quality assurance/quality control process is provided
in a separate report.
The CCFC Field Camera itself is a high-quality, high-resolution zoom camera specifically designed
for remote outdoor applications. It captures high-quality photos and video in wide-angle and zoom during
30
the day and night. The field camera includes Wi-Fi access, and can be controlled using Smart Phones,
tablets, or laptops. It also features a web interface that makes setup and configuration easy, as it works on
any desktop or mobile browser and contains built-in tips.
The field camera comes with a high-quality 18x optical zoom lens and an upgraded image sensor.
Users can designate up to 4 preset lens positions to capture images or video from different zoom lengths
for each capture event. The camera’s auto focus features enable it to automatically re-focus at each zoom
length so each triggered event captures a collection of clear photos and video.
The camera can produce still images of up to 5 megapixels and video up to 720p. The camera’s
image and video-streams capture trigger modes, and includes two independent self-timers or external
triggers such as data-logger control, motion detection, and web page control. The camera has Infra-red
LEDs, which illuminate in darkness to enhance photo and video quality.
The camera can send images and videos directly to the desktop or publish them to the web via
various communications options. Images and video taken by the camera can be delivered from remote
locations via cellular modem, Ethernet 10/100, RS-232, RS-485, Satellite, and PakBus. There is a 16 GB of
internal memory to store captured media.
Figure 3.5: User interface to program field camera
Figure 3.5 shows the interface of the camera settings in a web browser. The cameras deployed in
the field are programmed to consume minimum power by taking only two pictures of the gauge every day.
The camera is switched on at a defined time to capture a picture, after which it is switched off again. At
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the time of filing this report, the images are not transmitted via internet but are manually collected at a
convenient time. However it is planned to modify the camera setting/configuration to automate
transmission of image.
3.4.5 Programming Modems
Cellular modems manufactured by Sierra Wireless are deployed in all field installations. The
modem is connected to an external antenna through a surge suppressor kit and takes power from the data
logger. The modem is supplied with 12V power and is connected to the data logger via serial port (RS-
232). In order to configure the modem, an activated SIM card is required. The SIM card is inserted in the
modem as shown in Figure 3.6.
Figure 3.6. Modem showing the SIM slot
To configure the modem, it is connected to the computer via Ethernet cable as shown in Figure 3.7
Figure 3.7. Modem connected to a laptop using an Ethernet cable.
The modem is connected to a laptop using the browser‐based Ace Manager software. The IP
address 192.168.13.31:9191 in browser connects to the modem. The modem takes several minutes to boot
up once power is applied. Once the login screen appears, it prompts for a Username and Password. Once
32
these credentials are entered, it takes the user to the main dashboard where the modem can be
programmed.
Once the Ace Manager window opens, the next step is to enter the correct Access Point Name
(APN) obtained from the cellular company. For this application, the APN used for Telenor and Zong
networks was INTERNET.
Once the modem has successfully rebooted, the “Network State” should read “Network Ready”.
If it does not, settings from the previous steps need to checked, and the modem may need to be rebooted.
Table 3.5 lists the “Signal Strength (RSSI)”. Signal strength ranges typically observed:
Table 3.5: Signal Strength (RSSI)
RSSI Signal Strength
> -70 dBm Excellent
-70 dBm to -85 dBm Good
-86 dBm to -100 dBm Fair
< -100 dBm Poor
-110 dBm No signal
Once connected to the cellular network, the user should be able to access regular websites through
the cell modem, as the modem can now be used as a regular modem to browse any website. The next step
is to configure the Data Logger.
3.4.6 Configuring the Datalogger
Only dynamic public IP addresses provided by the cellular network providers are permitted in
Pakistan. Therefore there is a need to set up the Sierra Wireless IP Manager to manage the IP address. In
order to do this, the user must log in to the Ace Manager software in the browser once again with the
login credentials:
On the Status tab, the Phone Number that is listed for SIM card (numbers only, not symbols)
should be noted. In the Services tab and then Dynamic DNS tab the user is presented with dropdown
options. The user should select “IP Manager” from the available options and perform the following
settings in the respective fields as shown in Figure 3.8.
• Device Name: Phone number noted as mentioned earlier
• Domain: eairlink.com
• IP Manager Server 1: edns1.eairlink.com
• IP Manager Server 2: edns2.eairlink.com
After applying these changes the modem needs to be rebooted.
33
Figure 3.8: Modem Settings in Ace Manager
After this process is complete, the modem is physically connected to the Data-logger as shown in Figure
3.9.
Figure 3.9: Physically connecting the Modem to the Data-logger
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3.4.7 Setting up the Datalogger
A PC/laptop is connected to the data-logger and using Device Configuration Utility a connection
is made to the data-logger. In the data-logger tab, the PakBus address is set. This can be any number from
1 to 3999. It is recommended that not to use the default of 1 and that all of devices in a network have
different PakBus addresses.
Figure 3.10: Configuration Utility settings
In the PPP tab, “RS232” is selected as the Config/Port. The IP Address field is set to “0.0.0.0”
and “AT\APPP” is to be added as the Modem Dial String, “CONNECT” as the Modem Dial Response.
These settings are then applied as shown in Figure 3.11
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Figure 3.10: Configuration Utility settings – PPP Tab
3.4.8 Data-logger Programming
Data loggers are suitable devices for deployment in rugged environment for reliable data
acquisition. Selection of the appropriate data-logger depends mainly on the type, number, precision, and
speed of measurements required. Data-loggers also provide non-volatile data storage and on-board
battery-backed clock and data processing capabilities, and can initiate measurement and control functions
based on time or event. Nearly any sensor can be connected to a data-logger, and controlling external
devices such as pumps, motors, alarms, freezers, valves, etc. are examples of the utility of utilizing data-
loggers. They require PC support software or keyboard/display to program and once programmed operate
independently of AC power, computers, and human interaction. The data loggers consume minimal power
from a 12 V source – typically rechargeable batteries and can interface with on-site and telecommunication
devices such as telephone modems (including cellular and voice-synthesized), short haul modems, radio
transceivers, satellite transmitters, and Ethernet interfaces and can operate in temperature range of -25° to
50°C.
Campbell Scientific data-loggers are programmed in specifically-developed CR Basic language. A
sample CR Basic program is included in Annex 4.
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3.5 Instrument Commissioning
After programming and calibration, all the instruments are deployed on site. Field installation can
be a physically demanding task and appropriate safety measures must be implemented. Once all the
instruments are fixed, properly wired and connected to on-site solar panels, data acquisition starts and
transmission to the server for post-processing begins in earnest.
Instruments were commissioned at selected locations on the canals, one each in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan (Figures 3.11 to 3.13).
Figure 3.11: Instrument commissioned at Upper Swat Canal RD 19+500, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
37
Figure 3.12: Instrument commissioned at Pat-Feeder Canal RD 109+000, Sindh
38
Figure 3.13: Instrument commissioned at Kirther Canal RD 116+000, Balochistan
39
4. Data Processing and Management
4.1 Indus Telemetry Server
The Indus Telemetry process uses a subscription service for cloud based data servers. The
Microsoft Azure service was selected as this includes access to (i) virtual machine; (ii) licenses for the
operating systems; and (iii) a SQL Server and database system. Using a Cloud Server avoids problems that
would affect a local installed server e.g. power outages, network outages, bandwidth and removes the need
for most of the server maintenance as that is managed by Microsoft. The Indus Telemetry server is set up
to provide file transfer protocol (FTP) services and SQL data services. Access to the server is restricted
through username and password credential and this is set at various levels of granularity for different users
e.g. one specific folder on the server, access to the SQL server, access to the entire server. The Indus
Telemetry server uses the Windows Server 2016 operating system, SQL Server 2017 for SQL data services
and FileZilla Server for FTP services.
4.2 Data Processing
4.2.1 Data Sampling Period
Data sampling period is defined as the time period between samples (measurements). Typically, the
data sampling periods can be small, i.e. samples can be taken at high frequency, but the data sampling
period may depend on the “warm-up” time of instruments, as some instruments do require a voltage to be
applied for a short duration first to allow the circuits to reach normal operating temperatures. For Indus
Telemetry, the ultrasonic sensors remain on continuously and the data sampling period is 60 seconds.
4.2.2 Data Logging Period
The data-logging period is the time period at which data is logged (recorded) at the data logger. It
is important to note that the date-time stamp refers to the time data is logged rather than when it was
sampled. Therefore the data must be interpreted accordingly. Data-loggers do not normally store the
sampled data after it is aggregated (i.e. averaged/summed etc). For Indus Telemetry, the data-logging
period is set at 15 minutes, meaning that each "logged' observation is the average of 15 sample
measurements (60/60*15 = 15).
4.2.3 Data Transmission Period
Data transmission period defines the period during which data that has been logged is transmitted
and this is typically multiples (including one) of the data-logging period, with data transmitted using a
modem, cellular phone network and GPRS technology powered by a solar panel (20W capacity) and a
rechargeable battery. In an earlier trial at Lower Bari Doab Canal (Punjab), the data logging period was set
to be 5 minutes with twice a day transmission frequency (section 1.2). In the current trial, data
40
transmission from all canal locations is scheduled three times each day at 0745, 1145 and 1545, Pakistan
Standard Time. This means all transmissions are made during day time and programmed such as the
system does not attempt to transmit data if the battery voltage is below a threshold value (in this case set a
11V). Further if the battery voltage falls below a critical value (i.e. 9V) the sensor stops recording data.
Although it is tempting to transmit data frequently, data transmission is the most power consuming
process of an automated data acquisition system. This is not an issue during daylight hours when the solar
panels can generate power, but excessively frequent data transmission can drain the battery and lead to
system shut-down at night-time or during short overcast winter days.
4.2.4 External Parameters
In case of Indus Telemetry, the data logged and reported is the range from the instrument to the
water surface and this data has to be post-processed to obtain discharge. This post-processing requires
instrument elevation and canal bed elevation. The practice in the Indus Basin Irrigation System is to
assume the canals behave as wide rectangular channels under a uniform flow. From Manning equation and
applying L’Hopitals Rule the discharge rating curve is usually of the form.
𝑄 = 𝐶𝐻5/3 … … … . . (4.1)
where Q = discharge; C= rating curve coefficient determined empirically; and, H = depth of flow
where the rating curve coefficient in (4.1) is given by
𝐶 =𝐵𝑆1/2
𝑛… … . (4.2)
where B= width of canal; S = bed slope of canal; and, n = Manning’s roughness coefficient. In
practice, the coefficient C in (4.1) is determined from field measurements of discharge and depth of flow
and ordinary least square regression of a log transformation of (4.1).
The goal of developing a rating equation is to fit a mathematical function to the observed data
(particularly over the range of flow within which the equation will be used). There is no reason why the
functional form of the rating equations should be a power function as shown in (4.1). In the Indus
Telemetry process, the user can choose from a number of rating functions listed in Table 4.1. and has in-
built flexibility to add further rating functions as required.
Table 4.1: Rating functions available in Indus Telemetry
Empirical power law equation
Weir or flume equation
Empirical polynomial quadratic equation
Empirical polynomial cubic equation
Manning equation for wide rectangular channel
Manning equation for trapezoidal channel
41
Manning equation for rectangular channel
4.2.5 Data Transmission and Latency
Through Indus Telemetry, the range to the water surface is sampled (measured) every 60 seconds.
The data-logging period is set to 15 minutes and the average is used as the aggregate function. Hence, the
data- logger records the average water surface level above a datum (e.g. channel/stilling well bottom, weir
crest of known elevation above mean sea level) for the 15 minutes preceding the date-time stamp.
To minimize the power requirements of the modem, the data transmission to the server is set to
thrice daily (0745, 1145 and 1345 Pakistan standard time) when the solar panels provide power to recharge
the batteries. At each transmission the data packet contains 15 minutes records since the last successful
transmission. Data is not transmitted during the night.
The sampling period is set through appropriate programming of the data-logger which works the
sensor – in this case 60 seconds. Sampled data points are only stored temporarily in a data-logger until an
aggregate function is applied to the sampled data. In a data acquisition contract, it would be difficult to
specify or validate/verify sampled data. However, when the aggregate function is applied to the data, a
count of the sample size that is aggregated can be recorded. The theoretical sample size is given by
𝑁𝑆 =𝑇𝐷
𝑇𝑆… … (4.3)
where NS = theoretical sample size aggregated at the data logging period; TD= data logging period;
TS = data sampling period. Hence (4.3) provides the maximum or upper bound on the sample size that is
aggregated. Actual sample size may be less than this due to hardware/software failures and limitations.
Hence a data acquisition contract could specify a threshold value and a contractor in response could adjust
the data logging period and data sampling period to exceed the threshold value allowing for occasional
hardware/software failures. For the parameters used the sample size is 15.
Latency is defined as the time that elapses between when a sample is taken and when that data and
derived information from post-processing is accessible to a user. Hence in this work, latency is the time
that elapses from when the aggregate function is applied to when the data and derived information
become accessible to a user. Latency is a function of the data logging period, data transmission period and
the data post processing delay and is given by
ℒ =∑ (Δ + 𝑖𝑇𝐷)
𝑇𝑇𝑇𝐷
−1
𝑖=1
(𝑇𝑇
𝑇𝐷⁄ )
… … (4.4)
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where ℒ = latency; TT = data transmission period; i = index 0,1,2…; and Δ = data processing
delay. The data transmission period is expressed as any multiple (including one) of the data logging period.
The expression in (4.4) determines the lower bound of latency. Observed latency will be equal to or higher
than this lower bound if there are hardware or software failures.
4.2.1 Data Post-Processing
Once the data file is received at the server, information such as water depth, water surface
elevation, discharge, delivery performance ratio, etc. is computed. However to avoid what is known in
computing parlance as a “race condition” whereby data is being transmitted and processed at the same
time (a race between two processes which may lead to instability) a post-processing delay is introduced to
allow the data to be transmitted first and then for the data to be post-processed. Hence data is transmitted
at 15 minutes before the hour (0745, 1145, 1545 Pakistan Standard Time) and data is processed on the
hour every hour. A SQL Server Information Services (SSIS)2 package runs on the hour every hour
checking within a particular folder in the FTP server if a data file is available. If data files are found then
the SSIS package processes these data files.
The data file typically consists of one or more header rows and then a series of data rows as
partially illustrated in Table 4.2. The structure and format of this data table is determined by the
programming of the data-logger. For the purposes of Indus Telemetry, the programming allows for up to
six sensors to be installed with each data-logger – known as six channels.
Table 4.2 Truncated Data Table
TOA5 33488 CR800 33488 Canal
TIMESTAMP RECORD SerNum Range1_Avg Range5_Avg Range6_Avg SensVolt1_Avg
TS RN Data-logger Se-rial No
mm mm mm mVolt
Smp Avg Avg Avg Avg
31/08/2018 16:00 5192 33488 1948 -0.023 0 1146
31/08/2018 16:15 5193 33488 1949 0 0 1148
31/08/2018 16:30 5194 33488 1945 0.023 -0.023 1144
31/08/2018 16:45 5195 33488 1940 -0.045 0.045 1140
31/08/2018 17:00 5196 33488 1942 0 0 1144
31/08/2018 17:15 5197 33488 1942 -0.023 -0.045 1142
The SSIS package undertakes a number of checks. It first uses the data-logger serial number to
locate the canal and location at which this data-logger is installed. The SSIS package then uses the channel
2 SSIS is a component of the Microsoft SQL Server database software that can be used to perform a broad
range of data migration tasks. SSIS is a platform for data integration and workflow applications.
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to determine the exact sensor where the record was logged. The SSIS package then adds this record to a
table in the SQL server and archives the data file in a designated folder on the server. The SQL server then
uses the data in the table and external (survey parameters) of the canal measuring location to undertake a
series of defined quality control checks to ensure that the estimated water surface elevation is not above or
below user specified thresholds which would indicate erroneous readings. If the water surface elevation is
within user-defined limits, the SQL server then estimates depth of flow and using the user-defined rating
equation estimates discharge, delivery performance ratio and a number of other statistics (e.g. latency,
coefficient of variation of discharge etc). The SQL server also provides information for dissemination
(described later in this report).
4.3 Indus Telemetry Dashboard
For convenience in inputting external parameters, processing data and visualization a dashboard
has been developed in Microsoft Access. The choice of using Access was simply that many users have this
installed as part of the Microsoft Office package and therefore did not require any additional investment.
Access integrates well with SQL server and is reasonably versatile. This user interface connects to the SQL
server after a user inputs valid credentials. The dashboard primarily serves Indus Telemetry Managers who
may want to view the data received, check the quality of the data and information generated. This
dashboard can be considered as a decision support tool to make informed decisions about maintenance
and troubleshooting of instruments if needed. There are various forms and reports designed in this
dashboard as shown in Figure 4.1 to 4.4
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Figure 4.1: Indus Telemetry Dashboard home screen
Figure 4.2: Canal data input form
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Figure 4.3: Daily canal flow depth, discharge, DPR and summary statistics
The Indus Telemetry system also receives data from weather stations deployed at two locations
and groundwater sensors. Figure 4.4 shows the dashboard form for the weather station.
Figure 4.4: Indus Telemetry dashboard form for weather station
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5. Information Dissemination
The information (processed data) from Indus Telemetry is disseminated to the interested
stakeholders in a variety of ways keeping in view the need of the recipient.
5.1 Display Screens
Dot Matrix and LED display screens can show information in tabular, scrolling or graphical form
if they are configured to the FTP server through an external or built in hardware e.g. Chromecast,
Raspberry Pi, modem etc. An internet connection is required for data communication with Indus
Telemetry using a Raspberry Pi which is programmed to fetch information from server at user defined
regular intervals. The Raspberry Pi is a low cost, credit-card sized computer that plugs into a monitor or
TV, and uses a standard keyboard and mouse and communicates via the internet.
For Indus Telemetry information dissemination, a dot-matrix display was installed at the reception
wall of PCRWR headquarters in Islamabad. The information displayed includes the name of the canal, date
and time, flow and Delivery Performance Ratio (DPR). Information is displayed is an hourly average for
each canal for the most recent six hours. The display continuously scrolls to display additional rows. Figure
5.1 shows the display.
Figure 5.1: Display Screen at PCRWR Headquarters in Islamabad.
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This digital display wall is a means of engaging government institutions in the Indus Telemetry.
The display wall was inaugurated by the Minister of Science and Technology and has been seen by
countless visitors to the PCRWR office.
5.1.1 Programing Raspberry Pi modules
The Raspberry Pi is a low cost, credit-card sized device including a series of single-board
computers. The device was originally developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation to promote the teaching
of basic computer science in schools and in developing countries. It can perform most of the functions of
a desktop computer e.g. browsing the internet, playing high-definition video, making spreadsheets, word-
processing, and playing games. The device can be programmed in languages like program languages like
Raspbian and Python. When attached to a display screen, Raspberry Pi device can communicate with
server and display data, images and videos in desired format.
As part of the Indus Telemetry prototype, Raspberry Pi devices were programmed and attached to
the dot-matrix screen displayed in PCRWR office. The device communicates with the FTP using internet
provided by an external internet device attached to it.
5.1.2 SMS Alert Service
Indus Telemetry can disseminate information directly to the cell phones of registered user through
Short Message Service (SMS) alerts. An SMS server (server provider) broadcasts these scheduled SMS to
the registered users. The process includes (i) writing the information into the text body of SMS, and (ii)
writing application program interface (API) routines for SMS server.
A SSIS package automatically writes a text message to be sent to multiple recipients at any
specified time (in this case 0805 every morning). The text body contains canal names, the RD where
measurements are taken, depth of flow in feet and discharge in cusec.
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) programming language is used to write the API routines. The
API code establishes connection to the FTP server and the fetches the text script, which is then
disseminated by a separate SMS server service provider. These messages are disseminated to the list of
recipients who have registered to receive the SMS alert. The recipients can unsubscribe at any time by
calling the number given in the SMS. Figure 5.2 shows the typical SMS alerts that recipients receive.
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Figure 5.2: Typical SMS alert
5.1.3 MS Access Reports and Excel Workbooks
The Indus Telemetry Dashboard also generates a number of reports - entirely user
defined/customizable. These reports can then be disseminated in various formats (Word, PDF, text etc).
Similarly Excel workbooks can be connected directly to the SQL server to download data. A number of
“views” have been created on the server for various user-defined purposes. Reports and workbooks are
other channels through which information from Indus Telemetry is disseminated.
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6. System Costs
Table 6.1 summarizes the system costs disaggregated in to capital costs and operational costs but
does not include any labour (skilled/unskilled costs) associated with calibration of sensors, programming
of dataloggers, trouble shooting etc.
Table 6.1: Typical system costs
Description Cost Unit
Capital Instrumentation; includes weatherproof enclosure, datalogger, modem, charge controller, surge suppressor, antenna, solar panel, ultrasonic range finder, and camera.
$7,000 per site
Civil works; includes concrete plinth, steel space frame to support instrumentation, mounting brackets etc.
$2,000 per site
Operation Cloud server as a datacenter $600 per month
Subscription to telecom service for data transmission $1 per site per month
Troubleshooting $150-$850* per visit
NOTES:
All costs are 2018 costs except for the instrumentation which are 2014 costs.
Troubleshooting costs vary significantly depending upon the distance and accessibility of the site from IWMI’s office in Lahore
All costs exclude any labor (skilled or unskilled) coss.
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7. Conclusions and Recommendations
This report highlights the imperative of improving the acquisition of data and its management in
the Indus basin Irrigation System. This has been reiterated in Pakistan’s recently approved National Water
Policy and is the subject of a number of development investments (ongoing and past). This report
documents the preparatory institutional work and technical details of commissioning for instruments (one
in each of the four provinces of Pakistan) to electronically acquire, transmit, post-process, archive and
disseminate canal flow data.
This work demonstrates that in exploiting the significant advances in information and
communication technology in the last decade, an electronic/digital data acquisition system to measure
canal flows at all critical junctures in Pakistan’s Indus Basin Irrigation System is indeed feasible and cost-
effective. There have been significant advances in mobile telephone technology and market development
allowing this to be used to communicate rather than prohibitively expensive satellite subscription. Similarly
solar energy technology and energy efficiency of modern electronics allow for instruments to be installed
independent of the grid. Nonetheless very well informed and judicious choice of technology needs to be
made to ensure that the equipment procured is of the highest quality and has excellent technical support
from the manufacturer. The equipment needs to be very robust and costs evaluated based on the life-cycle
of the equipment rather than simply cost of procurement since troubleshooting costs can rapidly escalate
and frequent breakdowns undermine trust in the telemetry system. Unfortunately any procurement rules
that simply procure the least expensive may not be the appropriate process for procurement of success.
Any telemetry system will require a highly skilled work force (small in number but highly skilled).
Furthermore the skill set, knowledge and ability of any team required to maintain any such telemetry
system is quite different to that of many traditional institutions that may be entrusted this tasks e.g.
provincial irrigation departments, IRSA etc. The choice of institutions and their capacity is in fact critical
to the success of any future investments in telemetry. It is highly unlikely that all four provinces will be
able to build up the capacity of their own irrigation departments (hydrology divisions or equivalent) to
maintain electronic data acquisition systems in the near to medium term. An alternative is to have a federal
organization such as PCRWR providing a business-to-business (B2B) service to all irrigation departments.
PCRWR could invest and develop in the specialized team to install, commission and maintain a telemetry
system and provide data (after quality assurance and control) to all stakeholders. PCRWR itself would need
significant investments in capacity building, however since it is primarily a research organization, PRCWR
has considerable respect for the value of data. Unlike irrigation departments the staff at PCRWR are not
51
inclined to seek postings in more ‘field positions’ and PCRWR does have regional offices to support a
telemetry system. Another alternative that needs further investigation is to engage the private sector and
float data-as-a-service (DaaS) contracts whereby a private contractor builds and operates the system for a
10-15 year period and a government agency procures the data.
This work has also shown that there is probably too much faith placed in a telemetry system. A
telemetry system that measures depth and then uses rating tables to estimate discharge is only as good as
the rating table. The rating table becomes the Achilles heel of the system and as has been shown in the
case of Pat Feeder Canal if managed poorly can exacerbate mistrust and friction between provinces. The
case of Pat Feeder Canal shows that first and foremost extensive dialogue is necessary to create the space
for improvements in technology. Secondly at critical junctures such as Pat Feeder, Kirther Canal etc where
a single canal services two provinces a dedicated measuring structure should be constructed. Again this
needs considerable dialogue on where exactly should this be built (often the exact hydraulic boundary
between provinces is also disputed). There needs to be dialogue on the type of structure, introducing
stakeholders to best global practice and expertise eg. USDA long throated flumes, or crump weirs as
constructed at Upper Swat Canal. There needs to be dialogue on what electronic instrumentation is to be
installed to monitor the flow through any such measuring structure. Most importantly their needs to be
extensive dialogue on who does/manages this process. If the task of constructing a measuring structure is
simply assigned to one irrigation department (which is tempting), the other departments are unlikely to
accept any information that is derived from such a structure/investment. However if this is done well and
with engagement, then a permanent concrete and steel measuring structure with well known characteristics
and hence a known rating table can allay the concerns of various stakeholders. Unfortunately most
development investments rarely allow for such extensive dialogue and focus on relatively rapid
construction with little opportunity to explore alternatives. Often development loans are granted to one
agency which as in the case of Pat Feeder canal in the interest of progress and reporting leave behind many
stakeholders and the opportunity to make a lasting and sustainable difference.s
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8. Annex 1: Key Correspondence
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9. Annex 2: Anomaly in Discharge Rating Tables for Pat Feeder Canal
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10. Annex 3: Sensor Calibration and Validation
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11. Annex 4: Datalogger CR Basic Programming
