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S. William Wandle

Publications and source records attributed to S. William Wandle.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Estimating peak discharges of small, rural streams in Massachusetts

Floodflows on natural-flow streams in Massachusetts with drainage areas between 0.25 square miles and 260 square miles may be estimated from drainage area, main-channel slope, mean basin elevation, and the area of swamps, lakes, and ponds. Multiple-regression techniques were used to define the relationship between a suite of basin and climatic characteristics and flood peaks in three flood-frequency regions at a total of 95 sites. Station flood-frequency data were computed following guidelines in Bulletin 17A of the U.S. Water Resources Council. The frequency analyses are based upon weighted skew values, adjustments for high and low outliers, and historic peak data. Regression equations for estimation of peak discharges for 0.5, 0.2, 0.1, 0.04, 0.02, and 0.01 exceedance probabilities are provided for ungaged sites. An improved sample of flood peaks and gaging stations and the definition of three flood-frequency regions reduced the standard errors of estimate by about 5 percent over those for the 1977 relations. Included in this analysis were the synthetic flood-frequency data at 8 sites computed using historic climatic data and 10 parameters optimized by calibration of the U.S. Geological Survey's rainfall-runoff model with storm data observed over 11 years. The equations are applicable to streams unaffected by regulation where the usable manmade storage is less than 4.5 million cubic feet per square mile, or by diversions or urbanization. The equations are restricted to sites where the basin indices are within a specified range outside of eastern Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes, or Nantucket Counties. In these areas, the available data do not adequately define the influence of high infiltration and storage capacities of drainage basins on floodflows.

Water Supply Paper

Estimating peak discharges of small rural streams in Massachusetts

Floodflows on natural-flow streams in Massachusetts with drainage areas between 0.25 square miles and 260 square miles may be estimated from drainage area, main-channel slope, mean basin elevation, and the area of swamps, lakes, and ponds. Multiple-regression techniques were used to define the relationship between a suite of basin and climatic characteristics and flood peaks in three flood-frequency regions at a total of 95 sites. Station flood-frequency data were computed following guidelines in Bulletin I7A of the U.S. Water Resources Council. The frequency analyses are based upon weighted skew values, and adjustments for high and low outliers, and historic peak data. Regression equations for estimation of peak discharges for 0.5, 0.2, 0.1, 0.04, 0.02, and 0.01 exceedance probabilities are provided for ungaged sites. An improved sample of flood peaks and gaging stations and the definition of three flood-frequency regions reduced the standard error of estimate by about 5 percent over those for the 1977 relations. Included in this analysis were the synthetic flood-frequency data at eight sites computed using historic climatic data and 10 parameters optimized by calibration of the U.S. Geological Survey's rainfall-runoff model with storm data observed over II years. The equations are applicable to streams unaffected by regulation where the usable manmade storage is less than 4.5 million cubic feet per square mile, or by diversions or urbanization. The equations are restricted to sites where the basin indices are within a specified range outside of eastern Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes or Nantucket Counties. In these areas, the available data do not adequately define the influence of high infiltration and storage capacities of drainage basins on floodflows.

Massachusetts

Drainage divides, Massachusetts; Blackstone and Thames River basins

Drainage boundaries for selected subbasins of the Blackstone and Thames River basins in eastern Hampden, eastern Hampshire, western Norfolk, southern Middlesex, and southern Worcester Counties, Massachusetts, are delineated on 12 topographic quadrangle maps at a scale of 1:24,000. Drainage basins are shown for all U.S. Geological Survey data-collection sites and for mouths of major rivers. Drainage basins are shown for the outlets of lakes or ponds and for streams where the drainage area is greater than 3 square miles. Successive sites along watercourses are indicated where the intervening area is at least 6 miles on tributary streams or 15 square miles along the Blackstone River, French River, or Quinebaug River. (USGS)

Open-File Report

Drainage divides, Massachusetts; Deerfield and Millers River basins

Drainage boundaries for selected subbasins in Franklin and northwestern Worcester Counties, Massachusetts, are delineated on 16 topographic quadrangle maps at a scale of 1:24,000. Drainage basins are shown for all U.S. Geological Survey data-collection sites and for mouths of major rivers. Drainage basins are shown for the outlets of lakes or ponds and for streams where the drainage area is greater than 3 square miles. Successive sites along watercourses are indicated where the intervening area is at least 6 square miles on tributary streams or 10 square miles along the Millers and Deerfield Rivers, or 20 square miles along the Connecticut River. (USGS)

Open-File Report

Drainage divides, Massachusetts; Connecticut River lowlands and Chicopee River basin

Drainage boundaries for selected subbasins of the Connecticut River lowlands and Chicopee River basin in southern Franklin, eastern Hampshire, and western Worcester Counties, Massachusetts , are delineated on 18 topographic quadrangle maps at a scale of 1:24,000. Drainage basins are shown for all U.S. Geological Survey data-collection sites and for mouths of major rivers. Drainage basins are shown for the outlets of lakes or ponds and for streams where the drainage area is greater than 3 square miles. Successive sites along watercourses are indicated where the intervening area is at least 6 square miles on tributary streams or 10 square miles along the Chicopee River, or 20 square miles along the Connecticut River. (USGS)

Open-File Report

Estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods on natural-flow streams in Massachusetts

The magnitude and frequency of floods on natural-flow streams in Massachusetts, with drainage areas between 0.25 square mile and 497 square miles, may be estimated from drainage area, main channel slope, a precipitation index, and a storage factor. Multiple-regression techniques were used to define the relationship between basin and climatic characteristics, and flood peaks for 113 gaging stations. Flood-frequency and magnitude data at the gaging stations were computed using the guidelines recommended by the U.S. Water Resources Council. It was found that flood peaks of rural, unregulated Massachusetts streams can best be defined by dividing the State into an EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS and a WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS flood-frequency region. The regression equations relate peak discharges with 0.5, 0.2, 0.1, 0.04, 0.02, 0.01, 0.005, and 0.002 exceedance probabilities to basin and climatic parameters. Standard errors of estimate ranged from 42 to 70 percent for the eastern river basins and from 32 to 68 percent for the western river basins. The defined estimating relations do not apply to streams where the flood flows are significantly affected by regulation where the usable man-made storage is over 4.5 million cubic feet per square mile, or by diversions or urbanization, or where the basin indices are outside a specified range. Also, these equations should not be used for basins in eastern Plymouth County, or Barnstable, Dukes, or Nantucket Counties where the available data are insufficient to determine the influence of high infiltration and storage capacities of drainage basins on flood flows. (Woodard-USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report

Hydrology and water resources of the Charles River basin, Massachusetts

The Charles River basin encompasses about 300 square miles of gently rolling to hilly terrain, with altitudes ranging from 586 feet in Hopkinton to below 10 feet in Boston, Mass. The area is essentially urban, although the towns in the upper basin still retain some rural character. The population of the middle and upper parts increased 80 percent between 1950 and 1970, while the population in the lower part declined 4 percent. This atlas summarizes the water resources and associated water problems of the area. The investigation upon which the atlas is based was made from 1968 to 1971 and is part of a series covering the major river basins in Massachusetts. The study area includes 251 sq mi of drainage area above the gaging station at Waltham. (Woodard-USGS)

Hydrologic Atlas