The evaluation of methods and instrumentation for measuring water cycle parameters and for monitoring the status of hydrological process will assist governmental personnel, researchers, and water resources practitioners in determining strategies for field and laboratory measurements. This chapter aims to specify the instruments and techniques developed during the long-term monitoring phase of field experimental stations and the establishment phase of indoor experimental laboratory in the Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The two field experimental stations, Dongtaigou and Chongling, have been initiated to observe and quantify the water cycle process for more than 10 years, which has formed a complete set of observing and experimental methods in watershed. The experimental laboratory is a new integrated water cycle experiment platform, based on the new technology integrated control, measurement, sensors, and information processing. It includes artificial rainfall system, experimental sink of runoff and erosion, river simulation system, and transformation dynamical processes experimental device among precipitation, vegetation water, surface water, soil water, and groundwater. The continued instrumentation development and advanced experimental strategies will serve as a first port of call for professionals studying the behavior of water footprint.
Part of the book: Hydrology of Artificial and Controlled Experiments