Basin Characteristics and Stream Flow Data at Stream-gaged Locations in New Mexico and Surrounding Basins

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI), identified basin characteristics and estimated mean annual streamflow for a regional study of 169 USGS surface-water streamgages throughout the state of New Mexico and adjacent states. The basin characteristics and mean annual streamflows presented here will be used to derive equations for estimating mean annual streamflow at ungaged locations in New Mexico. The accompanying directories contain basin characteristics computation methods and results, and mean annual streamflow at streamgages.

Using a Geographic Information System (GIS), surface-water streamgages were selected based on their location in New Mexico and adjoining basins. In addition, only streamgages at perennial, non-regulated streams with 10 or more years of record were selected for analysis. Of the 169 streamgages meeting the selection criteria, 79 streamgages are located outside of the state of New Mexico but in drainage basins that flow into the state. Of these 79 streamgages, 57 are located in Colorado, 3 are located in Texas, 11 are located in Arizona, 4 are located in Utah, and 4 are located in Oklahoma. The remaining 90 streamgages are located within New Mexico. Periods of record for all the 169 streamgages included in the study range from 10 to 124 years. Streamgage locations as recorded in NWIS are based on the Public Land Survey System, with horizontal accuracy of 1/8 mi. Where necessary, streamgage locations were adjusted in the GIS to match with the StreamStats streamline file. Basin characteristics were identified for each streamgage by using GIS and the online USGS StreamStats program (available at https//water.usgs.gov/osw/streamstats/) (Ries and others, 2003). Mean annual streamflow was determined using the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) DFLOW coding (Rossman, 1990).

References

Ries, K.G., and Gray, J.R., 2003, StreamStats: a U.S. geological survey web site for stream information, in Renard, K. G., McElroy, S. A., Gburek, W. J., Canfield,H. E. and Scott, R. L., eds. 2003. First Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds, October 27-30, 2003. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.

Rossman, L A. 1990, DFLOW Users Manual, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/8-90/051 (NTIS 90-225616)