CEOP USGS Daily Stream Flow Dataset 1.0 General Description The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Daily Stream Flow Dataset is one of various datasets provided for the Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period (CEOP) Project. This dataset contains stream flow data from approximately 643 USGS stations in Kansas and Oklahoma for the three Enhanced Observing Periods (EOP-1, EOP-3, and EOP-4) in the CEOP project. The Water Years covered in this dataset contain data from 1 October 2000 through 30 September 2005. No additional quality control was performed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research/Earth Observing Laboratory (NCAR/EOL). 2.0 Detailed Data Description The data collected at USGS gaging stations consist of records of stage and measurements of discharge of streams or canals, and stage, surface area, and contents of lakes or reservoirs. This dataset contains only the USGS stream flow data. For USGS stream-gaging stations, the daily mean discharge is computed from gage heights and rating tables. These rating tables are prepared from stage-discharge-relation curves and give the discharge for any stage. If extensions to the rating curves are necessary to express discharge greater than measured, they are made on the basis of indirect measurements of peak discharge, step-backwater techniques, velocity-area studies, and logarithmic plotting. If the stage-discharge relation is subject to change because of frequent or continual change in the physical features that form the control, the daily mean discharge is computed by the shifting-control method, in which correction factors based on individual discharge measurements and notes by engineers and observers are used in applying the gage heights to the rating tables. If the stage-discharge relation for a station is temporarily changed by the presence of aquatic growth or debris on the control, the daily mean discharge is computed by what is basically the shifting-control method. At some USGS gaging stations, acoustic velocity meter (AVM) systems are used to compute discharge. The AVM system measures the stream's velocity at one or more paths in the cross section. Coefficients are developed to relate this path velocity to the mean velocity in the cross section. Because the AVM sensors are fixed in positions, the adjustment coefficients generally vary with stage. Cross-sectional area curves are developed to relate stage to cross section area. Discharge is computed by multiplying path velocity by the appropriate stage related coefficient and area. Changing stage, backwater from reservoirs, tributary streams, or other sources, and ice in the winter affect the stage-discharge relation. Special methods, such as using comparable records of discharge for other stations, are then used to compute discharge. If no gage-height record can be obtained from a gaging station due to failed equipment, etc., daily discharge values are estimated using various means. These methods are discussed in the "U.S. Geological Survey Water-Data Report MO-97-1". Further information regarding the stream flow data description can be found in the USGS Water Resources Data publications (by state) for each water year. These documents are available from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA. Additional information can also be found at the following web sites: http://water.usgs.gov/osw/ , http://water.usgs.gov/nsip/ , http://water.usgs.gov/data.html , http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/sw , and http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/gage/collected.htm . 2.1 Detailed Format Description This USGS stream flow dataset is provided in its native USGS stream flow format. The daily stream flow values are reported in cubic feet per second and are 24 hour averages. Each data file provided in this dataset consists of tab-separated columns of data for a list of sites. Each site is separated by a header section of comments and new column definitions. All column headers include the following 3 fields. column column definition ------------ ----------------------------------------- agency_cd Agency collection or maintaining the site site_no USGS site identification number datetime date and time in ISO format (YYYY-mm-dd) The remaining columns vary for each site depending on which data parameters are selected. The data column names use the following form 'AA_BBBBB_CCCCC' or 'AA_BBBBB_CCCCC_cd' where 'AA' defines the sensor (the 'data descriptor') used to collect the data. Data descriptors numbers are individual to the site. For more information regarding the data descriptors for a particular site, contact the office responsible for the site and provide the site number(s) by sending email to gs-w-xx_nwisweb_data_inquiries@usgs.gov where xx is the two letter postal code for the state of interest. 'BBBBB' defines the 'parameter_cd' which describes the type of data shown in the column. Web site http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/pmcodes may be queried to determine the parameter code definition. A 'parameter_cd' value of 00060 indicates stream flow in cubic feet per second (cfs). 'CCCCC' defines the statistic code, where a value of 00001 is the Maximum value, 00002 is the Minimum value, and 00003 is the Mean value. '_cd' indicates that the field contains the Daily Value Qualification Code and is one of the values shown in the table below. --------------------------------- Code Description --------------------------------- e Value has been edited or estimated by USGS personnel and is write protected & Value was computed from affected unit values E Value was computed from estimated unit values. < The value is known to be less than reported value and is write protected. > The value is known to be greater than reported value and is write protected. 1 Value is write protected without any remark code to be printed 2 Remark is write protected without any remark code to be printed No remark (blank) Eqp Equipment malfunction A Approved for publication -- Processing and review completed. P Provisional data subject to revision. Beware that some provisional data fields may contain characters such as "Ice" for "Ice affected" gage or "Dis" for "Data-collection discontinued". Additional information can be obtained from the USGS at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/help/?provisional For questions contact us at gs-w_support_nwisweb@usgs.gov 2.2 Data Remarks These data are provided in their native USGS streamflow format and were downloaded from http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/ . Beware that some provisional data fields may contain characters such as "Ice" for "Ice affected" gage or "Dis" for "Data-collection discontinued". The Water Years included in this dataset are: Water Year Begin Date-End Date --------------------------------------- 2001 20001001-20010930 2002 20011001-20020930 2003 20021001-20030930 2004 20031001-20040930 2005 20041001-20050930 3.0 Quality Control Processing No additional quality control (QC) was performed on this dataset by NCAR/EOL. 4.0 References Hauck, H.S., Huber, L.G., Nagel, C.D., 1997: Water Resources Data Missouri Water Year 1997, U.S. Geological Survey Water- Data Report MO-97-1, National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia, 318pp.