Fundamental hydraulics of cross sections in natural rivers: Preliminary analysis of a large data set of acoustic doppler flow measurements
We have assembled a comprehensive and publicly accessible U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow measurement data set, called HYDRoSWOT, from a USGS National Water Information System archive of acoustic Doppler current profiler river discharge measurements collected from a wide range of rivers throughout the United States. The data set provides a wealth of information on the range of hydraulic characteristics of river cross sections in the United States. Preliminary exploration of the data set, filtered for quality control, indicates that rivers tend toward consistent and predictable forms as discharge increases. The ratio of maximum-to-mean depth is highly predictable and is remarkably consistent across all river sizes and discharges. Distributions of hydraulic characteristics provide a large-scale perspective on the general hydraulic characteristics of rivers. The data set affords the opportunity to analyze hydraulic relations for individual rivers as a function of stage, geomorphic setting, and energy environments and, combined with additional information contained in this data set, might yield predictive relations that could help constrain and parameterize river hydraulic models.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2020 |
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Title | Fundamental hydraulics of cross sections in natural rivers: Preliminary analysis of a large data set of acoustic doppler flow measurements |
DOI | 10.1029/2019WR025986 |
Authors | David M. Bjerklie, John Fulton, S. Lawrence Dingman, Michael G. Canova, J. Toby Minear, Tommaso Moramarco |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Water Resource Research |
Index ID | 70249715 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | New England Water Science Center |