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Richard A. Fontaine

Publications and source records attributed to Richard A. Fontaine.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2012

Low-flow characteristics of streams under natural and diversion conditions, Waipiʻo Valley, Island of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi

Over the past 100 years, natural streamflow in Waipiʻo Valley has been reduced by the transfer of water out of the valley by Upper and Lower Hāmākua Ditches. The physical condition and diversion practices along the two ditch systems have varied widely over the years, and as a result, so have their effects on natural streamflow in Waipiʻo Valley. Recent renovation and improvements to Lower Hāmākua Ditch system, along with proposals for its future operation and water-diversion strategies, have unknown implications. The purpose of this report is to quantify the availability of streamflow and to determine the effects of current and proposed diversion strategies on the low-flow hydrology in Waipiʻo Valley. In this report, the low-flow hydrology of Waipiʻo Valley is described in terms of flow-duration statistics. Flow-duration statistics were computed for three locations in the Waipiʻo Valley study area where long-term surface-water gaging stations have been operated. Using a variety of streamflow record-extension techniques, flow-duration statistics were estimated at an additional 13 locations where only few historical data are available or where discharge measurements were made as part of this study. Flow-duration statistics were computed to reflect natural conditions, current (2000-2005) diversion conditions, and proposed future diversion conditions at the 16 locations. At the downstream limit of the study area, on Wailoa Stream at an altitude of 190 feet, a baseline for evaluating the availability of streamflow is provided by computed flow-duration statistics that are representative of natural, no-diversion conditions. At the Wailoa gaging station, 95- and 50-percentile discharges under natural conditions were determined to be 86 and 112 cubic feet per second, respectively. Under 1965-1969 diversion conditions, natural 95- and 50-percentile discharges were reduced by 52 and 53 percent, to 41 and 53 cubic feet per second, respectively. Under current (2000-2005) diversion conditions, natural 95- and 50-percentile discharges were reduced by 21 and 24 percent, to 68 and 85 cubic feet per second, respectively. Under proposed future diversion conditions, natural 95- and 50-percentile discharges would be reduced by 33 and 24 percent, to 58 and 85 cubic feet per second, respectively. Compared to discharges that reflect current (2000-2005) diversion conditions, proposed future diversion conditions would reduce 95-percentile discharges, which are representative of moderate drought levels in the stream, by 15 percent. No change would be expected in 50-percentile discharges, which are representative of normal conditions. The effects of current (2000-2005) and proposed future diversion conditions on the natural flow of streams in the Waipiʻo Valley study area differ, depending on the location. Under current (2000-2005) diversion conditions, reductions in natural 95- or 50-percentile discharges of greater than 30 percent were found in Kawainui Stream downstream from Upper Hamakua Ditch to an altitude of about 1,435 feet and in the reach of Waimā Stream between Upper and Lower Hāmākua Ditches. Under proposed future diversion conditions, reductions in natural 95- or 50-percentile discharges of greater than 30 percent were found in Kawainui Stream downstream from Upper Hamakua Ditch to an altitude of about 1,435 feet, in the reach of Waimā Stream between Upper and Lower Hāmākua Ditches, and along most stream reaches downstream from Lower Hāmākua Ditch, except for Waimā Stream.

Hawai?i↗
USGS2007

Natural and diverted low-flow duration discharges for streams affected by the Waiahole Ditch System, windward O`ahu, Hawai`i

For nearly a century, the Waiahole Ditch System has diverted an average of approximately 27 million gallons per day of water from the wet, northeastern part of windward O`ahu, Hawai`i, to the dry, central part of the island to meet irrigation needs. The system intercepts large amounts of dike-impounded ground water at high altitudes (above approximately 700 to 800 ft) that previously discharged to Waiahole (and its tributaries Waianu and Uwao), Waikane, and Kahana Streams through seeps and springs. Diversion of this ground water has significantly diminished low flows in these streams. Estimates of natural and diverted flows are needed by water managers for (1) setting permanent instream flow standards to protect, enhance, and reestablish beneficial instream uses of water in the diverted streams and (2) allocating the diverted water for instream and offstream uses. Data collected before construction of the Waiahole Ditch System reflect natural (undiverted) flow conditions. Natural low-flow duration discharges for percentiles ranging from 50 to 99 percent were estimated for four sites at altitudes of 75 to 320 feet in Waiahole Stream (and its tributaries Waianu and Uwao Streams), for six sites at altitudes of 10 to 220 feet in Waikane Stream, and for three sites at altitudes of 30 to 80 feet in Kahana Stream. Among the available low-flow estimates along each affected stream, the highest natural Q50 (median) flows on Waiahole (altitude 250 ft), Waianu (altitude 75 ft), Waikane (altitude 75 ft), and Kahana Streams (altitude 30 ft) are 13, 7.0, 5.5, and 22 million gallons per day, respectively. Q50 (median) is just one of five duration percentiles presented in this report to quantify low-flow discharges. All flow-duration estimates were adjusted to a common period of 1960-2004 (called the base period). Natural flow-duration estimates compared favorably with limited pre-ditch streamflow data available for Waiahole and Kahana Streams. Data collected since construction of the ditch system reflect diverted flow conditions, which can be further divided into pre-release and post-release periods - several flow releases to Waiahole, Waianu, and Waikane Streams were initiated between December 1994 and October 2002. Comparison of pre-release to natural flows indicate that the effects of the Waiahole Ditch System diversion are consistently greater at lower low-flow conditions (Q99 to Q90) than at higher low-flow conditions (Q75 to Q50). Results also indicate that the effects of the diversion become less significant as the streams gain additional ground water at lower altitudes. For Waiahole Stream, pre-release flows range from 25 to 28 percent of natural flows at an altitude of 250 feet and from 19 to 20 percent at an altitude of 320 feet. For Waikane Stream, pre-release flows range from 30 to 46 percent of natural flows at an altitude of 10 feet and from 7 to 19 percent at an altitude of 220 feet. For Kahana Stream, pre-release flows range from 65 to 72 percent of natural flows at an altitude of 30 feet and from 58 to 71 percent at an altitude of 80 feet. Estimates of post-release flows were compared with estimates of natural flows to assess how closely current streamflows are to natural conditions. For Waianu Stream, post-release flows at an altitude of 75 feet are 41 to 46 percent lower than corresponding natural flows. For Waikane Stream, post-release flows at an altitude of 75 feet are within 12 percent of the corresponding natural flows. Comparisons of pre-release and post-release flows for Waikane Stream at altitudes of 10 to 220 feet were used to assess downstream changes in flow along the stream reach where flow releases were made. For a particular stream altitude, proportions of pre-release to post-release flows associated with median flows are consistently greater than proportions associated with lower low flows because the relative effect of the flow release is smaller at higher low flows. Similarly, for a particular f

Hawaii↗
USGS2006

Water Resources Data: Hawaii and Other Pacific Areas, Water Year 2005. Volume 1. Hawaii

Water resources data for the 2005 water year for Hawaii consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams and springs; water levels and quality of water wells; and rainfall totals. * Water discharge for 59 gaging stations on streams, springs, and ditches. * Water-quality data for 6 streams. * Water levels for 80 observation wells. * Rainfall data for 35 rainfall stations. * Discharge data for 55 crest-stage partial-record stations. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating Federal, State, and other local agencies in Hawaii.

Water Data Report↗
USGS2003

Flooding Associated with Typhoon Chata'an, July 5, 2002, Guam

Introduction On July 5, 2002, starting at about 8 a.m., the southern half of the eye of Typhoon Chata'an passed directly over the northern part of the island of Guam. Data collected on Guam indicate that the typhoon had sustained winds of 85 to 90 miles per hour (mi/hr) with gusts of up to 115 mi/hr (Charles Guard, National Weather Service, written commun., 2003). Storm rainfall totals exceeded 21 inches (in.) over the mountainous areas in south-central Guam. During the peak of the storm, rain fell at rates of up to 6.48 inches per hour (in/hr). Because of the damage caused by Typhoon Chata'an, the President signed a major disaster declaration on July 6, 2002. Damages associated with Typhoon Chata'an, while considered moderate relative to other storms that have affected Guam, amounted to several tens of millions of dollars. In excess of 1,000 single-family and multi-family homes were either extensively damaged or destroyed. Electrical power was out for several days over most of the island and no potable water was available through public distribution systems (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2002). The extreme rainfall led to flooding in southern Guam and caused numerous landslides and severe erosion along water courses. The most significant evidence of these effects could be found in the Fena Valley Reservoir, where elevated sediment concentrations made the water unsuitable for use as a domestic water supply for several days. During normal operation, Fena Valley Reservoir supplies most of the drinking water for the military and some of the general public in southern Guam. All of the stream-gaging stations operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on Guam were damaged to some extent during the flood and three of the stations were totally destroyed. Peak flows in many rivers in southern Guam reached record levels during Typhoon Chata'an. New record peak stages and/or flows of record occurred at 14 of 15 sites where the USGS has collected data. In some areas, the magnitude of flood peaks exceeded previous records significantly. Peak flows had recurrence intervals of 80 years or more at 9 of the 13 sites where sufficient data were available to make the computations. Four of the 9 sites had recurrence intervals that were determined to be greater than 100 years. In this fact sheet, storm rainfall totals and maximum rainfall totals for durations of 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-hours are summarized for 12 rain gages on Guam. Peak stages and/or flows were computed at 15 USGS streamflow-gaging stations and recurrence intervals for the peaks determined. Rainfall and streamflow-gaging stations operated by the USGS on Guam are supported by funding provided by numerous agencies including the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the University of Guam through the Water and Environmental Research Institute (WERI). The USGS Office of Surface Water, as part of a national program to document the effects of extreme floods in the United States, provided funding to support the preparation of this fact sheet.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2003

Availability and distribution of base flow in lower Honokohau Stream, Island of Maui

Honokohau Stream is one of the few perennial streams in the Lahaina District of West Maui. Current Honokohau water-use practices often lead to conflicts among water users, which are most evident during periods of base flow. To better manage the resource, data are needed that describe the availability and distribution of base flow in lower Honokohau Stream and how base flow is affected by streamflow diversion and return-flow practices. Flow-duration discharges for percentiles ranging from 50 to 95 percent were estimated at 13 locations on lower Honokohau Stream using data from a variety of sources. These sources included (1) available U.S. Geological Survey discharge data, (2) published summaries of Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. diversion and water development-tunnel data, (3) seepage run and low-flow partial-record discharge measurements made for this study, and (4) current (2003) water diversion and return-flow practices. These flow-duration estimates provide a detailed characterization of the distribution and availability of base flow in lower Honokohau Stream. Estimates of base-flow statistics indicate the significant effect of Honokohau Ditch diversions on flow in the stream. Eighty-six percent of the total flow upstream from the ditch is diverted from the stream. Immediately downstream from the diversion dam there is no flow in the stream 91.2 percent of the time, except for minor leakage through the dam. Flow releases at the Taro Gate, from Honokohau Ditch back into the stream, are inconsistent and were found to be less than the target release of 1.55 cubic feet per second on 9 of the 10 days on which measurements were made. Previous estimates of base-flow availability downstream from the Taro Gate release range from 2.32 to 4.6 cubic feet per second (1.5 to 3.0 million gallons per day). At the two principal sites where water is currently being diverted for agricultural use in the valley (MacDonald's and Chun's Dams), base flows of 2.32 cubic feet per second (1.5 million gallons per day) are available more than 95 percent of the time at MacDonald's Dam and 80 percent of the time at Chun's Dam. Base flows of 4.6 cubic feet per second (3.0 million gallons per day) are available 65 and 56 percent of the time, respectively. A base-flow water-accounting model was developed to estimate how flow-duration discharges for 13 sites on Honokohau Stream would change in response to a variety of flow release and diversion practices. A sample application of the model indicates that there is a 1 to 1 relation between changes in flow release rates at the Taro Gate and base flow upstream from MacDonald's Dam. At Chun's Dam the relation between Taro Gate releases and base flow varies with flow-duration percentiles. At the 95th and 60th percentiles, differences in base flow at Chun's Dam would equal about 50 and 90 percent of the change at the Taro Gate.

Hawaii↗
USGS2002

Streamflow and erosion response to prolonged intense rainfall of November 1-2, 2000, Island of Hawaii, Hawaii

A combination of several meteorologic and topographic factors produced extreme rainfall over the eastern part of the island of Hawaii on November 1-2, 2000. Storm rainfall was concentrated in two distinct areas, the Waiakea and Kapapala areas, where maximum rainfall totals of 32.47 and 38.97 inches were recorded. Resultant flooding caused damages in excess of 70 million dollars, among the highest totals associated with flooding in the State's history. Storm rainfall had recurrence intervals that ranged from 10 years or less for maximum 1-hour totals to 100 years or more for maximum 24-hour totals As part of this study, peak flow and/or erosion data were collected at 41 sites. Analyses of these data indicated that peak discharges of record occurred at 6 of 12 sites where historic data were available. Peak flows with estimated recurrence intervals from 50 to over 100 years were recorded at 4 of 11 sites. Peak flows were poorly correlated with total storm rainfall. Critical rainfall durations associated with peak flows ranged from 1 to 12 hours and were about 3 hours at most sites. Rainfall-runoff computations and field observations indicated that infiltration-excess overland flow alone was not sufficient to have caused the observed flood peaks and therefore saturation-excess overland flow and subsurface flow probably contributed to peak flows at most sites Most hillslope erosion associated with the storm took place along or near the Kaoiki Pali in the Kapapala area. Hillslope erosion was predominately caused by overland flow.

Hawaii↗
USGS1996

Evaluation of the Surface-Water Quantity, Surface-Water Quality, and Rainfall Data-Collection Programs in Hawaii, 1994

This report documents the results of an evaluation of the surface-water quantity, surface-water quality, and rainfall data-collection programs in Hawaii. Fourteen specific issues and related goals were identified for the surface-water quantity program and a geographic information systems (GIS) data base was developed summarizing information for all surface-water stream gages that have been operated in Hawaii by the U.S. Geological Survey. Changes in status, which for some gages includes discontinuing operation, need to be considered at 42 sites where data are currently collected. The current surface-water quantity data base was determined to be adequate to address only two of the 14 specific issues and related goals. Alternatives were identified to address the areas where future issues and goals could not be adequately addressed. Options include new and expanded data collection, use of regional regression analyses, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, and analysis and publication of existing data. A total of 47 streams were identified where additional stream-gaging stations are needed. Evaluation of the surface-water quality program was limited to a description of the U.S. Geological Survey's historical and existing programs and available analyses of data. Limitations of the program are described which primarily included lack of data regarding suspended sediment, land-use effects, quality of stream discharge to oceans, background water quality and nonpoint sources of contamination. Evaluation of the rainfall data program indicated that identified future goals could be discussed as either regional, systems related, current needs, forecasting, water quality, or trend analysis related. To address these goals, data from about 2,000 rain gages, 528 of which are active, are available. Data were found to only partially meet identified goals. Alternatives discussed to address the limitations include the need for more recording gages, primarily in areas of high rainfall. Another area of concern was the potential that many plantations will close and the effect these closings would have on continued operation of the important long-term gages they operate. Evaluation of data-collection programs in Hawaii needs to be an ongoing process. Equally important, data being collected need to be summarized and made available through data bases and published reports.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1992

Estimation of Median Streamflows at Perennial Stream Sites in Hawaii

The most accurate estimates of median streamflows at perennial stream sites in Hawaii are those made at streamflow-gaging stations. Two alternative methods for estimating median streamflows at ungaged sites are described in this report. Multiple-regression equations were developed for estimating median streamflows at ungaged, unregulated, perennial stream sites. The equations relate combinations of drainage area, mean altitude of the main stream channel, and mean annual precipitation to median streamflow. Streamflow data from 56 long-term continuous-record gaging stations were used in the analysis. Median-streamflow data for all 56 sites were adjusted using record-extension techniques to reflect base period (1912 through 1986) conditions. Hawaii was subdivided into two geographic groups and multiple-regression equations were developed for each. The standard error of predication for the equation developed for the first group, the islands of Oahu, Molokai, and Hawaii, is 41 percent. The standard error of predication for the equation developed for the second group, the islands of Kauai and Maui, is 54 percent. A method for estimating median-streamflow, based on discharge measurements and data from nearby streamflow-gaging stations, was also developed for 27 regulated, perennial windward Oahu sites. Standard errors of prediction for 23 of the sites range from 5 to 34 percent. Median-streamflow estimates for the four remaining sites were considered poor and no measures of accuracy are provided. Discharge measurements can be used to make estimates of median streamflows at ungaged, regulated sites where the regression equations developed in this report are not applicable. Discharge measurements can also be used to make estimates of median streamflows at ungaged, unregulated sites. Estimates of median streamflows based on discharge measurements have greater standard errors than estimates based on continuous streamflow records and in general have smaller standard errors than estimates based on regression equations.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1982

Drainage areas of surface water bodies of the St. John River basin in northern Maine

The report contains drainage-area values for: lakes and ponds included in the MIDAS (Maine Informational Display Analysis System) File 906-Z, streams that drain an area greater than 25 square miles, dam sites, and locations where hydrologic data are available. Supplemental information includes State and Federal location systems used to identify these lake and stream sites.

Maine↗
USGS1982

Drainage areas of surface water bodies of eastern Maine coastal river basins

The report contains drainage-area values for: lakes and ponds included in the MIDAS (Maine Informational Display Analysis System) File 906-Z, streams that drain an area greater than 25 square miles, dam sites, and locations where hydrologic data are available. Supplemental information includes State and Federal location systems used to identify these lake and stream sites.

Maine↗
USGS1981

Drainage areas of surface water bodies of the Penobscot River basin in central Maine

The report contains drainage-area values for: lakes and ponds included in the MIDAS (Maine Informational Display Analysis System) File 906-Z, streams that drain an area greater than 25 square miles, dam sites, and locations where hydrologic data are available. Supplemental information includes State and Federal location systems used to identify these lake and stream sites.

Maine↗
USGS1981

Floods in Maine, April-May 1979

Heavy rainfall during April 27-30, 1979, resulted in moderate to record flooding in much of northern and western Maine. During this period, rainfall totals of as much as 6 inches were measured. This period was preceded by up to 10 days of seasonally warm temperatures and snowmelt, which helped create conditions favorable to flooding later in the month. Flood peaks having recurrence intervals greater than 30 years were recorded at several sites, and a few sites experienced maximum recorded flood peaks with recurrence intervals in excess of 50 years. There was no loss of life, but local damage to homes and commercial and industrial establishments was significant. This report describes the flooding. A tabulation of peak gage heights and discharges is included for 42 sites. Daily and storm precipitation values are tabulated for 58 sites. (USGS)

Maine↗
USGS1980

Drainage areas of surface water bodies of the Kennebec River basin in southwestern Maine

The report contains drainage-area values for: lakes and ponds included in the MIDAS (Maine Informational Display Analysis System) File 906-Z, streams that drain an area greater than 25 square miles, dams, and locations where hydrologic data are collected. Supplemental information includes State and Federal location systems used to identify these lake and stream sites.

Maine↗
USGS1979

Drainage areas of surface water bodies of southern Maine coastal river basins

The report contains drainage-area values for: lakes and ponds included in the Maine Informational Display Analysis System (MIDAS) File 906-Z, streams that drain areas greater than 25 mil 2 , dams, and locations where hydrologic data are collected. Supplemental information includes State and Federal location systems used to identify these lakes and stream sites.

Maine↗