Equations for Estimating Bankfull Channel Geometry and ...

Prepared in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Resource Protection Wetlands and Waterways Program and Massachusetts Environmental Trust

Equations for Estimating Bankfull Channel Geometry and Discharge for Streams in Massachusetts

Scientific Investigations Report 2013?5155

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

Front cover. Photograph of bankfull conditions on the Green River near Great Barrington, Massachusetts (USGS streamgage 01198000), looking upstream of Hurlburt Street on March 5, 2008.

Back cover. Photograph of bankfull survey at cross section #6 looking downstream on Cadwell Creek near Belchertown, Massachusetts (USGS streamgage 01174900), on December 9, 2004.

Equations for Estimating Bankfull Channel Geometry and Discharge for Streams in Massachusetts

By Gardner C. Bent and Andrew M. Waite

Prepared in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Resource Protection Wetlands and Waterways Program and Massachusetts Environmental Trust

Scientific Investigations Report 2013?5155

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Department of the Interior SALLY JEWELL, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2013

For more information on the USGS--the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit or call 1?888?ASK?USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit To order this and other USGS information products, visit

Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.

Suggested citation: Bent, G.C., and Waite, A.M., 2013, Equations for estimating bankfull channel geometry and discharge for streams in Massachusetts: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013?5155, 62 p., sir20135155.

ISSN 2328-031X (print) ISSN 2328-0328 (online) ISBN 978-1-4113-3693-3

iii

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Barry Baldigo and Jeff Chaplin of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for valuable input and training on field methods in bankfull studies. The authors also thank Pete Cinotto, USGS, for use of a spreadsheet developed for bankfull data entry and calculations; Thomas Garday and Dennis Verdi of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, for sharing data collected for bankfull assessments at two USGS streamgages in Massachusetts; and Mickey Marcus, New England Environmental, Inc., Amherst, Massachusetts, for hosting a bankfull workshop in Amherst, Mass., during May 2004. Special thanks and appreciation go to Heidi Davis, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, for field assistance.

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

v

Contents

Abstract............................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Purpose and Scope...............................................................................................................................2 Description of Study Area....................................................................................................................3 Methods of Data Collection and Analysis..................................................................................................3 Site Selection.........................................................................................................................................6 Bankfull Stage Indicators.....................................................................................................................6 Bankfull Channel Geometry.................................................................................................................6 Bankfull Discharge................................................................................................................................7 Development of Equations for Estimating Bankfull Geometry and Discharge...................................11 Factors Affecting Bankfull Channel Geometry and Discharge....................................................12 Bankfull Channel Geometry and Discharge at Study Sites..........................................................12 Equations...............................................................................................................................................16 Confidence- and Prediction-Interval Estimation............................................................................31 Application............................................................................................................................................32 Comparison to Other Studies in the Eastern United States and Southeastern Canada...................35 Limitations of the Regional Curves and Regression Equations and Areas for Further Study..........41 Summary and Conclusions..........................................................................................................................42 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................43 Appendix 1. Information on the Starting and Ending Locations of Surveyed Stream Reaches

and Locations of the Two Surveyed Cross Sections for Study Sites in and Near Massachusetts................................................................................................................................48 Appendix 2. Bankfull Data Collected at the Two Surveyed Cross Sections and Stream Reach for Study Sites in and Near Massachusetts..................................................................51 Appendix 3. Results of Analyses of Simple and Multiple Regression Equations to Estimate Bankfull Width, Mean Depth, Cross-Sectional Area, and Discharge for Streams in and near Massachusetts...............................................................................................................60 Appendix 4. Summary Statistics, Confidence and Prediction Interval Parameters, and Results of Analyses of Simple Regression Equations for Estimating the Bankfull Width, Mean Depth, Cross-Sectional Area, and Discharge for Streams in the Northeastern United States....................................................................................................................................61

vi

Figures

1. Map showing location of U.S. Geological Survey streamgage and crest-stage gage study sites used in the development of bankfull channel geometry and discharge equations for streams in and near Massachusetts.................................................................4

2. Map showing locations of the physiographic provinces and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Level III ecoregions in and near Massachusetts..................................5

3. Graphs showing simple regression equation residuals in relation to drainage area for bankfull: A, width, B, mean depth, C, cross-sectional area, and D, discharge for streams in and near Massachusetts........................................................................................24

4. Map showing geographic distribution of bankfull width simple regression equation residuals for study sites in and near Massachusetts............................................................25

5. Graphs showing regional curves of the relation between bankfull: A, width, B, mean depth, C, cross-sectional area, and D, discharge and drainage area for streams in and near Massachusetts............................................................................................................26

6. Graphs showing multiple regression equation residuals in relation to drainage area for bankfull: A, width, B, mean depth, C, cross-sectional area, and D, discharge and in relation to mean basin slope for bankfull: E, width, F, mean depth, G, crosssectional area, and H, discharge for streams in and near Massachusetts.......................28

7. Map showing geographic distribution of bankfull width multiple regression equation residuals for study sites in and near Massachusetts............................................................30

8. Graph showing regression lines for bankfull width in relation to drainage area for selected studies in the northeastern United States..............................................................40

Tables

1. Description of U.S. Geological Survey streamgage and crest-stage gage study sites used in development of bankfull channel geometry and discharge equations for streams in and near Massachusetts..........................................................................................8

2. Estimated peak discharge for the 1.01, 1.05, 1.11, 1.25, 1.5, 2, 2.33, 5, and 10-year recurrence intervals for the study sites used in development of bankfull channel geometry and discharge equations for streams in and near Massachusetts..................10

3. Bankfull channel geometry and discharge for study sites in and near Massachusetts.............................................................................................................................13

4. Estimated bankfull discharge using equations by Limerinos (1970) and Jarrett (1984) for study sites in and near Massachusetts.............................................................................17

5. Basin and land-use characteristics of the study sites used in development of bankfull channel geometry and discharge equations for streams in and near Massachusetts.............................................................................................................................20

6. Statistical summary of simple and multiple regression equations for estimating bankfull stream width, mean depth, cross-sectional area, and discharge for streams in and near Massachusetts.......................................................................................................22

7. Simple and multiple regression equation confidence and prediction interval parameters for estimating the bankfull width, mean depth, cross-sectional area, and discharge for streams in and near Massachusetts.......................................................33

8. Equation parameters used for estimating bankfull channel geometry and discharge by drainage area for selected hydrologic regions or physiographic provinces and states in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada...........................................36

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download