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David H. Appel

Publications and source records attributed to David H. Appel.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Hydraulic characteristics of the New River in the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia

Traveltime, dispersion, water-surface and streambed profiles, and cross-section data were collected for use in application of flow and solute-transport models to the New River in the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia. Dye clouds subjected to increasing and decreasing flow rates (unsteady flow) showed that increasing flows shorten the cloud and decreasing flows lengthen the cloud. After the flow rate was changed and the flow was again steady, traveltime and dispersion characteristics were determined by the new rate of flow. Seven stage/streamflow relations identified the general changes of stream geometry throughout the study reach. Channel cross sections were estimated for model input. Low water and streambed profiles were developed from surveyed water surface elevations and water depths. (USGS)

Open-File Report

Traveltime and dispersion in the New River, Hinton to Gauley Bridge, West Virginia

Traveltime and dispersion studies were conducted on a 65-mile-long reach of the New River between Hinton and Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. Four sets of measurements were made from August 1985 to May 1986 at river discharges of about 2,220, 3 ,200, 9,200, and 18,000 cu ft/sec, which correspond to flow durations of 85, 70, 26, and 9%, respectively. The four sets of data were used to develop generalized procedures for estimating traveltime and peak concentrations that result from spillage of water-soluble substances at any point within the study reach. The procedure will provide the approximate traveltimes and concentrations of soluble substances during periods of relatively steady flow from 1,500 to 30,000 cu ft/sec. A sample problem and solution are presented for hypothetical situation in which 500 lbs of soluble contaminant are spilled at a highway bridge near Sandstone. The river flow was 3,000 cu ft/sec for this example. The estimated times required for the leading edge and peak concentration of the solute cloud to reach Stone Cliff (25.9 river mi) were determined to be 23 and 28.5 hours. The cloud would take about 17 hours to pass Stone Cliff and the peak concentration would be 100 micrograms/L.

West Virginia

Progress report on the effects of highway construction on suspended-sediment discharge in the Coal River and Trace Fork, West Virginia, 1975-81

Construction of the four-lane Appalachian Corridon G highway disturbed about 2 sq mi in the Coal River and 0.35 sq mi of the 4.75 sq mi Trace Fork basin in southern West Virginia. Construction had a negligible effect on runoff and suspended-sediment load in the Coal River and its major tributaries, the Little Coal and Big Coal Rivers. Drainage areas of the mainstem sites in the Coal River basin ranged from 269 to 862 sq mi, and average annual suspended-sediment yields ranged from 535 to 614 tons/sq mi for the 1975-81 water years. Suspended-sediment load in the smaller Trace Fork basin (4.72 sq mi) was significantly affected by the highway construction. Based on data from undisturbed areas upstream from construction, the normal background load at Trace Fork downstream from construction during the period July 1980 to September 1981 was estimated to be 830 tons; the measured load was 2,385 tons. Runoff from the 0.35 sq mi area disturbed by highway construction transported approximately 1,550 tons of sediment. Suspended-sediment loads from the construction zone were also higher than normal background loads during storms. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report

Water-surface profiles of Raccoon River at Des Moines, Iowa

This investigation was undertaken as a part of the cooperative program with the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research, the City of Des Moines, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The purpose of this report is twofold: 1. To present water-surface profiles and rating curves for existing channel conditions in the 4-mile reach of Raccoon River upstream from the mouth, and 2. To show the effect upon water-surface profiles of raising the Fleur Drive roadway to eliminate road overflow. The Raccoon River., having a drainage area of 3,630 square miles, borders the south edge of the Des Moines downtown business district before flowing into the Des Moines River at mile 201.6. A large residential area and the city airport are separated from downtown Des Moines by the Raccoon River (fig. 1). Five highway bridges and one railroad bridge span the river between the mouth and mile 205.75, the limits of this report (fig. 1). The river is confined to a narrow channel from the mouth to the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad bridge (mile 202.6); upstream of this bridge the river is not confined and during high water spreads over a wide flood plain. Fleur Drive, a principal traffic artery to the downtown area, is the only roadway of the five that crosses this wide flood plain. It has been flooded 15 times during the period 1903, 1918-1965.

Iowa