Caleb Burke

Hometown:

Kimberly, ID US
(Idaho County)

School:

College of Southern Idaho
Undergraduate student
Health and Human Science

Funded by EPSCoR Award:

ICREWS | OIA-2242769

Research Location(s):

Perrine Coulee, College of Southern Idaho Campus, Twin Falls, Idaho

COUNTIES:  Twin Falls

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT(S):  District 25

Research Statement:

I am interested in water rights and its allocations. I wanted to help find ways to increase efficiency in determining the amount of water available that can be allocated. Within a group setting, our crew was able to plan how to safely conduct field research. I conducted regular field work, collecting data, compiling data, and analyzing data related to metered water flow. I used RTK and GPS taken from a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) to test the UAV's ability to measure water discharge.

Research Impact:

Water flow measurement is crucial for managing water resources, irrigation, and environmental monitoring. In dry, semi-arid, steppe climates, such as those found in Southern Idaho, management of water flow is critical for providing reliable information to water managers. Traditional methods like weirs and current meters offer reliable, direct measurements but can be Infrastructure-intensive, time-consuming, cause in-stream disturbance, and be limited in scope. By testing this new innovative method of water discharge, our research offers valuable insights into alternative future methods. That will potentially cut down costs and time . Giving accurate and reliable data in real-time situations that reduce the physical footprint on the environment.