Guidelines for Surveying Bankfull Channel Geometry and Developing
Regional Hydraulic-Geometry Relations for Streams of New York State
by Rocky O. Powell, Sarah J. Miller, Britt E. Westergard,
Christiane I. Mulvihill, Barry P. Baldigo, Anne S. Gallagher, and
Richard R. Starr
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Open-File Report 03-092
ABSTRACT
Many disturbed streams within New York State
are being restored in an effort to provide bank and bed stability and thereby
decrease sedimentation and erosion. Efforts to identify and provide accurate
indicators for stable-channel characteristics for ungaged streams have been
hampered by the lack of regional equations or relations that relate drainage
area to bankfull discharge and to channel depth, width, and cross-sectional
area (bankfull hydraulic-geometry relations). Regional equations are needed
to confirm bankfull hydraulic-geometry, assess stream stability, evaluate
restoration needs, and verify restoration design for ungaged streams that lack
stage-to-discharge ratings or historic peak-flow records.
This report presents guidelines for surveying bankfull channel geometry at
USGS stream gages and developing regional hydraulic-geometry relations
(equations) for wadeable streams in New York. It summarizes methods to
(1) compile and assess existing hydrologic, geometric,
photographic, and topographic data, (2) conduct
stream-reconnaissance inspections, (3) identify channel-bankfull
characteristics, (4) conduct longitudinal and cross-section surveys, (5)
measure stream discharge, (6) develop and refine bankfull hydraulic-geometry
equations, and (7) analyze and assure data completeness and quality. The
techniques primarily address wadeable streams with either active or
discontinued surface-water and crest-stage gages. The relations can be applied
to ungaged or actively gaged streams that are wadeable, and may be extended to
non-wadeable streams (with some limitations) if they have drainage areas
comparable to those used to develop the relations.
Citation: Powell, R.O., Miller, S.J., Westergard, B.E., Mulvihill,
C.I., Baldigo, B.P., Gallagher, A.S., and Starr, R.R., 2004, Guidelines for
Surveying Bankfull Channel Geometry and Developing Regional
Hydraulic-Geometry Relations for Streams of New York State:
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 03-092, 20 p.
[Full Report, Acrobat PDF
(1.1M)]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|