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Michael R. Collings

Publications and source records attributed to Michael R. Collings.

3 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1975

Magnitude and frequency of floods in Washington

Relations are provided to estimate the magnitude and frequency of floods on Washington streams. Annual-peak-flow data from stream gaging stations on unregulated streams having 1 years or more of record were used to determine a log-Pearson Type III frequency curve for each station. Flood magnitudes having recurrence intervals of 2, 5, i0, 25, 50, and 10years were then related to physical and climatic indices of the drainage basins by multiple-regression analysis using the Biomedical Computer Program BMDO2R. These regression relations are useful for estimating flood magnitudes of the specified recurrence intervals at ungaged or short-record sites. Separate sets of regression equations were defined for western and eastern parts of the State, and the State was further subdivided into 12 regions in which the annual floods exhibit similar flood characteristics. Peak flows are related most significantly in western Washington to drainage-area size and mean annual precipitation. In eastern Washington-they are related most significantly to drainage-area size, mean annual precipitation, and percentage of forest cover. Standard errors of estimate of the estimating relations range from 25 to 129 percent, and the smallest errors are generally associated with the more humid regions.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1972

The hydrology of four streams in western Washington as related to several Pacific salmon species

Enhancement-or possibly even preservation-of the Pacific salmon hinges on the careful planning and proper management of the streamflow upon which they depend for spawning. Most spawning activity occurs on reaches of streams where specific hydraulic conditions exist and where stream-channel characteristics and water-quality criteria are met. The present report is the first of a series and is used to present the method of determining preferred spawning conditions and results of the investigation of 129 measurements on 14 study reaches of the Dewatto, Cedar, Kalama, and North 'Fork Nooksack Rivers. Subsequent reports, using the same method will present analyses and preferred spawning and rearing discharges for other streams used by salmon. The method consists of measuring water depth and velocities to designate, from area-(spawnable) discharge curves, peak, preferred spawning discharges for fall chinook, spring chinook, sockeye, and coho salmon at each reach on each river. Also, streambed gravels, water temperature, suspended sediment, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductance are used to help evaluate river conditions during spawning. In examining the repeatability of the method, tested by analyzing independently each of selected pairs of adjacent reaches on the Cedar River, it was found that the preferred peak discharges from the comparisons varied 4.6 percent for the average of four species and two pairs of reaches. Peak spawning discharges ranged, for the four salmon species on each of the three study reaches of each river, from 50 to 140 cfs (cubic feet per second) on Dewatto River, from 230 to 510 cfs on Cedar River, from 245 to 800 cfs on Kalama River, and from 195 to 710 cfs on North Fork Nooksack River. The results indicate that the methods used and the probable discharge values determined are reasonable and, if economically justified, may be used to select discharges, for salmon spawning and rearing.

Water Supply Paper↗