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Level II scour analysis for Bridge 39 (LOWETH00080039) on Town Highway 8, crossing Potter Brook, Lowell, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure LOWETH00080039 on Town Highway 8 crossing Potter Brook, Lowell, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province in north-central Vermont. The 4.69-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the surface cover consists of shrub and brushland, except for the left overbank upstream which is forest. In the study area, Potter Brook has a sinuous channel with a slope of approximately 0.004 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 34 feet and an average bank height of 3 ft. The predominant channel bed materials are gravel and sand with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 18.7 mm (0.0613 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on June 15, 1995, indicated that the reach was laterally unstable. This assessment of the reach was primarily due to the meandering of the channel with cut-banks and narrow point bars and the fine bank and bed material near the site. The Town Highway 8 crossing of Potter Brook is a 23-ft-long, one-lane bridge consisting of one 21-foot steel-beam span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, March 7, 1995). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The channel is skewed approximately 20 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-toroadway is zero degrees. A scour hole 2.0 feet deeper than the mean thalweg depth was observed along the left abutment during the Level I assessment. There were no scour protection measures evident at the site. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.3 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 1.8 to 5.5 feet. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 100-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

Geologic and geophysical data for wells drilled at Raft River Valley, Cassia County, Idaho, in 1977-1978 and data for wells drilled previously

In order to better define the size of the thermal anomaly in the Raft River Valley, Idaho, the U.S. Geological Survey drilled a series of intermediate-depth (nominal 500-ft depth) wells in 1977 and 1978. This report presents geologic, geophysical, and temperature data for these drill holes, along with data for five wells drilled by the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory with U.S. Department of Energy Funding. Data previously reported for other drill holes are also included in order to make them available as digital files. For purposes of defining the thermal anomaly for the geothermal system, temperature gradients are calculated over long depth intervals on the basis of the appearance of reasonable linear segments on a temperature versus plot depth. Temperature versus depth data for some drill holes can be represented by a single gradient, whereas others require multiple gradients to match the data. Data for some drill holes clearly reflect vertical flows of water in the formation surrounding the drill holes, and water velocities are calculated for these drill holes. Within The Narrows area, temperature versus depth data show reversals at different depth in different drill holes. In the main thermal area, temperatures in intermediate-depth drill holes vary approximately linearly but with very high values of temperature gradient. Temperature gradients on a map of the area can be reasonable divided into a large area of regional gradients and smaller areas defining the thermal anomalies.

Idaho↗

Definitions of database files and fields of the Personal Computer-Based Water Data Sources Directory

This report describes the data-base files and fields of the personal computer-based Water Data Sources Directory (WDSD). The personal computer-based WDSD was derived from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mainframe computer version. The mainframe version of the WDSD is a hierarchical data-base design. The personal computer-based WDSD is a relational data- base design. This report describes the data-base files and fields of the relational data-base design in dBASE IV (the use of brand names in this abstract is for identification purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey) for the personal computer. The WDSD contains information on (1) the type of organization, (2) the major orientation of water-data activities conducted by each organization, (3) the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of offices within each organization from which water data may be obtained, (4) the types of data held by each organization and the geographic locations within which these data have been collected, (5) alternative sources of an organization's data, (6) the designation of liaison personnel in matters related to water-data acquisition and indexing, (7) the volume of water data indexed for the organization, and (8) information about other types of data and services available from the organization that are pertinent to water-resources activities.

Open-File Report↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 8 (BARTTH00020008) on Town Highway 2, crossing Roaring Brook, Barton, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure BARTTH00020008 on town highway 2 crossing Roaring Brook, Barton, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from VTAOT files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and can be found in Appendix D. The site is in the New England Upland section of the New England physiographic province of North-central Vermont in the town of Barton. The 9.89-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the banks have woody vegetation coverage except for the downstream left bank, which has a few trees and grass and brush coverage. In the study area, Roaring Brook has an incised, sinuous channel with a slope of approximately 0.019 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 35 ft and an average channel depth of 3 ft. The predominant channel bed material is gravel/cobble (D 50 is 49.1 mm or 0.161 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on October 18, 1994 indicated that the reach was laterally unstable. A cut-bank on the downstream right bank and overall channel configuration in the valley are indications of the lateral instability at this site. The town highway 2 crossing of Roaring Brook is a 30-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 26-foot span concrete T-beam type superstructure (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, August 4, 1994). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments. The channel is skewed approximately 15 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-to-roadway is zero degrees. A scour hole 2.5 ft deeper than the mean thalweg depth was observed near mid-channel downstream of the bridge during the Level I assessment. The only scour protection measure at the site was type-1 stone fill (less than 12 inches diameter) on the left upstream and downstream roadway embankments. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term aggradation or degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to reduction in flow area caused by a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute scour depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 1.4 to 2.8 feet and the worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 8.5 to 16.5 feet and the worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

Water-budget accounting for tropical regions model (WATRMod) documentation

Regional groundwater recharge commonly is estimated using a threshold-type water-budget approach in which groundwater recharge is assumed to occur when water in the plant-root zone exceeds the soil’s moisture storage capacity. A water budget of the plant-soil system accounts for water inputs (rainfall, fog interception, irrigation, septic-system leachate, and other inputs), water outputs (runoff, evaporation, transpiration, and recharge), and changes in stored water during a specified time interval. Water budgets can be computed on any desired interval, including annual, monthly, daily, and subdaily intervals. In general, uncertainty in recharge estimates is expected to be lower using daily or subdaily intervals relative to monthly and annual intervals. Average recharge rates computed over a period of a year or multiple years are commonly determined from water budgets computed using a daily computation interval capable of capturing rainfall and land-cover changes during the period. This report documents the Water-budget Accounting for Tropical Regions Model, or WATRMod, code that can be used to estimate spatially variable, daily water-budget components in tropical-island and other appropriate settings. The purpose of this report is to provide descriptions of WATRMod’s (1) approach to computing a daily water budget, (2) represented processes, (3) limitations, and (4) execution procedure, input requirements, output files, and example files. The model computes a daily water budget for each hydrologically independent subarea within the overall study area. A subarea is defined by its climatic, soil, land-cover, and human-related (for example, adding irrigation or other water) characteristics. The water-budget model can represent processes including rainfall, fog interception, irrigation, septic-system leachate, direct recharge that bypasses the plant-soil system, runoff, canopy evaporation in forested areas, evapotranspiration, and groundwater recharge. The water-budget model can represent either one of the following different accounting orders: (1) accounting for loss of water by evapotranspiration before accounting for recharge, and (2) accounting for recharge before accounting for evapotranspiration. WATRMod’s limitations include: (1) uncharacterized, subdaily transient changes in water inputs and outputs from the plant-soil system, (2) unrepresented precipitation in the form of snow and sublimation, and (3) routing runoff from one subarea to an adjacent subarea that is not directly represented.

Hawaii↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 7H (HUNTTH0001007H) on Town Highway 1, crossing Cobb Brook, Huntington, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure HUNTTH001007H on Town Highway 1 crossing the Cobb Brook, Huntington, Vermont (figures 1–10). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. In August 1976, Hurricane Belle caused flooding at this site which resulted in road and bridge damage (figures 7-8). This was approximately a 25-year flood event (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 1978). The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province in central Vermont. The 4.20-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the surface cover is forest upstream of the bridge. Downstream of the bridge is brushland and pasture. In the study area, the Cobb Brook has an incised, straight channel with a slope of approximately 0.03 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 43 ft and an average bank height of 6 ft. The channel bed material ranges from sand to boulders with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 65.5 mm (0.215 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on June 24, 1996, indicated that the reach was stable. The Town Highway 1 crossing of the Cobb Brook is a 23-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 20-foot concrete slab span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, June 21, 1996). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The channel is skewed approximately 15 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-to-roadway is zero degrees. A scour hole 2.8 ft deeper than the mean thalweg depth was observed along the left abutment during the Level I assessment. Protection measures at the site include type-1 stone fill (less than 12 inches diameter) at the downstream right wingwall, type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) at the upstream right wingwall and the downstream end of the downstream left wingwall, and type-3 stone fill (less than 48 inches diameter) at the upstream left wingwall. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.2 to 1.3 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient-overtopping discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 4.0 to 8.7 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 10. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 7 (CHESTH00030007) on Town Highway 3, crossing the South Branch Williams River, Chester, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure CHESTH00030007 on Town Highway 3 which is also State Route 35 crossing the South Branch Williams River, Chester, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the New England Upland section of the New England physiographic province in southern Vermont. The 10.4-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the surface cover is pasture on the upstream right bank while the immediate bank has some trees. Downstream of the bridge and the upstream left bank are forested. In the study area, the South Branch Williams River has an incised, sinuous channel with a slope of approximately 0.03 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 65 ft and an average bank height of 4 ft. The channel bed material ranges from gravel to boulder with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 70.5 mm (0.231 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on August 26, 1996, indicated that the reach was laterally unstable. There are cutbanks on both the left and right banks alternating with point bars in the upstream reach. The Town Highway 3 (VT 35) crossing of the South Branch Williams River is a 74-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 72-foot steel-beam span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, March 30, 1995). The bridge is supported by spill- through abutments. The channel is skewed approximately 5 degrees to the opening and the opening-skew-to-roadway is also 5 degrees. Three channel scour holes 1.0 ft deeper than the mean thalweg depth were observed during the Level I assessment in the upstream reach. There are no scour protection measures at the site. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.4 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 100-year. Abutment scour ranged from 4.1 to 15.5 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured- streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle- size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 1 (CANATH00010001) on Town Highway 1, crossing Halls Stream, Canaan, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure CANATH00010001 on town highway 1 crossing Halls Stream, Canaan, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). A Level I study is included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I study provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and can be found in Appendix D. The site is in the White Mountain section of the New England physiographic province of northeastern Vermont in the town of Canaan. The 89.5-mi2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the banks have tree, shrub and brush, and grass vegetation coverage. In the study area, Halls Stream has a sinuous channel with a slope of approx-imately 0.0012 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 109 ft and an average channel depth of 4 ft. The predominant channel bed materials are sand and gravel (D50 is 5.03 mm or 0.0165 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on October 27, 1994, indicated that the reach was laterally unstable. The lateral instability was evident due to a wide point-bar and cut-banks with undermining of bank material, slumping, fallen bank vegetation evident in the upstream channel. The town highway 1 crossing of Halls Stream is a 99-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 33-foot and two 31-foot concrete T-beam spans (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, August 5, 1994). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with spill-through embankments in front of each abutment wall. The channel is skewed approximately 10 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-to-roadway is zero degrees. There are two piers in the channel at this site. Field notes and the channel survey at the bridge indicate that the streambed elevation is higher on the downstream right sides of each pier and lower on the downstream left sides. This asymmetrical streambed condition suggests a flow attack angle may influence scour on each pier. Furthermore, field observations suggest that the flow attack angle is higher for the right pier (pier 2) than the left pier (pier 1). The scour protection measures at the site were type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) on both upstream banks and both downstream road embankments. Type-3 stone fill (less than 48 inches diameter) was found on the spill-through slopes of each abutment and both downstream banks. The stone fill protection on the spill-through embankment of the right abutment was noted as slumped with some of the fill material evident in the channel immediately downstream of the bridge. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 8.0 to 8.8 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 8.9 to 17.3 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. For the two piers, scour ranged from 11.1 to 15.8. The worst-case pier scour occurred for pier2 at the incipient overtopping discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 10 (NORWTH00120010) Town Highway 012 Bloody Brook, Norwich, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure NORWTH00120010 on town highway 12 crossing Bloody Brook, Norwich, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). A Level I study is included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I study provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, available from VTAOT files, was compiled prior to conducting the Level I and Level II analyses and can be found in Appendix D. The site is in the New England Upland physiographic province in east-central Vermont. The 8.98-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the left bank upstream and the left and right banks downstream are forested. The immediate right bank upstream is covered by shrub and brush with pasture on the overbank. Town Highway 12 runs along the valley of Bloody Brook; however, at structure NORWTH00120010 the road crosses Bloody Brook at a 90-degree angle. In the study area, Bloody Brook has a sinuous channel with a slope of approximately 0.014 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 41 ft and an average channel depth of 3 ft. The predominant channel bed materials are gravel and cobble (D 50 is 51.0 mm or 0.167 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I site visit on October 31, 1994, indicated that the reach was unstable. The town highway 12 crossing of Bloody Brook is a 34-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 30-foot clear span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written commun., July 29, 1994). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The right abutment is protected by sparse type-2 stone fill (less than 24 inches diameter). The channel is skewed 0 degrees to the opening and the opening-skew-to-roadway is 0 degrees. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1993). Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. The scour analysis results are presented in tables 1 and 2 and a graph of the scour depths is presented in figure 8.

Vermont↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 5 (IRASTH00010005) on Town Highway 1, crossing Lords Creek, Irasburg, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure IRASTH00010005 on town highway 1 crossing Lords Creek, Irasburg, Vermont (figures 1– 8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from VTAOT files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and can be found in Appendix D. The site is in the New England Upland section of the New England physiographic province of north-central Vermont in the town of Irasburg. The 15.1-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin with some pasture land mainly along the valley bottom. In the vicinity of the study site, the bank vegetation coverage is pasture grasses. In the study area, Lords Creek has a meandering channel with a slope of approximately 0.0026 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 32 ft and an average channel depth of 3 ft. The channel bed material ranged from gravel (D50 is 46.6 mm or 0.153 ft) to silt/clay material (D 50 of 1.006 mm or 0.0033 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on October 5 and 6, 1994, indicated that the reach was laterally unstable. The town highway 1 crossing of Lords Creek is a 65-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 61-foot, steel-beam span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, August 2, 1994). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments on wooden piles driven to bedrock with no wingwalls. Each abutment wall has a spill-through slope protected with type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter). The channel is skewed approximately 25 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-to-roadway is 15 degrees. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 2.4 to 4.6 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 7.2 to 9.8 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermot↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 38 (RANDTH00640038) on Town Highway 64, crossing the Second Branch of the White River, Randolph, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure RANDTH00640038 on town highway 64 crossing the Second Branch of the White River, Randolph, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province of central Vermont. The 46.5-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the The upstream left bank is forested, the upstream right bank is covered primarily by brush, the surface cover is pasture on the downstream left and row crops on the downstream right. In the study area, the Second Branch of the White River has an incised, sinuous channel with a slope of approximately 0.0015 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 71 ft and an average channel depth of 8 ft. The predominant channel bed material is gravel with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 32.0 mm (0.105 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I site visits on August 10, 1994 and December 5, 1994 indicated that the reach was laterally unstable. The town highway 64 crossing of the Second Branch of the White Riveris a 43-ft-long, one-lane covered bridge consisting of one 35-foot steel-beam span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, August 1, 1994). The bridge is supported by vertical, stone abutments with upstream wingwalls. The channel bends sharply at it’s approach to the bridge, however, at the bridge face, the channel is skewed approximately 0 degrees to the opening. The opening-skew-to-roadway is also 0 degrees. A scour hole 2 ft deeper than the mean thalweg depth was observed upstream of the bridge along the outside of the channel bend. Other scour problems at this site included undermining of the right abutment at it’s upstream and downstream ends. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 1.7 to 2.6 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 7.2 to 24.2 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

User’s guide to the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database 2.0

The North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD) was created in 2005 to consolidate data on the oceanic distribution of marine bird species in the North Pacific. Most of these data were collected on surveys by counting species within defined areas and at known locations (that is, on strip transects). The NPPSD also contains observations of other bird species and marine mammals. The original NPPSD combined data from 465 surveys conducted between 1973 and 2002, primarily in waters adjacent to Alaska. These surveys included 61,195 sample transects with location, environment, and metadata information, and the data were organized in a flat-file format. In developing NPPSD 2.0, our goals were to add new datasets, to make significant improvements to database functionality and to provide the database online. NPPSD 2.0 includes data from a broader geographic range within the North Pacific, including new observations made offshore of the Russian Federation, Japan, Korea, British Columbia (Canada), Oregon, and California. These data were imported into a relational database, proofed, and structured in a common format. NPPSD 2.0 contains 351,674 samples (transects) collected between 1973 and 2012, representing a total sampled area of 270,259 square kilometers, and extends the time series of samples in some areas—notably the Bering Sea—to four decades. It contains observations of 16,988,138 birds and 235,545 marine mammals and is available on the NPPSD Web site. Supplementary materials include an updated set of standardized taxonomic codes, reference maps that show the spatial and temporal distribution of the survey efforts and a downloadable query tool.

Open-File Report↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 9 (JAYVT02420009) on Vermont Highway 242, crossing the Jay Branch of the Missisquoi River, Jay, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure JAY-VT02420009 on Vermont highway 242 crossing the the Jay Branch of the Missisquoi River, Jay, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I study provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province of northern Vermont in the town of Jay. The 4.36-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the surface cover is primarily forest and brush except for the downstream left overbank which is grass. In the study area, the the Jay Branch of the Missisquoi River has an incised, sinuous channel with a slope of approximately 0.021 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 38 ft and an average channel depth of 5 ft. A Level I visual inspection at the site indicates that the predominant channel bed material is cobble and boulder with gravel. Results of a pebble count indicate that the predominant channnel bed material is a very coarse gravel with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 41.7 mm (0.1369 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on June 6, 1995, indicated that the reach was stable. The Vermont highway 242 crossing of the the Jay Branch of the Missisquoi River is a 60- ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 55-foot steel-beam span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, March 6, 1995). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The channel is skewed approximately 60 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-to-roadway is 45 degrees. The scour protection measures at the site included type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) at the upstream right wingwall, the downstream left and right wingwalls and the upstream end of the left abutment. Type-1 stone fill (less than 12 inches) was along the upstream end of the right abutment. Type-4 stone fill (less than 64 inches) was along the upstream left wingwall. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.6 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 100-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 0.8 to 5.6 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 12 (HUNTTH00010012) on Town Highway 001, crossing Brush Brook, Huntington, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure HUNTTH00010012 on Town Highway 1 crossing Brush Brook, Huntington, Vermont (figures 1–9). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. In August 1976, Hurricane Belle caused flooding at this site which resulted in road and bridge damage (figures 7-8). This was approximately a 25-year flood event based on flood- frequency data contained in the Flood Insurance Study for the Town of Huntington (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 1978). The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province in central Vermont. The 9.19-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the surface cover is pasture while the immediate banks have some woody vegetation. In the study area, the Brush Brook has a sinuous channel with a slope of approximately 0.02 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 62 ft and an average bank height of 5 ft. The channel bed material ranges from gravel to cobble with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 100.0 mm (0.328 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on June 25, 1996, indicated that the reach was stable. The Town Highway 1 crossing of Brush Brook is a 64-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 62-foot steel-stringer span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, November 30, 1995). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The channel is skewed approximately 10 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-to-roadway is 6 degrees. Channel scour 2.2 ft deeper than the mean thalweg depth was observed along the upstream right bank and along the base of the spill-through protection for the right abutment during the Level I assessment. Scour protection measured at the site was type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) along the upstream left and right banks and in front of all four wingwalls. In front of the abutments, there was type-3 stone fill (less than 48 inches diameter) forming a spill-through slope. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. There was no computed contraction scour for any modelled flow. Abutment scour ranged from 1.4 to 2.8 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 9. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

Data file: the 1976 Atlantic Margin Coring (AMCOR) Project of the U.S. Geological Survey

In 1976, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted the Atlantic Margin Coring Project (AMCOR) to obtain information on stratigraphy, hydrology and water chemistry, mineral resources other than petroleum hydrocarbons, and geotechnical engineering properties at sites widely distributed along the Continental Shelf and Slope of the Eastern United States (Hathaway and others, 1976, 1979). This program's primary purpose was to investigate a broad variety of sediment properties, many of which had not been previously studied in this region. Previous studies of sediments recovered by core drilling in this region were usually limited to one or two aspects of the sediment properties (Hathaway and others, 1979, table 2). The AMCOR program was limited by two factors: water depth and penetration depth. Because the ship selected for the program, the Glomar Conception , lacked dynamic positioning capability, its anchoring capacity determined the maximum water depth in which drilling could take place. Although it was equipped to anchor in water 450 m deep and did so successfully at one site, we attmepted no drilling in water depths greater than 300 m. Strong Gulf Stream currents at the one attempted deep (443 m) site frustrated attempts to "spud in" to begin the hole.

Open-File Report↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 15 (BRIDTH00220015) on Town Highway 22, crossing Dailey Hollow Branch, Bridgewater, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure BRIDTH00220015 on town highway 22 crossing Dailey Hollow Branch, Bridgewater, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the Green Mountain section of the New England physiographic province of central Vermont in the town of Bridgewater. The 1.73-mi2 drainage area is a predominantly rural and forested basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the left and right banks have dense tree cover. The upstream right bank of Dailey Hollow Branch is adjacent to town highway 22. In the study area, Dailey Hollow Branch has a sinuous channel with a slope of approximately 0.035 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 30 ft and an average channel depth of 4 ft. The predominant channel bed material is cobble with a median grain size (D50) of 108 mm (0.354 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on November 1 and 2, 1994, indicates that the reach is stable. The town highway 22 crossing of Dailey Hollow Branch is a 22-ft-long, one-lane bridge consisting of one 22-ft. steel-beam span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, August 24, 1994). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. Type-1 stone fill (less than 12 inches diameter) protects the left abutment, but it’s condition was reported as eroded. Type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) protects the upstream left wingwall; it’s condition was reported as slumping.The channel is skewed approximately 40 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-to-roadway is 0 degrees. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1993). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.2 ft. with the worst-case contraction scour occurring at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 4.2 to 6.4 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1993, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 9 (BARRUSO3020009) on U.S. Route 302, crossing Jail Branch, Barre, Vermont

This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure BARRUS03020009 on U.S. Route 302 crossing Jail Branch, Barre, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in Appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in Appendix D. The site is in the New England Upland section of the New England physiographic province in central Vermont. The 42.8-mi 2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and forested basin. A flood control reservoir with a usable capacity of 525 million cubic feet is located just upstream of the bridge. In the vicinity of the study site, the surface cover left of the channel consists of trees and brush. Right of the channel, the immediate bank is covered by trees and brush while the overbank is grass covered with several buildings. In the study area, Jail Branch has an incised, sinuous channel with a slope of approximately 0.008 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 86 ft and an average channel depth of 5 ft. The channel bed material ranged from gravel to boulder with a median grain size (D 50 ) of 73.5 mm (0.241 ft). The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on July 17, 1996, indicated that the reach was laterally unstable due to its sinuosity, cut banks, point bars, and extensive bank protection. The U.S. Route 302 crossing of Jail Branch is a 74-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of one 72-foot steel-beam span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, October 13, 1995). The bridge is supported by vertical, concrete abutments with wingwalls. The channel is skewed approximately 30 degrees to the opening while there is no opening- skew-to-roadway. There is evidence of channel scour along the right bank from 190 feet upstream of the bridge and extending through the bridge along the right abutment. Under the bridge, the scour depth is approximately 0.5 feet below the mean thalweg depth. Scour protection measures at the site include type-3 stone fill (less than 48 inches diameter) along the right bank extending from the bridge to 192 feet upstream. Type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) is along the right abutment and the right downstream bank to 205 feet downtream of the bridge. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 4.3 to 7.5 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Computed scour for the 100-year event does not go below the abutment footings. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Vermont↗

Methods for quality-assurance review of water-quality data in New Jersey

This report is an instructional and reference manual that describes methods developed and used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), New Jersey District, to assure the accuracy and precision of the results of analyses of surface- and ground-water samples received from analyzing laboratories and, ultimately, to ensure the integrity of water-quality data in USGS databases and published reports. A statistical-analysis computer program, COMP.PPL, is used to determine whether the values reported by the laboratories are internally consistent, whether they are reasonable when compared with values for samples previously collected at the same site, and whether they exceed applicable drinking-water regulations. The program output consists of three files -- QWREVIEW, QWOUTLIERS, and QWCALC. QWREVIEW presents the results of tests of chemical logic and shows values that exceed drinking-water regulations. QWOUTLIERS identifies values that fall outside the historical range of values for the site sampled. QWCALC shows values and calculations used for reference purposes. Because values that are identified by the program as questionable may or may not be in error, the reviewer looks at both qualitative and quantitative relations between analytes during the period of record and then uses technical judgement to decide whether to accept a questionable value or investigate further. Guidelines for, and the use of regression analysis in, making this decision are described. Instructions are given for requesting that the analyzing laboratory reanalyze a constituent or otherwise verify the reported value. If, upon reanalysis or verification, a value is still questionable, consideration must be given to deleting the value or marking the value in the USGS National Water Information System database as having been reviewed and rejected.

New Jersey↗