Progress of Stream Measurements
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Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 166 Series P, Hydrographic Progress Reports, 42 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIKECTOK REPORT PROGRESS OF STREAM MEASUREMENTS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 1905 PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF F. H. NEWELL PART II. Hudson, Passaic, Raritan, and Delaware River Drainages BY R. E. HORTON, N. C. GROVER, and JOHN C. HOYT WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1906 Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 166 Series P, HydwgrapMe Progress Reporte, 42 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DlKECTOK REPORT PROGRESS OF STREAM MEASUREMENTS THE CALENDAR YEAR 1905 PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF F. H. NEWELL PART II. Hudson, Passaic, Raritan, and Delaware River Drainages » BY R. E. HORTON, N. C. GROVER, and JOHN C. HOYT WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1906 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction......-...-...................___......_.....-.---...-----.-.-- 5 Organization and scope of work.........____...__...-...--....----------- 5 Definitions............................................................ 7 Explanation of tables...............................-..--...------.----- 8 Convenient equivalents.....-......._....____...'.--------.----.--------- 9 Field methods of measuring stream flow................................... 10 Office methods of computing run-off...................................... 14 Cooperation and acknowledgments................--..-...--..-.-....-..- 16 Hudson River drainage basin................................................ 16 Description of basin.................................................... 16 Hudson River at Fort Edward, N. Y..................................... 18 Hudson River at Mechanicsville, N. Y.................................... 20 Champlain Canal at Fort Edward and Mechanicsville, N. Y.................. 22 Fish Creek at Burgoyne, N. Y .......................................... 23 Kayaderosseras Creek near Saratoga Lake, New York ..................... 24 Indian River at Indian Lake, N. Y....................................... 24 Hoosic River at Buskirk, N. Y.......................................'.... 25 Mohawk River at Little.Falls, N. Y...................................... 28 Mohawk River at Dunsbach Ferry Bridge, N. Y........................... 29 Oriskany Creek at Coleman, N. Y........................................ 31 Oriskany Creek at State dam near Oriskany, N. Y.......................... 32 Starch Factory Creek near New Hartford, N. Y............................ 33 Sylvan Glen Creek near New Hartford, N. Y.............................. 36 Graefenberg Creek near New Hartford, N. Y. ------------------------------ 37 Johnston Brook near Deerfield, N. Y..................................... 40 West Canada Creek at Twin Rock Bridge, N. Y. --------------------------- 41 West Canada Creek at Kast Bridge, N. Y................................. 44 East Canada Creek at Dolgeville, N. Y..................................... 45 Schoharie Creek at Prattsville, N. Y......."............................... 47 Catskill Creek at South Cairo, N. Y....................................... 49 Esopus Creek at Kingston, 'N.'Y......................................... 52 Wappinger Creek near Wappinger Falls, N. Y.............................. 55 Delaware and Hudson Canal at Creeklocks, N. Y........................... 57 Rondout Creek at Rosendale, N. Y....................................... 57 Miscellaneous measurements............................................. 58 Passaic River drainage basin................................................ 58 Description of basin. ................................................... 58 Passaic River at Millington, N. J......................................... 59 Passaic River near Chatham, N. J........................................ 61 Ramapo River near Mahwah, N. J....................................... 64 Wanaque River at Wanaque, N. J........................................ 66 Raritan River drainage basin................................................ 67 Description of basin.................................................... 67 3 4 CONTENTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Raritan River drainage basin Continued. Page. South Branch Raritan River at Stanton, N. J.............................. 68 North Branch Raritan River near Pluckemin, N. J......................... 70 Raritan River at Finderne, N. J.......................................... 71 Raritan River at Bound Brook, N. J..................................... 73 Delaware River drainage basin............................................... 76 Description of basin.................................................... 76 West Branch Delaware River at Hancock, N. Y............................ 78 East Branch Delaware River at Hancock, N. Y............................ 81 Delaware River at Lambertville, N. J..................................... 85 Musconetcong River near Bloomsbury, N. J............................... 86 Tohickon Creek at Point Pleasant, Pa.................................... 89 Neshaminy Creek at forks, Pennsylvania.................................. 90 Schuylkill River near Philadelphia, Pa.................................... 92 Perkiomen Creek at Frederick, Pa........................................ 93 Wissahickon Creek near Philadelphia, Pa.................................. 95 Index.................................................................... 97 ILLUSTRATIONS. PLATE I. Map of the United States, showing location of principal river stations maintained during 1905-......................................... 6 FIG. 1. Cable station, showing section of river, car, gage, etc..................... 11 FIG. 2. Rating, area, and mean velocity curves for (South Fork) Skykomish River near Index, Wash.............................--.-...-.---.-----.. 15 PROGRESS REPORT OF STREAM MEASUREMENTS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 1905. PART II. By R. E. HORTON, N. C. GROVER, and JOHN C. HOTT. INTRODUCTION. ORGANIZATION AND SCOPE OF WORK. The hydrographic work of the United States Geological Survey includes the collection of facts concerning and the study of conditions affecting the behavior of water from the time it reaches the earth as rain or snow until it joins.the oceans or great navigable rivers. These investigations became a distinct feature of the work of the Survey in the fall of 1888, when an instruction camp was established at Embudo, N. Mex. The first specific appropriation for gaging streams was made by the act of August 18, 1894, which contained an item of $12,500 " for gauging the streams and determining the water supply of the United States, including the investigation of underground currents and artesian wells in the arid and semi- arid sections." (28 Stat. L., p. 398.) Since that time appropriations have been gradually increased, as shown by the following table: Annual appropriations for hydrographic surveys, fiscal year ending June 30, 1895 to 1906. 1895........................... $12, 500 1901.......................... $100,000 1896........................... 20,000 1902.......................... 100,000 1897........................... 50, 000 1903.......................... 200,000 1898........................... 50,000 1904.......................... 200,000 1899........................... 50,000 1905.......................... 200, 000 1900........................... 50,000 1906..............'............ 200,000 As a result of the increased appropriations, the work has been greatly extended, and at the same time it has been more thoroughly systemized by the adoption of standard methods and by grouping the States into districts, in each of which a district hydrographer and a corps of assistants carry on a comprehensive study of the hydrographic resources. The chief features of the hydrographic work are the collection of data relating to the flow of surface waters and the study of the conditions affecting this flow. There is also collected information concerning river profiles, duration and magnitude of floods, water power, etc., which may be of use in hydrographic studies. This work includes the study of the hydrog raphy of every important river basin in the United States, and is of direct value in the commercial and agricultural development of the country. In order to collect the material from which estimates of daily flow are made, gaging sta tions are established. The selection of a site for a gaging station and the length of time it is maintained depend largely upon the physical features and the needs of each locality. 5 6 STEEAM MEASUKEMEFTS IN 1905, PART II. If the water is "to be used for power, special effort is made to obtain information con cerning the minimum flow; if water is to be stored, the maximum flow receives special attention. In all sections of the country permanent gaging stations are maintained for general statistical purposes, to show the conditions existing through long periods. They are also used as primary stations, and their records, in connection with short series of measurements, serve as bases for estimating the flow at other points in the drainage basin. During the calendar year 1905 the division of hydrography has continued measuring the flow of streams on the same general lines as in previous years. Many new and improved methods have been introduced, by which the accuracy and value of the results have been increased. Approximately 800 regular gaging stations were maintained during the year, and an exceptionally large number of miscellaneous measurements and special investiga tions