Event turbidity-discharge patterns: A survey of U.S. streams and the search for descriptive relationships
Abstract
Turbidity is an important physical characteristic of water that is easily measured and related to a number of important stream fluxes (e.g., suspended sediment, agricultural chemicals). Recent increases in the high-frequency stream turbidity data available have made it possible to examine the relationships that exist between fine-scale stream turbidity-discharge dynamics and catchment characteristics. In this study, 70+ streams from across the U.S. with at least one year of corresponding discharge and turbidity data were analyzed on an event-by-event basis. Parameters related to the magnitude and timing of discharge and turbidity peaks, and the event hysteresis shape, as well as basic hydrological and meteorological characteristics of each event were calculated and compared temporally for each catchment and spatially between catchments. The results show the diversity of regional characteristics, apparent seasonality and correlation between the magnitude of the discharge and turbidity response. The timing of the turbidity peak is expectedly more complex, and multivariate analysis is being used to develop descriptive relationships. Further refinement these relationships may enable predictions of event turbidity useful for water resource provider operations and estimates of contaminant flux.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.H13C1358M
- Keywords:
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- 1804 HYDROLOGY / Catchment;
- 1816 HYDROLOGY / Estimation and forecasting;
- 1871 HYDROLOGY / Surface water quality