USGS Science⌕ Search
Home/Archive/USGS

USGS · 70036858

Geomorphic applications of stream-gage information

K. E. Juracek·F. A. Fitzpatrick
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

In the United States, several thousand stream gages provide what typically is the only source of continuous, long-term streamflow and channel-geometry information for the locations being monitored. In this paper, the geomorphic content of stream-gage information, previous and potential applications of stream-gage information in fluvial geomorphic research and various possible limitations are described. Documented applications include studies of hydraulic geometry, channel bankfull characteristics, sediment transport and channel geomorphic response to various types of disturbance. Potential applications include studies to determine the geomorphic effectiveness of large floods and in-stream habitat change in response to disturbance. For certain applications, various spatial, temporal and data limitations may render the stream-gage information of limited use; however, such information often is of considerable value to enable or enhance geomorphic investigations.

Explore related subjects

River Research and ApplicationsArticle

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

K. E. Juracek, F. A. Fitzpatrick. 2009-02-18. Geomorphic applications of stream-gage information. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.1163

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

USGS2026

IVyTools: Space-Time Image Velocimetry for streamflow

Accurate streamflow measurements are essential for hydrologic monitoring, flood forecasting, and water resource management. Traditional in situ methods, although reliable, are often impractical or unsafe during flood conditions or at inaccessible locations. Image velocimetry techniques offer a potential non-contact alternative, yet operational adoption has been hindered by the lack of standardized, open-source tools, particularly for Space–Time Image Velocimetry (STIV). This paper introduces IVyTools, an open-source software application for operational streamflow measurement using STIV. Developed by the US Geological Survey (USGS), IVyTools integrates standardized streamflow measurement protocols into a reproducible, quality-controlled workflow that includes video preprocessing, orthorectification, velocity estimation, and streamflow (discharge) computation. The software incorporates a dual-method uncertainty framework based on ISO 748:2007 and an adapted Interpolated Variance Estimator (IVE), enabling users to quantify and diagnose measurement uncertainty. Validation against an independently published benchmark dataset demonstrates that IVyTools achieves a mean absolute percentage error of 4.56% (MAE = 5.16 m 3 /s ) from field-measured reference discharges, with acceptable performance across diverse river conditions. This work supports the broader adoption of image-based streamflow measurement methods and provides a foundation for potential future automation and integration into real-time hydrologic networks.

River Research and Applications↗
USGS2026

Non-physical barrier design and environmental conditions alter routing and survival of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

Pacific salmon face substantial challenges when migrating through anthropogenically modified river systems, such as the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (the Delta). Non-physical behavioral barriers, such as the bioacoustic fish fence (BAFF), are one potential solution for guiding fish away from hazards without obstructing water flow. However, the effectiveness of these technologies depends on abiotic and biotic conditions. In the Delta, a BAFF was deployed at Georgiana Slough in 2011, 2012, and 2024 to deter juvenile Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) from migrating into the interior Delta, a region associated with lower survival than the mainstem Sacramento River. We leveraged nine years of acoustic telemetry data to evaluate BAFF performance across flow conditions and two BAFF designs (2011/2012 vs. 2024), and to assess the BAFF's contribution to improving through-Delta survival. The BAFF reduced routing into Georgiana Slough from 26.5% without a barrier to 8.9% in 2011/2012 and 15.9% in 2024. In general, routing into Georgiana Slough increased with the proportion of flow entering the channel during periods without a BAFF and during the 2024 deployment but remained constant during the 2011/2012 deployment. Additionally, BAFF effectiveness declined with increasing input flow. Ultimately, reduced routing into Georgiana Slough during the 2024 BAFF deployment resulted in an increase in estimated through-Delta survival between 0.2 and 1.6 percentage points depending on release group. Our results provide valuable insights into the role of non-physical barriers in complex river systems and inform future management strategies for protecting migrating juvenile Chinook salmon in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

California↗
USGS2026

Population dynamics of Northern Pearl Dace Margariscus nachtriebi in anthropogenically altered headwater streams of the Nebraska Sandhills Ecoregion

Empirical evidence of population demographic responses to environmental perturbations is a major knowledge gap for aquatic vertebrate populations. Extensive habitat alteration including channelization of headwater streams influences the habitat template on which small-bodied fish are dependent to carry out distinct life stages and maintain or increase population growth. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine differences in geomorphic characteristics, and instream habitat (i.e., mesohabitat availability, water depth, and macrophyte coverage) in channelized and unchannelized stream sites, and (2) estimate survival of Northern Pearl Dace Margariscus nachtriebi in channelized and unchannelized stream sites. A capture-mark-recapture robust design study was conducted where a total of 1994 Northern Pearl Dace were double tagged and 853 were recaptured over the 374-day field study. Geomorphic characteristics and instream habitat in channelized and unchannelized stream sites differed (Pillai's Trace = 0.950, F (8, 6) = 14.228, p = 0.002). Specifically, mean sinuosity index ( F (1, 13) = 20.723, p = 0.0005) and the percentage of pool mesohabitat ( F (1, 13) = 4.929, p = 0.045) were both reduced in channelized versus unchannelized stream sites. Northern Pearl Dace seasonal survival was lower in channelized sites (Ŝ Spring to Summer = 0.34; SE = 0.06) compared to unchannelized sites (Ŝ Spring to Summer = 0.93; SE = 0.03) during spring to summer. Annual survival differed between channelized sites (Ŝ = 0.001; SE = 0.009) and unchannelized sites (Ŝ = 0.047; SE = 0.024). Channelization in headwater streams influenced population demographic parameters of stream fish. Northern Pearl Dace exhibited reduced survival in channelized sections of headwater streams flowing through the largest intact grassland ecosystem in North America. Mitigating channelization in streams may benefit persistence of native prairie fishes by increasing survival and subsequently aid in the restoration of headwater streams that flow through grassland ecosystems in North America.

Nebraska↗