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The history of stream gaging in Ohio

Fact Sheet 050-00
By:
https://doi.org/10.3133/fs05000

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Introduction

Streams are a natural resource that can influence economic growth and the development of communities. They supply water for many uses, provide habitat for aquatic plants and animals, and sup-port recreational activities such as boat-ing and fishing. The amount of water (flow) in a stream — either too little or too much — can seriously affect these uses and human life. By using a method called stream gaging , information about the flow in a stream and the fluctuations in that flow can be obtained.

n its simplest form, stream gaging may consist of measuring any number of the following stream characteristics: stage (or depth), cross-sectional area, velocity, and (or) flow (or discharge). When the depth and velocity are measured at several points across the stream channel so that the flow (or discharge ) is calculated, a streamflow measurement (or discharge measurement ) is made.

By making streamflow measurements at the same site on a stream over a wide range of stages, a relation between stage and discharge can be developed. This relation can be used to provide information on the magnitude and fluctuations of flow on a stream. If long-term or continuous information is needed on a specific site, a stream-gaging station can be established. A stream-gaging station is a site where stage is monitored and recorded and streamflow measurements are made to provide a stage-discharge relation.

Ever since the first documented streamflow measurement was made in Ohio — on the Sandusky River — stream-gaging information has been used to minimize the effects of floods and droughts, determine locations for water intakes and wastewater-treatment plants, and provide data for many other uses. Today, stream gaging is a routine activity in managing the State’s water resources.

Suggested Citation

Shaffer, Kimberly, 2000, The history of stream gaging in Ohio: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2000–050, 4 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs05000.

ISSN: 2327-6932 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Early stream gaging
  • Estahlishment of the stream-gage network
  • Present-day stream gaging
  • Selected References
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title The history of stream gaging in Ohio
Series title Fact Sheet
Series number 050-00
DOI 10.3133/fs05000
Year Published 2000
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey,
Publisher location Reston, VA
Description 4 p.
Country United States
State Ohio
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