EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES--Current Meters
In Reply Refer To: September 10, 1985
WGS-Mail Stop 415
SURFACE WATER BRANCH TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 85.14
Subject: EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES--Current Meters
Please replace the original table 1 provided with Surface Water Branch
Technical Memorandum 85.07 dated May 13, 1985, with the attached table. This
will correct an erroneous value of minimum velocity given for the Price-
Pygmy meter in the original table.
Verne R. Schneider
Acting Chief, Surface Water Branch
Attachment
WRD Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO
This memorandum corrects Surface Water Branch Memorandum 85.07.
Table 1.--Configuration, availability, recommended velocity, and depth ranges for U.S. Geological Survey Current meters
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
|_____Bucket______|_________Contact___| | Velocity | Depth |
Meter | | | | | | range in | range |
type__________|Metal__|Polymer|Catwhisker_|Optic|Availability|___ft/s___|_inft____|Remarks____________________
| | | | | | | |
Price AA | x | | x | | Available | 0.10-12 | 1.5 and |
| | | | | | | greater |
| | | | | | | |
Price AA | x | | | x | Not planned | | do. |
| | | | | | | |
P-AA | | x | x | | Available | 0.15-12 | do. |
| | | | | | | |
F-AA | | x | | x | Available | 0.15-12 | do. |
| | | | | | | |
Price-Pygmy | x | | x | | Available | 0.25 | 0.3-1.5***| Low velocities shown on
| | | | | | | | standard rating table are a
| | | | | | | | questionable extrapolation
| | | | | | | |
Price-Pygmy | x | | | x | Not planned | | do. |
| | | | | | | |
P-Pygmy | | x | x | | FY 1987 | | do. |
| | | | | | | |
F-Pygmy | | x | | x | FY 1987** | | do. |
| | | | | | | |
Low velocity | x | | | | Available | | --- | No difference in rating
| | | | | | | | from Price AA meter
| | | | | | | |
Ice |Vertical-| | | | Available | 0.5-8* | 1.5 and | Rod use - not to be used
| vane | | | | | | greater | closer than 0.5 foot to
| | | | | | | | surface or bed
| | | | | | | |
F-Combination | | | | | FY 1987 | | --- | This meter will be usable
| | | | | | | | with rod, cable, or ice
______________|_________|_________|_____________|_______|______________|__________|___________|suspension________________
*Meters are individually rod rated. Those rated prior to December 1, 1981, should only be used within this range.
**Specially rated versions of this meter can be requested from the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility. Meter is
recommended for high velocities and shallow depths.
***Meter may be used in depths as low as 0.3 foot by using the 0.6-depth method. It should be recognized, however, that
there is an unknown underregistration error when the meter is used in depths less than 0.75 foot.