Discharge, Sediment, and Water Chemistry in Clear Creek, Western Nevada, Water Years 2013–16
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Prepared in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Transportation Discharge, Sediment, and Water Chemistry in Clear Creek, Western Nevada, Water Years 2013–16 Scientific Investigations Report 2018–5050 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: U.S. Geological Survey hydrologic technician Dan Riddle collecting suspended- sediment samples with a DH-48 sampler during April spring runoff conditions, Clear Creek, Western Nevada, 2017. Discharge, Sediment, and Water Chemistry in Clear Creek, Western Nevada, Water Years 2013–16 By Jena M. Huntington, Daniel J. Riddle, and Angela P. Paul Prepared in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Transportation Scientific Investigations Report 2018–5050 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior RYAN K. ZINKE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey William H. Werkheiser, Deputy Director exercising the authority of the Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2018 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 https://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit https://store.usgs.gov. 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: Huntington, J.M., Riddle, D.J., and Paul, A.P., 2018, Discharge, sediment, and water chemistry in Clear Creek, western Nevada, water years 2013–16: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific-Investigations Report 2018–5050, 55 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20185050. SSN 2328-0328 (online) iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Previous Investigations........................................................................................................................2 Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................5 Surface-Water Hydrology ............................................................................................................................5 Sediment and Water-Quality Data Collection Methods ........................................................................10 Discrete Suspended Sediment, Bedload, and Water Chemistry Samples ................................10 Suspended-Sediment and Water-Chemistry Quality Assurance .....................................10 Suspended-Sediment Auto-Sampler ...............................................................................................11 Suspended-Sediment Autosampler Quality Assurance .....................................................11 Bed-Sediment and Passive Samples .............................................................................................16 Data Evaluation Methods ..................................................................................................................17 Sediment Concentration and Transport ...................................................................................................17 Suspended-Sediment Concentrations ............................................................................................17 Discrete Suspended-Sediment Concentrations ...................................................................17 Storm-Event Autosampler Sample Concentrations .............................................................24 Sediment Loads ...................................................................................................................................25 Suspended-Sediment Loads ....................................................................................................25 Bedload Sediment .....................................................................................................................31 Total Sediment Loads ................................................................................................................34 Water -Quality Characteristics ...................................................................................................................35 Bed-Sediment and Semi-Permeable Membrane Device Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons.........................................................................................................................41 Fire Chemistry ......................................................................................................................................46 Summary and Conclusions .........................................................................................................................51 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................52 iv Figures 1. Map showing Clear Creek drainage basin, land ownership, and sampling sites near Carson City, Nevada. ...................................................................................................................3 2. Map showing Clear Creek streambed profile, locations of three sampling sites along profile locations, and extents of historical and recent wildland fires in the Clear Creek discharge basin, western Nevada, 1984–2014 ...................................................4 3. Map showing the locations and types of selected erosion mitigation work completed by the Nevada Department of Transportation, Clear Creek drainage basin, western Nevada, water years 2010–16 .........................................................................6 5. Graph showing mean monthly discharge for water years 1949–62 and 1990–2012 in boxplots and mean monthly discharge for water years 2013–16 in line graphs, at site 2, Clear Creek, western Nevada .........................................................................................8 4. Graph showing mean annual discharge for periods of record at site 2, water years 1949–62 and 1990–2016 ................................................................................................................8 6. Graph showing fow duration at site 2, Clear Creek, western Nevada, water years 1949–2003, 2004–07, 2010–12, and 2013–16 ...............................................................................9 7. Storm hydrographs showing autosampler and discretely collected samples sent in for suspended-sediment analysis, site 2, Clear Creek, western Nevada ..........................14 8. Graphs showing relation between discrete and autosampler-collected suspended-sediment concentrations for unadjusted data and data adjusted using three flow related cross-section coefficients, Clear Creek, western Nevada ................15 9. Graphs showing daily mean discharge and types of samples collected at site 2 for water years 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 ...................................................................................18 10. Graphs showing suspended-sediment concentrations at sites 1 , 2 , and 3, Clear Creek, western Nevada, water years 2004–07, 2010–12, and 2013–16 ..............................22 11. Graph showing comparison of discrete and cross-section adjusted autosampler suspended-sediment concentrations, site 2, Clear Creek, western Nevada, 2004–07 and 2010–16 .................................................................................................................................25 12. Graph showing percentage of silt as determined using the sand-fine break analysis in suspended-sediment samples collected discretely and using the autosampler at site 2, Clear Creek, western Nevada, 2014–16 .......................................................................26 13. Graphs showing distribution of suspended-sediment loads at sites 1, 2, and 3 on Clear Creek, western Nevada, 2004–07, 2010–12, and 2013–16, and 2004–16 ..................27 14. Graphs showing relation between suspended-sediment load and instantaneous discharge for site 1, site 2, and site 3, Clear Creek, western Nevada ...............................29 15. Graphs showing suspended-sediment loads measured under specified ranges of discharge at site 1, site 2, and site 3, Clear Creek, western Nevada, water years 2004–07 and 2010–16 ..................................................................................................................30 16. Graph showing relation between bedload and discharge at site 2, Clear Creek, western Nevada, water years 2004–07, 2010–12, and 2013–16 ...........................................32 17. Graph showing sediment composition and associated discharge at Clear Creek site 2 and 3,western Nevada, water years 2013–16 .....................................................................33 18. Graph showing annual Clear Creek total sediment load and discharge for site 2, western Nevada, 2004–07