Water level is read both manually and automatically at the Automatic chamber site in the 'Rylekæret' fen. The measurements reported here are the manual measurements, that are read daily. The water table is read between chamber 1 and 2 (see diagram in: GeoBasis_Zack_Hydrology_AC_Water_level_manual.pdf).
Until and includng 2014 the water level was read on a ruler, relative to the same fix point (anchored in the permafrost) above ground thorughout the season. From 2015 and on the manual water level readings are performed inside a perforated tube, to avoid disturbance of the natural water level. After the season the water level observations are related to the ground surface, the position of which changes during the season due to swelling and drying. Hydrology:Hydrology GeoBasis Zackenberg:The GeoBasis monitoring programme focuses on selected abiotic characteristics in order to describe the state of Greenlandic terrestrial environments and their potential feedback effects in a changing climate. Monitored plot data is up-scaled to a landscape level and is used to improve ecosystem models to be able to quantify these feedback mechanisms. The GeoBasis programme provides an active response to recommendations in international assessments such as ACIA and SWIPA; and is continuously being adapted based on AMAP and other international founded recommendations. Furthermore, the GeoBasis programme is directly involved in several international networks and research projects (e.g. the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) programme, the Nordic Centre of Excellence DEFROST, the Danish Centre of Excellence CENPERM, the EU-projects PAGE21 and INTERACT, and the Arctic Research Centre at Aarhus University). The GeoBasis programme is divided into a number of sub-groups, including:
