UTILIZATION OF ARTIFICIAL RAIN GAUGE

FOR HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL STUDY

(FIELD REPORT)

Yustinus Adityawan 1)

1)
e-mail : killrockforfun@yahoo.co.id
Undergraduate Student of Environmental Geography Department
Geography Faculty
Gadjah Mada University
Yogyakarta, 2010

ABSTRACT

This research was carried out at Sengkan Village, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Special
Province. The taping and measuring of rain event took place during 10 days observation. The
purposes of this research are 1) to know design of simple rain gauge which it is able to record rain
2)
event and to know the correlation between rainfall and rain duration (day and minutes) during
laboratory observation took place.
The methods of this research can be divided into 2 methods. First method is to make
simple rain gauge instrument based the things around us. Rain gauge setting must be counted
aspects, which those can be influent taping and measuring process. Those aspects were existence
of something around the instrument such as vegetation and building, where those can be made
rainfall splash came in into the instrument; and easily to monitoring.
Second method was linear regression, it was used to know the correlation between
rainfall and rain duration during 10 days observation. Based on calculation result of regression
between time duration (day and minute) and rainfall, It wasn’t found any relevance/correlation
between time duration and rainfall.

Key words : Artificial rain gauge, simple rain gauge design, correlation between rainfall and time
duration

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1. Introduction
Hydrology can be defined as a
science which had relationship with
earth’s water, occuring process,
circulation and distribution, chemistry
and physical behavior, and reaction
with their environment, included the
relevance with organism (International
Glossary of Hydrology, 1974 in
Seyhan, 1977). The role of study
hydrology at ecological life at certain
area has important role. The role of
Figure 1. Hydrologic Cycle
(Source : http://www.waterprotection.ca/images/watercycle.jpg)
Rain can be defined as a form
of drop water which it has diameter
more than 0,5 mm or smaller and wide
scattered at certain area (Soewarno,
.
hydrology at ecological life is as water
supplier for any kind utilization.
Explanation about hydrological
condition at certain area has important
relevance with hydrologic cycles.
Where hydrologic cycles can be
defined as water circulation within
upper, at surface, and below the earth
(Sharp, 2007). One of the components
from hydrologic cycles is rain, which
it becomes source for groundwater and
water surface.
2000). The process which formed rain
depended a lot of factors, such as wind
direction, coordinate position, and
altitude.
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 Taping process and measuring gauge and manual measurement for
of rain have important role for recorded rain. Rain gauge is kind of an
climatological and hydrological instruments, which it is used by
applications at certain area (Habib et meteorologist and hydrologist to
al, 2001; Gómez, 2007; Beek et al, gather and measure the amount of
2010). Taping process and measuring liquid precipitation (solid precipitation
can be obtained with a lot of is measured by a snow gauge) over a
instruments such as remote sensing set period of time
(TRMM Precipitation Radar) and rain (http://wikipedia.com, 2010).
gauge. In this paper, author used rain

Figure 2. Rain Gauge

(Source : Wikipedia.com, 2010)

The development at certain balanced with the other of

region had an effects on physical,
social, and ecological aspects. One of
the effects of the development process
was an amount of water required
increasingly for many utilization, like
industrial, agricultural, and household.
The rise of an amount of water
required at certain region must be
hydrological branchs, such as
hydrometeorology.
Hydrometeorology is a science
which studies atmosphere and land at
hydrologic cycles, with pressing at the
relevance between both of them
(Nurjani, 2008). Rain is a part of
hydrometeorological branchs, include

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quantity, time and space distribution. direction of wind, evaporation, and
The taping and measuring of rain need fragment of rain didn’t computable.
an expensive instrument which it is The accuracy of space
difficult to obtain by local distribution of rain at certain area
government, institution, academician, needs a lot of network instrument,
and society. where those need much operation cost
At this paper, author is and many instruments to record and
practicing on measurement and taping measure rain at certain area.
of rain. Rain data was obtained from Therefore, it was needed simple of
simple rain gauge instrument, where it rain gauge instrument which it can be
was made by author. Systematic error used by a lot of societies in Indonesia.
aspects such as velocity and the

2. Main Research Questions

The difference of physical were observed, those were rainfall,
conditions at certain area will be rain duration, and rain intensity.
influenced with social and ecological Based the explanation on
aspects. One of physical condition above, the main research questions of
1)
which has influent to human life is this paper are How is design of
rain. Taping and measuring processes simple rain gauge instrument, which it
2)
of rain were doing during 10 days. It able to record rain event and How is
depended on rain even took place at the correlation between rainfall and
these range times. The rain aspects rain duration (day and minutes) during
laboratory observation took place.

3. Objectives
The aims of this paper are 1) to minutes) during laboratory
know design of simple rain gauge observation took place.
which it is able to record rain event
and 2) to know the correlation between
rainfall and rain duration (day and

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4. Methods, Results, and Discussion
4.1. Design of Simple Rain Gauge.
Simple rain gauge can be
useful for a lot of societies in
developing contries like Indonesia,
such as academition, which it useful
for study about climate condition at
certain area; institution
government which it useful matter for
evaluation of development planning,
where it was considering physical
aspect such hydrometeorological data
or rain data.
Figure 1. The matters of Simple Rain
Gauge
The making process of rain
gauge is simple relatively and it is
easy to apply for various civitas,
which those for expert or
biginner. The matters of this design of
simple rain gauge easily can be found
around us. Those are :
a. Ex-bottle, like Coca-Cola bottle,
it was used to gather the amount
of liquid precipitation.
and b. Glue, it was used to make the
bottom of ex-bottle came to flat
relatively.
c. Paper, it was used to record data.
d. Cutter/Scissors, it was used to
cut ex-bottle.
e. Ruler, to measure the height of
amount of liquid precipitation in
the bottle.
f. Pen or pencil
g. Watch, to know precipitation
duration.
h. Microsoft Exel, to know the
correlation between rainfall and
rain duration.
still
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 Figure 2. The bottom of ex-bottle is’nt flat enough to measure the amount of liquid
and to make the bottom of ex-bottle become flat, author use glue.
Rain gauge setting must be
counted aspects, which those can be
influent taping and measuring process.
Those aspects were existence of
something around the instrument such
as vegetation and building, where
those can be made rainfall splash came
in into the instrument; and easy to
measure the instrument.
Sometimes rain data doesn’t
has good quality, it was caused by
systematic and random errors.
Humidity, evaporation, wind (velocity
and direction) are an examples of
systematic error. In this paper,
systematic error wasn’t calculated by
author. Wind is important factor who
has influence to rain quality data.
Because wind data wasn’t available,
so wind didn’t computable.
Rain gauge must accurate,
include a) sputtering of raindrop
mustn’t come in into the bottle, b)
water losses from resovoir by
evaporation must be minimum, c) if
snow, must melt.
Selection place and the type of
rain gauge depend many factors like
reliable data, the type of data, the type
of precipitation, the cost and
treatment, easily to monitoring, and
far away from any disruptions. So
when rain occurred at certain time,
measurement must be done.
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 D D
A B

1
H

Information
Glue 1
H Height (after filled)
The amount of liquid after rain event
H Height(empty)
D Diameter

Figure 3. Design of Rain Gauge

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4.2. The Correlation Between Rainfall, Rain Duration, and Rain Iintensity.
The method was used to know If the value of regression goes
correlation between rain duration with up to 1 or more than 0.5, so it has the
rainfall was linear regression. Taping meaning that it has correlation
and measuring processes of between rainfall dan rain duration. If
precipitation data include rainfall dan the value of regression less than 0.5,
time duration during precipitation so it has the meaning that it hasn’t no
occured. Microsoft Exel was used for correlation between rainfall and rain
tabulation data and to know the duration.
regression.

Regression between Height and Observation Days

90
80
70
Height (mm)

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
3-Sep-10 5-Sep-10 7-Sep-10 9-Sep-10 11-Sep- 13-Sep- 15-Sep- 17-Sep- 19-Sep-
10 10 10 10 10
Days
y = 0.1512x - 6088.2
R2 = 0.001
Series1 Linear (Series1)

Figure 4. Regression between time duration (day) and rainfall.

Based on calculation result of Regression between time duration

regression between time duration (day (day) and rainfall has value as 0.001
and minute) and rainfall, It wasn’t and the value of regression between
found any relevance/correlation minute and rainfall is 0.2536.
between time duration and rainfall.

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 Regression between Height (mm) and Time Duration (minute)

70
60
50
Height

40
30
20
10
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Time Duration (minute)
y = 0.0837x + 9.9006
R2 = 0.2536
Series1 Linear (Series1)

Figure 5. Regression between time duration (minute) and rainfall.

The value percent of rainfall doesn’t depend from time duration of rain
event, but depends on intensity. The greater of rain intesity influences to rainfall.
Time duration becomes not important, but sometimes it becomes important too
depends on situation, place, and another aspects.

5. Conclusions
1. Artificial rain gauge is an easily tool which it can be recorded and
taped rain event, cheap relatively.
2. Design of rain gauge is simple to apply or use for any kind of
society.
3. Based on calculation result of regression between time duration
(day and minute) and rainfall, didn’t find any relevance/correlation
between time duration and rainfall.
4. The value percent of rainfall doesn’t depend from time duration of
rain event, but depends on rain intensity.

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6. References
Beek, C.Z.Van de., Leijnse, H., Torfs, Quality Lab, Geography Faculty,
P.J.J.F., and Uijlenhoet,R., 2010, UGM.
Climatology of Daily Rainfall Sevruk, B., and Lapin, M., 1993,
Semivariance In The Precipitation Measurement &
Netherlands, Hydrol.Earth Quality Control, Proc., Int.
Sysy.Sci.Discuss., 7, 2085-2120. Symp. on Precipitation and
Gómez, M.R.S., 2007, Spatial And Evaporation, Vol. 1, Slovak
Temporal Rainfall Gauge Data Hydrometeorological Institute,
Analysis And Validation With Bratislava, Slovakia.
TRMM Microwave Radiometer Seyhan, E., 1977, Fundamentals of
Surface Rainfall Retrievals, Hydrology, Amsterdam: Instituut
Master Thesis, Netherland: voor Aardwetenschappen, Vrije
International Institute For Geo- Universiteit.
Information Science And Earth Sharp, J.M., 2007, A Glossary of
Observation. Hydrogeological Terms, Texas:
Habib, E., Krajewski, W.F., and Department of Geological
Kruger, A., 2001, Sampling Sciences, The University of
Errors Of Tipping-Bucket Rain Texas.
Gauge Measurements, Journal of Soewarno, 2000, Hidrologi
Hydrologic Engineering, pp. 159 Operasional Jilid Satu,
- 166. Bandung: PT. Citra Aditya
Nurjani, E., 2008, Manual Book For Bakti.
Hydrometeorology Lab Work, www.wikipedia.com/ was accessed at
Yogyakarta: Hydrology and Air August 26, 2010.

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Appendix
Table 1. The result of Taping and Measuring Rain Event
Time Time Duration Height Volume
No Day Start Finish minute second (mm) (mm3)
1 Saturday, Sept 04, 2010 15.36 18.45 189 11340 21 1305.61
2 Sunday, Sept 05, 2010 17.50 19.15 85 5100 12 746.06
3 Monday, Sept 06, 2010 13.30 20.38 248 14880 15 932.58
4 Wednesday, Sept 08, 2010 13.15 19.10 355 21300 48 2984.26
5 Friday, Sept 10, 2010 19.05 19.14 9 540 5 310.86
6 Saturday, Sept 11, 2010 12.55 13.30 35 2100 22 1367.78
Saturday, Sept 11, 2011 21.10 23.55 165 9900 63 3916.84
7 Sunday, Sept 12, 2010 15.31 16.01 30 1800 7 435.20
Sunday, Sept 12, 2010 20.50 21.45 55 3300 4 248.69
8 Thursday, Sept 16, 2010 1.00 4.05 185 11100 23 1429.96
Thursday, Sept 16, 2011 18.00 21.30 210 12600 10 621.72
9 Friday, Sept 17, 2010 13.30 14.05 35 2100 30 1865.16
10 Saturday, Sept 18, 2010 18.48 19.28 40 2400 6 373.03
Total 1641 98460 266 16537.75
Source : Field Measurement, 2010 (during 10 days)

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