Hydrologic and Climatic Data Bases Used to Assess Potential Effects of Climate Change on Water Resources of American River, Cars
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Hydrologic and Climatic Data Bases Used to Assess Potential Effects of Climate Change on Water Resources of American River, Carson River, and Truckee River Basins, California-Nevada, and of Gunnison River Basin, Colorado By MARIANNE H. AUGUST, JUDY M. JACOBONI, ANNE E. JETON, RANDOLPH S. PARKER, ALEX PUPACKO, BARBARA C. RUDD.Y, and J. LARUE SMITH U.S. Geological Survey KELLY T. REDMOND University of Nevada Desert Research Institute U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 92-627 Carson City, Nevada 1992 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MANUEL LUJAN, JR., Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government For additional information Copies of this report may be write to: purchased from: U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Books and Open-File Reports Section 333 W. Nye Lane, Room 204 Federal Center, Box 25425 Carson City, NV 89706 Denver, CO 80225 CONTENTS Abstract 1 Introduction 1 Description of data bases 1 FIGURES 1-18. Maps showing: 1. Locations of American River basin, California, Carson River and Truckee River basins, California and Nevada, and Gunnison River basin, Colorado 2 2. American River, Carson River, and Truckee River basins, California and Nevada, showing geographic features and hydrologic-basin boundaries 4 3. Gunnison River basin, Colorado, showing geographic features and hydrologic-basin boundary 5 4. U.S. Geological Survey stream-gaging stations in American River, Carson River, and Truckee River basins, California and Nevada 20 5. U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations at lakes or reservoirs in American River, Carson River, and Truckee River basins, California and Nevada 21 6. U.S. Geological Survey stream-gaging stations in Gunnison River basin, Colorado 28 7. U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations at lakes or reservoirs in Gunnison River basin, Colorado 29 8. U.S. National Weather Service data-collection sites in American River, Carson River, and Truckee River basins and surrounding areas, California and Nevada 35 9. U.S. National Weather Service data-collection sites in Gunnison River basin and surrounding area, Colorado 38 10. U.S. Soil Conservation Service snowpack-telemetry (SNOTEL) sites in Carson River and Truckee River basins and surrounding areas, California and Nevada 40 11. U.S. Soil Conservation Service snowpack-telemetry (SNOTEL) sites in Gunnison River basin and surrounding area, Colorado 43 12. U.S. Soil Conservation Service snow-course sites in American River, Carson River, and Truckee River basins and surrounding areas, California and Nevada 46 13. U.S. Soil Conservation Service snow-course sites in Gunnison River basin and surrounding area, Colorado 50 14. Remote Automatic Weather Stations in Western United States 62 15. Radiosonde data-collection sites in Western United States 65 16. California Department of Water Resources data-collection sites in American River basin and surrounding area, California, and in Carson River and Truckee River basins, California and Nevada 67 17. University of Nevada Desert Research Institute weather stations in Truckee River basin and surrounding area, California and Nevada 70 18. Washoe County, Nev., Health Department air-quality-network sites 72 III TABLES 1. U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations in American River basin, California 6 2. U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations in Carson River basin, California and Nevada 11 3. U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations in Truckee River basin, California and Nevada 14 4. U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations in Gunnison River basin, Colorado 22 5. U.S. National Weather Service data-collection sites in American River, Carson River, and Truckee River basins and surrounding areas, California and Nevada 30 6. U.S. National Weather Service data-collection sites in Gunnison River basin and surrounding area, Colorado 36 7. U.S. Soil Conservation Service snowpack-telemetry (SNOTEL) sites in Carson River and Truckee River basins and surrounding areas, California and Nevada 39 8. U.S. Soil Conservation Service snowpack-telemetry (SNOTEL) sites in Gunnison River basin and surrounding area, Colorado 42 9. U.S. Soil Conservation Service snow-course sites in American River, Carson River, and Truckee River basins and surrounding areas, California and Nevada 44 10. U.S. Soil Conservation Service snow-course sites in Gunnison River basin and surrounding area, Colorado 47 11. Remote Automatic Weather Stations in Western United States 51 12. Radiosonde data-collection sites in Western United States 63 13. California Department of Water Resources data-collection sites in American River basin and surrounding area, California, and in Carson River and Truckee River basins, California and Nevada 66 14. University of Nevada Desert Research Institute weather stations in Truckee River basin and surrounding area, California and Nevada 68 15. Washoe County, Nev., Public Works Department, Utility Division, hydrologic- network sites 71 16. Washoe County, Nev., Health Department air-quality-network sites 72 CONVERSION FACTORS AND VERTICAL DATUM Multiply By To obtain foot 0.3048 meter Sea level: In this report, "sea level" refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD of 1929, formerly called "Sea-Level Datum of 1929"), which is derived from a general ad justment of the first-order leveling networks of both the United States and Canada. IV Hydrologic and Climatic Data Bases Used to Assess Potential Effects of Climate Change on Water Resources of American River, Carson River, and Truckee River Basins, California-Nevada, and of Gunnison River Basin, Colorado By Marianne H. August, Judy M. Jacoboni, Anne E. Jeton, Randolph S. Parker, Alex Pupacko, Barbara C. Ruddy, and J. LaRue Smith, U.S. Geological Survey; and Kelly T. Redmond, University of Nevada Desert Research Institute Abstract data bases pertinent to the study, to compile site- The American River, Carson River, and Truckee location information, to list types of data collected River basins in California and Nevada and the Gunnison at each site and the period of record for each vari River basin in Colorado are the subjects of two studies able, and also to determine how much of the avail by the U.S. Geological Survey that focus oa the sensitiv able data is digital. The data bases described in ity of water supply to potential climate change. This re this report are maintained by Federal, State, and port contains information on 16 data bases used for these County agencies and by the Desert Research studies. The data bases contain hydrologic and climatic Institute of the University of Nevada. data maintained by Federal, State, and local agencies in the study areas. Descriptions of all the data bases and DESCRIPTION OF DATA BASES maps of the site locations for many of the data bases are included. Information about the data bases is presented in tables 1 to 16. Basin locations, boundaries, and INTRODUCTION geographic features are shown in figures 1 to 3, The U.S. Geological Survey is studying the and locations of selected sites included in tables 1 potential effects of climate change on the water to 14 and 16 are shown in figures 4 to 18. (The resources of selected river basins in the United selection was made to show only the general States. These basin studies, which focus on the distribution of sites for a given basin.) Information sensitivity of water resources to potential changes in the 16 tables differs because the several agencies in climate, are part of the Global-Change Research involved have different objectives and ways of Program of the Geological Survey. Basins being organizing data-collection programs. Most reported studied in the Western United States are the Amer latitudes and longitudes, altitudes, and periods of ican River, Carson River, and Truckee River basins record are presented as retrieved from the indicated in northern California and western Nevada and the data bases. Station names are derived from infor Gunnison River basin in southwestern Colorado. mation in the data bases and may be incomplete. The objectives of these studies are (1) to define the The following provides more specific information temporal and spatial variability of hydrologic pro about the data bases. cesses affecting runoff under existing climate conditions, (2) to develop various plausible scenari U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations.-The, os of climate change for the study areas, (3) to Geological Survey maintains gaging-station net develop methods of linking scenarios of climate works to record stage, discharge, and content of change to basin hydrologic response by using streams, lakes, and reservoirs as a means of moni watershed-modeling techniques, and (4) to develop toring the Nation's water supply. Data available techniques for determining impacts of climate include National Water Information System record change on basin hydrology. of stage of and discharge from streams or canals; A survey of hydrologic and climate data- altitude, stage, and contents of lakes or reservoirs; collection sites was done to identify and describe station description; gage height; sediment; specific 123° 118° 113° 108° 103° 48' 43C 38' 33C 500 KILOMETERS Figure 1. Locations of American River basin, California, Carson River and Truckee River basins, California and Nevada, and Gunnison River basin, Colorado. Also shown are States represented in tables 11 and 12. conductance; water temperature; and biological and weighing-gage, or snow-pillow method), wind chemical data. Summary information for the speed and direction, air temperature, relative American River, Carson River, and Truckee River humidity, and barometric pressure. Site informa basins in California and Nevada and for the Gunni- tion for the Western United States, excluding son River in Colorado is presented in tables 1 to 4. Alaska and Hawaii, is presented in table 11. U.S. National Weather Service data-collection Radiosonde data.--Global Telecommunications sites. The National Weather Service and its coop- Systems, the U.S.