Base-Flow Characteristics of Streams in the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, and the Piedmont Physiographic Provinces of Virginia United States Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2457 Base-Flow Characteristics of Streams in the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, and the Piedmont Physiographic Provinces of Virginia By DAVID,L . NELMS, GEORGE E . HARLOW, JR ., and DONALD C. HAYES U.S . GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 2457 �� U .S . DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U .S . GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Gordon P. Eaton, 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 sale by the U .S . Geological Survey Information Services Box 25286, Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Nelms, David L . Base-flow characteristics of streams in the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, and the Piedmont physiographic provinces of Virginia / by David L . Nelms, George E . Harlow, Jr., and Donald C . Hayes . p . cm . -- (U .S . Geological Survey water-supply paper ; 2457) Includes bibliographical references . Supt . of Docs. no . : 119.13:2457 1 . Streamflow--Virginia. I . Harlow, George E . II . Hayes, Donald C . III . Title . IV . Series . GB 1225 . V8N45 1997 551 .48'3'09755--dc21 97-1129 CIP ISBN 0-607-86841-4 ������������������� CONTENTS Abstract . .. 1 Introduction . 2 Purpose and Scope . 3 Description of Study Area . 3 Climate . 6 Methods of Study . 6 Base-Flow Characteristics . 8 Regions . 9 Valley and Ridge Region . 9 Blue Ridge Region . 11 Piedmont/Blue Ridge Transition Region . 14 Piedmont Regions . 15 Regional Differences . 16 Relation to Potential Surface-Water Yield . 18 Relation to Potential Ground-Water Yield . 20 Summary and Conclusions . 27 Selected References . 29 Appendixes . 33 1 . Base-Flow Characteristics at Continuous-Record Streamflow-Gaging Stations . 34 2 . Base-Flow Characteristics at Partial-Record Streamflow-Gaging Stations . 41 3 . Basin Characteristics and Aquifer Properties for Selected Continuous-Record Streamflow-Gaging Stations . 47 PLATE 1 . Maps showing base-flow characteristics of streams in the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, and the Piedmont Physiographic Provinces In pocket FIGURES 1 . Map showing the physiographic provinces of Virginia . 3 2. Generalized lithologic map of the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, and the Piedmont Physiographic Provinces . 4 3,4 . Maps showing : 3 . Subdivisions within the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, and the Piedmont Physiographic Provinces . 5 4 . Average annual precipitation in Virginia . 6 5 . Graph showing relation ofbase-flow of Goose Creek at Oatlands to concurrent mean daily discharge of Goose Creek near Leesburg . ..