Low-flow characteristics of streams in West Virginia

Abstract

Low-flow characteristics of selected streams in West Virginia were determined at continuous-and partial-record sites. Daily discharges at 100 continuous-record gaging stations on unregulated streams were used to compute selected low-flow frequency values. Estimates of low-flow frequency values at 296 partial-record sites (ones having only discharge measurements) were made using the relation defined by concurrent flows with a continuous-record station.Low-flow characteristics at continuous-record stations were related to drainage area and a variability index to produce equations which can be used to estimate low-flow characteristics at ungaged sites in West Virginia. The State was divided into two hydrologic regions. Drainage area and a streamflow-variability index were determined to be the most significant. The streamflowvariability index was computed from duration curves and was used to account for the integrated effects of geology and other hydrologic characteristics. The standard error of estimate for the 7-day low flow with a 2-year recurrence interval is 43 percent for Region 1 and 57 percent for Region 2. The standard error of estimate for the 7-day low flow with a 10-year recurrence interval is 82 percent for Region 1 and 83 percent for Region 2.