Dakota Water Science Center

An instrument called an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) takes streamflow measurements during flooding. The ADCP is attached to a buoy that is dragged in the water either alongside a boat or by hand. USGS hydrologist Dan Thomas points to the ADCP sensor on the Red River of the North during flooding in downtown Fargo, ND.

USGS hydrologist Dan Thomas prepares to measure record flows on the Red River of the North in downtown Fargo, North Dakota. The orange instrument is an acoustic Doppler current profiler, which is used to measure streamflow as it's pulled across the water.

A USGS crew measures high flow during flooding on the Maple River near Mapleton, North Dakota. The yellow instrument is an acoustic Doppler current profiler, which is used to measure streamflow as it's pulled across the water. The crew is standing on a road that had been overtaken by the river. 

This is not a lake! A USGS crew measures high flow during flooding on the Maple River near Mapleton, North Dakota. The instrument being pulled across the water is an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), which is used to measure streamflow. USGS sreamgaging equipment is visible in the foreground, and the streamgage station is located just beyond and to the right of the

A USGS crew measures streamflow during record flooding on the Red River of the North near Georgetown, ND, on April 6, 2019. The apparatus in the middle of the image is a USGS temporary streamgage installed to monitor flooding, and the orange instrument pictured is an acoustic Doppler current profiler that measures streamflow.

A USGS crew prepares to measure streamflow during record flooding on the Maple River near Mapleton, ND, on April 6, 2019. The instrument pictured is an acoustic Doppler current profiler which measures streamflow as it's dragged across the water.

A USGS crew measures high flow during flooding on the Maple River near Mapleton, North Dakota. The instrument being pulled across the water is an acoustic Doppler current profiler, which is used to measure streamflow. The truck is parked on a road that had been overtaken by the river. 

USGS technician Chris Broz helps take water measurements on the Big Sioux River during record flooding in March, 2019.

USGS technician Chris Broz helps take water measurements on the Big Sioux River during record flooding in March, 2019.

USGS scientists and technicians took water measurements during flooding on the Big Sioux River near Jefferson, SD in March 2019. Measurements for this site were 52,000 cfs at a gage height of 40.14 ft. More information about this USGS streamgage is available at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/sd/nwis/uv?site_no=

USGS scientists and technicians took water measurements during flooding on the Big Sioux River near Hawarden, Iowa in March 2019.