Extending Seasonal Discharge Records for Streamgage Sites on the North Fork Fortymile and Middle Fork Fortymile Rivers, Alaska, through Water Year 2020

Scientific Investigations Report 2021-5014
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management
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Abstract

Daily mean discharge records are needed for management of selected streams in the Fortymile River Basin. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, updated a technique for estimating seasonal (partial year) discharge at two short-record streamgage sites in the basin and evaluated the accuracy of the estimates. Daily mean discharge values were estimated for May 15–September 30, 1976–82 and 2006–18, for U.S. Geological Survey streamgage sites 15330000 (North Fork Fortymile River above Middle Fork near Franklin, Alaska) and 15331000 (Middle Fork Fortymile River near mouth near Chicken, Alaska). Relations between discharge for each study streamgage and an index streamgage on the main-stem Fortymile River (15348000, Fortymile River near Steele Creek, Alaska) for concurrent seasonal periods in 2019 and 2020 were developed using the maintenance of variance extension type 3 (MOVE.3) record extension technique. The MOVE.3 regressions were used to estimate daily mean discharges at the study streamgage sites for the selected season for the longer period of record of the index streamgage. Additionally, estimated records were generated from the regressions for the concurrent seasonal periods to evaluate the accuracy of the record extension techniques. The modified Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficients for the estimated records were 0.53 for the North Fork Fortymile River (15330000) and 0.70 for the Middle Fork Fortymile River (15331000) streamgages.

Suggested Citation

Curran, J.H., 2021, Extending seasonal discharge records for streamgage sites on the North Fork Fortymile and Middle Fork Fortymile Rivers, Alaska, through water year 2020: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2021–5014, 11 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20215014.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Extended Daily Mean Discharge Records and Error Analysis
  • Summary
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Extending seasonal discharge records for streamgage sites on the North Fork Fortymile and Middle Fork Fortymile Rivers, Alaska, through water year 2020
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2021-5014
DOI 10.3133/sir20215014
Year Published 2021
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Alaska Science Center Water
Description Report: v, 11 p.; Data Release
Country United States
State Alaska
Other Geospatial North Fork Fortymile River, Middle Fork Fortymile River
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details