HR: 0800h
AN: H51D-0752    [Abstracts]
TI: Data Collection for Dynamic Temperature Modeling in High-Gradient Mountain Streams
AU: * Neilson, B T
EM: bethany.neilson@usu.edu
AF: Utah State University, 8200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-8200, United States
AU: Schmadel, N
EM: n.schma@aggiemail.usu.edu
AF: Utah State University, 8200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-8200, United States
AU: Bingham, J D
EM: jdbingham@usu.edu
AF: Utah State University, 8200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-8200, United States
AU: Hobson, A J
EM: ajohob@cc.usu.edu
AF: Utah State University, 8200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-8200, United States
AB: Neilson [2006] published results from a study in the Virgin River, UT where a data collection methodology was developed to assist in modeling the separate effects of hyporheic and dead zones on heat and solute transport. This study was unique in that temperature and tracer data were collected in the main channel, hyporheic zone, and dead zones to help estimate parameters associated with a two zone modeling approach rather than previous one zone modeling approaches that lump the effects of hyporheic and dead zones (transient storage). Research on a small section of Curtis Creek, UT, USA, has begun to investigate whether the data collection methodology and modeling approach developed by Neilson in the Virgin River, a desert river system with sand/gravel substrate and relatively low average channel slopes, could be implemented in a mountain stream with gravel/cobble substrate and higher average channel slopes that are highly influenced by groundwater. Initial data suggested that instream temperatures in this small high-gradient steam are significantly affected by riparian shading, deep groundwater, surface groundwater seeps, hyporheic exchange, and bed conduction. Therefore, new data types were collected in the current study in order to begin to separate out some of the complex and confounded sources and sinks of heat found in mountain streams that need to be quantified for temperature model population and testing. These included riparian shading mapping, detailed channel surveys, groundwater observation wells, and an increased number of tracer tests to assist in quantifying groundwater influx through dilution studies. Additionally, new installation techniques had to be applied for equipment inserted in the bed sediments. Preliminary data, analyses, and installation techniques will be presented. Neilson, B. T. (2006), Dynamic Stream Temperature Modeling: Understanding the Causes and Effects of Temperature Impairments and Uncertainty in Predictions, Dissertation thesis, Utah State University, Logan, UT.
DE: 0466 Modeling
DE: 0496 Water quality
DE: 1847 Modeling
DE: 1871 Surface water quality
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting