Sediment Stations
PROJECT PERIOD: Continuous since 1943
PROJECT CHIEF: G.M. Nalley (gmnalley@usgs.gov)
STUDY AREA: Statewide
COOPERATING AGENCIES: Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Geological Survey Bureau),
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
NEED FOR STUDY:
Water-resource planning and water-quality assessment require a
nationwide data base with standardized information. Sediment
concentrations and discharges in rivers and streams need to be
monitored and defined to achieve this goal.
OBJECTIVES:
To provide a national sediment data base for use in Federal programs
and Federal management of interstate waters. The State also needs
spatial and temporal averages and trends of sediment concentration,
sediment discharge, and particle-size distribution of sediment being
transported in the rivers and streams for planning and action
programs.
PROGRESS:
Data were collected, and compiled for inclusion in the Annual Data
Report due out in February. The 1998 through 2004 Annual Data Reports
are online at Publications.
The current (2005) network consists of seven daily sediment stations:
05471040 Squaw Creek near Colfax,
05487540 Walnut Creek
near Prairie City, and 05487550 Walnut Creek near Vandalia, all funded
by Iowa DNR (GSB);
05470000 Iowa River at Wapello,
and 05474000 Skunk River at Augusta,
funded by Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District;
06486000 Missouri River at
Sioux City, and 06807000 Missouri River at Nebraska City, funded by Corps
of Engineers, Omaha District.
Laboratory analyses of sediment samples collected by the Corps of
Engineers, Rock Island District, and several U.S. Geological Survey
Districts throughout the country are performed in the Iowa District
sediment laboratory. The laboratory performs the following analyses
for suspended sediment: (1) concentration, (2) concentration and
determination of material finer than sand, and (3) dissolved solids.
Particle-size analyses for suspended sediment, bed material, and
bed-load material that are sand are determined by sieve or visual
accumulation tube, and particle size of material finer than sand by
pipet, and Sedigraph. For a price list of lab services, contact
the project chief.
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