Channel-Morphology Data for the Tongue River and
Selected Tributaries, Southeastern Montana, 2001-02
By Katherine J. Chase
U.S. Geological Survey
Open-File Report 2004-1260
In cooperation with the
Bureau of Land Management
Abstract
Coal-bed methane exploration and production have begun within the Tongue River watershed
in southeastern Montana. The development of coal-bed methane requires production of large
volumes of ground water, some of which may be discharged to streams, potentially increasing
stream discharge and sediment load. Changes in stream discharge or sediment load may result
in changes to channel morphology through changes in erosion and vegetation. These changes might
be subtle and difficult to detect without baseline data that indicate stream-channel conditions
before extensive coal-bed methane development began. In order to provide this baseline channel-morphology
data, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, collected channel-morphology
data in 2001-02 to document baseline conditions for several reaches along the Tongue River and selected tributaries.
This report presents channel-morphology data for five sites on the mainstem Tongue River and four sites on
its tributaries. Bankfull, water-surface, and thalweg elevations, channel sections, and streambed-particle
sizes were measured along reaches near streamflow-gaging stations. At each site, the channel was classified
using methods described by Rosgen. For six sites, bankfull discharge was determined from the stage-
discharge relation at the gage for the stage corresponding to the bankfull elevation. For three sites,
the step-backwater computer model HEC-RAS was used to estimate bankfull discharge. Recurrence intervals for the bankfull discharge also were estimated for eight of the nine sites. Channel-morphology data for each site are presented in maps, tables, graphs, and
photographs.
Contents
Glossary
Abstract
Introduction
Purpose and scope
Methods
Summary of channel-morphology data used for determination of channel type
References cited
Channel-morphology data
A. Tongue River at State Line, near Decker, Mont.
B. Tongue River at Tongue River Dam, near Decker, Mont
C. Tongue River at Birney Day School Bridge, near Birney, Mont.
D. Tongue River below Brandenberg Bridge, near Ashland, Mont.
E. Tongue River at Miles City, Mont.
F. Prairie Dog Creek near Birney, Mont.
G. Hanging Woman Creek near Birney, Mont.
H. Otter Creek at Ashland, Mont.
I. Pumpkin Creek at mouth, near Miles City, Mont.
Appendixes 1-3. HEC-RAS model input data for:
1. Prairie Dog Creek near Birney, Mont.
2. Otter Creek at Ashland, Mont.
3. Pumpkin Creek at mouth, near Miles City, Mont.
FIGURES
1. Map showing location of study reaches along Tongue River and selected tributaries,
southeastern Montana
A1-A8. Tongue River at State Line, near Decker, Mont.:
Al. Aerial photograph showing location of
representative study reach, streamflow-
gaging station, cross section, and reference marks for Tongue River at State Line,
near Decker, Mont.
A2. Photograph showing Tongue River
at State Line site from right bank looking
upstream from cross section
A3. Graph showing surveyed profiles
of representative reach for Tongue River at
State Line site
A4. Photograph showing Tongue River
at State Line site gaging station looking upstream
A5. Graph showing cross section at
Tongue River at State Line site
A6. Photograph showing Tongue
River at
State Line site from left bank looking downstream from cross section
A7. Photograph showing
representative reach for Tongue River at State Line site
looking downstream
A8. Graph showing distribution
of streambed-material particle size for Tongue
River at State Line site
B1-B8. Tongue River at Tongue River Dam, near Decker, Mont.:
B1. Aerial photograph showing
location of representative study reach, streamflow-
gaging station, cross section, reference mark, and bench marks
and control points for Tongue River at Tongue River Dam, near Decker, Mont.
B2. Photograph showing Tongue
River at Tongue River Dam site from left bank near
gaging station looking upstream
B3. Graph showing surveyed profiles of representative reach for Tongue River at Tongue
River Dam site
B4. Photograph
showing Tongue River at Tongue River Dam site from left bank looking downstream
B5. Graph showing
cross section at Tongue River at Tongue River Dam site
B6. Photograph showing Tongue River at Tongue River Dam site at mid-stream of cross section looking downstream
B7. Photograph showing Tongue River at Tongue River Dam site from left bank looking
upstream at cross section
B8. Graph showing
distribution of streambed-material particle size for Tongue River at Tongue River Dam site
C1-C10. Tongue River at Birney Day School Bridge, near Birney, Mont.:
C1. Aerial photograph
showing location of representative study reach,
streamflow-gaging station, cross sections, and reference marks for Tongue
River at Birney Day School Bridge, near Birney, Mont.
C2. Graph showing surveyed
profiles of representative reach for Tongue River at Birney
Day School Bridge site
C3. Photograph showing Tongue
River
at Birney Day School Bridge site from left
bank near cross section 1
C4. Graph showing cross section 1
at Tongue River at Birney Day School Bridge site
C5. Photograph showing Tongue River
at Birney Day School Bridge site from left
bank near cross section 1
C6.
Graph showing cross section 2 at
Tongue River at Birney Day School Bridge site
C7. Photograph showing Tongue River
at Birney Day School Bridge site from right bank
at cross section 2 looking downstream at cross section 1
C8. Graph showing cross section 3
at Tongue River at Birney Day School Bridge site
C9. Photograph showing Tongue River
at Birney Day School Bridge site from left bank
looking downstream
C10. Graph showing distribution
of streambed-material particle size for Tongue
River at Birney Day School Bridge site
D1-D8. Tongue River below Brandenberg Bridge, near Ashland, Mont.:
D1. Aerial
photograph showing location of representative study reach,
streamflow-gaging station, cross section, and reference marks for Tongue River
below Brandenberg Bridge, near Ashland, Mont.
D2. Photograph
showing Tongue River below Brandenberg Bridge site from bridge
looking upstream
D3. Graph showing
surveyed profiles of representative reach for Tongue River below
Brandenberg Bridge site
D4. Photograph
showing Tongue River below Brandenberg Bridge site from right bank
at gaging station and cross section
D5. Graph showing
cross section at Tongue River below Brandenberg Bridge site
D6. Photograph
showing Tongue River below Brandenberg Bridge site from bridge
looking downstream
D7. Photograph
showing Tongue River below Brandenberg Bridge site from bridge
looking downstream at right bank, gaging station, and irrigation diversion
D8. Graph
showing distribution of streambed-material particle size for Tongue River below
Brandenberg Bridge site
E1-E8. Tongue River at Miles City, Mont.:
E1. Aerial
photograph showing location of representative study reach, streamflow-gaging
station, cross section, reference marks, and survey bench mark for Tongue River at
Miles City, Mont.
E2. Photograph
showing Tongue River at Miles City site from bridge looking downstream
E3. Graph showing surveyed
profiles of representative reach for Tongue River at Miles
City site
E4. Photograph
showing Tongue River at Miles City site from right bank at cross section
E5. Graph showing
cross section at Tongue River at Miles City site
E6. Photograph
showing Tongue River at Miles City site from middle of cross section
looking upstream
E7. Photograph
showing Tongue River at Miles City site from left bank at cross section
E8. Graph
showing distribution of streambed-material particle size for Tongue River at
Miles City site
F1-F10. Prairie Dog Creek near Birney, Mont.:
F1. Map and
schematic diagram showing location of representative study reach,
staff gage, cross sections, and reference mark for Prairie Dog Creek near
Birney, Mont.
F2. Graph
showing surveyed profiles of representative reach for Prairie Dog Creek near
Birney site
F3. Photograph
showing Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site looking upstream at
cross section 1
F4. Graph
showing cross section 1 at Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site
F5. Photograph
showing bankfull elevation at Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site
between cross sections 1 and 2
F6. Graph
showing cross section 2 at Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site
F7. Photograph
showing Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site near mid-channel looking
downstream at cross section 2
F8. Graph
showing cross section 3 at Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site
F9. Photograph
showing Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site from right bank looking
upstream at cross sections 2 and 3
F10. Graph showing distribution
of streambed-material particle size for Prairie Dog Creek
near Birney site
G1-G8. Hanging Woman Creek near Birney, Montana:
G1. Map and
schematic diagram showing location of representative study reach,
discontinued streamflow-gaging station, and cross sections for Hanging Woman
Creek near Birney, Mont.
G2. Graph
showing surveyed profiles of representative reach for Hanging Woman Creek
near Birney site
G3. Graph showing
cross section 1 at Hanging Woman Creek near Birney site
G4. Photograph
showing Hanging Woman Creek near Birney site from left bank
near discontinued gaging station
G5.
Graph showing cross section 2 at Hanging Woman Creek near Birney site
G6.
Photograph showing Hanging Woman Creek near Birney site looking upstream
at discontinued gaging station intake and cross section 2
G7.
Graph showing cross section 3 at Hanging Woman Creek near Birney site
G8.
Graph showing distribution of streambed-material particle size for Hanging Woman
Creek near Birney site
H1-H8. Otter Creek at Ashland, Montana:
H1.
Map and schematic diagram showing location of representative study reach,
discontinued streamflow-gaging station, and cross sections for Otter Creek
at Ashland, Mont.
H2.
Graph showing surveyed profiles of representative reach for Otter Creek at Ashland
site
H3.
Graph showing cross section 1 at Otter Creek at Ashland site
H4.
Graph showing cross section 2 at Otter Creek at Ashland site
H5.
Photograph showing Otter Creek at Ashland site from right bank at cross section
2 looking upstream at gaging station and bridge
H6.
Graph showing cross section 3 at Otter Creek at Ashland site
H7.
Photograph showing Otter Creek at Ashland site from bridge looking downstream
at study reach
H8.
Graph showing distribution of streambed-material particle size for Otter Creek
at Ashland site
I1-I8. Pumpkin Creek at mouth, near Miles City, Mont.:
I1. Map
and schematic diagram showing location of representative study reach
and cross sections for Pumpkin Creek at mouth, near Miles City, Mont.
I2. Graph
showing surveyed profiles of representative reach for Pumpkin Creek at
mouth site
I3. Photograph
showing Pumpkin Creek at mouth site from left bank looking upstream
at cross section 3
I4. Graph
showing cross section 1 at Pumpkin Creek at mouth site
I5.
Photograph showing Pumpkin Creek at mouth site from mid-stream at cross
section 3 looking downstream at cross sections 2 and 1, and bridge at Montana
Highway S-332
I6.
Graph showing cross section 2 at Pumpkin Creek at mouth site
I7.
Graph showing cross section 3 at Pumpkin Creek at mouth site
I8.
Graph showing distribution of streambed-material particle size for Pumpkin Creek at
mouth site
Tables
A1-A2. Tongue River at State Line, near Decker, Mont.:
A1. Stream- and channel-morphology data for Tongue River at State Line site
A2. Distance and elevation data for cross section at Tongue River at State Line site
B1-B2. Tongue River at Tongue River Dam, near Decker, Mont.:
B1. Stream- and channel-morphology data for Tongue River at Tongue River Dam site
B2. Distance and elevation data for cross section at Tongue River at Tongue River Dam site
C1-C4. Tongue River at Birney Day School Bridge, near Birney, Mont.:
C1.
Stream- and channel-morphology data for Tongue River at Birney Day School
Bridge site
C2.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 1 at Tongue River at Birney Day School
Bridge site
C3.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 2 at Tongue River at Birney Day School
Bridge site
C4.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 3 at Tongue River at Birney Day School
Bridge site
D1-D2. Tongue River below Brandenberg Bridge, near Ashland, Mont.:
D1.
Stream- and channel-morphology data for Tongue River below Brandenberg
Bridge site
D2.
Distance and elevation data for cross section at Tongue River below Brandenberg
Bridge site
E1-E2. Tongue River at Miles City, Mont.:
E1.
Stream- and channel-morphology data for Tongue River at Miles City site
E2.
Distance and elevation data for cross section at Tongue River at Miles City site
F1-F4. Prairie Dog Creek near Birney, Mont.:
F1.
Stream- and channel-morphology data for Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site
F2.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 1 at Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site
F3.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 2 at Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site
F4.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 3 at Prairie Dog Creek near Birney site
G1-G4. Hanging Woman Creek near Birney, Mont.:
G1.
Stream- and channel-morphology data for Hanging Woman Creek near Birney site
G2.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 1 at Hanging Woman Creek near
Birney site
G3.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 2 at Hanging Woman Creek near
Birney site
G4.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 3 at Hanging Woman Creek near
Birney site
H1-H4. Otter Creek at Ashland, Mont.:
H1.
Stream- and channel-morphology data for Otter Creek at Ashland site
H2.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 1 at Otter Creek at Ashland site
H3.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 2 at Otter Creek at Ashland site
H4.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 3 at Otter Creek at Ashland site
I1-I4. Pumpkin Creek at mouth, near Miles City, Mont.:
I1. Stream- and channel-morphology data for Pumpkin Creek at mouth site
I2.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 1 at Pumpkin Creek at mouth site
I3.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 2 at Pumpkin Creek at mouth site
I4.
Distance and elevation data for cross section 3 at Pumpkin Creek at mouth site
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