USGS Water-Year Summary 2023
01608500 SOUTH BRANCH POTOMAC RIVER NEAR SPRINGFIELD, WV
LOCATION - Lat 39°26'49", long 78°39'16" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Hampshire County, WV, Hydrologic Unit 02070001, on left bank at highway bridge, 2.0 mi east of Springfield, and at mile 13.5.
DRAINAGE AREA - 1,461 mi².
REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1552: 1903-06, 1929-30(M), 1932-33(M), 1935(M), 1937-40(M), 1942-43(M), 1945(M). WDR WV-97-1: Drainage area. WDR-US-2006: Drainage area. WDR-US-2008: 1901(M).
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - June 1894 to February 1896 (fragmentary), July 1899 to December 1901, August 1903 to June 1906, and August 1928 to current year.
GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is 561.78 ft above NAVD of 1988. June 1894 to February 1896, non-recording gage at Baltimore & Ohio Railroad bridge 11.2 mi upstream at different datum. July 1, 1899, to Dec. 31, 1901, non-recording gage at bridge 10.0 mi upstream at different datum. Aug. 28, 1903, to June 30, 1906, non-recording gage at present site at different datum. Aug. 8 to Sep. 24, 1928, non-recording gage at present site and datum.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood in November 1877 reached a stage of about 34 ft, from floodmarks, at site and datum in use July 1, 1889, to Dec. 31, 1901, discharge, 140,000 ft³/s.
WATER-QUALITY RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - June 2005 to current year.
PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -
DISSOLVED OXYGEN: October 2005 to current year.
pH: October 2005 to current year.
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: October 2005 to current year.
TURBIDITY: December 2005 to current year.
WATER TEMPERATURE: October 2005 to current year.
COOPERATION - The continuous water-quality monitor at this site is maintained in cooperation with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management. Discrete water-quality samples are collected at this site as part of the Chesapeake Bay Program's Non-Tidal Monitoring Network in cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management.
INSTRUMENTATION - Water-quality monitor October 2005 to current year.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -
Instantaneous Values:
DISSOLVED OXYGEN: Maximum recorded, 18.8 mg/L, Jan. 24, 2011; minimum recorded, 5.1 mg/L, July 11, 2010.
pH: Maximum recorded, 9.8 standard units, Sept. 25, 2008; minimum recorded, 6.0 standard units, May 18, 2011.
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Maximum recorded, 329 microsiemens/cm, Sept. 27, 2014; minimum recorded, 105 microsiemens/cm, Jan. 26, 2010.
TURBIDITY: Maximum recorded, 1,840 FNU, May 23, 2011; minimum recorded, <0.1 FNU, many days.
WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum recorded, 33.6°C, July 7, 2012; minimum recorded, -0.2°C, January 23, 2020.