First in a series on the USGS stream data collection system and how it can help you have a more memorable adventure.
When trying to plan an outdoor adventure on a stream or river it is always a good idea to review the forecast to know what the weather is going to be like. This is something that is second nature. Typically we start to review the weather two weeks before leaving on a trip.
Most of us have a weather app on our phone. This information is right at our finger tips at a moment’s notice. There is another piece of information though that is equally important that most of us ignore until we get to our destination. It is equally important to know the conditions of the waterway before leaving on your trip.
Things that are good to know before leaving would be the stream flow, how high the waterway is, and the water temperature. All of these are important considerations to take into account before leaving your house. You may find that the conditions are such that the stream is completely blown out and will not go down enough to make your trip viable. It is better to know before you go than to drive 3 or 4 hours and find out when you arrive.
How do you avoid such a disaster? How can you find the stream or river conditions before you leave? The best way to know what the current conditions are is to go to the USGS (United States Geological Survey) National Water Information System. Specifically, the stream flow data.
The USGS has placed monitoring stations at almost 1.5 million locations along the streams and rivers in all 50 states. Now not all streams have a station but the larger ones have them and some have many along their blue line on the map. Stream temperature, stream flow or discharge, gage height, precipitation, pH level, conductance, and dissolved oxygen are the parameters monitored by these stations.
Not all of the stations collect all of this information though. Some may only collect one data point while others collect all of them. However, there are times when stations do not report on all of the parameters measured. You will need to check the station to know what information it is collecting.
The information is collected anywhere from every 15 minutes to every 60 minutes. The data is stored at the site and then using satellite, telephone, or radio telemetry the data is transmitted every 1 – 4 hours to USGS offices.
I will be publishing a series of blog posts explaining this site in more detail. This information is very helpful to fisherman, campers, boaters, and anyone who lives along our streams and rivers. I hope you stay with me because along the way I am going to talk about some conservation issues as well and how you can use this information to judge the health of a waterway.
In the meantime I hope you keep your gear dry and your lines tight.
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