Flow Summary of Ten Streams and Irrigation Ditches in the Upper Yakima River Basin, A Component of the Upper Yakima River Suspended Sediment TMDL
Date published: August 2000
Authors: Evans, Christopher, and Art Larson
Reference:
Evans, Christopher, and Art Larson. 2000. Flow Summary of Ten Streams and Irrigation Ditches in the Upper Yakima River Basin, A Component of the Upper Yakima River Suspended Sediment TMDL. Washington State Department of Ecology. Publication No. 00-03-028.
Abstract:
During the 1999 irrigation season (April through October), the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) Stream Hydrology Unit (SHU) measured streamflow on 10 selected streams and irrigation returns in the Upper Yakima River Basin. These measurements and corresponding rating curves were completed to support the Ecology Upper Yakima River Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Study. The objectives of this TMDL were to:
- Evaluate the suspended sediment load in the Upper Yakima River during the irrigation season.
- Evaluate the contributions from the major tributaries.
- Set suspended sediment TMDL targets for the upper river basin during the irrigation season.
- Evaluate the effect of the upper basin TMDL targets on the lower basin suspended sediment TMDL (Dickes and Joy, 1999).
The ten sites assigned to SHU were on Crystal Creek, Swauk Creek, Dry Creek, Packwood Ditch, Manastash Creek, Reecer Creek, Sorenson Creek, Naneum Creek, Umtanum Creek, and Wenas Creek.
Four to seven instream wading measurements were done at each station covering the full range of flows for the irrigation season. All measurements and calculations were done following the U.S. Geological Survey’s Mid-section method of streamflow measurement (USBR, 1997). The measured flows ranged from a high of 143 cfs to a low of 0.6 cfs. Regression analysis was used in the development of rating curves and daily discharge averages. The rating curves were developed by regressing instantaneous flow measurements to staff gage readings. These regressions produced curves with r2 values ranging from 0.99 to 0.60. The daily discharge averages were calculated from the continuous stage records. These continuous records were regressed against Ecology staff gage readings. This produced r2 values ranging from 0.96 to 0.99.
Contact person/agency: Washington State Department of Ecology
File Format: pdf
Associated Data:
Spatial Data
- Summary: Contains the location of 2 of the monitoring sites from this study. The included dataset is limited only to the sites within the KRD Whiskey-Currier study area.
- File Format: ESRI Shapefile
- Coordinate System: WGS 1984
- Contact: Washington State Department of Ecology
