A Harmonized Discharge Record for Select Tributaries to the Lower Boise River, Southwestern Idaho, 1986-2022
Dates
Publication Date
2023-06-12
Start Date
1986-04-01
End Date
2022-12-11
Citation
Bittmann, B.M., King, T.V., Kaiser, K.E., and Molloy, C.M., 2023, A Harmonized Discharge Record for Select Tributaries to the Lower Boise River, Southwestern Idaho, 1986-2022: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P93MAQA8.
Summary
To provide a consistent, long-term estimate of discharge from select tributaries to the lower Boise River, two datasets of daily discharge records were harmonized. Differences between a discharge record compiled by the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) and one compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) were computed, and the IDWR record was adjusted so that median discharge values equaled those of the USGS record. The 10th and 90th percentiles of the percent difference between discharge records were applied to the IDWR dataset to create lower and upper bounds on daily discharge estimates and to show the uncertainty around the median adjusted IDWR discharge values. The result is a harmonized discharge record for 14 lower [...]
Summary
To provide a consistent, long-term estimate of discharge from select tributaries to the lower Boise River, two datasets of daily discharge records were harmonized. Differences between a discharge record compiled by the Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) and one compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) were computed, and the IDWR record was adjusted so that median discharge values equaled those of the USGS record. The 10th and 90th percentiles of the percent difference between discharge records were applied to the IDWR dataset to create lower and upper bounds on daily discharge estimates and to show the uncertainty around the median adjusted IDWR discharge values. The result is a harmonized discharge record for 14 lower Boise River tributaries.
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DataRelease_Metadata.xml Original FGDC Metadata
View
41.42 KB
application/fgdc+xml
P8070096.JPG “USGS Personnel Collecting Discharge and Water Quality samples from Tenmile Creek”
1.27 MB
image/jpeg
harmonized_discharge.csv
6.93 MB
text/csv
matched_differences.csv
226.85 KB
text/csv
site_summary.csv
1.25 KB
text/csv
Purpose
Discharge records from tributaries to the lower Boise River Basin are needed to understand long-term trends in loading of sediment and nutrients to the Boise River. In 2017, the USGS installed a series of continuous stage-discharge gaging stations on 9 of the key tributaries in the Lower Boise River basin. While these stations provide highly accurate continuous data, their period of record is not long-enough to identify trends in discharge and loading within the system. The IDWR has compiled daily discharge from 1986 to present from multiple water management organizations (e.g., irrigation districts) within the Lower Boise River basin at 14 locations. In this work, we examine the compatibility of daily discharge data reported in the IDWR daily discharge database with mean daily discharge computed from the USGS continuous gaging stations and modify the IDWR dataset to maintain consistency and integrate the datasets. The harmonized daily discharge dataset is intended for use in water quality modeling where daily discharge estimates are needed.
Preview Image
USGS Personnel Collecting Discharge and Water Quality samples from Tenmile Creek