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Mean annual runoff, precipitation, and evapotranspiration in the glaciated northeastern United States, 1951-80

Open-File Report 96-395
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Abstract

Two maps, compiled at 1:1 million scale, depict mean annual runoff, precipitation, and evapotranspiration in the part of the United States east of Cleveland, Ohio and north of the southern limit of glaciation. The maps are mutually consistent in that runoff equals precipitation minus evapotranspiration everywhere. The runoff map is based on records of streamflow from 503 watersheds in the United States and southernmost Canada, adjusted to/1951-80 and supplemented by records of precipitation at 483 stations. Precipitation at each station was partitioned into point estimates of runoff and evapotranspiration, which were constrained such that the evapotranspiration estimates varied smoothly across the region and decreased with increasing latitude and altitude, and the runoff estimates were consistent with measured runoff from nearby watersheds. A point estimate of runoff was allowed to equal mean runoff in a nearby watershed, or to be somewhat higher (or lower) if a compensating departure from mean watershed runoff could be inferred in distant parts of the watershed on the basis of altitude or regional trends. Then,precipitation contours were drawn to parallel runoff contours but differ from them by the magnitude of nearby estimates of evapotranspiration. These maps may slightly underrepresent mean precipitation and evapotranspiration in areas of high relief, because most precipitation stations in such areas are in valleys. Map accuracy is evaluated.

The maps and text are designed to be printed as 34x53 inch plates; they may not be legible if printed in their entirety at appreciably smaller scales. The Arc/Info coverages from which these maps were prepared are available at the Water Resources National Spatial Data Infrastructure Node: ofr96395_eva, ofr96395_pre, and ofr96395_run (evapotranspiration, precipitation, and runoff).

Descriptors: *Annual Runoff, *Areal precipitation, *Runoff, *Evapotranspiration Precipitation, Rainfall, New York, New England, Northeast

Suggested Citation

Randall, A.D., 1996, Mean annual runoff, precipitation, and evapotranspiration in the glaciated northeastern United States, 1951-80: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 1996-0395, https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr96395.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Mean annual runoff, precipitation, and evapotranspiration in the glaciated northeastern United States, 1951-80
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 96-395
DOI 10.3133/ofr96395
Year Published 1996
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) New York Water Science Center
Description 2 Plates: 39.72 x 26.18 inches and 39.56 x 26.28 inches; Additional Report Pieces: HTML Documents
Country United States
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details