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Water-Year Summary for Site 01480617

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Available Parameters
00010 Temperature, water(Max.,Min.,Mean)  
00045 Precipitation(Sum)  
00060 Discharge(Mean)  
00095 Specific cond at 25C(Max.,Min.,Mean)  
00300 Dissolved oxygen(Max.,Min.,Mean)  
00400 pH(Max.,Min.,Med.)  
63680 Turbidity, Form Neph(Mean,Min.,Max.)  
80155 Suspnd sedmnt disch(Sum)  
80297 SS load, regres ss(Mean)  
99409 Susp sediment,wu,est(Mean)  

Water year 2023: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30
 
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USGS Water-Year Summary 2023
01480617 WEST BRANCH BRANDYWINE CREEK AT MODENA, PA
LOCATION - Lat 39°57'42", long 75°48'06" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Chester County, PA, Hydrologic Unit 02040205, on left bank at bridge on SR 15068 at Modena, and 300 ft upstream from Dennis Run.
DRAINAGE AREA - 55 mi².
REVISIONS HISTORY -

WDR PA-74-1: 1971-72(P), 1973. WDR PA-75-1: 1974(m).

Revisions: Discharge for the period of 4/30/18 - 3/25/19 was revised on 6/25/19 due to a rating change based upon additional measurements.
Revisions: Discharge for the period of 3/26/19 - 5/14/10 was revised on 8/14/19 due to a rating change based upon additional measurements.

 
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - January 1970 to current year.
GAGE - Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Elevation of gage is 262.52 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Satellite and landline telemetry at station.
COOPERATION - Station established and maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey. Funding for this station is provided by the Chester County Water Resources Authority and the U.S. Geological Survey.
REMARKS -

Slight regulation from Rock Run Reservoir 5.6 mi upstream, capacity, 982 acre-ft, and by Lukens Steel Company. Diversion from Rock Run Reservoir for municipal supply of city of Coatesville reenters creek upstream from gage. Surface water records for water year 2014 are poor; no estimated daily discharges.  Surface water records are fair except for periods of estimated discharge, which are poor.

CLIMATOLOGICAL RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - October 2005 to current year.
INSTRUMENTATION - Precipitation gage interfaced with data collection platform.
REMARKS - Precipitation records for water year 2014 good. Precipitation records for water year 2015 are rated good with exception of Oct.4, Nov. 1 & 6, and June 30 which are poor. Precipitation records for water years 2016-2018 are rated good. Since water year 2019, precipitation records are no longer rated.
ECOLOGICAL RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1998 to current year.
REMARKS - Results of benthic surveys can be obtained by contacting the U.S. Geological Survey Pennsylvania Water Science Center, Exton Field Office.
WATER-QUALITY RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1969 to October 1978, August 1981 to current year.
PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD - SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: May 1971 to October 1977, August 1981 to current year. pH: May 1971 to October 1977, August 1981 to current year. WATER TEMPERATURES: May 1971 to October 1977, August 1981 to current year. DISSOLVED OXYGEN: May 1971 to October 1977, August 1981 to current year. SUSPENDED- SEDIMENT DISCHARGE: October 2008 to current year. TURBIDITY: October 2005 to current year.
COOPERATION - Water-quality samples were collected in cooperation with the Chester County Water Resources Authority.
INSTRUMENTATION - Water-quality monitor May 1971 to October 1977, August 1981 to current year.
REMARKS -

Since the 2000 water year, pH daily median values are computed instead of pH daily mean values. Turbidity values less than 5 FNU are considered poor. The reporting precision of the turbidity probe in low turbidity water is +/-0.3 FNU. The lowest reportable value, 0 FNU, does not necessarily indicate a condition of zero turbidity.

Historically water temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius were not reported. Water temperature sensors now have the ability to accurately read water temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius. 

Except for turbidity, data collection suspended during winter months since 1981 water year. Other interruptions in the record were due to malfunctions of the equipment.

Cross-sectional water quality data is available upon request.

Suspended-sediment discharge was computed using methods described in Sloto, R.A., and Olson, L.E., "Estimated suspended-sediment loads and yields in the French and Brandywine Creek Basins, Chester County, Pennsylvania, water years 2008-09: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5109. The equation for computing suspended-sediment concentration was "(SSC) = 1.9879 (Turbidity) -9.6239" Suspended Sediment Discharge mistakenly published with wording "Mean" rather than "Total" tons/day for water years 2008 to 2013. The numbers represented in the tables are correct. As of October 2013, results from discrete water quality samples collected at this site are available through the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System web interface on the "Water Quality for the Nation" webpage. Occasionally, values for filtered parameters may exceed values for the corresponding unfiltered parameter. These results are within the limits of analytical precision and methods. Water-quality samples were collected as part of the Chester County Biological Monitoring project. Some samples were collected as part of the Delaware River National Water-Quality Assessment program (DELR NAWQA). Water year 2014 water quality records are rated: Water temperature, pH, and Dissolved oxygen records rated good; Water year 2014 Specific conductance records rated fair. Water year 2015 water quality records are rated: Water temperature, specific conductance, and dissolveed oxygen rated fair, pH and turbidity records rated poor. Water year 2016 water quality records for water temperature, specific conductance, pH, and dissolved oxygen rated good, turbidity records rated fair. Water year 2017 water quality records for water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen rated good, specific conductance and turbidity records rated fair. Water year 2018 water quality records for water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen rated good, specific conductance and turbidity records rated fair, with the exception of Feb5-6, Feb25-Mar1, and Mar30-Apr5 for turbidity, which is poor. Beginning in water year 2019, water quality records are not rated as "excellent", "good", "fair", or "poor".

Explanations of sample characteristics are available from the USGS NWISWeb Help System pages: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/help

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD - SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Maximum, 1690 microsiemens/cm, Jan 17, 2022; minimum, 72 microsiemens/cm, Nov. 16, 1985. pH: Maximum, 10.0, Dec. 21, 1971; minimum, 5.9, July 14, 1991. WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum, 33.5°C, July 19, 1977; minimum, -0.1°C, many days during winter periods. DISSOLVED OXYGEN: Maximum, 19.5 mg/L, Sept. 2, 1990; minimum, 0.6 mg/L, Nov. 1, 3, 1974. TURBIDITY: Maximum, 1,130 FNU, Aug 13, 2018; minimum, <0.3 FNU, many days.