USGS - science for a changing world

USGS Surface Water Information

 Home Data Info Data & Information Activities Activities Methods & Modeling Methods & Modeling Publications Publications OSW Contact Contact Us [an error occurred while processing this directive] OSW Intranet OSW Intranet

Today's Water Conditions

View maps of current and historical conditions

Click map to go to current water resources conditions in the U.S. WaterWatch Streamflow
Flood & High Flow Flood and high flow
Drought Drought
Groundwater Networks Groundwater levels
Water Quality Watch Surface water quality

USGS in Your State

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

 [Map: There is a USGS Water Science Center office in each State.] Washington Oregon California Idaho Nevada Montana Wyoming Utah Colorado Arizona New Mexico North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas Minnesota Iowa Missouri Arkansas Louisiana Wisconsin Illinois Mississippi Michigan Indiana Ohio Kentucky Tennessee Alabama Pennsylvania West Virginia Georgia Florida Caribbean Alaska Hawaii and Pacific Islands New York Vermont New Hampshire Maine Massachusetts South Carolina North Carolina Rhode Island Virginia Connecticut New Jersey Maryland-Delaware-D.C.

Other Water Sites

OGW Office of Ground Water

OWQ Office of Water Quality

OHR Office of Hydrologic Research

OHR Cooperative Water Program

PDF Reader!

Documents are presented in Portable Document Format (PDF); the latest version of Adobe Reader or similar software is required to view it. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader, free of charge.

COMPUTING TIME-SERIES SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT CONCENTRATIONS AND LOADS FROM IN-STREAM TURBIDITY-SENSOR AND STREAMFLOW DATA

by Patrick P Rasmussen and John R. Gray

Guidelines and procedures for estimating time series of suspended-sediment concentration and loading as a function of turbidity and streamflow data have been published in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods Report, Book 3, Chapter C4. The concepts, statistical procedures, and techniques used to maintain a multiyear suspended sediment time series and to prepare sediment data for public dissemination are described. Procedures for comparing computed suspended-sediment concentrations to water-quality criteria and assessing the frequency of exceeding criteria are included. Specific examples of the method used in Kansas and Missouri are provided.

The method for computing suspended-sediment concentration and loads using turbidity sensors is primarily for nephelometry, but also can be used for optical backscatter. Because an in-situ turbidity sensor is capable of measuring turbidity instantaneously, a turbidity time series can be recorded and related directly to time-varying suspended-sediment concentrations. Depending on the suspended-sediment characteristics of the measurement site, this method can be more reliable and, in many cases, a more accurate means for computing suspended-sediment concentrations and loads than traditional U.S. Geological Survey computational methods.

A spreadsheet and user manual to develop a single or multiple linear regression model using SSC, turbidity, and streamflow data can be downloaded here (Turbidity Sediment Spreadsheet and User Manual). The macros in this spreadsheet allow the user to paste their data in and interactively develop regression models that can then be used to compute SSC and SSL. The methods discussed in T&M 3C4 are used in the spreadsheet.

Additional Information:

  • Daily-value suspended-sediment data collected by the USGS from 1930 through September 30, 1994, are available to the public on-line at http://webserver.cr.usgs.gov/sediment. These and subsequent daily-value USGS suspended-sediment data are entered into the NWISWeb data base as the data become available.

Other Links:

USGS Home Water Resources Biology Geography Geology Geospatial

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

Take Pride in America logo USA.gov logo U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://water.usgs.gov/osw/suspended_sediment/time_series.html
Page Contact Information: USGS Office of Surface Water
Page Last Modified: Tuesday, 25-Feb-2014 09:09:35 EST