A simple, reliable method for long-term, in-stream data logger installation using rock-climbing hardware

Long-term deployment of in-stream data loggers provides valuable information about stream conditions, particularly at times when streams are difficult to sample manually. However, in streams with high water velocities and substantial shear stress, the detachment of loggers from their installation points is a common problem. Thus, successful logger retrieval requires a durable installation method. We present a method for data logger installation using rock-climbing hardware that is simple to assemble, economical and minimally invasive. The method is applicable in streams with exposed bedrock or boulders, which serve as attachment points for loggers. Installed loggers are capable of withstanding extreme environmental conditions. After deploying 18 loggers for approximately 15 months in six different streams with snowmelt-dominated hydrographs, we retrieved 16 of the 18 loggers originally deployed. Where loggers were not recovered, hardware failure at installation sites was not likely the cause. In addition to application in streams, the use of rock-climbing hardware may be well-suited to securing long-term data logger installations on rock substrates in any extreme environment.