Geology topics

Terence Messinger

Publications and source records attributed to Terence Messinger.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2026

Estimation of magnitude and frequency of floods for rural, unregulated streams in and near Virginia and West Virginia

Magnitude and frequency of annual peak streamflows were computed for 813 streamgages on rural, unregulated streams with annual peak streamflow data from 1791 through the 2021 water years in and near Virginia and West Virginia. The study was done in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the West Virginia Department of Transportation, and the Virginia Department of Transportation. Regression equations were developed for estimating flood frequency and magnitude. Twelve regions with homogeneous flood characteristics were identified. Generalized least squares regression equations relating logarithmic-transformed drainage area and peak streamflow were developed for the 0.5, 0.2, 0.1, 0.04, 0.02, 0.01, 0.005, and 0.002 annual exceedance probabilities (AEPs). Drainage area was the only significant variable for all equations. The range of drainage areas used to develop the equations differed for each region; the smallest drainage area in any region was 0.21 square miles (mi 2 ) and the largest drainage area in any region is 2,966 mi 2 . Pseudo coefficient of determination (pseudo- R 2 ) values for regression equations ranged from 0.481 to 0.995 for all regions and AEPs. Performance metrics and diagnostic plots indicated that equations for 11 of the 12 regions showed generally good performance, with pseudo- R 2 values ranging from 0.762 to 0.968 for the 0.01 AEP. The overall average change in at-site 0.01 AEP annual peak streamflows at individual streamgages was 0.5 percent compared to the most recent 2011 Virginia study and 2.3 percent compared to the most recent 2010 West Virginia study. Changes from the previous studies for estimates from regional equations for the 0.01 AEP, solved specifically for a 50 mi 2 basin, ranged from a 30 percent increase to a 45 percent decrease in areas where the previous regions overlapped with the current regions by 750 mi 2 or more. New regional skews were developed using Bayesian weighted least-squares/Bayesian generalized least-squares regression for two skew regions that included the study area. A constant regional skew of 0.50 was computed for streams in Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland that drain to the Atlantic Ocean. A constant regional skew of 0.048 was computed for streams that drain to the Gulf of America, including streams in Kentucky and Tennessee, most of West Virginia, far southwestern Virginia, and part of western Maryland. About 12 percent of the 418 streamgages with 30 or more gaged peaks had statistically significant (p-value [significance level] less than or equal to 0.05) trends, with 40 of these exhibiting positive trends and 11 exhibiting negative trends. Streamgages with 30 percent or greater development were excluded from regression analyses. A regulation index was developed that accounted for storage and drainage area of dams and drainage area at the streamgage; a value of 0.0040 or more for the regulation index indicates regulated peak streamflow. Frequency analyses were done at 86 streamgages on regulated streams. Regression procedures developed in this study are applicable only to rural, unregulated streams within Virginia and West Virginia with drainage basins that (1) are within the range of drainage areas used to develop the equations for each region, (2) included less than 30 percent of developed area, and (3) had a regulation index less than 0.0040.

Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylv↗

USGS2024

Improving time of concentration estimates for small rural watersheds in the Appalachian Plateaus physiographic province, West Virginia

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, compared time of concentration (T c ) and related runoff characteristics measured at four field sites in West Virginia to estimates of these values made using accepted methods. These four sites were selected to represent a range of basin size, length, and slope, and a range of estimated T c . Instrumentation included a rain gage and a streamgage at all sites. Two streamgages, USGS station number (no.) 03159718 Grasslick Creek tributary above Interstate 77 near Fairplain, West Virginia, (referred to as Fairplain in this report) and USGS station no. 03159823 Grass Run tributary above Interstate 77 near Ripley, W. Va., (referred to as Ripley in this report) were near each other in northwestern West Virginia at the outlets of small basins with moderate slope. The largest, longest, and flattest basin in the study was upstream from USGS station no. 03190307 Hedricks Creek Tributary above US–19 near Hico, W. Va. (Hico). The final gaged basin in the study, that of USGS station no. 03197062 Cookman Fork at Interstate 79 near Wallback, W. Va., (Wallback) in central West Virginia, had a drainage area nearly as large as Hico, but the basin was more compact. Precipitation and streamflow data were collected at the streamgages between October 2017 and July 2020. Storms were identified and classified through an iterative process relying on inspecting graphs created from the precipitation and streamflow data. Three hydrograph time metrics that represent T c were computed for this study: time to rise, time to recede from a high point on the hydrograph to an inflection on the recession, and the time between an inflection on the hyetograph and an inflection on the recession of the hydrograph (precipitation inflection to recession inflection or PI-to-RI). Hico had the slowest time metrics: the streamgage had an average T c of 34 and 32 minutes for time to rise and time to recede, respectively. The time between the PI-to-RI at Hico, 38 minutes, was the longest for any of the characteristics at any of the streamgages. Wallback had the second slowest time metrics. At Wallback, average T c for time to rise and time to recede was similar, 23 and 25 minutes, respectively. The average time between the PI-to-RI for Wallback was greater than its time to rise or time to recede, 32 minutes. At Fairplain and Ripley, time to rise was 18 and 19 minutes, time to recede was 14 and 16 minutes, and time between the PI-to-RI was 22 and 27 minutes, respectively. At Ripley, PI-to-RI and time to rise were significantly different from each other. Differences in metrics were not statistically significant (p ≤0.05) among streamgages. At all streamgages, predictions made with the “Rational Method” were within one average standard deviation of the overall mean T c . The Rational Method was applied following two different procedures— (1) channel geometry was estimated using professional judgment and (2) channel geometry estimates were adjusted using regional equations. The three different time metrics had an inconsistent relation with the estimates. Some of the predictions differed from individual hydrograph time metrics by more than one standard deviation. Predicted values for the 10-year storm were within the interquartile range (IQR) for 4 of 12 combinations of streamgages and time metrics. Adjusted T c predictions were within the IQR of PI-to-RI for Fairplain and Wallback, longer than the IQR of observed PI-to-RI at Hico, and shorter than the IQR of observed PI-to-RI at Ripley. The adjusted predictions of T c were within the IQR of time-to-rise for Hico and Fairplain and were longer than the IQR for Ripley and Wallback. At Ripley, the predictions were not within the IQR for either PI-to-RI or time to rise, but instead, were between them. These lines of evidence do not indicate large, systematic errors in T c estimates.

West Virginia↗

USGS2023

Drought-vulnerability assessment of public water systems in West Virginia

Water withdrawn from rivers and streams accounts for approximately 80 percent of the public water supply in West Virginia. Localized and (or) seasonal droughts may threaten future water availability in the state, particularly in rural communities located in the headwaters of unregulated watersheds. Monthly water withdrawal data obtained from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Large Quantity User program’s regulatory database was used to calculate all-time, seasonal, and monthly 75th quantile withdrawal rates for 109 public water system (PWS) intakes withdrawing from surface waters in West Virginia. A drought-vulnerability assessment value was calculated by comparing PWS withdrawal rates to the 1-day, 10-year hydrologically based streamflow statistic (1Q10) for 71 of the 109 PWS in locations with valid streamflow statistics. Withdrawal rates were evaluated against thresholds representing different levels of drought-related impacts from the West Virginia interagency drought plan and ecological-flow literature. The drought-vulnerability assessment found 33 of 71 PWS have 75th quantile withdrawal rates greater than 100 percent of 1Q10 streamflow. Forty-five of 71 PWS have 75th quantile withdrawal rates more than 10 percent of 1Q10 streamflow, suggesting some level of ecological impairment during severe drought. Additionally, a publicly available, near real-time drought-awareness web tool was created to compare the estimated withdrawal rate for 109 PWS to forecast streamflows from the National Water Model to support decision-making for emergency and water managers.

West Virginia↗

USGS2022

Occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and inorganic analytes in groundwater and surface water used as sources for public water supply in West Virginia

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely observed anthropogenic compounds found in water supplies worldwide and increasingly linked with adverse health effects in humans. In 2019, the West Virginia Legislature recognized the contamination risk to public source-water supplies posed by PFAS and passed a resolution that required a statewide PFAS study. The purpose of the resolution was to understand the occurrence and distribution of PFAS contamination throughout the State’s rivers, lakes, and groundwater aquifers. The U.S. Geological Survey has worked in cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to collect raw-water samples at 279 public-water systems across West Virginia. Public-water systems sampled for this study were identified by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources and included all community water systems in the State and all daycares and schools that operate their own water systems. Raw source water was sampled for both groundwater and surface-water sites at the first available tap in the public-water system, prior to any treatment. One hundred and seventy-three samples were collected from groundwater sources and 106 samples were collected from surface-water sources. Parameters collected at the time of sampling included pH, specific conductance, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and alkalinity. PFAS was analyzed at all 279 sites, major ions and trace elements were analyzed at 272 sites, and nutrients were analyzed at 270 sites. The type of source water used for public supply in West Virginia is generally dependent on geology with more groundwater sites sampled in high-yield aquifers such as karst and alluvium. Surface-water sites were more evenly distributed throughout the State and are often the only source used in areas underlain by lower-yielding fractured-rock aquifers. Twenty-four percent of the sites sampled for this study had at least 1 PFAS detected, 47 of which were in groundwater sources and 20 in surface-water sources. Five sites exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory for combined perfluorooctanoate and perfluorooctanesulfonate concentrations of 70 nanograms per liter. These sites were located in highly susceptible karst and alluvial groundwater aquifers on the east and west sides of the State. Higher PFAS concentrations were more commonly found in groundwater than surface-water sources, and high concentrations and PFAS detections were generally concentrated in the Ohio River Valley and West Virginia’s eastern panhandle. PFAS was rarely detected in groundwater sites in fractured-rock aquifers and abandoned underground coal-mine aquifers in the Appalachian Plateaus Physiographic Province had very little PFAS detected. These data represent a baseline summary of source water in West Virginia. Additional studies may be needed to understand exposure to private homeowners with domestic-water sources, variability of PFAS concentrations over time, and PFAS in finished drinking water as evaluated by current and future drinking-water regulations.

West Virginia↗

USGS2018

Rating stability, and frequency and magnitude of shifts, for streamgages in Virginia through water year 2013

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, has quantified several measures of rating stability and the frequency and magnitude of changes to ratings through time for 174 real-time continuous streamgages active in Virginia as of September 30, 2013. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were fitted through all available flow measurements for all the streamgages in Virginia’s real-time network as of September 30, 2013, with at least 20 flow measurements with positive flow values. For each measurement with a positive flow value, residuals from the GAM curve were calculated. Time series of these residuals were used to identify major changes to the control (the stream feature or features which control the relation between stage and flow); the measurements in the periods of equilibrium between major changes were assigned to rating families. Of the 127 rating families that were identified as being distinct at sites, documented explanations were found for 67 of them. The most common reasons for the control to change enough to warrant a new rating family are moving the streamgage (28 times), floods (26 times), and construction activities (13 times). Provisional flow data from any streamgage that has recently experienced a major flood, regardless of historical stability, are more uncertain than usual until post-flood evidence emerges that the rating is stable, or if the rating has changed, until it is known to be well defined. A direct comparison between provisional flow data (those data originally displayed on the web in near-real time) and flow data approved for publication following subsequent flow measurements and review could not be made because provisional flow data have not been archived. As a substitute, alternative flow (AltFlow) tables were constructed for periods with complete records of shifts and ratings. Alternate flows consist of $Q$ same , the flow value from the shifted rating table used to compute the daily flow value at the time of the most recent flow measurement that corresponds to the gage height of each day’s daily flow value, and $Q$ prev , the flow value from the shifted rating table in effect at the time of the previous flow measurement that corresponds to the gage height of each day’s daily flow value. Several metrics that summarize AltFlow tables were computed and evaluated; particular importance was given to how well the metrics agreed with the descriptive stability class developed from interviews with hydrographers. Of these stability metrics, at least four were determined to be meaningful and to represent different aspects of control stability that might be relevant to water managers: total root mean square error between log-transformed $Q$ prev and $Q$ same , percentage of days when the difference between $Q$ prev and $Q$ same is greater than (>) $Q$ same , the sum of absolute AltFlow error divided by total flow, and percentage of days with zero difference between $Q$ prev and $Q$ same . Three other meaningful metrics of control stability or provisional flow-data quality were computed: R 2 (coefficient of determination) of GAMs from the flow measurements, percentage of total estimated days, and percentage of estimated days in the winter. Correlations among metrics varied, indicating they responded to different aspects of control stability. Relations among the various stability metrics and quantitative basin and site characteristics were weak. Although quantitative relations between stability metrics and basin and site characteristics were all weak, some common patterns still emerged. Controls and ratings on large streams [>500-square mile (mi 2 ) drainage area] and at high elevations (>1,000 feet) were more likely to be stable than controls and ratings on small streams (less than (<) 100-mi 2 drainage area) and at low elevations (<500 feet). There were exceptions to both generalizations, and streamgages that were intermediate in both characteristics varied widely in stability. Typical timing of record computation changed during water years 1991–2013. From 1991 through 2001, the median number of days between the start date of the shift and the date it was created fluctuated between about 240 and about 300 days and decreased by about 4 months from 2001 to 2002. Only in 2012 and 2013 did one-half of the shifts have a delay of about 60 days between start date and final modification.

Virginia↗

USGS2015

Annual and average estimates of water-budget components based on hydrograph separation and PRISM precipitation for gaged basins in the Appalachian Plateaus Region, 1900-2011

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Groundwater Resources Program study of the Appalachian Plateaus aquifers, annual and average estimates of water-budget components based on hydrograph separation and precipitation data from parameter-elevation regressions on independent slopes model (PRISM) were determined at 849 continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations from Mississippi to New York and covered the period of 1900 to 2011. Only complete calendar years (January to December) of streamflow record at each gage were used to determine estimates of base flow, which is that part of streamflow attributed to groundwater discharge; such estimates can serve as a proxy for annual recharge. For each year, estimates of annual base flow, runoff, and base-flow index were determined using computer programs—PART, HYSEP, and BFI—that have automated the separation procedures. These streamflow-hydrograph analysis methods are provided with version 1.0 of the U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Toolbox, which is a new program that provides graphing, mapping, and analysis capabilities in a Windows environment. Annual values of precipitation were estimated by calculating the average of cell values intercepted by basin boundaries where previously defined in the GAGES–II dataset. Estimates of annual evapotranspiration were then calculated from the difference between precipitation and streamflow.

Appalachian Plateaus Region↗

USGS2015

Water quality of groundwater and stream base flow in the Marcellus Shale Gas Field of the Monongahela River Basin, West Virginia, 2011-12

The Marcellus Shale gas field underlies portions of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Development of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technology led to extensive development of gas from the Marcellus Shale beginning about 2007. The need to identify and monitor changes in water-quality conditions related to development of the Marcellus Shale gas field prompted the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management, to document water quality for comparison with water quality in samples collected at a future date. The identification of change in water-quality conditions over time is more difficult if baseline water-quality conditions have not been documented. U.S. Geological Survey personnel sampled groundwater and surface water in West Virginia’s Monongahela River Basin during 2011–12. A groundwater survey, in which 39 wells and 2 springs were sampled, was conducted during June through September 2011. A base-flow survey was conducted during July through October 2012; 50 stream sites were sampled under base-flow conditions in this survey. Because additives to hydraulic fracturing fluids are variable and decrease in flowback water over a relatively short time, water-quality analyses for this study focused on documenting the water-quality characteristics typical of water from shallow aquifers; water derived from contact with the Marcellus Shale (flowback from hydraulic fracturing or formation water); and water with constituents from conventional oil and gas development, sewage effluent, and coal-mine drainage. All samples were analyzed for field properties (water temperature, pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity), major ions, trace elements, naturally occurring radioactive materials, and stable isotopes. In addition to documenting baseline water-quality conditions for an area of shale-gas development, these data were examined for patterns in water quality. Groundwater and base-flow survey data were compared to historical data from the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia. Additionally, groundwater- and base-flow survey samples were grouped by Marcellus Shale gas production in the subbasin in which that sampling site was located. The comparisons of data collected as part of this study with historical data identified few differences. No significant difference was found in a comparison of groundwater survey data and historical data. Base-flow survey samples differed significantly from historical data for pH, chloride, and strontium, all of which had higher concentrations in the base-flow survey samples. Differences in pH are likely related to changes in mining regulation beginning in 1977. Concentrations of chloride and strontium elevated above background concentrations may be related to saline groundwater; saline water is within 300 feet of the land surface in parts of the study area. In the comparison of base-flow survey samples grouped by shale-gas-production setting, significant differences were found for fluoride and barium. Concentrations of fluoride and barium were higher in stream subbasins with active Marcellus Shale production than in subbasins not near active Marcellus Shale production. Elevated fluoride and barium are associated with deep brines. Generally, naturally occurring radioactive materials were not found in elevated concentrations in either groundwater or base-flow samples. Only 3 samples, 2 from the groundwater survey and one from the base-flow survey, exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level for radium isotopes of 5.0 picocurie per liter for either a single isotope or a combined value of radium-226 and radium-228. Stable isotope composition indicates broad similarity among surface water, shallow groundwater, and precipitation in the region. Neither shallow groundwater nor surface water showed a marked similarity with the deep brines associated with shale gas. In most of the groundwater survey samples, 38 of 41 samples, dissolved gas profiles were similar to those previously found in samples from shallow, domestic wells in the region. This study provides a baseline of water-quality conditions in the Monongahela River Basin in West Virginia during the early phases of development of the Marcellus Shale gas field. Although not all inclusive, the results of this study provide a set of reliable water-quality data against which future data sets can be compared and the effects of shale-gas development may be determined.

West Virginia↗

USGS2014

Correlations of daily flows at streamgages in and near West Virginia, 1930-2011, and streamflow characteristics relevant to the use of index streamgages

Correlation of flows at pairs of streamgages were evaluated using a Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient to better identify gages that can be used as index gages to estimate daily flow at ungaged stream sites in West Virginia. Much of West Virginia (77 percent) is within areas where Spearman’s rho for daily streamflow between streamgages on unregulated streams (unregulated streamgages) is greater than 0.9; most withdrawals from ungaged streams for shale gas well hydraulic fracturing are being made in these areas. Most of West Virginia (>99 percent) is within zones where Spearman’s rho between streamgages on unregulated streams is greater than 0.85. Withdrawals for hydraulic fracturing are made from ungaged streams in areas where Spearman’s rho between streamgages on unregulated streams is less than 0.9, but because spatial correlation is partly a function of the density of the streamgaging network, adding or reactivating several streamgages would be likely to result in correlations of 0.90 or higher in these areas. Seasonal differences in the strength and spatial extent of correlations of daily streamflows are great. The strongest correlations among streamgages are for fall, followed by spring, then winter. One possible explanation for the weak correlations for summer may be that precipitation and runoff associated with convective storms affect one basin and miss nearby basins. A comparison of correlation patterns during previously identified climatic periods shows that the strongest correlations occurred during 1963–69, a period of drought, and the weakest during 1970–79, a wet period. The apparent effect of frequent rain during 1970–79 overshadowed streamgage-network density, which was at its historic maximum in West Virginia at that time, so that the extent of areas with high correlation to at least one streamgage was smaller during 1970–79 than during 1963–69. Correlations for 1992 to 2011 were slightly weaker than those for 1963 to 1969. The relation between correlation and distance between basin centroids was determined to be stronger for streamgage pairs in the Ohio River Basin than for pairs in the Atlantic Slope River Basins, which in turn was stronger than the relation between pairs of streamgages split between the two major basins. Quantile regression equations were developed for these three comparisons to estimate the Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient for streamgage pairs using distance between basin centroids as a predictor variable. The equations can be used for streamgage network planning. For the Ohio River Basin, the distance between basin centroids at which 50 percent of streamgage pairs would exceed a Spearman’s rho of 0.95 is 9 miles. The distance between basin centroids at which 50 percent of streamgage pairs would exceed a Spearman’s rho of 0.90 is 25 miles, and the distance at which 50 percent of streamgage pairs would exceed a Spearman’s rho of 0.85 is 48 miles. For the Atlantic Slope River Basins, the distance between basin centroids at which 50 percent of streamgage pairs would exceed a Spearman’s rho of 0.95 is 1 mile. The distance between basin centroids at which 50 percent of streamgage pairs would exceed a Spearman’s rho of 0.90 is 13 miles, and the distance at which 50 percent of streamgage pairs would exceed a Spearman’s rho of 0.85 is 41 miles. For pairs of streamgages split between the two major basins, the regression equation gives a value of 0.84 for the correlation coefficient at zero miles. On maps of correlations, the shape of strongly correlated areas for streamgages in the Ohio River Basin is generally round. In the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province, which generally coincides with the Atlantic Slope River Basins within the study area, areas strongly correlated with streamgages generally coincide with major valleys.

West Virginia↗

USGS2013

Estimation of traveltime and longitudinal dispersion in streams in West Virginia

Traveltime and dispersion data are important for understanding and responding to spills of contaminants in waterways. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Office of Environmental Health Services, compiled and evaluated traveltime and longitudinal dispersion data representative of many West Virginia waterways. Traveltime and dispersion data were not available for streams in the northwestern part of the State. Compiled data were compared with estimates determined from national equations previously published by the USGS. The evaluation summarized procedures and examples for estimating traveltime and dispersion on streams in West Virginia. National equations developed by the USGS can be used to predict traveltime and dispersion for streams located in West Virginia, but the predictions will be less accurate than those made with graphical interpolation between measurements. National equations for peak concentration, velocity of the peak concentration, and traveltime of the leading edge had root mean square errors (RMSE) of 0.426 log units (127 percent), 0.505 feet per second (ft/s), and 3.78 hours (h). West Virginia data fit the national equations for peak concentration, velocity of the peak concentration, and traveltime of the leading edge with RMSE of 0.139 log units (38 percent), 0.630 ft/s, and 3.38 h, respectively. The national equation for maximum possible velocity of the peak concentration exceeded 99 percent and 100 percent of observed values from the national data set and West Virginia-only data set, respectively. No RMSE was reported for time of passage of a dye cloud, as estimated using the national equation; however, the estimates made using the national equations had a root mean square error of 3.82 h when compared to data gathered for this study. Traveltime and dispersion estimates can be made from the plots of traveltime as a function of streamflow and location for streams with plots available, but estimates can be made using the national equations for streams without plots. The estimating procedures are not valid for regulated stream reaches that were not individually studied or streamflows outside the limits studied. Rapidly changing streamflow and inadequate mixing across the stream channel affect traveltime and dispersion, and reduce the accuracy of estimates. Increases in streamflow typically result in decreases in the peak concentration and traveltime of the peak concentration. Decreases in streamflow typically result in increases in the peak concentration and traveltime of the peak concentration. Traveltimes will likely be less than those determined using the estimating equations and procedures if the spill is in the center of the stream, and traveltimes will likely be greater than those determined using the estimating equations and procedures if the spill is near the streambank.

West Virginia↗

USGS2009

Regional Curves for Bankfull Channel Characteristics in the Appalachian Plateaus, West Virginia

Streams in the Appalachian Plateaus Physiographic Province in West Virginia were classified as a single region on the basis of bankfull characteristics. Regression lines for annual peak flow and drainage area measured at streamgages in the study area at recurrence intervals between 1.2 and 1.7 years fell within the 99-percent confidence interval of the regression line for bankfull flow. Channel characteristics were intermediate among those from surrounding states and regions where comparable studies have been done. The stream reaches that were surveyed were selected for apparent stability, and to represent gradients of drainage area, elevation, and mean annual precipitation. Profiles of high-water marks left by bankfull and near-bankfull peaks were surveyed, either as part of slope-area flow measurements at ungaged reaches, or to transfer known flow information to cross sections for gaged reaches. The slope-area measurements made it possible to include ungaged sites in the study, but still relate bankfull dimensions to peak flow and frequency.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2005

Development and analysis of regional curves for streams in the non-urban valley and ridge physiographic province, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia

Regression relations for bankfull stream characteristics based on drainage area (often called 'regional curves') are used in natural stream channel design to verify field determinations of bankfull discharge and stream channel characteristics. Bankfull stream characteristics were assessed for stream reaches at 41 streamflow-gaging stations in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Data collected included bankfull cross-sectional geometry, flood plain geometry, and longitudinal profile data. In addition, particle-size distributions of streambed material were determined and data on basin characteristics were compiled for each reach. Regional curves were developed for bankfull cross-sectional area, width, and discharge with R2 values of 0.95, 0.89, 0.87, and 0.91, respectively. Examination of the regional curves residuals indicates that there is more variability in bankfull cross-sectional area, width, and discharge for smaller streams than for larger streams. In contrast, there is more variability for bankfull mean depth for larger streams than for smaller streams. Geographic analysis of regional curve residuals indicated that there were no further subdivisions within the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in the three-state study area for which individual sets of regional curves should be developed. In addition, two separate sets of regional curves were developed with data from the 41 sites to examine potential differences in the relations between the southern (n = 9) and central (n = 32) sections of the province. There were differences in slope and intercept between the two bankfull discharge test relations and a difference in intercept for the width test relations at the 95-percent confidence level. However, the results of this analysis were inconclusive and therefore one set of regional curves for the study area is presented in this report. The regional curves were compared to regression models developed from similar data collected in the Pennsylvania and Maryland portions of the province. No statistical difference in the slope or intercept of regression lines of the three data sets was detected for any of the four bankfull parameters at the 95-percent confidence level. Basin characteristics such as percentage of basin forested (percent forested) and percentage of basin underlain by carbonate bedrock (percent carbonate) were analyzed to evaluate variability among regression points. Multivariate regression relations including explanatory terms for percent carbonate and drainage area produced higher R2 values than the regional curves for bankfull cross-sectional area (R2 = 0.95), bankfull width (R2 = 0.92), and bankfull discharge (R2 = 0.93). There was no improvement for the bankfull mean depth relation from adding the additional term. Inclusion of the other basin characteristics in multivariate relations did not improve the regression models. Regression models developed for the 1.5-year discharge for all streamflow-gaging stations with peak discharge data throughout Virginia (n = 486) and throughout the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Virginia (n = 147) were compared to the regional curve relating bankfull discharge to drainage area. A similar trend in decreasing variability with increasing drainage area was observed for the 1.5-year discharge for all stations in Virginia . This indicates that the change in variability observed in the discharge regional curve likely would exist with a larger data set. There was no statistical difference at the 95-percent confidence level between regression relations for the southern section of the province (n = 40) and the central section (n = 107). This finding supports maintaining only one set of regional curves for the study area. Not all of the variability in the regional curves is explained by drainage area alone. Causes of the remaining variability likely vary among study sites. Users of the regional curves developed in this study are cautioned that, because of inherent variability in hydrologic data, a thorough analysis of the fluvial system and the drainage basin is necessary when evaluating the bankfull characteristics of a stream.

Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia↗

USGS2004

Regional Relations in Bankfull Channel Characteristics determined from flow measurements at selected stream-gaging stations in West Virginia, 1911-2002

Three bankfull channel characteristics?cross-sectional area, width, and depth?were significantly correlated with drainage area in regression equations developed for two regions in West Virginia. Channel characteristics were determined from analysis of flow measurements made at 74 U.S. Geological Survey stream-gaging stations at flows between 0.5 and 5.0 times bankfull flow between 1911 and 2002. Graphical and regression analysis were used to delineate an 'Eastern Region' and a 'Western Region,' which were separated by the boundary between the Appalachian Plateaus and Valley and Ridge Physiographic Provinces. Streams that drained parts of both provinces had channel characteristics typical of the Eastern Region, and were grouped with it. Standard error for the six regression equations, three for each region, ranged between 8.7 and 16 percent. Cross-sectional area and depth were greater relative to drainage area for the Western Region than they were for the Eastern Region. Regression equations were defined for streams draining between 46.5 and 1,619 square miles for the Eastern Region, and between 2.78 and 1,354 square miles for the Western Region. Stream-gaging stations with two or more cross sections where flow had been measured at flows between 0.5 and 5.0 times the 1.5-year flow showed poor replication of channel characteristics compared to the 95-percent confidence intervals of the regression, suggesting that within-reach variability for the stream-gaging stations may be substantial. A disproportionate number of the selected stream-gaging stations were on large (drainage area greater than 100 square miles) streams in the central highlands of West Virginia, and only one stream-gaging station that met data-quality criteria was available to represent the region within about 50 miles of the Ohio River north of Parkersburg, West Virginia. Many of the cross sections were at bridges, which can change channel shape. Although the data discussed in this report may not be representative of channelcharacteristics on many or most streams, the regional equations in this report provide useful information for field identification of bankfull indicators.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2003

Comparison of storm response of streams in small, unmined and valley-filled watersheds, 1999-2001, Ballard fork, West Virginia

During storms when rainfall intensity exceeded about 1 inch per hour, peak unit runoff from the Unnamed Tributary (surface-mined and filled) Watershed exceeded peak unit runoff from the Spring Branch (unmined) Watershed in the Ballard Fork Watershed in southern West Virginia. During most storms, those with intensity less than about 1 inch per hour, peak unit (area-normalized) flows were greater from the Spring Branch Watershed than the Unnamed Tributary Watershed. One storm that produced less than an inch of rain before flow from the previous storm had receded caused peak unit flow from the Unnamed Tributary Watershed to exceed peak unit flow from the Spring Branch Watershed. Peak unit flow was usually similar in Spring Branch and Ballard Fork. Peak unit flows are expected to decrease with increasing watershed size in homogeneous watersheds; drainage area and proportion of the three watersheds covered by valley fills are 0.19 square mile (mi?) and 44 percent for the Unnamed Tributary Watershed, 0.53 mi? and 0 percent for the Spring Branch Watershed, and 2.12 mi? and 12 percent for the Ballard Fork Watershed. Following all storms with sufficient rainfall intensity, about 0.25 inches per hour, the storm hydrograph from the Unnamed Tributary Watershed showed a double peak, as a sharp initial rise was followed by a decrease in flow and then a delayed secondary peak of water that had apparently flowed through the valley fill. Hortonian (excess overland) flow may be important in the Unnamed Tributary Watershed during intense storms, and may cause the initial peak on the rising arm of storm hydrographs; the water composing the initial peaks may be conveyed by drainage structures on the mine. Ballard Fork and Spring Branch had hydrographs with single peaks, typical of elsewhere in West Virginia. During all storms with 1-hour rainfall greater than 0.75 inches or 24-hour rainfall greater than 1.75 inches during which all stream gages recorded a complete record, the Unnamed Tributary yielded the most total unit flow. In three selected major storms, total unit flow from the Unnamed Tributary during recessions exceeded storm flow, and its total unit flow was greatest among the streams during all three recessions. Runoff patterns from the mined watershed are influenced by the compaction of soils on the mine, the apparent low maximum rate of infiltration into the valley fill compared to that in the unmined, forested watershed, storage of water in the valley fill, and the absence of interception from trees and leaf litter. No storms during this study produced 1-hour or 24-hour rainfall in excess of the 5-year return period, and streamflow during this study never exceeded a magnitude equivalent to the 1.5-year return period; relative peak unit flow among the three streams in this study could be different in larger storms. Rainfall-runoff relations on altered landscapes are site-specific, and aspects of mining and reclamation practice that affect storm response may vary among mines.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2003

Relations between precipitation and daily and monthly mean flows in gaged, unmined and valley-filled watersheds, Ballard Fork, West Virginia, 1999-2001

Large-scale surface mining using valley fills has changed hydrologic storage and processes in the Ballard Fork Watershed in West Virginia. Total unit flow for the 2-year study period (November 15, 1999?November 14, 2001) on the Unnamed Tributary (extensively mined) (11,700 cubic feet per second per square mile) was almost twice that on Spring Branch (unmined) (6,260 cubic feet per second per square mile), and about 1.75 times that on Ballard Fork (downstream, partly mined) (6,690 cubic feet per second per square mile). Unit flow from the Unnamed Tributary exceeded that from the other two streams for all flows analyzed (5?95 percent duration). Unit flow from Ballard Fork exceeded unit flow from Spring Branch about 80 percent of the time, but was about the same for high flows (less than 20 percent duration). The proportional differences among sites were greatest at low flows. Spring Branch was dry for several days in October and November 2000 and for most of October 2001, and the Unnamed Tributary had flow throughout the study period. The increase in flows from mined parts of the Ballard Fork Watershed appears to result from decreases in evapotranspiration caused by removal of trees and soil during mining. During both years, evapotranspiration from the Spring Branch Watershed greatly exceeded that from the Unnamed Tributary Watershed during May through October, when leaves were open. Evapotranspiration from the Unnamed Tributary Watershed slightly exceeded that from the Spring Branch Watershed in February and March during both years. Evapotranspiration, as a percentage of total rainfall, decreased from the first to the second, drier, year from the Unnamed Tributary Watershed (from 61 percent to 49 percent) but changed little from the Spring Branch (from 77 to 76 percent) and Ballard Fork (73 to 76 percent) Watersheds. Precipitation and flow during the study period at three nearby long-term sites, the U.S. Geological Survey stream-gaging station East Fork Twelvepole Creek near Dunlow, West Virginia, and two National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration rain gages at Madison and Dunlow, West Virginia, were less than long-term annual averages. Relations observed among the three streams in the Ballard Fork Watershed during this study may not represent those in years when annual precipitation and flow are closer to long-term averages.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2002

Reconnaissance for selected pathogens, and review of pertinent literature, for the New River Gorge National River, West Virginia, 2000

Giardia and enteric viruses were detected in a reconnaissance study of Madam Creek and Dunloup Creek, two tributaries of the New River Gorge National River, in 2000. Cryptosporidium and pathogenic bacteria were not detected in these tributaries. The two streams were identified in previous studies as consistently having some of the highest indicator-bacteria concentrations among New River Gorge tributaries. This study used the best available commercial methods for identifying and enumerating pathogens. However, these methods were developed for regular monitoring at water-treatment facilities or documenting the causes of disease outbreaks, and provided ambiguous results when used in this occurrence study. The World Health Organization suggests a study design for monitoring recreational waters. Frequent sampling for multiple fecal indicator organisms is the recommended first step. Regression modeling that uses environmental characteristics measurable in real time to predict bacteria concentrations and make operational decisions is recommended for contaminated waters.

West Virginia↗

USGS2001

Benthic invertebrate communities and their responses to selected environmental factors in the Kanawha River basin, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina

The effects of selected environmental factors on the composition and structure of benthic invertebrate communities in the Kanawha River Basin of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina were investigated in 1997 and 1998. Environmental factors investigated include physiography, land-use pattern, streamwater chemistry, streambed- sediment chemistry, and habitat characteristics. Land-use patterns investigated include coal mining, agriculture, and low intensity rural-residential patterns, at four main stem and seven tributary sites throughout the basin. Of the 37 sites sampled, basin size and physiography most strongly affected benthic invertebrate-community structure. Land-use practices also affected invertebrate community structure in these basins. The basins that differed most from the minimally affected reference condition were those basins in which coal mining was the dominant nonforest land use, as determined by comparing invertebrate- community metric values among sites. Basins in which agriculture was important were more similar to the reference condition. The effect of coal mining upon benthic invertebrate communities was further studied at 29 sites and the relations among invertebrate communities and the selected environmental factors of land use, streamwater chemistry, streambed- sediment chemistry, and habitat characteristics analyzed. Division of coal-mining synoptic-survey sites based on invertebrate-community composition resulted in two groups?one with more than an average production of 9,000 tons of coal per square mile per year since 1980, and one with lesser or no recent coal production. The group with significant recent coal production showed higher levels of community impairment than the group with little or no recent coal production. Median particle size of streambed sediment, and specific conductance and sulfate concentration of streamwater were most strongly correlated with effects on invertebrate communities. These characteristics were related to mining intensity, as measured by thousands of tons of coal produced per square mile of drainage area.

North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia↗

USGS2000

Water quality in the Kanawha-New River basin: West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, 1996-98

This report summarizes major findings about water quality in the Kanawha-New River basin that emerged from an assessment conducted between 1996 and 1998 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Water quality is discussed in terms of local and regional issues and compared to conditions found in all 36 NAWQA study areas assessed to date. Findings also are explained in the context of selected national benchmarks, such as those for drinking-water quality and the protection of aquatic organisms.

North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia↗

USGS2000

Environmental setting and its relations to water quality in the Kanawha River basin

The Kanawha River and its major tributary, the New River, drain 12,233 mi2 in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. Altitude ranges from about 550 ft to more than 4,700 ft. The Kanawha River Basin is mountainous, and includes parts of three physiographic provinces, the Blue Ridge (17 percent), Valley and Ridge (23 percent), and Appalachian Plateaus (60 percent). In the Appalachian Plateaus Province, little of the land is flat, and most of the flat land is in the flood plains and terraces of streams; this has caused most development in this part of the basin to be near streams. The Blue Ridge Province is composed of crystalline rocks, and the Valley and Ridge and Appalachian Plateaus Provinces contain both carbonate and clastic rocks. Annual precipitation ranges from about 36 in. to more than 60 in., and is orographically affected, both locally and regionally. Average annual air temperature ranges from about 43ºF to about 55ºF, and varies with altitude but not physiographic province. Precipitation is greatest in the summer and least in the winter, and has the least seasonal variation in the Blue Ridge Province. In 1990, the population of the basin was about 870,000, of whom about 25 percent lived in the Charleston, W. Va. metropolitan area. About 75 million tons of coal were mined in the Kanawha River Basin in 1998. This figure represents about 45 percent of the coal mined in West Virginia, and about seven percent of the coal mined in the United States. Dominant forest types in the basin are Northern Hardwood, Oak-Pine, and Mixed Mesophytic. Agricultural land use is more common in the Valley and Ridge and Blue Ridge Provinces than in the Appalachian Plateaus Province. Cattle are the principal agricultural products of the basin. Streams in the Blue Ridge Province and Allegheny Highlands have the most runoff in the basin, and streams in the Valley and Ridge Province and the southwestern Appalachian Plateaus have the least runoff. Streamflow is greatest in the spring and least in the autumn. About 61 percent of the basin's population use surface water from public supply for their domestic needs; about 30 percent use self-supplied ground water, and about nine percent use ground water from public supply. In 1995, total withdrawal of water in the basin was about 1,130 Mgal/d. Total consumptive use was about 118 Mgal/d. Surface water in the Blue Ridge Province is usually dilute (less than 100 mg/L dissolved solids) and well aerated. Dissolved- solids concentrations in streams of the Valley and Ridge Province at low flow are typically greater (150-180 mg/L) than those in the Blue Ridge Province. The Appalachian Plateaus Province contains streams with the most dilute (less than 30 mg/L dissolved solids) and least dilute (more than 500 mg/L dissolved solids) water in the basin. Coal mining has degraded more miles of streams in the basin than any other land use. Streams that receive coal-mine drainage may be affected by sedimentation, and typically contain high concentrations of sulfate, iron, and manganese. Other major water-quality issues include inadequate domestic sewage treatment, present and historic disposal of industrial wastes, and logging, which results in the addition of sediment, nutrients, and other constituents to the water. One hundred eighteen fish species are reported from the Kanawha River system downstream from Kanawha Falls. Of these, 15 are listed as possible, probable, or known introductions. None of these fish species is endemic to the Kanawha River Basin. The New River system has only 46 native fishes, the lowest ratio of native fishes to drainage area of any river system in the eastern United States, and the second-highest proportion of endemic fish species (eight of 46) of any river system in the eastern United States.

North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia↗