An evaluation of the available streamflow data in South Carolina was made to provide guidelines for planning future surface-water data programs. The basic elements in the evaluation procedure were (1) establishment of objectives and goals of the program, (2) examination and analysis of all available data to determine which goals have already been met, (3) consideration of alternate methods of meeting the remaining goals, and (4) identification of elements that should be included in the future program.
Four categories of data form the framework of program design. They are: current-purpose data, planning and design data, data to define long-term trends, and stream environment data. An accuracy goal for planning and design data of an equivalent of 25 years of record was specified for principal streams and an equivalent of 10 years of record was specified for minor streams. It was found that many of the goals could be met by generalizing data for gaged basins by regression analysis. Appropriate changes could be made in the present data program based on this fact.
A streamflow data program based on the guidelines developed in this study is proposed for the future.
