U. S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

Alaska Open File Report 102

BLM/AK/ST-05/024+7200+020

September 2005

Water Resources of Beaver Creek 

National Wild River

Jon Kostohrys

BLM

Alaska

Stream Gaging Data from 1993 to 2000 with Summary 

Statistics
Cover Photo

Beaver Creek flows past the limestone bluffs at Big Bend on a frosty, autumn morning. (All photos by 

the author, unless noted)

Disclaimer

The mention of trade names or commercial products in this report does not constitute endorsement or 

recommendation for use by the federal government.

Author

Jon Kostohrys is a hydrologist with the Bureau of Land Management, Fairbanks District Office, in 

Fairbanks, Alaska. 

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The BLM Mission

The Bureau of Land Management sustains the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands 

for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
Water Resources for Beaver Creek National Wild River

 Stream Gaging Data from 1993 to 2000 with Summary Statistics

Jon Kostohrys

BLM-Alaska Open File Report 102

September 2005

U. S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

i

Abstract

When Beaver Creek was designated a National Wild River on December 2, 1980, the proposed 

management objectives included maintaining the pristine, free-flowing condition of the river, optimum 

and long-term utilization of the fish and wildlife resources, and high-quality primitive recreational 

opportunities. To support and maintain these values, the BLM initiated a water rights quantification 

project for that portion of Beaver Creek National Wild River that is in the White Mountains National 

Recreation Area. This original quantification was the basis for an application for water rights, which 

was granted by the State of Alaska on May 26, 1989. However, since the streamflow values used in the 

application were estimated from synthesized mean monthly hydrographs and regional flood-frequency 

relationships, the State requested that the BLM document the streamflow for a 10-year period prior to 

any statutory review. BLM began stream gaging at three sites in 1988–1989, and the streamflow data 

collected through 1992 was published previously. This report includes the data collected from 1993 to 

2000, as well as statistical analysis of all data collected from 1988 to 2000. Recommendations from this 

analysis include submitting an amendment to the original application for an instream flow reservation 

with the State to reflect the increased streamflow documented in this report; quantification of instream 

flow at the larger springs, since they appear to contribute an inordinate share of viable over-wintering 

aquatic habitat; and continued resurveys of the riparian reference sites, as well as snow and climatic 

monitoring, to document long-term changes in the Wild River corridor. Since it is the primary access for 

float boating on Beaver Creek, the instream flow also needs to be quantified on lower Nome Creek.

Acknowledgments

Many people have been involved with this project during the decade and a half it has taken to complete. 

Current BLM staff who participated in the field work, often during difficult winter conditions, included 

Lon Kelly, Eric Yeager, Collin Cogley, Tim Dupont, Craig McCaa, Randy Tracy, Ed Lee, Randy Goodwin, 

Sandy Westcott, and Mike Kunz. Former BLM staff included Bunny Sterin, Dick Bouts, Nate Collin, 

Roger Evans, Rod Everett, Jerry Wyse, Brian Lubinski, Lisa Ragland, Anna McGlinn, Tanja Runkel, 

Verena Grüner, Eva Weithmann, and George Rogers. Kristine Kosnik and Tim Hammond worked on the 

GIS analysis and produced the watershed map. Special thanks to contract pilot Sandy Hamilton, whose 

flying skills brought us back at times when things looked grim. Stan Bloom and Craig McCaa provided 

a wizard’s touch on the entire document.

iii

Table of Contents

Abstract.....................................................................................................................................................i

Acknowledgments .....................................................................................................................................i

Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................1

Basin Characteristics ................................................................................................................................1

Methods....................................................................................................................................................3

Results and Discussion ............................................................................................................................6

Recommendations ....................................................................................................................................9

Literature Cited ......................................................................................................................................12

Appendix A ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Appendix B ............................................................................................................................................35

Appendix C ............................................................................................................................................38

Figures

Figure 1. Map of the White Mountains and Beaver Creek area ............................................................2

Figure 2. The Beaver Creek National Wild River corridor is highlighted by the limestone 

peaks of the White Mountains. ..............................................................................................3

Figure 3. Beaver Creek is normally ice-covered for most of the winter, but groundwater 

springs keep a few reaches of the creek open all winter. .......................................................4

Figure 4. Streamflow measurements are an integral component of the stream gaging process. ...........4

Figure 5. While most surveying employed a level and stadia rod, multi-cross-section surveys 

were often done with a total-station theodolite.. ....................................................................5

Figure 6. Water quality readings were taken in-situ with single parameter meters. .............................6

Figure 7. Winter discharge measurements were needed to document under-ice flows, 

critical to over-wintering fish.. ...............................................................................................6

Figure 8. Monthly mean discharge hydrograph for Beaver Creek Basin. .............................................8

Figure 9. Debris flow observed on Victoria Creek in June 1989. The flow deposited more 

than 2,000 cubic yards of debris into the creek. ....................................................................9

Tables

Table 1. Location of Water Resources Survey Sites in the White Mountains National 

Recreation Area .....................................................................................................................5

Table 2. Beaver Creek Mean Monthly Discharge Compared to Discharge Used in the 

Water Rights Application. ......................................................................................................7

Table 3. Log Pearson Type III Recurrence-interval (years) and Discharge (cfs) for Beaver 

Creek from Gaging Data Compared to Water Rights Estimates. ...........................................7

Table 4. Late Winter Discharge Measurements (cfs) and Snow Depths (in) on Beaver Creek ...........8

Table 5. Bankfull Channel Characteristics for Beaver Creek and Tributaries. ....................................9

Appendix A

Fig. A-1. Crest-stage gage at Beaver Creek above Nome Creek ........................................................13

Fig. A-2. Crest-stage gage at Beaver Creek at Big Bend ....................................................................16

Fig. A-3. Data logger site on Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek .....................................................19

Fig. A-4. Site of data logger and pressure transducer gage at Beaver Creek below

Nome Creek .........................................................................................................................30

Fig. A-5. Crest-stage gage site at Victoria Creek below Squaw Creek ...............................................33

Table A-1. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek above Nome Creek WRM 6 .........................14

Table A-2. Peak and Minimum Discharges (cfs) from 1993–1999 for Beaver Creek above 

Nome Creek WRM 6 ...........................................................................................................15 
iv

Table A-3. 1993–1999 Mean Monthly Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Nome Creek 

 WRM 6 ............................................................................................................................ 15 

Table A-4. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek above Big Bend WRM 36.5 ....................... 17 

Table A-5. Peak and Minimum Discharges (cfs) from 1993–1999 for Beaver Creek at 

Big Bend WRM 36.5 ........................................................................................................ 18 

Table A-6. 1993–1999 Mean Monthly Discharge (cfs) Beaver Creek at Big Bend WRM 36.5 ....... 18 

Table A-7. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5 ............. 20

Table A-8. Peak and Minimum d ischarges (cfs) from 1993–2000 for Beaver Creek above 

Victoria Creek WRM 110.5 ............................................................................................. 21

Table A-9. 1988–2001 Monthly Mean Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria 

Creek WRM 110.5 ........................................................................................................... 21

Table A-10. 1993 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5 ...................................................................................................................... 22

Table A-11. 1994 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5 ...................................................................................................................... 23

Table A-12. 1995 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5 ...................................................................................................................... 24

Table A-13. 1996 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5 ...................................................................................................................... 25

Table A-14. 1997 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5 ..................................................................................................................... 26 

Table A-15. 1998 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5 ..................................................................................................................... 27

Table A-16. 1999 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5 ...................................................................................................................... 28

Table A-17. 2000 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5 ...................................................................................................................... 29

Table A-18. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 .................... 30 

Table A-19. Peak Discharges (cfs) from 1998 to 2000 for Beaver Creek below Nome Creek 

WRM 7.5 .......................................................................................................................... 31

Table A-20. 1998 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) Beaver Creek below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 ............ 31

Table A-21. 1999 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) Beaver Creek below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 ............ 32

Table A-22. Discharge Measurements for Victoria Creek below Squaw Creek .................................. 33

Table A-23. Victoria Creek below Squaw Creek Peak Discharges and Recurrence Intervals ............. 34

Table A-24. Discharge Measurements for Fossil Creek above Fossil Gap .......................................... 34

Table A-25. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek below Yellow Creek ................................... 34

Table A-26. Discharge Regressions Used to Compute Beaver Creek Data ......................................... 34

Appendix B

Table B-1. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek below Fossil Creek Spring (WRM 48.5) ... 35

Table B-2. Discharge Measurements at Miscellaneous Groundwater Spring Sites ........................... 35

Table B-3. Water Quality Readings from Groundwater Springs on Beaver Creek .......................... 36

Table B-4. Water Quality Readings for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5 ............... 36

Table B-5. Paired Water Quality Readings from Beaver Creek sites ............................................... 37

Table B-6. Water Quality of WMNRA Lakes ................................................................................... 37 

Appendix C

Figure C-1. View of stream channel for Beaver Creek above Nome Creek in July 2003 ................... 38

Figure C-2. Channel cross-section for Beaver Creek above Nome Creek (WRM 6) ......................... 38

Figure C-3. View of stream channel for Beaver Creek below Nome Creek in July 2003 .................. 39

Figure C-4. Channel cross-section for Beaver Creek below Nome Creek (WRM 7.5) ...................... 39

Figure C-5. View of stream channel for Beaver Creek at Big Bend in July 2003 .............................. 40

Figure C-6. Channel cross-section for Beaver Creek at Big Bend ...................................................... 40
Introduction

Beaver Creek was designated a National Wild River 

on December 2, 1980 when Congress amended the 

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (P.L. 90-542) as part of 

the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 

(P.L. 96-487). For Beaver Creek, the management 

objectives cited in the designation include maintaining 

the pristine, free-flowing condition of the river, optimum and long-term utilization of the fish and wildlife 

resources, and high-quality primitive recreational 

opportunities (USDI 1974). While National Wild and 

Scenic River status requires that each component be 

administered to maintain and enhance those values for 

which it was included in the system, it does not necessarily protect the streamflow of the river.

BLM Manual Section 7250 states that the BLM will 

cooperate with State governments to protect all water 

use on public lands, including those identified for 

Federal reserved and state appropriative water rights. 

Because wild and scenic river designation does not 

automatically reserve a specific flow regime, the optimum amount of water necessary to fulfill the primary 

purpose of the reservation must be determined to define 

the water rights needs.

The BLM, in its River Management Plan for the Beaver Creek National Wild River (USDI 1983), proposed 

“a reservation of minimum water flows sufficient for 

public recreation and to support the values for which 

the area was designated will be determined in cooperation with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, 

Division of Land and Water Management.”

In April 1985, BLM initiated a water rights quantification project for that portion of Beaver Creek 

National Wild River in the White Mountains National 

Recreation Area (Figure 1). This project culminated in 

the report, Water Rights Assessment for Beaver Creek 

National Wild River, Alaska (Van Haveren et al. 1987). 

These streamflow estimates, used in the application for 

the instream flow reservation, were calculated from 

mean monthly flows at nearby U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS) gaging sites, adjusted by the area exponent 

of the mean annual discharge and a composite of the 

regional flood-frequency relationships listed in Parks 

and Madison (1985).

On May 26, 1989 the Alaska Department of Natural 

Resources, Division of Land and Water Management 

(DNR) issued a Certificate of Reservation for Beaver 

Creek (LAS 11997). The water right issued to BLM 

by DNR is at three locations on Beaver Creek: Wild 

River Mile (WRM) 6, WRM 36.5 and WRM 110.5. 

These mileages are referenced to the designated Wild 

River Corridor, which begins at the confluence of Bear 

and Champion Creeks, WRM 0. In granting this right, 

the DNR required that this reservation be reviewed at 

least once every 10 years to determine if the reservation is still needed. Part of this review process includes 

documentation of the streamflow during the 10-year 

period. To achieve the best estimates possible for annual streamflow on Beaver Creek, the DNR requested 

that hydrologic monitoring be done at all three locations noted above and that winter as well as summer 

flows be determined. 

BLM began stream gaging at these sites in 1988–

1989, and the streamflow data collected up through 

1992 was published in a previous report (Kostohrys 

and Sterin 1994). The current report includes the data 

collected from 1993 to 2000, as well as statistical 

analysis of all data collected from 1988 to 2000. Also 

included are a number of miscellaneous discharge 

and water quality measurements that have been made 

on tributary streams, groundwater springs, and lakes 

during this period. A riparian survey of channel geometry and bankfull characteristics, done in 2003, 

is also included. Additional background information 

can be found in the Proposed Beaver Creek National 

Wild River Alaska (USDI 1974) and River Management Plan for the Beaver Creek National Wild River

(USDI 1983).

Basin Characteristics

The Beaver Creek watershed is located in east-central 

interior Alaska. As described in Wahrhaftig (1965), 

the basin is part of the Yukon-Tanana upland, an area 

characterized by rounded, even-topped ridges with 

moderate to gentle side slopes. The wide river valleys, 

often heavily forested, are separated by more sparsely 

vegetated, compact rugged mountains 4,000–5,000 

feet in altitude (Figure 2). Some of the upland valleys, especially in the vicinity of Cache and Victoria 

Mountains, the north side of the White Mountains, and 

Mount Prindle experienced limited alpine glaciation 

during the Pleistocene (Weber et al. 1988). Streams 

originating in these areas have typical U-shaped valleys 

in their upper reaches, while the unglaciated tributaries 

flow in narrow, V-shaped canyons. The Beaver Creek 

valley widens downstream within a few miles of the 

headwaters, but remnants of a prominent terrace, cut 

by glacial meltwaters, remains evident in a few places, 

most notably near Big Bend. The flat, alluvium-floored 

valley contains wide, looping meanders, abandoned 

cut-off channels (sloughs), and extensive riparian and 

wetland areas. The floodplain, consisting largely of 

1
Figure 1. Map of the White Mountains and Beaver Creek area.

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Fossil

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Nome Creek

Bear Creek

Trail Creek

Ophir Creek

Quartz Creek

Cham pion

Creek

Little C hampion Cr.

Moose Cr.

Wickersham

Creek

Yukon Flats National WIldlife Refuge

Steese National

Conservaiton Area

Ophir Creek

Campground

Steese

Highway

Chena Hot Springs Road

Elliott

Highway

Livengood

Fairbanks

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2 1

10

14

13

18

15

17

16

12

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BLM Lake Survey Site

BLM River Gage (Table 1)

BLM Snow Survey Site

BLM Groundwater

Spring Survey Site

Main Road

Secondary Road

White Mountains National

Receation Area

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Miles

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Beaver

Creek

Area

Beaver Creek National

Wild River Corridor

Beaver Creek 

Take-out Point

Nome Creek

Put-in Point

2
reworked outwash gravel, silt, and organic materials 

is poorly drained and often underlain by discontinuous 

permafrost. Ice wedge polygons are visible in many 

locations (Weber et al. 1988). The numerous flowing 

springs that occur in the basin, especially in the area 

downstream of Big Bend, contribute significantly to 

winter streamflow. The region is drained ultimately 

by the Yukon River.

The basin lies in the subpolar continental climatic 

zone, typified by long, cold winters and short, hot 

summers. Seasonal temperature extremes range from 

–70 ̊F to +90 ̊F, and variations are great due to surrounding topography. The valley bottoms adjacent 

to Beaver Creek are often 30 ̊ colder than surrounding ridge tops during the winter. Precipitation is also 

strongly affected by topography. Snowfall is moderate, with an average depth in early April of 29 inches 

on the ground, about 5.3 inches of water equivalent 

(USDA 2001). Break-up usually begins in late April 

to early May, and high streamflow may persist well 

into June. Periods of low water typically occur 

in July, while infrequent high flows from rainstorms 

can occur in August or September. A rain gage operated 

since 1998 during the summer in Nome Creek, a headwaters tributary of Beaver Creek, recorded an average 

of about 12 inches of rainfall for the summer period. 

Freeze-up on streams often begins at higher elevations 

in mid- September, although larger streams lower in 

the basin may remain open until November. Ice cover 

on streams is usually continuous for the winter, except 

in the vicinity of springs, and freezing to the bottom of 

the channel may occur in some places (Figure 3).

Methods

Stream gages were installed by BLM at three primary 

sites on Beaver Creek (Table 1). The gages were located 

as near as possible to the locations specified by DNR in 

LAS 11997. An automated water-level recorder (data 

logger and pressure transducer) was installed in 1988 

at the site above Victoria Creek (WRM 110.5). This 

gage recorded water level data for the summer periods 

(generally mid-May to late September). Crest-stage 

gages were installed in 1989 at the other two sites, 

at Big Bend (WRM 36.5) and above Nome Creek 

(WRM 6). These are non-automated gages that record 

the peak water level whenever it exceeds a pre-set 

minimum (base) level. 

At each visit to the site, both types of gages were 

surveyed to the referenced elevation (bench) marks and 

Figure 2. The Beaver Creek National Wild River corridor is highlighted by the limestone peaks of the White 

Mountains. (Photo by Mike Greene) 

3
Figure 3. Beaver Creek is normally ice-covered for most of the winter, but groundwater springs keep 

a few reaches of the creek open all winter. 

Figure 4. Streamflow measurements are an integral 

component of the stream gaging process.

to the current water level. Cross-sectional discharge 

(streamflow) measurements were made using a Price 

AA current meter to measure water velocity and a 

top-setting wading rod and tag line to measure depth 

and width (Figure 4). At least once a year, the stream 

banks, high-water marks and water surface profiles 

were surveyed using a level and stadia rod. Multicross-section surveys, used to quantify flood peaks, 

were done with a total-station theodolite (Figure 5). 

Water-quality readings were taken in-situ with single 

parameter meters (Figure 6). 

A water level vs. discharge rating was developed by 

combining the direct discharge measurements (Rantz 

et al. 1982) and computer-simulated peak flows using 

the slope-area method (Dalrymple and Benson 1967). 

These rating curves—actually log-log regression models—were then used to compute discharge from the 

recorded water level and crest-stage data.

By comparing differences in discharge measurements and peak flows at the three sites using regression 

analysis, data from the automated gage was used as 

the independent variable to compute monthly average 

flows for the non-automated gaging sites (dependent 

variable). Thomas (1967) states that the nearby gaging 

station with the most reliable and longest period of 

streamflow record is to be used as the reference site. 

During periods when water level data was unavailable, such as during spring break-up, fall freeze-up, 

or recorder malfunction, the data was estimated from 

regression analysis with the USGS data from the gage 

on the Salcha River (USDI 1996 to 2001) as the reference site. 

For the winter period, when the water level recording is not possible due to ice formation in the river, 

under-ice discharge measurements were made at the 

three primary gaging sites, as nearly simultaneously as 

possible, two to three times during the winter. These 

4
Once ice and snow cover isolate the stream from 

precipitation and temperature changes, the flow to 

the stream recedes uniformly as the water table in the 

aquifer is lowered by reduction of water volume in 

the aquifer (Rogers and Armbruster 1990). Where the 

Table 1. Location of Water Resources Survey Sites in the White Mountains National Recreation Area

Site No. Stream survey site

Decimal degrees 

latitude

 Decimal degrees 

longitude

At Wild 

River Mile

Drainage 

Area (mi2)

Mainstem

1 Beaver Creek above Nome Creek 65.3895 –147.1067 6.0 219

2 Beaver Creek below Nome Creek 65.3893 –147.1515 7.5 348

3 Beaver Creek At Big Bend 65.3957 –147.8345 36.5 710

4 Beaver Creek at Victoria Creek 65.8015 –146.6578 110.5 1,287

Tributaries

5 Fossil Creek below Limestone Gulch 65.4620 –147.6067 NA 80

6 Victoria Creek below Squaw Creek 65.8335 –146.7585 NA 221

Groundwater Springs

7 Beaver Creek At Hermans Landing 65.4350 –147.7697 40.5 NA

8 Beaver Creek At Shebals Landing 65.4710 –147.6727 46.7 NA

9 Beaver Creek below Fossil Creek 65.4928 –147.6370 48.5 NA

10 Beaver Creek below Willow Creek 65.7547 –147.1130 89.0 NA

11 Upper Windy Creek 65.5740 –147.4670 NA NA

12 Unnamed Creek below Willow Creek 65.7580 –147.1130 NA NA

Lake survey sites

13 Colorado Creek Lake 65.4933 –147.8980 NA NA

14 Borealis Lake 65.4416 –147.6331 NA NA

Snow survey sites

15 Borealis Snow Gage 65.3777 –147.7383 NA NA

16 Fossil Snow Gage 65.4619 –147.6070 NA NA

17 Windy Gap Snow Gage 65.5826 –147.4220 NA NA

18 Wolf Snow Gage 65.5527 –147.6655 NA NA

measurements were made by drilling a series of holes 

in the ice to define the cross-section, then measuring 

the depth and velocity in each hole using a USGS 

vertical-axis, vane type current meter mounted on a 

graduated rod (Figure 7).

Accuracy of winter flows is low; as discharge approaches zero, flow measurements become unreliable 

as the water velocity diminishes below the measuring range of the mechanical meter. Variability in the 

basin can occur as flows diminish downstream from 

the headwaters due to storage as ice. Streamflow may 

cease altogether if additional groundwater sources are 

not available. A flow measurement at one site may 

have little relationship to other sites in the basin unless geological conditions remain constant. Flow in 

unconfined alluvial channels is greater and shows more 

uniformity than in a basin where bedrock confines the 

aquifer and groundwater sources are non-continuous 

(Nelson 1978). Because of these factors, discharges 

less than about 10 cubic feet per second should be 

considered estimates. 

Figure 5. While most surveying employed a level and 

stadia rod, multi-cross-section surveys were often done 

with a total-station theodolite.

5
measurements were sufficiently accurate to represent 

the winter flow conditions, streamflow was computed 

directly by regressing discharge on time (date) for the 

periods covered for each site. This assumes that since 

flow recession curves often take the form of exponential decay, discharge can be expressed as a constant 

times the initial discharge raised to a negative power 

of the time interval (Chow et al. 1988). 

Where no data was available at any of the sites, i.e., 

during periods of variable back water from ice, spring 

break-up, and fall freeze-up, the regression correlation 

to the USGS Salcha River data set was used as the reference site. Wherever regression equations were used 

to compute mean monthly discharge, the estimated 

values have been identified in the tables with italics.

Results and Discussion

Appendix A contains discharge data, listed by site 

location for each year’s data from 1993 to 2000. A 

summary table at the beginning of each year’s data lists 

maximum, minimum, and mean monthly streamflows 

computed from a combination of the recorded daily 

values table, the regression equations determined from 

winter under-ice measurements, and the comparisons 

to other sites on Beaver Creek or the Salcha River. A 

table of the discharge ratings and regression equations 

used in the computations is also listed for each site.

A mean monthly data summary for the entire period 

of record, computed for the three Beaver Creek sites, 

is plotted as an annual hydrograph in Figure 8. An interesting feature is the bimodal nature of the high-flow 

periods, which can occur during both spring snow melt 

and late summer rainfall events.

As noted earlier (Kostohrys and Sterin 1994), the 

flow estimates used in the water-rights application, 

(Van Haveren et al. 1987), significantly under-estimated the actual flows on Beaver Creek. For the data 

covering the entire period of record from 1988 to 2000, 

this averaged about 81 percent low (ranging from 19 

to 100 percent, Table 2). While the reasons for this are 

numerous (as discussed in Kostohrys and Sterin 1994) 

it was the lack of representative, long-term gaging 

data from the Beaver Creek watershed that ultimately 

resulted in the significant under-reservation in the water 

rights application.

Peak flow statistics were computed from the annual 

peak discharge data, listed in Appendix A by year and 

site. Using a log- Pearson III flood-frequency relationship, the computed recurrence interval discharges are 

listed in Table 3. The current values exceeded those 

used in the original estimates (Van Haveren et al. 1987) 

derived from regional flood-frequency relationships, 

by an average of 36% (Table 3) and also those presented in the earlier data report (Kostohrys and Sterin 

1994).

Appendix B contains miscellaneous discharge 

measurements and water quality data at groundwater

springs, lakes and rivers, collected intermittently 

during the period 1989 to 2000, but not previously 

reported. The most notable is the groundwater spring 

that discharges into Beaver Creek below Fossil Creek, 

listed in Table B-1. For this spring, located at WRM 

48.5, the winter streamflow showed a much more uniform flow pattern for the period of record, as compared 

to the higher variability of the winter flows measured 

at the three primary gaging sites (Table 4). While the 

maximum and mean values follow similar trends, the 

Figure 6. Water-quality readings were taken in-situ 

with single parameter meters.

Figure 7. Winter discharge measurements were needed 

to document under-ice flows, critical to over-wintering 

fish.

6
 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Above Nome Creek 

WRM 6 

Gaging data from 

1989–1999 23 16 11 92 602 573 300 514 551 209 94 39

Estimated data in water 

rights* 0.1 0.1 0.1 6.6 233 158 77 71 67 13 1.3 0.2

Percent difference 100% 99% 99% 93% 61% 72% 74% 86% 88% 94% 99% 99%

At Big Bend WRM 

36.5 

Gaging data from 

1989–1999 55 37 27 177 1,454 1,375 682 1,233 1,350 568 203 94

Estimated data in water 

rights* 0.4 0.4 0.4 29 1,019 691 346 314 295 55 5.9 1.0

Percent difference 99% 99% 98% 84% 30% 50% 49% 75% 78% 90% 97% 99%

Above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5 

Gaging data from 

1988–2000 94 65 49 309 2,665 2,213 1,160 1,997 2,144 959 348 157

Estimated data in water 

rights* 0.9 0.9 0.9 60 2,106 1,428 696 649 609 115 13 1.9

Percent difference 99% 99% 98% 81% 21% 35% 40% 68% 72% 88% 96% 99%

* Van Haveren et al. 1987

ND - Not determined 

1.5 

Years

2 

Years

5 

Years

10 

Years

25 

Years

50 

Years

100 

Years

Mean 

Annual**

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 

Gaging data from 1989–1999 2,500 3,150 4,470 5,090 5,670 5,980 6,210 249

Estimated data in water rights* ND 867 ND 2,224 3,318 4,407 5,596 68

Percent difference ND 72% ND 56% 41% 26% 10% 73%

At Big Bend WRM 36.5

Gaging data from 1989–1999 6,500 7,900 11,100 13,000 15,000 16,400 17,600 597

Estimated data in water rights* ND 3,114 ND 7,037 9,923 12,816 15,603 297

Percent difference ND 61% ND 46% 34% 22% 11% 50%

Above Victoria Creek WRM 

110.5

Gaging Data from 1988–2000 9,500 11,500 16,000 18,700 21,800 24,000 26,000 985

Estimated data in water rights* ND 5,851 ND 12,424 17,040 21,704 25,881 614

Percent difference ND 49% ND 34% 22% 10% 0% 38%

* Van Haveren et al. 1987

ND - Not determined

**Gaging data is average of mean monthly values; estimated data used regression equation.

Table 2. Beaver Creek Mean Monthly Discharge Compared to Discharge Used in the Water Rights 

Application

Table 3. Log Pearson Type III Recurrence-interval (years) and Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek from Gaging 

Data Compared to Water Rights Estimates

7
Table 4. Late Winter Discharge Measurements (cfs) 

and Snow Depths (in) on Beaver Creek 

Stream Site Maximum Minimum Mean

Above Nome Creek 

WRM 6 22 0 11

At Big Bend WRM 

36.5 55 0 27

Above Victoria 

Creek WRM 110.5 92 1 49

Below Fossil Creek 

Spring WRM 48.5 69 24 41

Borealis Snow 

Survey (depth) 47 12 29

minimum discharge at the spring is 24 times greater. 

This indicates that these springs may contribute an 

inordinate share of water to the over-wintering aquatic 

habitat in the Beaver Creek watershed. The depth of 

snowpack appears to have a significant impact on 

the minimum winter flow, as the lowest measured 

discharges occurred during the lower snow depths, 

especially when snow is below normal early in the 

winter. Conversely, the highest winter streamflows 

were measured during the periods of highest snowfall 

(Table 4).

The channel geometry data, collected early in the 

study, was originally intended to determine peak 

discharges and bankfull characteristics. These crosssections were then compared to riparian surveys done 

in 2003. This data, summarized in Table 5, is plotted 

along with the resurveys shown in Appendix C, Figures 

C-2, C-4, and C-6. The intent of the resurveys was 

to see if significant erosion or deposition had altered 

riparian conditions during the study period and if this 

could be tied to specific events or activities within the 

corridor. The site at Beaver Creek above Nome Creek 

(Figure C-2) clearly shows the greatest change as the 

thalweg, or deepest portion of the stream channel, 

shifts completely, from the left to the right side of the 

creek. This is thought to be due to the large number 

of trees that eroded into this portion of the watershed 

during the floods from 1994 to 1998. The stream laterally adjusts the hydraulics and sediment flow when 

the large, woody debris is first deposited, partially 

buried, and then eventually flushed out of the reach 

on succeeding high-flow events. This could be the 

result of normal channel migration or some response 

to long-term changes in climate or riparian vegetation 

within the watershed.

While surveying channel cross-sections on lower 

Beaver and Victoria Creeks, a number of debris 

avalanche scars were observed on the steep, narrow 

valley side slopes near Victoria Mountain. A multiple 

cross-section survey done on a recent avalanche located 

near the confluence of Victoria and Squaw Creeks 

1

10

100

1,000

10,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Above Nome Creek WRM 6

At Big Bend WRM 36.5

Above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

Figure 8. Monthly mean discharge hydrograph for Beaver Creek Basin.

DDischarge (cfs)

8
determined that the slide was over a quarter-mile long 

and ranged in width from about 20 feet near the head to 

almost 100 feet at the base. Over 2,000 cubic yards of 

material was eroded from the hillside and subsequently 

deposited into Victoria Creek (Figure 9).

Recommendations

BLM should request that the DNR Commissioner 

review the water-rights application for the original 

three locations on Beaver Creek to reflect the increase 

in streamflow documented in this report.

Because the springs appear to contribute an inordinate share of viable over-wintering aquatic habitat during extreme low flow in the Beaver Creek watershed, 

an instream flow reservation for these areas should be 

quantified and submitted to DNR.

As noted in Van Haveren et al. (1987), Nome Creek is 

an integral part of the Beaver Creek Wild River, since it 

is the primary access route and put-in for float boating. 

The streamflow should be quantified at several points 

on lower Nome Creek and an instream flow reservation 

submitted to DNR.

The resurveys of the riparian and channel-morphology sites, as well as snow and climatic monitoring, 

should be continued to assess long-term riparian and 

channel geometry changes in the Beaver Creek Wild 

River corridor.

Table 5. Bankfull Channel Characteristics for Beaver Creek and Tributaries

Stream Site

Channel 

substrate

Bankfull 

Discharge 

(cfs)

Bankfull 

Max. 

Depth (ft)

Bankfull 

Mean 

Depth (ft)

Bankfull 

Width (ft)

Bankfull 

Width/

Depth

1.5 Year 

Discharge 

(cfs)

Beaver Creek Mainstem 

Above Nome Creek 

WRM 6

Sand, 

gravel 3,800 5.3 3.4 174 51 2,500

Below Nome Creek 

WRM 7.5 Gravel 4,000 5.3 3.2 207 65 ND

At Big Bend WRM 

36.5 

Gravel, 

cobbles 4,500 6.5 4.3 232 54 6,500

Above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5

Cobbles, 

boulders 12,000 10.0 7.3 341 47 9,300

Tributaries

Fossil Creek below 

Limestone Gulch

Gravel, 

cobbles 1,500 5.5 2.5 190 76 ND

Victoria Creek below 

Squaw Creek

Gravel, 

cobbles 650 4.6 2.6 77 30 1,800

ND - Not determined 

Figure 9. Debris flow observed on Victoria Creek in 

June 1989. The flow deposited more than 2,000 cubic 

yards of debris into the creek.

9

Literature Cited

Bedient, Philip B. and Huber, Wayne C. 1988. Hydrology and Floodplain Analysis. Addison-Wesley 

Pub. 650 pages. 

Chow, V.T., Maidment, D.R., and Mays, L.W. 1988. 

Applied Hydrology. McGraw-Hill, Inc. 572 pages.

Dalrymple, Tate and Benson, M.A. 1967. Measurement of Peak Discharge by the Slope-Area Method. In: 

Techniques of Water Resources Investigations, Book 3, 

Chapter A2. U.S. Department of Interior, Geological 

Survey. 12 pages.

Kostohrys, J. and Sterin, B.G. 1994. Water Resources 

of Beaver Creek National Wild River, Alaska. Stream 

Gaging Data for 1988 to 1992. U.S. Department of 

Interior, Bureau of Land Management, BLM/AK/ST94/026+7200+080. Alaska State Office. Anchorage, 

Alaska. 18 pages.

Nelson, G.L. 1978. Hydrologic Information for 

Land-Use Planning, Fairbanks Vicinity, Alaska. 

Open-File Report 78-959. U.S. Department of Interior, 

Geological Survey. 47 pages.

Parks, Bruce and Madison, Robert J. 1985. Estimation of Selected Flow and Water-Quality Characteristics of Alaskan Streams. Water-Resources Investigations Report 84-4247. U.S. Department of Interior, 

Geological Survey. 50 pages.

Rantz, S.E. and others. 1982. Measurement and 

Computation of Streamflow: Volume 1&2. USGS 

Water-Supply Paper 2175. U.S. Department of Interior, 

Geological Survey. 631 pages.

Rogers, J. D. and Armbruster, J.T. 1990. Low flows 

and hydrologic droughts. In: Wolman, M.G. and Riggs, 

H.C., ed., Surface Water Hydrology. The Geology of 

North America Volume O-1. The Geological Society 

of America. 374 pages.

Thomas, D.M. 1967. Extending Streamflow Records 

in Time. In: Techniques of Water Resources Investigations, Book 4, Section B. U.S. Department of Interior, 

Geological Survey. 21 pages.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource 

Conservation Service. 2001. Alaska Annual Snow 

Survey Data Summary Water Year 2000. 26 pages.

U.S. Department of Interior, Alaska Planning Group. 

1974. Final Environmental Statement, Proposed Beaver Creek National Wild River, Alaska. 400 pages.

U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Fairbanks District, Alaska. 1983. River 

Management Plan for the Beaver Creek National Wild 

River, Alaska. 58 pages. 

U.S. Department of Interior, Geological Survey, 

1994 to 2001. Water Resources Data - Alaska. Water 

Years 1993 to 2000.

Van Haveren, Bruce P., Jackson, William L., Martinez, Tony, Shelby, Bo, and Carufel, Lou. 1987. Water 

Rights Assessment for Beaver Creek National Wild 

River, Alaska. U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of 

Land Management. 113 pages.

Wahrhaftig, Clyde. 1965. Physiographic Divisions 

of Alaska. Geological Survey Professional Paper 482. 

U.S. Department of Interior, Geological Survey. 52 

pages.

Weber, F.R., McCammon, R.B., Rinehart, C.D., 

Light, T.D., and Wheeler, K.L. 1988. Geology and 

Mineral Resources of the White Mountains National 

Recreation Area, East-Central Alaska. Open File Report 88-284. U.S. Department of Interior, Geological 

Survey. 120 pages.

11

Appendix A. Principal Gaging Site Descriptions and Annual 

Discharge Data

Beaver Creek above Nome Creek WRM 6

Figure A-1. Looking upstream at the crest-stage gage at Beaver Creek above Nome Creek. The gage was installed 

in 1989 and discontinued September 1999.

CREST-STAGE GAGE

FLOW

13
Table A-1. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek above Nome Creek WRM 6

Date Stage (ft)

Discharge 

(cfs) Width (ft) Area (sq ft)

Avg.Velocity 

(fps)

Avg.Depth 

(ft)

03/19/93 ND 22 48 40 0.6 0.8

09/23/93 2.72 694 163 228 3.0 1.4

12/23/93 ND 74 61 91 0.8 1.5

02/08/94 ND 52 60 73 0.7 1.2

03/17/94 ND 21 48 29 0.7 0.6

05/21/94 2.73 778 154 241 3.2 1.6

06/24/94 6.20* 4,000 218 897 4.5 4.1

07/22/94 2.32 339 120 144 2.4 1.2

09/01/94 2.45 530 103 163 3.3 1.6

09/28/94 1.67 165 89 89 1.9 1.0

12/13/94 ND 62 59 70 0.9 1.2

03/09/95 ND 18 38 38 0.5 2.6

05/31/95 1.91 261 77 128 2.1 2.1

07/19/95 2.01 201 74 111 1.8 1.7

09/27/95 3.20 851 108 249 3.5 2.5

11/22/95 ND 91 61 76 1.2 1.1

03/21/96 ND 0 (Creek frozen 

solid to bottom)

05/29/96 3.10 597 105 209 1.2 1.1

07/24/96 2.07 121 94 86 1.2 1.1

08/23/96 2.17 213 75 116 1.2 1.1

09/26/96 2.17 202 76 112 1.2 1.1

11/22/96 ND 60 67 62 1.2 1.1

02/03/97 ND 5.7 34 10 0.6 0.3

03/14/97 ND 3.8 30 13 0.3 0.4

05/19/97 3.10 460 81 148 3.1 1.8

08/19/97 2.61 402 82 151 2.7 1.8

09/26/97 2.51 312 80 139 2.2 1.7

11/24/97 ND 74 70 73 1.0 1.0

01/27/98 ND 0 (Creek frozen 

solid to bottom )

05/21/98 2.59 351 81 141 2.5 1.7

07/31/98 2.58 314 81 137 2.3 1.7

08/18/98 5.56* 3,800 174 592 6.4 3.4

09/11/98 2.58 324 80 142 2.3 1.8

09/29/98 2.39 309 90 96 3.2 1.1

11/24/98 ND 73 72 67 1.1 0.9

02/23/99 ND 2.9 30 11 0.3 0.4

07/29/99 2.45 281 80 130 2.2 1.6

07/01/03 ND 215 62 104 2.1 1.7

*Slope-area indirect discharge measurement

ND Not Determined

14
Table A-3. 1989–1999 Mean Monthly Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Nome Creek WRM-6 

Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Avg.

Annual

1989 17 16 16 162 474 920 205 173 155 74 54 39 192

1990 8.1 4.5 3.6 55 461 272 215 275 1,086 244 104 45 231

1991 34 26 19 72 1,195 761 290 971 405 264 107 43 349

1992 32 22 16 165 474 989 224 209 202 85 58 40 210

1993 35 28 23 187 721 508 230 421 1,439 383 166 74 351

1994 61 42 24 132 613 1,344 511 576 321 133 89 60 325

1995 39 25 17 132 741 441 254 917 1,151 415 120 25 356

1996 4.0 1.0 0.0 25 521 351 278 428 345 135 90 29 184

1997 11 5.0 4.0 16 346 178 170 306 312 196 92 8.5 137

1998 0.5 0.0 0.0 35 764 316 683 891 408 205 92 42 286

1999 12 4.0 1.5 31 307 221 235 482 240 167 56 25 148

Mean 23 16 11 92 602 573 300 514 551 209 94 39 252

Figures in italics were estimated from regression analysis of discharge measurements at this gaging site, at other gages 

on Beaver Creek, or the Salcha River (USGS data).

Table A-2. Peak and minimum discharges (cfs) from 1993 to 1999 for Beaver Creek above Nome Creek 

WRM 6 

Peak Date Peak 

discharge

Minimum 

date

Min. 

discharge

09/21/93 2,820 03/19/93 22

06/24/94 4,050 03/17/94 48

06/28/95 3,450 03/09/95 18

06/12/96 2,020 03/21/96 0.0

05/05/97 920 03/14/97 3.8

08/18/98 3,800 01/27/98 0.0

08/10/99 1,330 02/23/99 2.9

15
Beaver Creek at Big Bend WRM 36.5:

Figure A-2. Looking upstream at the crest-stage gage at Beaver Creek at Big Bend. This site was selected in 

June 1989, and a crest-stage gage was installed on the left bank. Data was collected until 2000, when the gaging 

project was discontinued. The gage was removed in July 2003. 

FLOW

CREST- STAGE G AGE

16
Table A-4. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek above Big Bend WRM 36.5

Date

Stage 

(ft)

Discharge 

(cfs)

Width 

(ft)

Area 

(sq ft)

Avg. Velocity 

(fps)

Avg. Depth 

(ft)

03/22/93 ND 55 100 209 0.3 2.1

08/16/93 3.24 643 168 343 1.9 2.0

12/01/93 ND 230 135 251 0.9 1.9

02/01/94 ND 90 95 150 0.6 1.6

03/14/94 ND 30 85 71 0.4 0.8

05/21/94 3.94 1,326 260 463 2.9 1.8

06/26/94 9.89* 10,500 260 1,770 5.9 6.8

07/22/94 3.69 945 263 386 2.4 1.5

09/28/94 2.82 390 108 187 2.1 1.7

12/02/94 ND 139 90 125 1.1 1.4

03/19/95 NA 52 75 81 0.6 1.1

05/31/95 3.21 661 152 226 2.9 1.5

07/19/95 2.91 468 148 192 2.4 1.3

11/24/95 NA 140 90 123 1.1 1.4

03/12/96 ND 0 (Creek frozen 

solid to bottom )

07/24/96 2.61 343 114 167 2.1 1.5

08/23/96 3.02 517 153 254 2.0 1.7

09/26/96 2.91 516 118 199 2.6 1.7

11/26/96 ND 99 80 98 1.0 1.2

03/25/97 ND 8.8 30 9.9 0.9 0.3

06/06/97 3.34 692 153 243 2.8 1.6

08/19/97 3.86 1,148 160 299 3.8 1.9

09/26/97 3.24 651 148 238 2.7 1.6

11/20/97 ND 133 95 118 1.1 1.2

02/11/98 ND 7.6 75 28 0.3 0.4

03/27/98 ND 0.9 35 6.8 0.1 0.2

05/21/98 3.37 746 155 249 3.0 1.6

09/29/98 3.59 900 170 353 2.5 2.1

12/04/98 ND 95 75 110 0.9 1.5

03/10/99 ND 2.7 22 11 0.2 0.5

09/10/99 3.03 472 107 191 2.5 1.8

07/01/03 2.64 339 102 183 1.9 1.8

ND - Not Determined

17
Table A-6. 1989–1999 Mean Monthly Discharge (cfs) Beaver Creek at Big Bend WRM 36.5

Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Avg. 

Annual

1989 43 41 41 278 1,034 2,032 372 302 264 197 155 100 405

1990 19 17 16 125 998 525 394 533 2,475 563 239 102 500

1991 78 59 45 159 2,777 1,840 569 2,165 853 514 270 142 789

1992 82 56 38 155 1,034 2,218 414 381 366 194 135 123 433

1993 96 74 58 430 1,851 1,267 538 1,033 3,910 1,410 427 186 940

1994 116 59 33 294 1,551 3,631 1,275 1,450 770 298 182 123 815

1995 93 70 54 294 1,905 1,085 597 2,400 3,069 1,490 238 22 943

1996 4.0 1.0 0 49 1,302 847 659 1,050 833 309 133 67 438

1997 36 19 11 29 835 406 387 731 747 376 154 56 316

1998 19 6.5 1.5 69 1,970 756 1,745 2,328 998 522 181 63 722

1999 20 6.5 2.5 62 734 513 548 1,196 561 379 117 48 349

Mean 55 37 27 177 1,454 1,375 682 1,233 1,350 568 203 94 605

Figures in italics were estimated from regression analysis of discharge measurements at this gaging site, at other 

gages on Beaver Creek, or the Salcha River (USGS data).

Table A-5. Peak and Minimum Discharges (cfs) from 1993 to 1999 for Beaver Creek at Big Bend WRM 36.5

Peak Date

Peak 

discharge

Minimum 

date

Minimum 

discharge

09/21/93 8,560 03/22/93 55

06/24/94 10,500 03/14/94 30

09/01/95 7,900 03/09/95 18

06/12/96 5,380 03/12/96 0.0

05/10/97 3,500 03/25/97 8.8

08/18/98 8,050 03/27/98 0.9

08/10/99 3,670 03/10/99 2.7

 

18
Fig A-3. Looking downstream at the data logger site on Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek. This site was selected 

in June 1988, and a data logger and pressure transducer gage were installed on the left bank. Data was collected 

until 2000, when the gaging project was discontinued. The gage was removed in September 2000. 

FLOW

Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

DATA LOGGER SITE

19
Table A-7. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5 

Date

Stage 

(ft)

Discharge

(cfs)

Width 

(ft)

Area 

(sq ft)

Avg. Velocity 

(fps)

Avg. Depth 

(ft)

03/22/93 ND 92 135 133 0.7 1.0

08/16/93 1.85 1,035 227 513 2.0 2.3

12/07/93 ND 349 171 195 1.8 1.1

03/14/94 ND 64 110 61 1.0 0.6

05/21/94 2.85 2,040 228 772 2.6 3.4

06/24/94 9.45* 14,100 353 2,630 5.4 7.5

09/28/94 1.27 631 210 420 1.5 2.0

11/29/94 ND 2,118 100 383 5.5 3.8

03/19/95 ND 74 187 96 0.8 0.5

05/31/95 2.16 1,200 213 538 2.2 2.5

07/19/95 1.75 826 220 454 1.8 2.1

11/24/95 ND 236 125 166 1.4 1.3

03/12/96 ND 1.0 23 7.3 0.1 0.3

07/24/96 1.42 603 214 373 1.6 1.7

08/23/96 1.81 866 219 447 1.9 2.0

09/26/96 1.83 809 214 373 2.2 1.7

11/26/96 ND 160 144 148 1.1 1.0

03/25/97 NA 34 110 40 0.9 0.4

05/19/97 2.74 1,710 215 760 2.3 3.5

09/26/97 2.27 1,230 220 527 2.3 2.4

11/20/97 ND 181 135 235 0.8 1.7

02/11/98 ND 34 120 73 0.5 0.6

04/06/98 ND 41 104 46 0.9 0.4

06/29/98 2.48 1,370 225 577 2.4 2.6

07/31/98 2.32 1,460 220 544 2.7 2.5

09/11/98 4.12 1,660 225 628 2.6 2.8

12/01/98 ND 125 190 169 0.7 0.9

03/10/99 ND 8.5 50 25 0.3 0.5

05/25/99 2.20 1,280 225 530 2.4 2.4

09/28/99 2.23 1,120 221 502 2.2 2.3

12/01/99 ND 125 190 169 0.7 0.9

03/21/00 ND 15 65 35 0.4 0.5

05/25/00 6.47 8,040 258 1,490 5.4 5.8

07/26/00 1.73 713 210 398 1.8 1.9

12/12/00 ND 212 190 260 0.8 1.4

03/12/01 ND 80 170 137 0.6 0.8

*Slope-conveyance indirect discharge measurement 

ND - Not Determined 

20
Table A-8. Peak and Minimum Discharges (cfs) from 1993–2000 for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek 

WRM 110.5

Peak Date Peak 

discharge

Minimum 

date

Minimum 

discharge

09/21/93 13,700 03/22/93 92

06/24/94 15,300 03/14/94 64

09/01/95 10,700 03/19/95 74

06/12/96 6,660 03/12/96 1.0

05/10/97 6,560 03/25/97 34

08/18/98 13,700 02/11/98 34

08/10/99 5,290 03/10/99 8.5

08/15/00 10,800 03/21/00 15

 

Table A-9. 1988–2001 Monthly Mean Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Avg. 

Annual

1988 1,920 519 1,764 1,414

1989 63 56 54 478 2,217 3,113 863 585 409 288 192 120 703

1990 32 28 27 248 2,170 1,318 940 1,338 4,686 967 390 157 1,025

1991 128 96 73 290 5,603 2,980 1,425 3,619 1,950 831 377 171 1,462

1992 123 92 69 508 2,217 3,810 1,005 895 841 311 256 211 862

1993 158 123 97 698 2,611 1,854 855 1,542 5,130 2,880 838 303 1,424

1994 176 103 63 495 2,226 4,799 1,865 2,094 1,182 471 277 187 1,162

1995 138 102 77 495 2,680 1,612 940 3,301 4,123 1,735 370 79 1,304

1996 17 4.0 1.0 99 1,900 1,289 1,028 1,565 1,270 488 214 125 667

1997 83 56 39 61 1,273 663 635 1,128 1,151 634 215 109 504

1998 59 34 38 134 2,762 1,163 2,476 3,212 1,495 903 326 124 1,061

1999 47 18 7.3 121 1,132 820 870 1,760 889 624 216 96 550

2000 53 29 17 75 5,191 3,132 1,015 2,927 2,608 1,380 507 205 1,428

2001 147 106 77

Mean 94 65 49 309 2,665 2,213 1,160 1,997 2,144 959 348 157 1,013

Figures in italics were estimated from regression analysis of discharge measurements at this gaging site, at other gages 

on Beaver Creek, or the Salcha River (USGS data). 

 

21
Table A-10. 1993 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

May June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge

01-May 01-Jun 2,402 01-Jul 1,067 01-Aug 628 01-Sep 1,342

02-May 02-Jun 1,865 02-Jul 1,302 02-Aug 625 02-Sep 4,045

03-May 03-Jun 1,692 03-Jul 1,737 03-Aug 621 03-Sep 8,219

04-May 04-Jun 1,561 04-Jul 1,565 04-Aug 618 04-Sep 8,663

05-May 05-Jun 1,432 05-Jul 1,238 05-Aug 615 05-Sep 6,955

06-May 06-Jun 1,398 06-Jul 1,063 06-Aug 611 06-Sep 5,790

07-May 07-Jun 1,354 07-Jul 986 07-Aug 964 07-Sep 4,877

08-May 08-Jun 1,225 08-Jul 949 08-Aug 1,478 08-Sep 4,075

09-May 09-Jun 1,605 09-Jul 937 09-Aug 2,087 09-Sep 3,558

10-May 10-Jun 1,736 10-Jul 896 10-Aug 1,772 10-Sep 3,191

11-May 11-Jun 1,636 11-Jul 846 11-Aug 1,478 11-Sep 2,883

12-May 12-Jun 2,047 12-Jul 802 12-Aug 1,313 12-Sep 2,658

13-May 13-Jun 2,204 13-Jul 760 13-Aug 1,157 13-Sep 2,489

14-May 14-Jun 1,684 14-Jul 734 14-Aug 1,107 14-Sep 2,418

15-May 15-Jun 1,303 15-Jul 709 15-Aug 1,057 15-Sep 2,602

16-May 16-Jun 1,119 16-Jul 687 16-Aug 1,004 16-Sep 2,563

17-May 17-Jun 1,181 17-Jul 703 17-Aug 17-Sep 2,769

18-May 18-Jun 1,519 18-Jul 706 18-Aug 18-Sep 4,140

19-May 19-Jun 3,105 19-Jul 757 19-Aug 19-Sep 4,173

20-May 20-Jun 4,241 20-Jul 724 20-Aug 20-Sep 8,898

21-May 21-Jun 4,528 21-Jul 700 21-Aug 21-Sep 13,176

22-May 22-Jun 2,997 22-Jul 681 22-Aug 22-Sep 10,681

23-May 23-Jun 1,988 23-Jul 661 23-Aug 23-Sep 7,818

24-May 24-Jun 1,653 24-Jul 645 24-Aug 2,308 24-Sep

25-May 2,068 25-Jun 1,581 25-Jul 642 25-Aug 2,257 25-Sep

26-May 2,488 26-Jun 1,516 26-Jul 633 26-Aug 1,943 26-Sep

27-May 3,156 27-Jun 1,375 27-Jul 625 27-Aug 1,669 27-Sep

28-May 2,956 28-Jun 1,298 28-Jul 615 28-Aug 1,483 28-Sep

29-May 2,660 29-Jun 1,236 29-Jul 641 29-Aug 1,318 29-Sep

30-May 2,488 30-Jun 1,146 30-Jul 631 30-Aug 1,214 30-Sep

31-May 2,460 31-Jul 628 31-Aug 1,172

Mean 2,611 Mean 1,854 Mean 855 Mean 1,542 Mean 5,130

Max. 3,156 Max. 4,528 Max. 1,737 Max. 2,308 Max. 13,176

Min. 2,068 Min. 1,119 Min. 615 Min. 1,004 Min. 1,342

22
Table A-11. 1994 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

May June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge

01-May 01-Jun 1,511 01-Jul 4,228 01-Aug 1,113 01-Sep 2,090

02-May 02-Jun 1,410 02-Jul 3,492 02-Aug 1,025 02-Sep 1,816

03-May 03-Jun 1,311 03-Jul 3,016 03-Aug 989 03-Sep 1,731

04-May 04-Jun 1,215 04-Jul 2,697 04-Aug 979 04-Sep 1,648

05-May 05-Jun 1,160 05-Jul 2,567 05-Aug 952 05-Sep 1,566

06-May 06-Jun 1,200 06-Jul 2,424 06-Aug 901 06-Sep 1,447

07-May 07-Jun 1,165 07-Jul 2,239 07-Aug 1,040 07-Sep 1,359

08-May 08-Jun 1,484 08-Jul 2,103 08-Aug 954 08-Sep 1,273

09-May 09-Jun 2,197 09-Jul 1,853 09-Aug 903 09-Sep 1,235

10-May 10-Jun 2,397 10-Jul 1,664 10-Aug 853 10-Sep 1,214

11-May 11-Jun 2,137 11-Jul 1,553 11-Aug 804 11-Sep 1,176

12-May 12-Jun 1,895 12-Jul 1,422 12-Aug 779 12-Sep 1,121

13-May 13-Jun 1,754 13-Jul 1,330 13-Aug 793 13-Sep 1,093

14-May 14-Jun 1,556 14-Jul 1,364 14-Aug 760 14-Sep 1,065

15-May 15-Jun 1,367 15-Jul 1,341 15-Aug 735 15-Sep 1,012

16-May 16-Jun 1,198 16-Jul 1,250 16-Aug 719 16-Sep 968

17-May 17-Jun 1,169 17-Jul 1,195 17-Aug 770 17-Sep 925

18-May 18-Jun 1,081 18-Jul 1,411 18-Aug 1,035 18-Sep 882

19-May 19-Jun 1,091 19-Jul 1,739 19-Aug 1,190 19-Sep 864

20-May 20-Jun 2,875 20-Jul 1,802 20-Aug 1,353 20-Sep 823

21-May 2730 21-Jun 8,428 21-Jul 2,089 21-Aug 1,240 21-Sep 805

22-May 2631 22-Jun 11,686 22-Jul 1,837 22-Aug 1,357 22-Sep 788

23-May 2564 23-Jun 14,079 23-Jul 1,789 23-Aug 1,758 23-Sep 755

24-May 2539 24-Jun 14,355 24-Jul 1,641 24-Aug 1,735 24-Sep 723

25-May 2,411 25-Jun 11,991 25-Jul 1,480 25-Aug 2,003 25-Sep 699

26-May 2,279 26-Jun 14,027 26-Jul 1,366 26-Aug 3,776 26-Sep 668

27-May 2,150 27-Jun 14,355 27-Jul 1,254 27-Aug 5,679 27-Sep 645

28-May 2,023 28-Jun 11,731 28-Jul 1,185 28-Aug 3,984 28-Sep 614

29-May 1,828 29-Jun 6,925 29-Jul 1,173 29-Aug 3,149 29-Sep

30-May 1,720 30-Jun 5,231 30-Jul 1,448 30-Aug 2,719 30-Sep

31-May 1,614 31-Jul 1,395 31-Aug 2,403

Mean 2,226 Mean 4,799 Mean 1,865 Mean 2,094 Mean 1,182

Max. 2,730 Max. 14,355 Max. 4,228 Max. 5,679 Max. 2,090

Min. 1,614 Min. 1,081 Min. 1,173 Min. 719 Min. 614

23
Table A-12. 1995 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

May June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Date Discharge

01-May 01-Jun 1,130 01-Jul 1,949 01-Aug 650 01-Sep 9,934

02-May 02-Jun 1,136 02-Jul 1,637 02-Aug 639 02-Sep 8,696

03-May 03-Jun 1,315 03-Jul 1,474 03-Aug 618 03-Sep 8,303

04-May 04-Jun 2,096 04-Jul 1,337 04-Aug 596 04-Sep 7,682

05-May 05-Jun 2,771 05-Jul 1,199 05-Aug 645 05-Sep 6,363

06-May 06-Jun 2,059 06-Jul 1,099 06-Aug 747 06-Sep 5,056

07-May 07-Jun 1,579 07-Jul 1,022 07-Aug 983 07-Sep 4,307

08-May 08-Jun 1,303 08-Jul 942 08-Aug 1,163 08-Sep 3,851

09-May 09-Jun 1,146 09-Jul 880 09-Aug 1,254 09-Sep 3,575

10-May 10-Jun 1,085 10-Jul 824 10-Aug 1,119 10-Sep 3,381

11-May 11-Jun 1,090 11-Jul 790 11-Aug 1,144 11-Sep 3,285

12-May 12-Jun 1,047 12-Jul 1,051 12-Aug 1,248 12-Sep 3,519

13-May 13-Jun 960 13-Jul 950 13-Aug 1,363 13-Sep 3,895

14-May 14-Jun 883 14-Jul 916 14-Aug 1,738 14-Sep 3,605

15-May 15-Jun 816 15-Jul 889 15-Aug 3,915 15-Sep 3,368

16-May 16-Jun 771 16-Jul 895 16-Aug 4,854 16-Sep 3,061

17-May 17-Jun 877 17-Jul 937 17-Aug 3,983 17-Sep 2,773

18-May 18-Jun 917 18-Jul 926 18-Aug 3,160 18-Sep 2,534

19-May 19-Jun 889 19-Jul 863 19-Aug 2,651 19-Sep 2,333

20-May 20-Jun 817 20-Jul 775 20-Aug 2,475 20-Sep 2,138

21-May 21-Jun 768 21-Jul 722 21-Aug 2,645 21-Sep 1,986

22-May 22-Jun 790 22-Jul 693 22-Aug 2,810 22-Sep 1,867

23-May 23-Jun 767 23-Jul 661 23-Aug 2,541 23-Sep 1,764

24-May 24-Jun 741 24-Jul 640 24-Aug 2,280 24-Sep 1,683

25-May 25-Jun 748 25-Jul 655 25-Aug 2,170 25-Sep 1,619

26-May 26-Jun 1,921 26-Jul 813 26-Aug 2,372 26-Sep 1,910

27-May 27-Jun 5,388 27-Jul 753 27-Aug 2,528 27-Sep 4,325

28-May 28-Jun 6,328 28-Jul 680 28-Aug 2,301 28-Sep

29-May 29-Jun 3,675 29-Jul 630 29-Aug 2,021 29-Sep

30-May 30-Jun 2,559 30-Jul 587 30-Aug 3,878 30-Sep

31-May 1,196 31-Jul 619 31-Aug 9,538

Mean Mean 1,612 Mean 940 Mean 3,301 Mean 4,123

Max. Max. 6,328 Max. 1,949 Max. 9,538 Max. 9,934

Min. Min. 741 Min. 587 Min. 2,021 Min. 1,683

 

24
Table A-13. 1996 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

May June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge

01-May 01-Jun 1,611 01-Jul 670 01-Aug 548 01-Sep 2,587

02-May 02-Jun 1,587 02-Jul 1,061 02-Aug 676 02-Sep 2,413

03-May 03-Jun 1,418 03-Jul 1,496 03-Aug 1,164 03-Sep 2,065

04-May 04-Jun 1,250 04-Jul 1,265 04-Aug 2,184 04-Sep 1,689

05-May 05-Jun 990 05-Jul 1,043 05-Aug 2,326 05-Sep 1,473

06-May 06-Jun 765 06-Jul 996 06-Aug 1,886 06-Sep 1,329

07-May 07-Jun 669 07-Jul 953 07-Aug 1,510 07-Sep 1,197

08-May 08-Jun 665 08-Jul 1,040 08-Aug 1,330 08-Sep 1,097

09-May 09-Jun 667 09-Jul 831 09-Aug 1,284 09-Sep 1,018

10-May 10-Jun 650 10-Jul 696 10-Aug 2,588 10-Sep 992

11-May 11-Jun 1,214 11-Jul 1,301 11-Aug 5,235 11-Sep 1,060

12-May 12-Jun 5,033 12-Jul 2,703 12-Aug 4,083 12-Sep 1,130

13-May 13-Jun 4,562 13-Jul 1,811 13-Aug 2,889 13-Sep 1,173

14-May 14-Jun 2,696 14-Jul 1,255 14-Aug 2,211 14-Sep 1,176

15-May 15-Jun 1,923 15-Jul 1,032 15-Aug 1,751 15-Sep 1,111

16-May 16-Jun 1,587 16-Jul 1,516 16-Aug 1,494 16-Sep 1,043

17-May 17-Jun 1,407 17-Jul 2,004 17-Aug 1,351 17-Sep 986

18-May 18-Jun 1,269 18-Jul 1,518 18-Aug 1,280 18-Sep 963

19-May 19-Jun 1,213 19-Jul 1,153 19-Aug 1,223 19-Sep 899

20-May 20-Jun 1,055 20-Jul 922 20-Aug 1,151 20-Sep 950

21-May 21-Jun 932 21-Jul 784 21-Aug 1,057 21-Sep 1,065

22-May 22-Jun 834 22-Jul 678 22-Aug 954 22-Sep 1,102

23-May 23-Jun 733 23-Jul 619 23-Aug 899 23-Sep 1,006

24-May 24-Jun 649 24-Jul 580 24-Aug 834 24-Sep 953

25-May 25-Jun 592 25-Jul 543 25-Aug 848 25-Sep 874

26-May 26-Jun 555 26-Jul 499 26-Aug 1,151 26-Sep 836

27-May 27-Jun 536 27-Jul 469 27-Aug 2,650 27-Sep

28-May 28-Jun 553 28-Jul 446 28-Aug 3,150 28-Sep

29-May 2,066 29-Jun 539 29-Jul 449 29-Aug 2,563 29-Sep

30-May 1,953 30-Jun 528 30-Jul 494 30-Aug 2,056 30-Sep

31-May 1,829 31-Jul 526 31-Aug 2,192

Mean 1,949 Mean 1,289 Mean 1,028 Mean 1,565 Mean 1,270

Max. 2,066 Max. 5,033 Max. 2,703 Max. 3,150 Max. 2,587

Min. 1,829 Min. 528 Min. 446 Min. 834 Min. 899

25
Table A-14. 1997 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

May June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge

01-May 01-Jun 829 01-Jul 310 01-Aug 497 01-Sep 1,050

02-May 02-Jun 699 02-Jul 301 02-Aug 472 02-Sep 1,149

03-May 03-Jun 646 03-Jul 296 03-Aug 456 03-Sep 1,212

04-May 04-Jun 709 04-Jul 275 04-Aug 443 04-Sep 1,170

05-May 05-Jun 870 05-Jul 289 05-Aug 446 05-Sep 1,083

06-May 06-Jun 980 06-Jul 308 06-Aug 465 06-Sep 1,015

07-May 07-Jun 1,067 07-Jul 313 07-Aug 472 07-Sep 979

08-May 08-Jun 962 08-Jul 322 08-Aug 520 08-Sep 925

09-May 09-Jun 840 09-Jul 332 09-Aug 562 09-Sep 882

10-May 10-Jun 750 10-Jul 337 10-Aug 575 10-Sep 838

11-May 11-Jun 690 11-Jul 335 11-Aug 592 11-Sep 849

12-May 12-Jun 782 12-Jul 321 12-Aug 594 12-Sep 900

13-May 13-Jun 853 13-Jul 410 13-Aug 612 13-Sep 999

14-May 14-Jun 781 14-Jul 1,380 14-Aug 641 14-Sep 1,069

15-May 15-Jun 809 15-Jul 958 15-Aug 637 15-Sep 1,139

16-May 16-Jun 783 16-Jul 874 16-Aug 698 16-Sep 1,150

17-May 17-Jun 716 17-Jul 761 17-Aug 955 17-Sep 1,083

18-May 18-Jun 643 18-Jul 633 18-Aug 1,425 18-Sep 1,018

19-May 1707 19-Jun 566 19-Jul 618 19-Aug 2,020 19-Sep 1,126

20-May 1650 20-Jun 514 20-Jul 998 20-Aug 1,970 20-Sep 1,456

21-May 1629 21-Jun 488 21-Jul 1,069 21-Aug 1,570 21-Sep 1,868

22-May 1819 22-Jun 462 22-Jul 1,149 22-Aug 1,322 22-Sep 1,794

23-May 1653 23-Jun 456 23-Jul 1,150 23-Aug 1,091 23-Sep 1,506

24-May 1379 24-Jun 524 24-Jul 1,026 24-Aug 900 24-Sep 1,372

25-May 1,136 25-Jun 510 25-Jul 898 25-Aug 842 25-Sep 1,316

26-May 994 26-Jun 473 26-Jul 823 26-Aug 855 26-Sep 1,263

27-May 912 27-Jun 423 27-Jul 731 27-Aug 1,007 27-Sep

28-May 876 28-Jun 385 28-Jul 662 28-Aug 994 28-Sep

29-May 902 29-Jun 358 29-Jul 608 29-Aug 944 29-Sep

30-May 1,002 30-Jun 333 30-Jul 558 30-Aug 977 30-Sep

31-May 888 31-Jul 515 31-Aug 968

Mean 1,273 Mean 663 Mean 635 Mean 1,128 Mean 1,151

Max. 1,819 Max. 1,067 Max. 1,380 Max. 2,020 Max. 1,868

Min. 876 Min. 333 Min. 275 Min. 637 Min. 838

26
Table A-15. 1998 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5 

May June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge

01-May 01-Jun 1,360 01-Jul 1,065 01-Aug 1,329 01-Sep 2,128

02-May 02-Jun 1,190 02-Jul 2,370 02-Aug 1,234 02-Sep 2,135

03-May 03-Jun 988 03-Jul 2,593 03-Aug 1,145 03-Sep 1,988

04-May 04-Jun 853 04-Jul 2,022 04-Aug 1,147 04-Sep 1,859

05-May 05-Jun 765 05-Jul 1,537 05-Aug 1,406 05-Sep 1,791

06-May 06-Jun 707 06-Jul 1,292 06-Aug 1,460 06-Sep 1,699

07-May 07-Jun 697 07-Jul 3,422 07-Aug 1,611 07-Sep 1,611

08-May 08-Jun 667 08- Jul 5,518 08-Aug 1,942 08-Sep 1,580

09-May 09-Jun 633 09-Jul 7,829 09-Aug 2,050 09-Sep 1,546

10-May 10-Jun 609 10-Jul 4,594 10-Aug 2,672 10-Sep 1,484

11-May 11-Jun 585 11-Jul 4,151 11-Aug 2,858 11-Sep 1,545

12-May 12-Jun 574 12-Jul 4,591 12-Aug 2,644 12-Sep 1,484

13-May 13-Jun 571 13-Jul 3,680 13-Aug 3,204 13-Sep 1,406

14-May 14-Jun 550 14-Jul 2,842 14-Aug 4,161 14-Sep 1,345

15-May 15-Jun 545 15-Jul 2,433 15-Aug 3,068 15-Sep 1,268

16-May 16-Jun 625 16-Jul 1,890 16-Aug 2,969 16-Sep 1,231

17-May 17-Jun 951 17-Jul 1,724 17-Aug 5,515 17-Sep 1,231

18-May 18-Jun 2,053 18-Jul 1,861 18-Aug 11,758 18-Sep 1,343

19-May 19-Jun 2,114 19-Jul 1,992 19-Aug 10,006 19-Sep 1,379

20-May 20-Jun 1,632 20-Jul 2,124 20-Aug 6,076 20-Sep 1,314

21-May 1603 21-Jun 1,370 21-Jul 1,820 21-Aug 4,616 21-Sep 1,250

22-May 1505 22-Jun 1,379 22-Jul 1,411 22-Aug 3,879 22-Sep 1,215

23-May 2787 23-Jun 1,573 23-Jul 1,352 23-Aug 3,786 23-Sep 1,237

24-May 4719 24-Jun 2,426 24-Jul 1,639 24-Aug 3,597 24-Sep 1,237

25-May 2,605 25-Jun 2,053 25-Jul 1,696 25-Aug 3,171 25-Sep 1,283

26-May 2,311 26-Jun 1,681 26-Jul 1,497 26-Aug 2,828 26-Sep 1,469

27-May 4,989 27-Jun 1,544 27-Jul 1,474 27-Aug 2,609 27-Sep 1,472

28-May 4,072 28-Jun 1,671 28-Jul 1,517 28-Aug 2,692 28-Sep 1,421

29-May 2,489 29-Jun 1,435 29-Jul 1,690 29-Aug 2,536 29-Sep 1,398

30-May 1,820 30-Jun 1,076 30-Jul 1,685 30-Aug 2,371 30-Sep

31-May 1,485 31-Jul 1,451 31-Aug 2,345

Mean 2,762 Mean 1,163 Mean 2,476 Mean 3,312 Mean 1,495

Max. 4,989 Max. 2,426 Max. 7,829 Max. 11,758 Max. 2,135

Min. 1,485 Min. 545 Min. 1,065 Min. 1,145 Min. 1,215

27
Table A-16. 1999 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

May June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge

01-May 01-Jun 858 01-Jul 791 01-Aug 1,274 01-Sep 707

02-May 02-Jun 774 02-Jul 638 02-Aug 1,124 02-Sep 685

03-May 03-Jun 721 03-Jul 545 03-Aug 1,006 03-Sep 664

04-May 04-Jun 691 04-Jul 479 04-Aug 934 04-Sep 650

05-May 05-Jun 684 05-Jul 432 05-Aug 878 05-Sep 671

06-May 06-Jun 667 06-Jul 399 06-Aug 785 06-Sep 805

07-May 07-Jun 662 07-Jul 376 07-Aug 804 07-Sep 1,231

08-May 08-Jun 663 08-Jul 354 08-Aug 1,516 08-Sep 1,240

09-May 09-Jun 674 09-Jul 339 09-Aug 3,294 09-Sep 1,117

10-May 10-Jun 672 10-Jul 324 10-Aug 5,056 10-Sep 1,012

11-May 11-Jun 655 11-Jul 309 11-Aug 4,754 11-Sep 940

12-May 12-Jun 652 12-Jul 296 12-Aug 3,407 12-Sep 868

13-May 13-Jun 618 13-Jul 350 13-Aug 2,959 13-Sep 807

14-May 14-Jun 596 14-Jul 365 14-Aug 3,680 14-Sep 766

15-May 15-Jun 572 15-Jul 325 15-Aug 3,480 15-Sep 770

16-May 16-Jun 541 16-Jul 313 16-Aug 2,653 16-Sep 802

17-May 17-Jun 523 17-Jul 504 17-Aug 2,137 17-Sep 987

18-May 18-Jun 577 18-Jul 884 18-Aug 1,779 18-Sep 1,040

19-May 19-Jun 1,728 19-Jul 1,038 19-Aug 1,526 19-Sep 979

20-May 20-Jun 2,292 20-Jul 934 20-Aug 1,347 20-Sep 907

21-May 21-Jun 1,531 21-Jul 824 21-Aug 1,209 21-Sep 850

22-May 22-Jun 1,142 22-Jul 846 22-Aug 1,104 22-Sep 794

23-May 23-Jun 944 23-Jul 1,236 23-Aug 1,008 23-Sep 765

24-May 24-Jun 803 24-Jul 1,676 24-Aug 985 24-Sep 752

25-May 1,054 25-Jun 712 25-Jul 1,629 25-Aug 972 25-Sep 779

26-May 1,166 26-Jun 650 26-Jul 1,493 26-Aug 946 26-Sep 962

27-May 1,232 27-Jun 620 27-Jul 1,723 27-Aug 891 27-Sep 1,174

28-May 1,238 28-Jun 709 28-Jul 2,282 28-Aug 837 28-Sep 1,172

29-May 1,168 29-Jun 723 29-Jul 2,118 29-Aug 774 29-Sep

30-May 1,094 30-Jun 940 30-Jul 1,708 30-Aug 737 30-Sep

31-May 973 31-Jul 1,447 31-Aug 707

Mean. 1,132 Mean 820 Mean 870 Mean 1,760 Mean 889

Max. 1,238 Max. 2,292 Max. 2,282 Max. 5,056 Max. 1,240

Min. 973 Min. 523 Min. 296 Min. 707 Min. 650

28
Table A-17. 2000 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

May June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge

01-May 01-Jun 4,824 01-Jul 1,064 01-Aug 626 01-Sep 2,210

02-May 02-Jun 5,279 02-Jul 962 02-Aug 608 02-Sep 2,155

03-May 03-Jun 5,225 03-Jul 912 03-Aug 588 03-Sep 2,380

04-May 04-Jun 5,304 04-Jul 908 04-Aug 569 04-Sep 2,663

05-May 05-Jun 5,167 05-Jul 908 05-Aug 562 05-Sep 2,515

06-May 06-Jun 4,889 06-Jul 849 06-Aug 559 06-Sep 2,316

07-May 07-Jun 4,589 07-Jul 787 07-Aug 575 07-Sep 2,301

08-May 08-Jun 4,187 08-Jul 731 08-Aug 611 08-Sep 2,327

09-May 09-Jun 3,983 09-Jul 700 09-Aug 623 09-Sep 2,486

10-May 10-Jun 4,351 10-Jul 785 10-Aug 613 10-Sep 2,697

11-May 11-Jun 4,660 11-Jul 1,117 11-Aug 616 11-Sep 2,508

12-May 12-Jun 3,779 12-Jul 1,516 12-Aug 649 12-Sep 2,451

13-May 13-Jun 3,026 13-Jul 2,603 13-Aug 1,460 13-Sep 2,671

14-May 14-Jun 3,156 14-Jul 2,496 14-Aug 7,126 14-Sep 2,878

15-May 15-Jun 3,126 15-Jul 1,746 15-Aug 10,216 15-Sep 2,657

16-May 16-Jun 4,206 16-Jul 1,337 16-Aug 6,367 16-Sep 2,467

17-May 17-Jun 4,343 17-Jul 1,114 17-Aug 4,154 17-Sep 2,329

18-May 18-Jun 3,031 18-Jul 969 18-Aug 3,323 18-Sep 2,068

19-May 19-Jun 2,340 19-Jul 914 19-Aug 3,952 19-Sep 1,887

20-May 20-Jun 2,015 20-Jul 952 20-Aug 4,787 20-Sep 1,749

21-May 21-Jun 1,855 21-Jul 908 21-Aug 3,960 21-Sep 1,646

22-May 22-Jun 1,633 22-Jul 847 22-Aug 3,514 22-Sep 1,957

23-May 23-Jun 1,472 23-Jul 802 23-Aug 4,014 23-Sep 3,095

24-May 24-Jun 1,356 24-Jul 753 24-Aug 4,916 24-Sep 4,732

25-May 8,223 25-Jun 1,214 25-Jul 713 25-Aug 4,623 25-Sep 4,421

26-May 7,389 26-Jun 1,086 26-Jul 705 26-Aug 4,605 26-Sep 3,609

27-May 5,276 27-Jun 990 27-Jul 693 27-Aug 4,559 27-Sep 3,199

28-May 4,056 28-Jun 931 28-Jul 687 28-Aug 3,798 28-Sep 2,804

29-May 3,651 29-Jun 934 29-Jul 667 29-Aug 3,127 29-Sep 2,462

30-May 3,701 30-Jun 1,016 30-Jul 654 30-Aug 2,674 30-Sep

31-May 4,042 31-Jul 651 31-Aug 2,371

Mean 5,191 Mean 3,132 Mean 1,015 Mean 2,927 Mean 2,608

Max. 8,223 Max. 5,304 Max. 2,603 Max. 10,216 Max. 4,732

Min. 3,651 Min. 931 Min. 651 Min. 559 Min. 1,646

 

 

29
Beaver Creek below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 

Figure A-4. Looking upstream at Beaver Creek below Nome Creek (WRM 7.5 ). This site was selected in 

September 1997. A data logger and pressure transducer gage were installed in June 1998 on the right bank. 

Data was collected until 2000, when the gaging project was discontinued. The gage was removed in September 

2000. 

Table A-18. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek below Nome Creek WRM 7.5

Date

Stage 

(ft)

Discharge 

(cfs)

Width 

(ft)

Area 

(sq ft)

Avg. Velocity 

(fps)

Avg. Depth 

(ft)

09/26/97 2.73 427 88 145 2.9 1.6

06/28/98 2.57 370 92 149 2.5 1.6

07/31/98 2.75 442 96 168 2.6 1.8

08/17/98 5.70* 5,000 211 738 6.8 3.5

09/11/98 2.80 470 93 175 2.7 1.9

09/29/98 2.67 449 95 171 2.6 1.8

05/25/99 2.72 506 96 174 2.9 1.8

07/29/99 2.72 452 91 164 2.8 1.8

09/10/99 2.37 272 91 138 2.0 1.5

07/01/03 2.33 237 94 127 1.9 1.4

*Slope-conveyance indirect discharge measurement 

GAGE SITE

FLOW

30
Table A-19. Peak Discharges (cfs) from 1998 to 2000 for Beaver Creek below Nome Creek WRM 7.5

Date of Peak 

Peak 

discharge 

08/18/98 5,000

08/10/99 2,240

08/15/00 4,000

Table A-20. 1998 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) Beaver Creek below Nome Creek WRM 7.5

June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge

01-Jun 01-Jul 566 01-Aug 420 01-Sep 691

02-Jun 02-Jul 1,434 02-Aug 389 02-Sep 655

03-Jun 03-Jul 733 03-Aug 390 03-Sep 623

04-Jun 04-Jul 527 04-Aug 480 04-Sep 605

05-Jun 05-Jul 441 05-Aug 499 05-Sep 582

06-Jun 06-Jul 430 06-Aug 552 06-Sep 552

07-Jun 07-Jul 868 07-Aug 643 07-Sep 541

08-Jun 08-Jul 2,497 08-Aug 670 08-Sep 529

09-Jun 09-Jul 1,706 09-Aug 818 09-Sep 507

10-Jun 10-Jul 1,262 10-Aug 860 10-Sep 489

11-Jun 11-Jul 1,254 11-Aug 811 11-Sep 472

12-Jun 12-Jul 907 12-Aug 1,239 12-Sep 462

13-Jun 13-Jul 822 13-Aug 1,608 13-Sep 449

14-Jun 14-Jul 730 14-Aug 907 14-Sep 436

15-Jun 15-Jul 625 15-Aug 885 15-Sep 419

16-Jun 16-Jul 549 16-Aug 2,083 16-Sep 438

17-Jun 17-Jul 507 17-Aug 4,324 17-Sep 468

18-Jun 18-Jul 535 18-Aug 3,672 18-Sep 451

19-Jun 19-Jul 554 19-Aug 2,263 19-Sep 434

20-Jun 20-Jul 489 20-Aug 1,783 20-Sep 420

21-Jun 21-Jul 457 21-Aug 1,500 21-Sep 439

22-Jun 22-Jul 438 22-Aug 1,464 22-Sep 450

23-Jun 23-Jul 539 23-Aug 1,391 23-Sep 434

24-Jun 24-Jul 554 24-Aug 1,226 24-Sep 475

25-Jun 25-Jul 487 25-Aug 853 25-Sep 510

26-Jun 26-Jul 479 26-Aug 803 26-Sep 481

27-Jun 27-Jul 493 27-Aug 822 27-Sep 474

28-Jun 28-Jul 552 28-Aug 786 28-Sep 465

29-Jun 374 29-Jul 551 29-Aug 748 29-Sep 446

30-Jun 365 30-Jul 496 30-Aug 741 30-Sep

31-Jul 453 31-Aug 689

Mean 370 Mean 740 Mean 1,172 Mean 496

Max. 374 Max. 2,497 Max. 4,324 Max. 691

Min. 365 Min. 430 Min. 389 Min. 419

 

31
Table A-21. 1999 Mean Daily Discharge (cfs) Beaver Creek below Nome Creek WRM 7.5

May June July August September

Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge Date Discharge

01-May 01-Jun 336 01-Jul 207 01-Aug 288 01-Sep

02-May 02-Jun 302 02-Jul 169 02-Aug 294 02-Sep

03-May 03-Jun 323 03-Jul 147 03-Aug 327 03-Sep

04-May 04-Jun 315 04-Jul 134 04-Aug 284 04-Sep

05-May 05-Jun 288 05-Jul 125 05-Aug 246 05-Sep

06-May 06-Jun 277 06-Jul 120 06-Aug 226 06-Sep

07-May 07-Jun 306 07-Jul 116 07-Aug 348 07-Sep

08-May 08-Jun 317 08-Jul 111 08-Aug 1,540 08-Sep

09-May 09-Jun 315 09-Jul 107 09-Aug 1,642 09-Sep

10-May 10-Jun 321 10-Jul 103 10-Aug 1,880 10-Sep

11-May 11-Jun 285 11-Jul 98 11-Aug 1,122 11-Sep

12-May 12-Jun 272 12-Jul 98 12-Aug 788 12-Sep

13-May 13-Jun 258 13-Jul 100 13-Aug 1,037 13-Sep

14-May 14-Jun 236 14-Jul 115 14-Aug 1,049 14-Sep

15-May 15-Jun 212 15-Jul 112 15-Aug 768 15-Sep

16-May 16-Jun 199 16-Jul 115 16-Aug 627 16-Sep

17-May 17-Jun 206 17-Jul 222 17-Aug 524 17-Sep

18-May 18-Jun 867 18-Jul 321 18-Aug 459 18-Sep

19-May 19-Jun 858 19-Jul 226 19-Aug 417 19-Sep

20-May 20-Jun 493 20-Jul 192 20-Aug 384 20-Sep

21-May 21-Jun 370 21-Jul 222 21-Aug 355 21-Sep

22-May 22-Jun 303 22-Jul 250 22-Aug 331 22-Sep

23-May 23-Jun 258 23-Jul 512 23-Aug 322 23-Sep

24-May 24-Jun 226 24-Jul 443 24-Aug 321 24-Sep

25-May 549 25-Jun 246 25-Jul 387 25-Aug 311 25-Sep

26-May 629 26-Jun 215 26-Jul 430 26-Aug 291 26-Sep

27-May 556 27-Jun 184 27-Jul 827 27-Aug 274 27-Sep

28-May 569 28-Jun 440 28-Jul 590 28-Aug 261 28-Sep

29-May 532 29-Jun 443 29-Jul 451 29-Aug 251 29-Sep

30-May 429 30-Jun 283 30-Jul 385 30-Aug 242 30-Sep

31-May 358 31-Jul 336 31-Aug 232

Mean 518 Mean 332 Mean 251 Mean 563 Mean.

Max. 629 Max. 867 Max. 827 Max. 1,880 Max. 

Min. 358 Min. 184 Min. 98 Min. 226 Min.

32
Table A-22. Discharge Measurements for Victoria Creek below Squaw Creek

Date Stage (ft) Discharge 

(cfs)

Width (ft) Area (sq ft) Avg. Velocity 

(fps)

Avg. Depth (ft)

06/25/89 9.18* 3,500 95 616 5.7 6.5

10/07/89 2.34 55 43 41 1.3 1.0

09/21/90 2.80 185 72 74 2.5 1.0

09/24/91 2.75 160 65 89 1.8 1.4

09/28/94 2.52 59 66 50 1.2 0.8

07/19/95 2.72 105 70 65 1.6 0.9

*Slope–area indirect discharge measurement 

Figure A-5. The site at Victoria Creek below Squaw Creek was selected in September 1989. A crest-stage 

gage was installed in June 1990 on the right bank. Data was collected until 1995, when the gaging project was 

discontinued. The gage was removed in September 2000. 

Victoria Creek below Squaw Creek 

FLOW

GAGE SITE

33
Table A-23. Victoria Creek below Squaw Creek Peak Discharges and Recurrence Intervals

Date Discharge*

(cfs)

Recurrence 

Interval* (yrs)

Recurrence 

Interval** (yrs)

Discharge**

(cfs)

06/25/89 3,500 13.8 1.5 1,800

09/08/90 1,500 1.2 2 2,070

08/20/91 1,800 1.5 5 2,770

06/01/92 2,900 5.9 10 3,270

09/21/93 2,300 2.6 25 3,930

06/24/94 2,100 2.1 50 4,440

06/28/95 1,400 1.1 100 4,970

* Calculated at gage.

** Calculated from Log Pearson III analysis 

Miscellaneous Discharge Data

 

Table A-24. Discharge Measurements for Fossil Creek above Fossil Gap

Date

Stage 

(ft)

Discharge

(cfs)

Width 

(ft)

Area 

(sq ft)

Avg. Velocity 

(fps)

Avg. Depth 

(ft)

06/24/94 5.47* 1,700 190 464 3.7 2.4

09/01/94 2.40 94 50 60 1.6 1.2

*Slope-conveyance indirect discharge measurement 

Table A-25. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek below Yellow Creek

Date

Stage 

(ft)

Discharge 

(cfs)

Width 

(ft)

Area 

(sq ft)

Avg. Velocity 

(fps)

Avg. Depth 

(ft)

06/20/96 2.46 1,020 218 363 2.8 1.7

06/30/96 2.10 550 193 245 2.2 1.3

07/24/96 2.16 635 213 302 2.1 1.4

Table A-26. Discharge Regressions Used to Compute Beaver Creek Data

Type of Regression 

Parameters

m b r 2 se

Regressions from Discharge Measurements

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 2.976 3.028 0.979 0.153

At Big Bend WRM 36.5 2.597 3.437 0.996 0.090

Above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5 1.744 5.661 0.998 0.063

Regressions from Comparative Data

 WRM 6 compared to WRM110.5 1.022 -1.460 0.955 0.294

 WRM 36.5 compared to WRM110.5 1.107 -1.188 0.974 0.248

 WRM 110.5 compared to Salcha River* 1.352 -3.222 0.900 0.430

m Slope of regression line

b Y-intercept of regression line

r 2 Coefficient of determination

se Standard error 

* USGS data

34
Table B-1. Discharge Measurements for Beaver Creek below Fossil Creek Spring (WRM 48.5) 

Date Discharge (cfs) Width (ft) Area (sq ft) Avg. Velocity (fps) Avg. Depth (ft)

04/02/91 67 125 91 0.7 0.7

03/31/93 69 80 37 1.9 0.5

04/06/94 74 89 121 0.6 1.4

04/19/94 82 87 124 0.7 1.4

04/06/95 49 67 33 1.5 0.5

04/02/96 24 64 28 0.9 0.4

04/02/97 29 62 24 1.2 0.4

02/26/98 25 51 37 0.7 0.7

04/01/98 24 54 20 1.2 0.4

02/25/99 28 40 22 1.3 0.6

04/01/99 26 43 26 1.0 0.6

03/30/00 31 52 24 1.3 0.5

03/01/01 50 69 40 1.3 0.6

02/27/03 49 49 25 2.0 0.5

 

Appendix B. Discharge and Water Quality Data from 

Groundwater Springs, Streams, and Lakes

Table B-2. Discharge Measurements at Miscellaneous Groundwater Spring Sites

Date

Discharge

(cfs)

Width 

(ft)

Area 

(sq ft)

Avg.Velocity 

(fps)

Avg.Depth 

(ft)

Site: Beaver Creek at WRM 40.5 near Hermans Landing 

04/17/96 13 35 11 1.18 0.3

04/09/99 18 37 19 0.95 0.5

Site: Beaver Creek at WRM 46.7 near Shebals Landing

04/05/95 33 92 26 1.27 0.3

04/02/96 0 (Frozen solid at riffle)

02/26/98 4.9 40 11 0.45 0.3

Site: Beaver Creek at WRM 89 below Willow Creek

04/26/96 47 42 28 1.68 0.7

Site: Windy Creek

04/03/96 0.4 4.0 1.4 0.25 0.3

Site: Unnamed Creek near Willow Creek

04/26/96 4.7 6.5 2.3 2.04 0.4

35
Table B-4. Water Quality Readings for Beaver Creek above Victoria Creek WRM 110.5

Date

Air Temp. 

(°C)

Water Temp. 

(°C)

Specific 

Conductance 

(ms/cm)

Turbidity 

(NTU)

07/31/98 27 15.5 125 ND

09/28/99 2 1.4 148 1.5

05/25/00 21 4.7 52 65

07/26/00 30 12 134 2

09/29/00 3 0.5 105 1.5

ND - Not determined 

Table B-3. Water Quality Readings from Groundwater Springs on Beaver Creek

Spring Site Date

Air Temp. 

(°C)

Water Temp. 

(°C)

Specific Conductance 

(ms/cm)

Below Fossil Creek WRM 48.5 04/19/94 0 1.2 223

Below Fossil Creek WRM 48.5 04/06/95 0 1.8 194

Below Fossil Creek WRM 48.5 04/02/96 –4 2.2 220

Below Fossil Creek WRM 48.5 04/01/99 –6 2.3 228

Below Fossil Creek WRM 48.5 03/30/00 7 1.8 236

Below Fossil Creek WRM 48.5 03/01/01 –26 0.3 182

Below Fossil Creek WRM 48.5 02/27/03 –11 0.7 192

At Hermans Landing WRM 40.5 04/17/96 3 3.2 208

At Hermans Landing WRM 40.6 04/09/99 –11 2.7 116

At Shebals Landing WRM 46.7 04/05/95 0 0.5 175

Windy Creek 04/08/96 3 3.2 131

Windy Creek 02/28/03 –11 0.7 192

Below Willow Creek WRM 89 04/26/96 –1 0.7 85

Tributary near Willow Creek 04/26/96 –1 4.8 537

36
Table B-5. Paired Water Quality Readings from Beaver Creek Sites

Stream Site Date

Water 

Temp. 

(°C)

Specific 

Conductance 

(ms/cm)

Turbidity

NTU

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 07/31/98 11.1 76 ND 

Below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 07/31/98 10.6 79 ND

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 09/11/98 6.3 85 ND 

Below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 09/11/98 6.2 76 ND

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 09/29/98 2.7 89 ND 

Below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 09/29/98 2.6 81 ND

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 05/25/99 5.2 57 1.6

Below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 05/25/99 5.5 57 2.0

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 09/28/99 0.7 102 0.9

Below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 09/28/99 0.8 96 0.6

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 05/25/00 1.8 25 13.3

Below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 05/25/00 2.1 30 15.0

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 07/26/00 8.5 79 0.5

Below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 07/26/00 8.4 80 0.7

Above Nome Creek WRM 6 09/29/00 1.0 74 0.5

Below Nome Creek WRM 7.5 09/30/00 1.0 67 0.5

ND - Not determined 

Table B-6. Water Quality of WMNRA Lakes

Lake Site Date Depth (ft) 

Ice Thickness 

(ft)

Water Temp. 

(°C)

Specific 

Conductance 

(ms/cm)

Dissolved 

Oxygen 

(mg/L)

Colorado Creek Lake* 04/17/90 7 5 0 ND 0.7

Borealis Lake*-NE 09/06/95 6.9 0 6.5 22 ND 

Borealis Lake*-SW 09/06/95 4.9 0 6.8 20 ND 

ND - Not determined 

*Informally named 

37
0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

1989 Cross Section

1998 Cross Section

2003 Cross Section

Bankfull water level

Distance (ft)

Elevatio

n (ft)

Figure C-2. Channel cross-section for Beaver Creek above Nome Creek (WRM 6). 

The cross-section has changed radically from the original survey. 

 

Appendix C. Channel Geometry 

Figure C-1. View of stream channel for Beaver Creek above Nome Creek in July 2003.

CROSS-SECTION

FLOW

38
Figure C-4. Channel cross section for Beaver Creek below Nome Creek (WRM 7.5). 

The cross section has changed only slightly from the original survey. 

 

Figure C-3. View of stream channel for Beaver Creek below Nome Creek in July 2003.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225

Distance (ft)

Elevation (ft)

1998 Cross Section

2003 Cross Section

Bankfull water level

CROSS-SECTION

FLOW

39
Figure C-6. Channel cross-section for Beaver Creek at Big Bend. The channel has 

changed only slightly from the original survey. 

Figure C-5. View of stream channel for Beaver Creek at Big Bend in July 2003.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275

Distance (ft)

Elevation (ft)

1989 Cross Section

1994 Cross Section

2003 Cross Section

Bankfull water level

CROSS-SECTION

FLOW

40