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USGS Water-Data Site Information for Massachusetts

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ICE EFFECTS ON STREAMFLOW

The formation of ice on rivers can cause discharge values to appear unusually high. Display of these erroneous discharge data may result in improper assessment of flow conditions and misuse of the data. For this reason, display of discharge values for streams significantly affected by ice may be disabled from view. Display of discharge data will resume when ice conditions are no longer present. Discharge values for streams minimally affected by ice will continue to be displayed. Flows for streams with these conditions appear to increase during the night and decrease to near-base-line conditions around midday. To estimate the correct discharge for these streams, use the flow rate that corresponds to the bottom of the discharge curve, rather than the peak that corresponds to the top of the curve. Note that this method of estimation is possible only when no surface runoff is occurring. Daily mean discharges for periods of both significant and minimal ice-effect will be estimated and published in the Annual Water-Data Report for the water year in which they occurred.



Site Information
(38,821 sites)

Information for each site in the USGS data base can be retrieved for viewing and for download and import into other software, including GIS software. Includes links to all water data available for individual sites.

Introduction

The Site Inventory System contains and provides access to inventory information about sites at stream reaches, wells, test holes, springs, tunnels, drains, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, excavations, and water-use facilities. Site-level and time-series level revisions are also now available.

About 300 components make up the descriptive elements of the site inventory. The retrieval program can be used for retrieving information about sites in summary lists, in detailed tables, or a file suitable for input to other programs.