Katherine Schipke is a geographer at the Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 21
Basin characteristics for selected streamflow-gaging stations in and near West Virginia
Basin characteristics have long been used to develop equations describing streamflow. In the past, flow equations used in West Virginia were based on a few hand-calculated basin characteristics. More recently, the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to generate basin characteristics from existing datasets has refined the process for developing equations to describe flow values in the Moun
Assessment of hydrogeologic terrains, well-construction characteristics, groundwater hydraulics, and water-quality and microbial data for determination of surface-water-influenced groundwater supplies in West Virginia
In January 2014, a storage tank leaked, spilling a large quantity of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol into the Elk River in West Virginia and contaminating the water supply for more than 300,000 people. In response, the West Virginia Legislature passed Senate Bill 373, which requires the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR) to assess the susceptibility and vulnerability of p
Correlations of daily flows at streamgages in and near West Virginia, 1930-2011, and streamflow characteristics relevant to the use of index streamgages
Correlation of flows at pairs of streamgages were evaluated using a Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient to better identify gages that can be used as index gages to estimate daily flow at ungaged stream sites in West Virginia. Much of West Virginia (77 percent) is within areas where Spearman’s rho for daily streamflow between streamgages on unregulated streams (unregulated streamgages) is greate
Groundwater quality in West Virginia, 1993-2008
Approximately 42 percent of all West Virginians rely on groundwater for their domestic water supply. However, prior to 2008, the quality of the West Virginia’s groundwater resource was largely unknown. The need for a statewide assessment of groundwater quality prompted the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), Division of W
Hydrogeologic Factors Affecting Base-Flow Yields in the Jefferson County Area, West Virginia, October-November 2007
Base-flow yields at approximately the annual 75-percent-duration flow were determined for watersheds in the Jefferson County area, WV, from stream-discharge measurements made during October 31 to November 2, 2007. Five discharge measurements of Opequon Creek defined increased flow from 29,000,000 gallons per day (gal/d) at Carters Ford to 51,400,000 gal/d near Vanville. No flow was observed at 45
Generalized Skew Coefficients of Annual Peak Flows for Rural, Unregulated Streams in West Virginia
Generalized skew was determined from analysis of records from 147 streamflow-gaging stations in or near West Virginia. The analysis followed guidelines established by the Interagency Advisory Committee on Water Data described in Bulletin 17B, except that stations having 50 or more years of record were used instead of stations with the less restrictive recommendation of 25 or more years of record.
Hydrogeologic Setting and Ground-Water Flow in the Leetown Area, West Virginia
The Leetown Science Center is a research facility operated by the U.S. Geological Survey that occupies approximately 455-acres near Kearneysville, Jefferson County, West Virginia. Aquatic and fish research conducted at the Center requires adequate supplies of high-quality, cold ground water. Three large springs and three production wells currently (in 2006) supply water to the Center. The recent c
Base-flow yields of watersheds in the Berkeley County area, West Virginia
Base-flow yields at approximately 50 percent of the annual mean ground-water recharge rate were estimated for watersheds in the Berkeley County area, W.Va. These base-flow yields were determined from two sets of discharge measurements made July 25-28, 2005, and May 4, 2006. Two sections of channel along Opequon Creek had net flow losses that are expressed as negative base-flow watershed yields; th
Channel gains and losses in the Opequon Creek watershed of West Virginia, July 25-28, 2005
Discharge measurements were made during July 25-28, 2005, in streams and springs and at a wastewater-treatmentplant outfall in the Opequon Creek watershed of West Virginia to describe surface-water resources during low-flow. The greatest spring discharge measured was 6,460 gallons per minute, but 11 of 31 springs inspected were not flowing. Stream discharge measurements obtained at 69 sites define
Calibration parameters used to simulate streamflow from application of the Hydrologic Simulation Program-FORTRAN Model (HSPF) to mountainous basins containing coal mines in West Virginia
This report presents the Hydrologic Simulation Program-FORTRAN Model (HSPF) parameters for eight basins in the coal-mining region of West Virginia. The magnitude and characteristics of model parameters from this study will assist users of HSPF in simulating streamflow at other basins in the coal-mining region of West Virginia.
The parameter for nominal capacity of the upper-zone storage, UZSN,
Water quality in the Kanawha-New River basin: West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, 1996-98
This report summarizes major findings about water quality in the Kanawha-New River basin that emerged from an assessment conducted between 1996 and 1998 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Water quality is discussed in terms of local and regional issues and compared to conditions found in all 36 NAWQA study areas assessed to date. Findings also a
Evaluation of surface-water/ground-water interactions in the Santa Clara River Valley, Ventura County, California
The interactions of surface water and ground water along the Santa Clara River in Ventura County, California, were evaluated by analyzing river-discharge and water-quality data and geohydrologic information collected by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1993 and 1995 for the Piru, Fillmore, and Santa Paula subbasins. Measurements of discharge and water quality were made at multiple locations alon
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Filter Total Items: 21
Basin characteristics for selected streamflow-gaging stations in and near West Virginia
Basin characteristics have long been used to develop equations describing streamflow. In the past, flow equations used in West Virginia were based on a few hand-calculated basin characteristics. More recently, the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to generate basin characteristics from existing datasets has refined the process for developing equations to describe flow values in the MounAssessment of hydrogeologic terrains, well-construction characteristics, groundwater hydraulics, and water-quality and microbial data for determination of surface-water-influenced groundwater supplies in West Virginia
In January 2014, a storage tank leaked, spilling a large quantity of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol into the Elk River in West Virginia and contaminating the water supply for more than 300,000 people. In response, the West Virginia Legislature passed Senate Bill 373, which requires the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR) to assess the susceptibility and vulnerability of pCorrelations of daily flows at streamgages in and near West Virginia, 1930-2011, and streamflow characteristics relevant to the use of index streamgages
Correlation of flows at pairs of streamgages were evaluated using a Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient to better identify gages that can be used as index gages to estimate daily flow at ungaged stream sites in West Virginia. Much of West Virginia (77 percent) is within areas where Spearman’s rho for daily streamflow between streamgages on unregulated streams (unregulated streamgages) is greateGroundwater quality in West Virginia, 1993-2008
Approximately 42 percent of all West Virginians rely on groundwater for their domestic water supply. However, prior to 2008, the quality of the West Virginia’s groundwater resource was largely unknown. The need for a statewide assessment of groundwater quality prompted the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), Division of WHydrogeologic Factors Affecting Base-Flow Yields in the Jefferson County Area, West Virginia, October-November 2007
Base-flow yields at approximately the annual 75-percent-duration flow were determined for watersheds in the Jefferson County area, WV, from stream-discharge measurements made during October 31 to November 2, 2007. Five discharge measurements of Opequon Creek defined increased flow from 29,000,000 gallons per day (gal/d) at Carters Ford to 51,400,000 gal/d near Vanville. No flow was observed at 45Generalized Skew Coefficients of Annual Peak Flows for Rural, Unregulated Streams in West Virginia
Generalized skew was determined from analysis of records from 147 streamflow-gaging stations in or near West Virginia. The analysis followed guidelines established by the Interagency Advisory Committee on Water Data described in Bulletin 17B, except that stations having 50 or more years of record were used instead of stations with the less restrictive recommendation of 25 or more years of record.Hydrogeologic Setting and Ground-Water Flow in the Leetown Area, West Virginia
The Leetown Science Center is a research facility operated by the U.S. Geological Survey that occupies approximately 455-acres near Kearneysville, Jefferson County, West Virginia. Aquatic and fish research conducted at the Center requires adequate supplies of high-quality, cold ground water. Three large springs and three production wells currently (in 2006) supply water to the Center. The recent cBase-flow yields of watersheds in the Berkeley County area, West Virginia
Base-flow yields at approximately 50 percent of the annual mean ground-water recharge rate were estimated for watersheds in the Berkeley County area, W.Va. These base-flow yields were determined from two sets of discharge measurements made July 25-28, 2005, and May 4, 2006. Two sections of channel along Opequon Creek had net flow losses that are expressed as negative base-flow watershed yields; thChannel gains and losses in the Opequon Creek watershed of West Virginia, July 25-28, 2005
Discharge measurements were made during July 25-28, 2005, in streams and springs and at a wastewater-treatmentplant outfall in the Opequon Creek watershed of West Virginia to describe surface-water resources during low-flow. The greatest spring discharge measured was 6,460 gallons per minute, but 11 of 31 springs inspected were not flowing. Stream discharge measurements obtained at 69 sites defineCalibration parameters used to simulate streamflow from application of the Hydrologic Simulation Program-FORTRAN Model (HSPF) to mountainous basins containing coal mines in West Virginia
This report presents the Hydrologic Simulation Program-FORTRAN Model (HSPF) parameters for eight basins in the coal-mining region of West Virginia. The magnitude and characteristics of model parameters from this study will assist users of HSPF in simulating streamflow at other basins in the coal-mining region of West Virginia. The parameter for nominal capacity of the upper-zone storage, UZSN,Water quality in the Kanawha-New River basin: West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, 1996-98
This report summarizes major findings about water quality in the Kanawha-New River basin that emerged from an assessment conducted between 1996 and 1998 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Water quality is discussed in terms of local and regional issues and compared to conditions found in all 36 NAWQA study areas assessed to date. Findings also aEvaluation of surface-water/ground-water interactions in the Santa Clara River Valley, Ventura County, California
The interactions of surface water and ground water along the Santa Clara River in Ventura County, California, were evaluated by analyzing river-discharge and water-quality data and geohydrologic information collected by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1993 and 1995 for the Piru, Fillmore, and Santa Paula subbasins. Measurements of discharge and water quality were made at multiple locations alon