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Water-Year Summary for Site 03451500

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Available Parameters
00010 Temperature, water(Max.,Min.,Mean)  
00045 Precipitation(Sum)  
00060 Discharge(Max.,Min.,Mean)  
00065 Gage height(Max.,Min.,Mean)  
00095 Specific cond at 25C(Max.,Mean,Min.)  
00300 Dissolved oxygen(Min.,Max.,Mean)  
00400 pH(Max.,Min.,Med.)  
63680 Turbidity, Form Neph(Max.,Mean,Min.)  

Water year 2025: 2025-10-01 to 2026-09-30
 
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USGS Water-Year Summary 2025
03451500 FRENCH BROAD RIVER AT ASHEVILLE, NC
LOCATION - Lat 35°36'32", long 82°34'41" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Buncombe County, NC, Hydrologic Unit 06010105, $word 35 36'32", long 82 34'41" (Revised), Buncombe County on right bank 27 ft upstream from Pearson Bridge (Secondary Road 1348) at Asheville, 1.4 miles downstream from bridges on U.S. Highways 19 and 23, 3.2 miles downstream from Swannanoa River, and at mile 145.8. (See USGS Asheville Quad. map, 1:24000, 1961, TVA ref. 192-SE.)
DRAINAGE AREA - 945 mi². (measured by TVA on recent topographic maps, scale (1:24,000). At site used Mar. 19, 1903 to Sept. 30, 1922, 937 sq mi. The main stem and many of the tributaries upstream have rather wide flood plains for this mountainous environment. Relief ranges in elevation from 1,950 ft at gage to 6,000 ft at Chestnut Bald near Brevard. A majority of the flood-plain areas are in cultivation. Otherwise the basin is characterized by steep-sloped areas covered by hardwood forests and dense undercover. The basin is somewhat sparsely populated except for a number of small towns and villages and the City of Asheville. Brevard and Hendersonville are the two largest towns located upstream in the basin. Average rainfall in the basin ranges from 38 inches at Asheville to 80 inches at Rosman.
REVISIONS HISTORY -

WSP 823: Drainage area. WSP 1306: 1901, 1914-15, 1917, 1920-22, 1927, maximum discharge.

Revisions: Turbidity for the period of 9/27/2024 were revised on 5/12/2025 based on the creation of a new TBY.Censored time-series. Based on the manufacturers recommended sensor limits and the calibration standards used at this site the decision was made to censor all Turbidity values above 1000 FNU as the uncertainty in the value becomes higher.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1895 to current year. Monthly discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1306.
GAGE - Data collection platform. Datum of gage is 1,949.9 ft above NAVD of 1988. September 17, 1895, to December 31, 1901, nonrecording gage at present site at different datum. March 19, 1903, to July 15, 1916, and January 1, 1917, to September 30, 1922, nonrecording gage at Smith Bridge 1.5 mi upstream at datum 1,961.80 ft. October 1, 1922, to August 9, 1930, nonrecording gage at present site and datum. Satellite and telephone telemetry at streamgage.
REMARKS - Many small diversions from tributaries upstream from station for water supply. Diversions by City of Asheville and others from upstream tributaries in the Swannanoa River basin (station 03451000). Slight diurnal fluctuation and occasional slight regulation at low flow caused by power plant 46 mi upstream and small reservoirs upstream from station.

Gage-height records are generally good. Discharge records are generally fair except for estimated discharges, which are poor. Additional details on the accuracy of the records can be obtained by contacting the USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center at gs-w-nc_nwisweb_data_inquiries@usgs.gov.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum stage observed since at least 1791, that of July 16, 1916, and flood of June 17, 1876, reached a stage of 18 ft, from studies by Tennessee Valley Authority.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge from rating curve extended above 43,000 ft³/s, by logarithmic plotting; maximum gage height, 23.10, from floodmarks.
CLIMATOLOGICAL RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1998 to October 2014 and April 2015 to current year.
INSTRUMENTATION - Tipping-bucket raingage and electronic datalogger. Satellite telemetry at station.
REMARKS - Gage is operated in cooperation with Tennessee Valley Authority. Precipitation data collected during freezing periods may not be accurately reflected in daily record.
WATER-QUALITY RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD -

Water temperature began September 2013 to current year.

Specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity began June 2019 to current year. 

PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -

WATER TEMPERATURE: September 2013 to current year.

SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE:  June 2019 to current year

pH: June 2019 to current year

TURBIDITY: June 2019 to current year

DISSOLVED OXYGEN: June 2019 to current year

INSTRUMENTATION - Data collection of water temperature began in Sept. 2013 using a Design Analysis H377 temperature thermistor. In June 2019 the site was up fitted with a YSI EXO3 used to collect water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity parameters. Data is collected and transmitted using a Sutron Satlink3 DCP. 
REMARKS - 

Station operated to define water-quality characteristics in the French Broad River Basin.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -

WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum recorded, 28.6°C, July 30, 2015, August 25, 2023; Minimum recorded, -0.0°C, Periodically during winter months.

SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Maximum Specific Conductance: 314 µs/cm; January 31, 2025; Minimum Specific Conductance: 21 µs/cm; January 11, 2024

PH: Maximum recorded, 9.2 standard units, August 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 2024; Minimum pH: 6.1 standard units, November 11, 2022

TURBIDITY: Maximum Turbidity: 1000 FNU on September 27, 2024 ***Actual value is known to be higher; Minimum recorded, 1.1 FNU on November 29, December 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17,  2021  

DISSOLVED OXYGEN: Maximum Dissolved Oxygen: 14.0 mg/L on December 26, 2022, January 21, 22 2024 ; Minimum recorded: 6.3 mg/L on August 31, 2024, September 1, 2024