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Streamflow Monitoring and Statistics for Development of Water Rights Claims for Wild and Scenic Rivers, Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho, 2012

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Streamflow Monitoring and Statistics for Development of Water Rights Claims for Wild and Scenic Rivers, Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho, 2012 Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management Streamflow Monitoring and Statistics for Development of Water Rights Claims for Wild and Scenic Rivers, Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho, 2012 Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5212 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Covers Front: Portion of monitored reach on Deep Creek near Riddle, Idaho (USGS 13176305). Photograph taken looking upstream by David Evetts, U.S. Geological Survey, March 12, 2012. Back: Measurement of streamflow with an acoustic Doppler velocimeter in the East Fork Owyhee River at Crutcher Crossing, Idaho (USGS 13176400). Photograph taken looking downstream by Douglas Ott, U.S. Geological Survey, May 10, 2012. Streamflow Monitoring and Statistics for Development of Water Rights Claims for Wild and Scenic Rivers, Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho, 2012 By Molly S. Wood and Ryan L. Fosness Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5212 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 http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://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: Wood, M.S., and Fosness, R.L., 2013, Streamflow monitoring and statistics for development of water rights claims for Wild and Scenic Rivers, Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho, 2012: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5212, 66 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20135212. ISSN -2328-0326 (online) iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Background............................................................................................................................................3 Wild and Scenic River Designation ..........................................................................................3 Previous Data and Investigations .............................................................................................3 Streamflow Statistics Used for Similar Studies ......................................................................5 Rationale for Selected Streamflow Statistics .........................................................................5 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................6 Description of Study Area ...........................................................................................................................6 Wild and Scenic Rivers .......................................................................................................................6 Topography, Land Use, and Hydrology ..............................................................................................7 Monitoring Sites ....................................................................................................................................7 Methods...........................................................................................................................................................9 Field Data Collection ............................................................................................................................9 Site Selection ...............................................................................................................................9 Telemetered Streamgages .........................................................................................................9 Continuous Slope Area Streamgages ....................................................................................16 Monthly and Miscellaneous Measurement Sites ................................................................17 Statistical Analysis .............................................................................................................................18 Data Compilation and Record Development .........................................................................18 Partial-Record Method ....................................................................................................18 Selection of Index Sites and Development of Regressions ..............................19 Synthetic Streamflow Record ................................................................................20 Drainage Area Ratio Method ..........................................................................................21 Calculation of Bimonthly Streamflow Statistics ...................................................................22 Calculation of Bankfull Streamflow Statistics ......................................................................22 Method Validation ........................................................................................................................................24 Streamflow Monitoring ...............................................................................................................................30 Correlations with Index Sites .....................................................................................................................32 Streamflow Statistics at Monitoring Sites ...............................................................................................33 Big Jacks Creek Basin .......................................................................................................................33 Bruneau River Basin...........................................................................................................................39 Jarbidge River Basin ..........................................................................................................................39 Little Jacks Creek Basin ....................................................................................................................40 Owyhee River Basin ...........................................................................................................................40 Limitations and Uncertainty ......................................................................................................................41 Index Site Location and Number of Measurements .....................................................................41 Upstream Regulation and Diversion ................................................................................................42 Analysis Assumptions ........................................................................................................................42 Benefit of Long-Term Streamgages .........................................................................................................43 Potential Areas for Further Study ............................................................................................................44 Summary........................................................................................................................................................45 iv Contents—Continued Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................46 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................46 Appendix A. Discrete Streamflow Measurements at Monitoring Sites, Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho ..................................................................................................49 Appendix B. Daily Mean Streamflows at Continuous Slope Area Streamgages, Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho, 2012 ........................................................................52 Appendix C. Bimonthly Exceedance Probability and Bankfull Streamflow Statistics and Zones of Extrapolation Above and Below Discrete Streamflow Measurements for Monitoring Sites, Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho, 2012 ........................................54 Figures 1. Map showing study area extent, designated National Wild and Scenic Rivers and streamgaging sites in the Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho ..................................2 2. Map showing locations of monitoring sites in the Big and Little Jacks Creeks Basins, Idaho, 2012 .....................................................................................................................10 3. Map showing locations of monitoring sites in the Bruneau and Jarbidge River Basins,
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