Related to Gnantid

m Missouri River Basin

FR0FESSI0BTAL

Perennial-Streamflow Characteristics 

Related to Channel Geometry and Sediment 

in Missouri River Basin

By W. R. OSTERKAMP and E. R. HEDMAN

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1242

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1982
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

JAMES G. WATT, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Dallas L. Peck, Director

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data 

Osterkamp, W. R.

Perennial-streamflow characteristics related to channel geometry and sediment in the Missouri River basin. 

(Geogical Survey Professional Paper 1242) 

Bibliography: p. 19 

Supt. of Docs. No.: I 19.16

1. Stream measurements Missouri Valley. 2. River channels Missouri Valley. 3. Sediment transport Missouri Valley

I. Hedman, E. R. II. Title. III. Series. 

GB1227.M7084 551.48'3'0978 81-607905 AACR2

For sale by the Branch of Distribution, U.S. Geological Survey, 

604 South Pickett Street, Alexandria, VA 22304
CONTENTS

Page

Conversion factors ........................................................... IV

Abstract ................................................................... 1

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

Purpose and scope ...................................................... 1

Previous investigations .................................................. 2

Data collection and analysis .................................................... 3

Onsite procedures. ...................................................... 3

Laboratory techniques and data analysis.................................... 6

Results..................................................................... 7

Computer analyses...................................................... 7

Implications of the computer analyses ...................................... 11

Effect of sediment ................................................. 11

Effect of gradient and other variables on width-discharge relations ........ 13

Variability and error analysis ........................................ 17

Utility and conclusions ........................................................ 18

References cited ............................................................. 19

Supplemental information ..................................................... 22

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

FIGURE 1. Diagram showing commonly used reference levels ....................... 2

2. Map showing location of measurement and sampling sites ................ 4

3. Graph showing structural relations between active-channel width and mean

discharge for stream channels of specified sediment characteristics ..... 11

4. Graph showing structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for selected streams of the Sand Hills area, 

Nebraska ..................................................... 13

5-11. Graphs showing structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for:

5. High silt-clay bed channels.................................... 13

6. Medium silt-clay bed channels ................................. 14

7. Low silt-clay bed channels .................................... 14

8. Sand-bed, silt-banks channels ................................. 15

9. Sand-bed, sand-banks channels ................................ 15

10. Gravel-bed channels ......................................... 16

11. Cobble-bed channels ......................................... 16

12. Graph showing width-gradient-discharge relations for mean discharges and 

the 25-year floods for sand-bed, sand-banks channels using representative 

values of gradient ............................................... 17

in
IV CONTENTS

TABLES

Page

TABLE 1. Descriptions of data groups based on channel material .................... 8

2. Width-discharge relations for channels of specified sediment properties ...... 8

3. Width-discharge relations resulting from analysis of all data ............... 10

4. Width-gradient-discharge relations for channels of specified sediment

properties ..................................................... 10

5. Width-gradient-discharge relations resulting from analysis of all data ....... 11

6. Width-discharge relations for selected stream channels of the Sand Hills

area, Nebraska ................................................. 12

7. Width-discharge and width-gradient-discharge relations for sand-bed,

sand-banks channels of differing discharge variability ................. 17

8. Discharge characteristics of selected streams ........................... 22

9. Geometry measurements and sediment characteristics of selected streams ... 29 

10. Width-discharge and width-gradient discharge relations expressed in

inch-pound units ................................................ 36

CONVERSION FACTORS

The International System (SI) of Units is used in this report, although approximate conversions to inch-pound units are provided where practical. The coefficients of all power-function 

equations provided here are calculated from data expressed in SI units; conversions using inchpound units are given in table 10. SI units used in this report may be expressed as inch-pound 

units by use of the following conversion factors:

To convert Multiply To obtain

SI units by inch-pound units

millimeter (mm) 0.0394 inch (in)

meter (m) 3.28 foot (ft)

kilometer (km) 0.622 mile (mi)

cubic meter per second 35.3 cubic foot per second

(m'/s) (ft'/s)
PERENNIAL-STREAMFLOW CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO 

CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT IN MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

By W. R. OSTERKAMP and E. R. HEDMAN

ABSTRACT

Geometry, channel-sediment, and discharge data were collected 

and compiled from 252 streamflow-gaging stations in the Missouri 

River basin. The stations, with several exceptions, have at least 20 

years of streamflow records and represent the complete ranges of 

hydrologic and geologic conditions found in the basin. The data 

were analyzed by computer to yield simple and multiple power-function equations relating various discharge characteristics to 

variables of channel geometry and bed and bank material. The equations provide discharge as the dependent variable for the purpose of 

making estimates of discharge characteristics at ungaged sites.

Results show that channel width is best related to variables of 

discharge, but that significant improvement, or reduction of the 

standard errors of estimate, can be achieved by considering 

channel-sediment properties, channel gradient, and discharge 

variability. The channel-material variables do not have uniform effects on width-discharge relations and, therefore, are considered as 

sediment-data groups, or stream types, rather than as terms in 

multiple power-function equations.

Relative to streamflow, narrowest channels occur when streams 

of steady discharge transport sufficient silt and clay to form stable, 

cohesive banks but have a small bed-material load of sand and 

coarser sizes. Stable channels also are associated with relatively 

large channel gradients, relatively large channel roughness, and armoring of bed and bank by coarse particle sizes. The widest, most 

unstable channels are ones that apparently transport a large bedmaterial load of sand sizes. The downstream rates of change of 

width with discharge reflect these trends, indicating that a given 

bed-material load necessitates a minimum width for movement of 

tractive material.

Comparisons of standard errors of estimate given here with 

similar results from regional studies are variable. It is assumed, 

however, that a benefit of this study is that the use of the equations 

is not limited to the Missouri River basin. Besides the principal utility of estimating discharge characteristics of ungaged streams, the 

equations given here can be used for the design of artificial channels 

and can be used as a basis of predicting channel changes resulting 

from upstream alterations of the basin or channel.

INTRODUCTION

Numerous studies have related the geometry of alluvial stream channels to the amount and variation of 

discharge, sediment characteristics, climate and vegetation, and various basin characteristics. In recent 

years, a practical result of these studies has been the 

use of channel-geometry measurements to estimate the

discharge characteristics of ungaged streams. By correlating variables of channel size and shape to 

specified flows at gaged sites, the relations, generally 

expressed as power-function equations, can provide estimates of discharge for the same recurrence frequencies at ungaged sites. Because a value of streamflow is 

determined, discharge is treated as the dependent variable. Therefore, the channel-geometry technique is the 

use of channel measurements as an indirect means of 

evaluating streamflow characteristics at a site.

The channel-geometry technique differs from that of 

hydraulic geometry by relying on measurements taken 

from an identifiable geomorphic reference point or 

level in the channel section rather than from the water 

surface. The size and shape of the channel cross section 

are assumed to be the integrated resultant of all 

discharges, water and sediment, conveyed by that 

channel (Pickup and Rieger, 1979, p. 41; Osterkamp, 

1979a, p. 2). Because it is based on channel rather than 

basin characteristics, the technique provides discharge 

estimates more closely related to the measured variables than do many of the older indirect techniques of 

estimating discharge. Most of these older methods use 

either drainage area, precipitation, and other basin 

characteristics as a means of evaluating discharge, or 

they rely on correlation methods of transferring data 

from gaged sites to ungaged sites in contiguous or 

nearby basins.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Most published channel-geometry equations relate 

discharge to width or to width and depth. This study 

was initiated with the recognition that width-discharge relations vary significantly with channelsediment properties (that is, the size characteristics of 

material forming the channel perimeter). Thus, numerical consideration of the sediment characteristics offers 

a means of refining the channel-geometry technique, as 

well as contributing to the understanding of fluvial 

processes. The purposes of the study were to: (1) eval-
CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

uate which, if any, characteristics of channel sediment 

significantly affect channel morphology, (2) describe 

these effects quantitatively, thereby providing equations useful for discharge estimates, (3) gain further 

understanding of the processes that form and continually alter the shape of perennial stream channels, and 

(4) provide a basis for anticipating the results of natural or imposed upstream changes in the variables that 

determine channel size and shape.

The hydrologic, geometry, and sediment data (see 

"Supplemental Information," tables 8, 9) on which this 

paper is based were collected at or near 252 streamflow-gaging stations in the Missouri River basin. The 

various gaging sites and drainage basins are representative of the wide range of hydrologic, geologic, topographic, and climatic conditions found in the Missouri 

River basin. The data were collected primarily at perennial streams, but several of the small channels have 

intermittent streamflow. Most of the streams have unregulated discharge; many of the relatively large 

streams, however, are partly regulated by one or more 

upstream reservoirs.

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS

Relative to the numerous alluvial stream channels of 

the United States and elsewhere, streamflow-gaging 

stations provide current and historical discharge information on a small part of those channels from which 

such information is desirable. The increasing demand 

for current, inexpensive hydrologic information led to 

the development of the various indirect methods for estimating discharge characteristics from ungaged 

basins. The earlier methods relied on precipitation records and comparisons of streamflow and basin-characteristic data from nearby basins and generally were 

applied to relatively humid regions. In those areas, 

variations in precipitation and runoff are less significant than in arid areas (Riggs, 1978). Because the 

channel-geometry method relies only on channel properties, its use is less restricted by climate and other 

basin variables than the earlier indirect methods.

Among the early papers dealing with the effect of 

discharge on channel shape were articles on regime 

theory (no net erosion or deposition) by Kennedy (1895) 

and Lacey (1930). Though not the first to apply the dynamic-equilibrium concept to rivers, Leopold and Maddock (1953) published the first widely accepted benchmark paper of the relations between perennial discharge and channel properties. They established 

power-function equations between mean discharge and 

stream width, mean water depth, and mean velocity. 

For practical purposes, a shortcoming of the study by 

Leopold and Maddock (1953), and of several subsequent papers, was that a relatively permanent, observable datum from which channel width and depth could 

be measured was not used. Instead, measurements 

were related to the level of the water surface at mean 

discharge. Hence, the technique was termed hydraulic 

geometry. A study of the Brandywine Creek drainage 

by Wolman (1955) reduced the problem by the use of 

measurements determined for bankfull stage (fig. 1), a 

readily observable feature in that drainage basin. 

Other hydrologists in England and Wales (Nixon, 

1959), central Pennsylvania (Brush, 1961), Illinois 

(Stall and Fok, 1968), Alaska (Emmett, 1972), and elsewhere made similar measurements at bankfull stage. 

Other workers have used reference levels for channel 

measurements taken at the top of the "main channel" 

(Riggs, 1974; Lowham, 1976) or "whole channel" 

(Riggs and Harenberg, 1976); these levels were defined 

similarly to and are virtually coincident with the bankfull stage.

From 1953 to recent years, a variety of hydraulicgeometry studies resulted in numerous power functions relating width with variables of discharge for the 

"downstream" case (Leopold and Maddock, 1953). In 

1966, at the suggestion of W. B. Langbein, attention 

within the U.S. Geological Survey was turned to inREFERENCE LEVEL 

 BANKFULL (C-C')

ACTIVE-CHANNEL (B-B')

DEPOSITIONAL-BAR (A-A')

FIGURE 1. Commonly used reference levels.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

channel reference levels for discharge-geometry correlations. Langbein recognized that active, short-term 

geomorphic features might be identifiable in all alluvial stream channels and that they are indicative of recent (decades or less) rather than historic stream dynamics. The suggestion was advanced as a possible 

means of estimating flow characteristics of ungaged 

basins; the intent was to determine discharge from 

channel characteristics. The first paper using this suggestion was by Moore (1968), who estimated mean runoff from Nevada basins on the basis of channel width 

and mean depth measured from the top edge of inchannel, or depositional, bars (fig. 1, A-A'). The bars 

were regarded as the highest channel features shaped 

by annual bed-material movement and the lowest 

prominent bed forms. The same technique was used in 

California by Hedman (1970); in western Georgia, 

U.S.S.R., by Kopaliani and Romashein (1970); in Kansas by Hedman and Kastner (1972); in Colorado by 

Hedman, Moore, and Livingston (1972); in New 

England by DeWalle and Rango (1972); and throughout the Missouri River basin by Hedman and Kastner 

(1977).

Experience has shown, however, that measurements 

based on bar geometry are subject to the same problem 

as is the bankfull stage method of Wolman (1955) the 

lack of a universally recognizable datum. Many slowmoving streams, for example, that have a well-defined 

bankfull stage (flood plain) do not exhibit bar geometry. In addition, deposition of material forming inchannel bars occurs principally during recession of relatively large discharges. Thus, a spurious relation is 

possible between bar geometry and all discharge rates 

exceeding that required for movement of point-bar material. An alternative in-channel reference level, therefore, was proposed by Hedman, Kastner, and Hejl 

(1974), the active channel. This feature (fig. 1, B-B') is 

described by Osterkamp and Hedman (1977, p. 256) as

***a short-term geomorphic feature subject to change by prevailing 

discharges. The upper limit is defined by a break in the relatively 

steep bank slope of the active channel to a more gently sloping surface beyond the channel edge. The break in slope normally coincides 

with the lower limit of permanent vegetation so that the two features, individually or in combination, define the active channel reference level. The section beneath the reference level is that portion of 

the stream entrenchment in which the channel is actively, if not 

totally, sculptured by the normal process of water and sediment discharge.

Recent studies that used the active-channel reference 

level, or a similarly defined level, include those of Scott 

and Kunkler (1976), Hedman and Kastner (1977), and 

Osterkamp (1977, 1979a).

Except for a large number of papers concerning the 

hydraulics of sediment transport and the behavior of

various sediment types in laboratory flumes, literature 

relating sediment characteristics to properties of channel morphology is much less extensive than for that of 

streamflow characteristics. Among the papers that 

have considered the effect of sediment on channel morphology are those of Schumm (1960a, b, 1963, 1968). 

These papers related a weighted mean percentage of 

bed and bank silt-clay to width-depth ratios of alluvial 

channels, but the papers did not consider discharge directly. The final study of this sequence (Schumm, 

1968) provided a basis of prediction of the changes in 

morphology that might occur as a result of a significant change in the regimen of sediment transport of a 

stream, whether natural or induced. Combining the 

channel-geometry techniques of Hedman, Kastner, 

and Hejl (1974) with the use of channel silt-clay content (Schumm, 1960b), Osterkamp (1977) developed 

simple and multiple power-function equations relating 

mean discharge to channel width and sediment characteristics of Kansas streams. The equations assumed 

that mean discharge exerts a fixed effect on channel 

width that is modified by other variables, particularly 

the particle sizes of channel material. The relations 

described herein evolved from techniques developed 

during the study of perennial stream of Kansas.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Sites at or near streamflow-gaging stations where 

channel-geometry and channel-sediment data were collected for this study are shown in figure 2. The site 

numbers in figure 2 refer to lists of the discharge (table 

8) and channel-properties (table 9) data from which the 

power-function equations were developed.

ONSITE PROCEDURES

Measurement and sampling procedures at channelgeometry sites were developed using several basic assumptions. Among these are that: (1) A channel section generally is narrowing toward a minimum width 

corresponding to the recent discharge characteristics 

of the stream; (2) a section below the active-channel reference level can be recognized at all sites and is indicative of those discharge characteristics; (3) the sediment 

load of a stream, both suspended and bed material, has 

a quantitative effect on geometry-discharge relations; 

and (4) the particle sizes of bank material are indicative 

of the suspended sediment, whereas the bed material is 

indicative of the traction-force load. Thus, the principal data collected at each gage were those of 

geometry and of the variables inferred to be most 

closely related to the geometry characteristics of
CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

EXPLANATION

A225

GAGING STATION

Number glvas location of station 

listed in tables 8 and 9

BASIN BOUNDARY

200 KILOMETERS

100 MILES

FIGURE 2 (above and facing pages). Location of measurement and sampling sites.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

NORTH D A K O T A\ M 1 N N~E S 6~T A " * 9 '
CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

water and sediment discharge. Other variables affecting the width-discharge relations that were not directly considered in this study include discharge variability (including the effects of streamflow regulation), 

climate and riparian vegetation, and other upstream 

channel or basin changes resulting from water-use and 

land-use activities.

In all instances, geometry and bed-and-bank data 

were collected at or near gage sites where discharge 

data were available. To the extent practical, measurements were made in a generally straight reach where 

flow velocities were relatively uniform across the channel width. If a stream had pool-riffle sequences, a site 

normally was selected a short distance upstream or 

downstream from a riffle. Sites were avoided if bedrock 

was apparent in the channel bed, if bank instability occurred in or directly above the active-channel section, 

or if there was local evidence of recent scour or deposition. Channel reaches altered by riprap or other types 

of natural or unnatural linings or obstructions were 

avoided, as were reaches where bank surfaces were erosional rather than depositional.

At each site, width and mean-depth measurements 

were made from the active-channel reference level (fig. 

1, B-B'). Integrated or composite sediment samples were 

obtained by collecting sediment at equally spaced intervals across the channel bed and up each bank. Thus, 

three separate composite samples, representing the 

bed and each bank, were collected at each measurement site. If the channel material was mostly gravel or 

coarser sizes, in situ pebble-count techniques or other 

suitable methods were used to describe the bed-andbank material (Wolman, 1954). For all sites, care was 

taken not to sample those parts of the channel transitional between bed and banks; thereby, contamination 

of samples by material from other parts of the channel 

section largely was avoided. In general, sites were selected to insure that the bed samples were typical of 

bed-material movement during periods of normal discharge rates and that the bank samples were representative of material taken from suspension. Specific procedures for channel measurement and sampling are 

given by Osterkamp (1979b).

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES AND DATA ANALYSIS

Discharge data (table 8) were compiled from the records of the various gage sites. All discharge data were 

computed using established techniques of the U.S. 

Geological Survey. Values for the discharge characteristics (table 8) are based on a minimum of 20 years of 

continuous steamflow records, although several exceptions were made in order to expand the ranges of 

stream size and geographic coverage.

A standard particle-size analysis (dry sieve, VA 

tube, and wet sieve) was made of each of the three sediment samples from each site (Guy, 1969). Summary 

results of the analyses are listed in table 9 as the median particle sizes and the silt-clay percentages of the 

bed-material samples and as the values of the silt-clay 

percentages for the two bank-material samples. Channel gradients (table 9) were computed from 7V2-minute 

topographic maps. Except where significant tributary 

inflow or diversion was apparent near a gage, the gradient measurements were centered at or near the gaging 

stations. For large streams, the calculated gradient 

represents a reach of as much as 20 km (12 mi) in 

length, whereas reaches as short as 1.0 km (0.62 mi) 

were used to calculate the gradient of small streams.

Most equations given in this report are simple or 

multiple power functions of the form:

Qv=aWb, (1) 

or , Qv=aWbGc, (2)

where Qv is a discharge characteristic (such as a flood 

discharge with a 2-year recurrence interval); a is a coefficient; W and G, respectively, are channel width and 

gradient; and b and c are exponents. The equations 

were developed by use of a stepwise regression program (BMD02R) from the Biomedical Computer Programs of the School of Medicine, University of California (Dixon, 1965). The program forms a sequence of linear regression equations in a stepwise manner. In the 

first step, a simple relation is defined with the independent variable that most effectively explains the 

site-to-site variation of a selected flow characteristic. 

In each subsequent step, one variable is added to the 

equation.

For those computer analyses yielding simple-regression (power-function) equations (one independent variable), the program was modified to convert the result 

to a structural analysis (Mark and Church, 1977; Osterkamp, McNellis, and Jordan, 1978). This statistical 

technique distributes error to both the dependent and 

independent variables. The closely related technique of 

least-squares regression differs by ascribing all error to 

the independent variable. Because errors must be assumed for all the variables considered in this study, 

structural analysis is considered the better method of 

developing simple power-function equations. The two 

techniques, however, when applied to groups of data 

presented here, provide results that do not differ markedly.

The standard errors of estimate (SE), the correlation 

coefficient (R), and the F-ratios are provided as output
RESULTS

of program BMD02R. The standard error of estimate 

of a regression or structural analysis is a measure of 

the deviation or scatter of the dependent variable 

about the linear relation; the correlation coefficient is 

an indicator of data scatter relative to the range of the 

data. The F-ratio is the ratio of the explained to unexplained variance in the dependent variable. The level of 

significance can be determined from the F-ratio and 

the numbers of cases and variables. The levels of significance provided in tables of this report are given as 

decimal fractions, expressing the likelihood that the 

observed F-ratio has occurred by chance. Thus, a significance level of 0.01 indicates that the probability of 

the observed relation occurring randomly is no greater 

than 1 percent.

RESULTS

Previous studies (Schumm, 1960a, b, 1968; Hedman 

and Kastner, 1977; Osterkamp and Hedman, 1977; Osterkamp, 1977,1979a) provided evidence that channelsediment characteristics have a measureable effect on 

geometry-discharge relations. The initial computer 

analyses of this study, therefore, were designed to 

identify geometry and sediment variables that effectively provide a basis for defining stream-channel 

types from the entire data set (tables 8, 9). These preliminary analyses produced the following deductions:

1. Except for some braided streams, the size distribution of fluvial sediment generally has a greater 

effect on channel morphology than does sediment discharge.

2. Multiple power-function equations need to be used 

cautiously because the effects of complicating 

variables on width-discharge relations generally 

are not linear.

3. Because channel shape is partly the result of the 

sediment sizes transported by a stream, indiscriminate use of geometry and channel-material 

variables in multiple power-function equations 

results in redundency.

4. Variables other than channel sediment, such as discharge variability and riparian vegetation, have 

significant effects on geometry-discharge relations and, therefore, account for part of the observed standard errors of estimate.

The principal purpose of the relations given in this 

paper is to provide rapidly calculated estimates of discharge characteristics. Therefore, the stream classes or 

groups used here were defined to include the range of 

sediment conditions normally found in natural alluvial

channels, and the equations developed for the groups 

require only data that are quickly and easily measured 

or estimated.

COMPUTER ANALYSES

The 252 sites in the Missouri River basin at which 

data were collected (fig. 2; tables 8, 9) were selected using criteria previously discussed. Criteria for site selection were not imposed rigidly, however, but were relaxed in some cases to extend the range of data. Accordingly, the data used for this paper include very 

small channels with less than 20 years of streamflow 

records and some large streams (particularly the Missouri River), which are partly regulated and may be affected by nearby channel modifications or stabilization 

structures. It is assumed that the use of these data, 

however, increases the confidence that can be placed in 

the resulting power functions, although they increase 

the standard errors of estimate.

Mean discharges (table 8) of the data used in the 

computer analyses range from 0.00402 to 2,260 m3/s 

(0.142-79,800 ft3/s), and measured active-channel 

widths range from 0.762 to 430 m (2.50-1,410 ft). 

These ranges comprise about 5.75 log cycles for mean 

discharges and 2.75 log cycles for active-channel 

widths. Similarly, the channel-material characteristics 

of streams sampled in the Missouri River basin range 

from those having as much as 92 percent silt and clay 

in the bed material to alpine streams with median particle sizes as great as 250 mm (9.8 in.). Measured gradients range from 0.000060 to 0.028 (nondimensional), 

or about 2.7 log cycles.

No attempt was made to quantify and consider the 

effects of riparian and channel vegetation as independent variables, although qualitative evidence indicates 

that changes in riparian vegetation, in particular, can 

have a pronounced effect on width-discharge relations. 

Discharge variability also is known to have substantial effects on channel morphology (Schumm and 

Lichty, 1963; Burkham, 1972; Osterkamp, 1978, p. 

1267). Limited attention is given to discharge variability here, however, because normally it is a variable 

that cannot be measured or estimated well at ungaged 

sites.

Previous investigations and the preliminary computer analyses led to the-classification of channels into 

seven groups according to channel-sediment properties 

for further analysis. The sediment properties on which 

the groups are based (silt-clay content and median particle size of the bed material, and silt-clay content of 

the bank material) led to simple power-function equa-
CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN 

TABLE 1. Descriptions of data groups based on channel material

[Channel types used for identification purposes are not intended to be descriptive of the stream types. 

SC^ is silt-clay content of bed material in percent, SCbk is the higher silt-clay content, in percent, 

of the two bank-material samples; and d60 is the diameter size of particles, in millimeters, for which 

equal parts of the sample are of greater or smaller weight]

Channel 

types

High silt-clay bed . . Medium silt-clay 

bed ............

Low silt-clay bed . . 

Sand bed,

Sand bed,

Cobble bed .......

No. of 

sampling sites

15 

17

30 

33

49

19

Channel-sediment 

characteristics

SCbd = 61-100 

SCbd = 31-60

SCbd = 11-30 

SCM = 1-10 SChk =70-100

DU Utk

SCbd =l-10 SCbk = l-69

d60 <2.0 

d60 <2.0

d60 <2.0 

d50 <2.0

d60 <2.0

d50 = 2.0-64

d50 >64

tions relating width to discharge for the entire ranges 

of each group. The sediment properties are not expressed as independent variables of a multiple powerfunction equation because such a relation would necessarily be either too complex for general use or would be 

oversimplified and inaccurate.

Specifically, none of the three channel-sediment 

properties on which the channel types are defined 

(table 1) have a linear or even consistent effect on 

width-discharge relations. Relative to discharge, active-channel width increases with increasing sandiness 

(decreasing silt-clay content) because the cohesiveness 

afforded by the silt and clay produces relatively stable 

banks not easily eroded by floods. If a significant 

amount of fine material is present in the bed material, 

cohesive banks are virtually assured. If, however, the 

bed material is largely sand, the silt and clay (taken 

from suspension) in the banks can be correlated with 

width-discharge relations.

For streams of similar discharge characteristics, 

minimum channel widths generally occur if the median 

particle size of the bed material is very small (high siltclay content). Width tends to increase with increasing 

median particle size, reaching a maximum when the 

bed material is well-sorted, medium- to coarse-grained 

sand (Osterkamp, 1977). For median particle sizes increasingly greater than about 2 mm (0.08 in.), the 

course fraction of the bed material provides an armoring or stabilizing effect similar to that provided by the 

cohesiveness of silt and clay. The result is narrower, 

more stable channels than those that have sand beds. 

The effects of particle-size ranges are considered indirectly because the channel types (table 1) are defined

in terms of both silt-clay content and median particle 

size.

Equations relating discharge characteristics to active-channel width for the seven channel types (table 1) 

are listed in table 2. Casual inspection of the equations 

for mean discharge shows that, for channels of similar 

width, the greatest mean discharges occur in channels 

of fine-grained bed-and-bank material. As the sandiness of the channel material increases, the mean discharges decrease to the extent that the predicted mean 

discharge of a sand-bed, sand-banks channel 20 m (66 

ft) in width is only 21 percent of the predicted discharge for a high silt-clay bed channel of similar width. 

As median particle sizes, and the resulting armored effect, increase from about 2 mm (0.08 in.), the trend is

TABLE 2. Width-discharge relations for channels of specified sediment properties

[SC^ is silt-clay percentage of bed material; SCbk is silt-clay percentage of 

bank material; and d,0 is median particle size of bed material, in millimeters. Q is mean discharge, in cubic meters per second; Q, through Q100 

are flood discharges, in cubic meters per second, of recurrence intervals 2 

through 100 years; and W is active-channel width, in meters]

Channel

type

(table 1)

High siltclay bed

(SC,,=

61. 100;

d60<2.0)

(

Equation

Q = 0.031W2'12

Q2 = 2.0W1 '86

Q6 = 5.3W1 '77

Q10 = 8.1W1'74

Q26 = 13W1 '71

Q60 = 16W1 '71

?100 = 19W1 '74

Standard

error of

estimate,

SE

(percent)

35

52

54

57

62

65

69

Coefficient

of correlation, R

0.98

.94

.93

.92

.90

.89

.88

Level of

significance

(from

f-ratio

for width)

0.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001
RESULTS

TABLE 2. Width-discharge relations for channels of specified sediment properties Continued

Channel

type

(table 1)

Med. siltclay bed

(80^ =

31.60;

d60<2.0)

(

Low satclay bed

(SC =

11.30;

dso<2.0)

<

Sand bed,

sat

banks,

10;

scbk=

70. 100;

d60<2.0)

<

Sand bed

sand

banks,

10;

scbk<

70;

d60<2.0)

<

Gravel bed

(dso=

2.0.64)

<

Cobble bed

(dso>64)

<

Equation

Q = 0.033WL76

Q2 = 2.6W127

Q6 = 7.2W1 ' 16

Q10 = 18W1 '08

Q26 = 22W1 '05

Q60 = 31W°-99

3100 = 36W1 '02

Q = 0.031 WL73

Q2 = 2.8W1-25

Q6 = 9.0Win

Q10 = 16W1 '05

Q26 = 30W° 9?

Q60 = 43W°'93

3100 = 55W°-93

Q = 0.027 W1 '69

Q2 = 3.3WU6

Qt =9.ml-m

Q10 = 16W1 '02

Q26 = 29W°'96

Q60 = 40 W°'93

3100 =5iw°-92

Q = 0.029W1 '62

Q2 = 0.96W1 '32

Q6 = 2.4WL26

 Q10 = 4.1W1 ' 21

Q26 = 7.5W1 ' 15

Q50 = 11W1 ' 12

Q100 = 14W1 '12

Q = 0.023W1-81

Q2 =1.9W1 ' 15

Q6 = 6.6W°'95

Q10 =12W°'84

Q26 = 25W°'70

Q60 = 32W°'67

Q10o = 54W°-60

Q = 0.024W1 '84

Q2 = 0.82W1 '43

Q6 = 3.1W1 ' 16

Q10 = 6.0W1 '03

Q26 = 12W°'89

Q60 = 20W0'80

Q100 = 28W°-75

Standard

error of

estimate,

SE

(percent)

56

118

105

103

100

99

98

83

107

102

99

98

97

97

57

47

46

45

46

49

53

73

107

124

132

140

146

152

54

80

81

86

93

99

106

24

80

74

72

74

81

91

Coefficient

of correlation, R

0.92

.63

.63

.61

.58

.56

.54

0.91

.77

.74

.73

.71

.69

.67

0.95

.93

.92

.91

.90

.87

.85

0.94

.85

.80

.78

.74

.72

.70

0.96

.82

.75

.69

.60

.54

.47

0.99

.90

.87

.85

.80

.74

.66

Level of

significance

(from

F-ratio

for width)

0.001

.01

.01

.01

.025

.025

.025

0.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

0.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

0.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

0.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.005

0.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.005

reversed, and predicted mean discharges increase for 

channels of similar width. The predicted mean discharge of a 20-m (66-ft) wide channel armored with cobbles and boulders is 60 percent greater than that of the 

sand-bed, sand-banks channel.

In general, the results in table 2 for a given channel 

type show increasing coefficients and decreasing exponents as magnitudes and recurrence intervals of the 

floods increase. The causes of the decreasing exponents are (1) the tendency for increased attenuation of 

flood discharges in the downstream direction with increase in recurrence interval and (2) the tendency for 

decreased peak rates of precipitation and runoff, per 

unit area of a drainage basin, with increasing basin 

size. In other words, for most alluvial streams, the 

ratio of the 10-year flood to mean discharge (Q10IQ) 

decreases as mean discharge, drainage area, and floodplain size increase in the downstream direction. For example, a greater rate of decrease generally occurs for 

the ratio Q50IQ than for Qi0IQ. The result is a smaller 

exponent associated with Q50 than with Q10 . The relations for each stream type of table 2 are based on differing discharges (mean discharge or flood discharges 

of specified recurrence interval) but on the same activechannel widths. Thus, the relatively large exponents 

associated with mean discharges indicate that mean 

discharge commonly increases at a greater rate in the 

downstream direction than do, for example, the 

50-year floods, which have relatively small associated 

exponents.

As comparisons to the various channel-type relations of table 2, structural analyses of the discharge 

characteristics with active-channel width were made 

for the entire file of 252 data sets (tables 8, 9). The results (table 3) demonstrate the differences that occur 

when the data are not separated into the sedimentcharacteristics groups (table 1). The standard errors of 

estimate for these relations indicate considerable data 

scatter, particularly for the large flood discharges, and 

the possibility of large errors if the equations were to 

be used for predictive purposes. As examples, if very 

silty bed channels and cobble-bed channels of 20-m 

(66-ft) width are considered, the discharges predicted 

by the equation for mean discharge of table 3 are 74 

percent (silty bed) and 24 percent (cobble bed) less than 

those given by the corresponding equations in table 2.

As median particle sizes of bed material decrease 

from very course to very fine, associated channel gradients also decrease (Lane, 1957; Osterkamp, 1978). 

The relation is not uniform, however, particularly for 

sand channels. Therefore, gradient cannot be incorpo-
10 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

TABLE 3. Width-discharge relations resulting 

_ from analysis of all data

[Q is mean discharge, in cubic meters per second; Q2 throughQ100 

are flood discharges, in cubic meters per second, of recurrence intervals 2 through 100 years; and W is active-channel 

width, in meters.]

Standard error Coefficient 

Equation of estimate, SE of correla- 

(percent) tion, R

Q = 0.027W171

Q2 = 1.9W1'22

Q.-5.8W1 ' 10

Q10 = 9.9W1 '04

Q2B = 18W°'97

Q ~~ S2W

79

109

112

116

120

124

129

0.93

.81

.77

.74

.71

.68

.66

Level of 

significance 

(from F-ratio 

for width)

0.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

rated easily into width-discharge relations to yield 

multiple power-function equations. This problem largely is eliminated when the data are separated into 

groups of specified channel-sediment characteristics. 

The particle-size limits for each group can be selected 

to minimize the possibility of nonlinear effect on the 

width-discharge relation by gradient.

Equations that relate discharge characteristics to active-channel width and gradient for the several channel 

types (table 1) are presented in table 4. Comparison of 

tables 2 and 4 shows that (1) gradient is generally a 

statistically significant variable that gives improved 

results compared with the use of width only as the independent variable, (2) the significance of gradient is 

greatest for the relatively unstable (sandy) channels 

but provides little or no improvement for cohesive or 

armored channels, (3) the mean-discharge and smaller 

flood relations for the relatively sandy channels are improved more by considering gradient than are the relations for the infrequent flood discharges; and (4) 

negative exponents generally are associated with the 

gradient term, indicating an inverse relation with discharge. In some instances, the level of significance for 

gradient is too small to justify computation of a powerfunction equation, a situation indicated by blank (leaders) entries in table 4. The level of significance for gradient in all of the high and medium silt-clay bed relations is small, and these equations are not provided.

To illustrate again the effect that sediment properties have on discharge-geometry relations, width-gradient-discharge equations for the entire data set 

(tables 8, 9) are provided in table 5 as comparisons to 

those of table 4. Using the relations for mean discharge 

as an example, the standard errors of estimate for the 

channel-type equations (table 4) are from 34 to 92 perTABLE 4. Width-gradient-discharge relations for channels of specified sediment properties

|SC, , is silt-clay percentage of bed material; SCfak is silt-clay percentage of bank material; 

and dso is median particle size of bed material, in millimeters. Q is mean discharge, 

in cubic meters per second; Q2 through Q100 are flood discharges, in cubic meters 

per second, of recurrence intervals 2 through 100 years; W is active-channel width, 

in meters; and G is channel gradient (nondimensional). Too small level of significance for gradient to justify computation indicated by leaders ( )]

Channel

type 

(table 1)

Equation

Low siltclay bed

<scbd =

11.30; 

d50<2.0)

^r

= 0.0012WL36G~059 67

= 0.065W080G~°-69 87

= 0.24Wa68G~°-66 84

= 0.57W°-64G"°-61 84

= 1.6W ' G ' 86

Standard Coeffierror of cient of

estimate, multiple

SE corre-

(percent) lation, R

Level of

significance

(from F-ratio

for width,

gradient)

86

88

91

0.94 

.85 

.83 

.81 

.78 

.75 

.72

0.001, 0.001

.001, .005

.001, .005

.001, .005

.005, .01

.005, .025

.005, .05

Sand bed, Q = 0.0018W1 43G~°'49 49

silt banks, Q2 = 0.56W°-95G~°-34 43

(SC, H<10; Q5 = 1.6W°-87G~a33 42 'bcT

SCbk= 

70.100;

d50<2.0)

= 2 9W°-81 G"°-33 

= 5.4W°- 75G-°-32 

= 8.6W°- 72G-°-30 

= i2Wa68G-°-31

41

42

46

50

0.96 0.001, 0.005

.94 .001, .025

.93 .001, .025

.93 .001, .025

.91 .001, .025

.89 .001, .05

.87 .001, .05

Sand bed, Q =0.032W134G~044 65 

sand

banks, Q2 = 0.13W102G~a42 101

(SCM<10; Q5 = 0.27W°-94G~°-46 117

Q10 = 0.47W°-88G~°-46 125

Q25 = 0.91W°-83G~°-44 134

<?50 =1.4W°-80G2°-43 140

Oinn = 2.2Wa77G °'42 146

0.95 0.001, 0.001

SCbk<70; 

d50<2.0)

.86

.82 

.80

.77 

.74 

.72

.001, 

.001, 

.001, 

.001, 

.001, 

.001,

Gravel bed 

(dso = 

2.0.64)

Q = 

Q2 =

= 9.3WGa35 "a37

Cobble bed 

(d50>64)

> = 0.024WL82G~°-01 25 

; = 0.14WL39G-a34 

b = 0.40W113 113G~038

?25 = 1.8Wa85G~°-36 

?50 = 3.3Wa76G~°-34 

100 = 5.8W°- 68G-a31

.005

.005

.005

.01

.025

.025

77 0.79 0.001, 0.05

79 .74 .001, .025

85 .68 .001, .025

91 .63 .005, .025

97 .57 .025 .025,

0.99 0.001, .....

69 .93 .001, .025

58 .92 .001, .005

55 .91 .001, .005

60 .87 .001, .01

70 .82 .001, .025

83 .74 .001, .10

cent of that for all data (table 5). A general improvement in precision, as indicated by the standard errors, 

is evident also for the flood relations, although it is less 

pronounced than that for mean discharge.
RESULTS 11

TABLE 5. Width-gradient-discharge relations resulting 

_ from analysis of all data

[Q is mean discharge, in cubic meters per second; Q, through Q1M are flood discharges, in cubic meters per second, of recurrence intervals 2 through 

100 years; W is active-channel width, in meters; and G is channel gradient (nondimensional)j

Equation

Q = 0.0074W1 ' 54G~a26

Q2 = 0.24Wa96G-a40

Q5 = 0.53Wa82G-°-45

Q10 = 0.85Wa75G~a47

Q25 = i 5\va69G~°' 48

Q50 = 2JWa65G"a48

Q100 = 2.9Wa61G~a48

Standard

error of

estimate,

SE

(percent)

73

98

98

101

105

110

114

Coefficient of

multiple

correlation, R

0.94

.84

.82

.80

.77

.75

.73

Level of

significance

(from F-ratio

for width,

gradient)

0.001, 0.001

.001, .001

.001, .001

.001, .001

.001, .001

.001, .001

.001, .001

The width-gradient discharge relations of tables 4 

and 5 are difficult to compare directly with similar 

width-discharge relations of tables 2 and 3. Owing to 

weak intercorrelation of gradient with width and 

discharge, a width exponent from table 4 or 5 must differ from the corresponding exponent of table 2 or 3.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE COMPUTER ANALYSES

The practical result of this study is the presentation 

of sediment-dependent equations for the purpose of 

general (nonregionalized) estimates of discharge characteristics (tables 2, 4). Of perhaps greater consequence, however, is the demonstration that sediment 

variables of the channel perimeter have a quantitative, 

statistically significant correspondence with activechannel width. Previously cited studies have demonstrated that correspondence, but because the data 

were of limited number or of regional scope, the results 

have been subject to question. Owing to the extensive 

range of hydrologic, climatic, and geologic-topographic 

conditions represented by the data in tables 8 and 9, 

the differences among corresponding discharge equations of tables 2 and 4 principally appear to be the 

result of differences in fluvial-sediment conditions. 

Local or regional differences in variables, such as 

climate and geology, no doubt account for a part of the 

standard errors, but it appears unlikely that they are 

the major cause of the differences among the equations.

EFFECT OF SEDIMENT

Comparisons of the equations of tables 2 and 4 indicate several generalizations regarding the effect of

channel sediment on geometry-discharge relations of 

alluvial stream channels. The generalizations are advanced as observations only, with little attempt to relate them to theoretical considerations of hydraulics 

and sediment movement. It is noted, however, that the 

observations generally are consistent with established 

theory.

(1) Just as the widest streams, relative to discharge 

characteristics, occur in highly sandy channels, 

the smallest exponent for the width-mean-discharge relation is associated with highly sandy 

channel material. These trends are illustrated in 

figure 3, a graphical representation of the equations that relate active-channel width and mean 

discharge for the seven channel types (table 1). 

For channels of similar width, the largest discharges and exponents occur for the high siltclay bed channels; discharges and exponents 

steadily decrease for channels of increasing 

sandiness and increase again as increasing median particle sizes and armoring provide channel 

stability (table 2; fig. 3). The coefficients, of 

course, reflect the changes in width relative to 

discharge, but they are difficult to compare owing to the variable exponents.

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

I TIT

	CHANNEL TYPES

1 High silt-clay bed

2 Medium silt-clay I

3 Low silt-clay bed

4 Sand bed, silt ban

5 Sand bed, sand be

5 Gravel bed

7 Cobble bed

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN METERS

FIGURE 3. Structural relations between active-channel width 

and mean discharge for stream channels of specified sediment 

characteristics.
12 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

(2) The general instability of the sandiest channels is 

reflected by relatively large standard errors of 

estimate; whereas, the relations for the most 

stable channels (high silt-clay bed and cobblebed channels) tend to have the smallest standard errors (table 2). It is inferred that flood discharges generally have minimal effect on widths 

of the relatively stable channels but cause substantial erosion and widening of the sand channels. Depending on recent discharge histories, 

therefore, the widths of the sand channels show 

significant variation relative to discharge characteristics, causing large standard errors of 

estimate.

(3) The exponents for the mean-discharge equations 

(table 2) show an apparent inverse relation with 

the sand content of the channel material. The results of this study and previous studies (Hedman and Kastner, 1977; Osterkamp, 1979a), 

however, indicate that variation in the exponents principally is the result of differences in 

the amount of bed-material load transported by 

the stream. This conclusion is supported also by 

a variety of laboratory (flume) studies, particularly an exhaustive study of channel morphology by Khan (1971). Streams that transport a 

small amount of sediment as bed load, such as 

the high silt-clay bed streams and well-armored 

(cobble-bed) streams, give relatively large 

exponents for the width-mean-discharge relation. Because sand sizes generally account for a 

large part of the bed-material movement (of 

those streams in which bed load is a significant 

part of the total sediment load), channels formed 

primarily of sand ordinarily have relatively 

small exponents for width-mean-discharge relations. Exceptions occur where stream flow on 

sand but are largely incapable of moving the 

sand. An example is many spring-effluent channels that have very steady discharges, a lack of 

erosive flood peaks, relatively narrow and stable 

geometries, and an exponent for the widthmean-discharge relation of about 2.0 (Osterkamp, 1979a).

(4) For streams of specified discharge characteristics, 

the widths of stable channels in large part appear to be a function of the sediment that is 

moved by traction forces. Streams that discharge relatively large amounts of sand as bedmaterial load, therefore, require a large channel 

width to maintain sediment movement. As extreme examples of streams that convey a large 

part of the total sediment discharge as bed-material load, structural analyses were made for

two small groups of data from the Sand Hills 

area of Nebraska (table 6; fig. 4). The two groups 

of data both represent highly sandy (dune sand) 

basin conditions but are treated separately owing to differences in the content of silt sizes in 

the soils and, therefore, in the runoff characteristics. Consistent with the observations presented here, most of the Sand Hills channels are very 

wide relative to discharge, and the data have 

relatively small exponents for the width-meandischarge equations (table 6).

TABLE 6. Width-discharge relations for selected stream chan- 

_ nels of the Sand Hills area, Nebraska

[Q is mean discharge, in cubic meters per second; Q, through QIOO are flood discharges, 

in cubic meters per second, of recurrence intervals 2 through 100 years; and W is active-channel width, in meters]

Standard error Coefficient

Data source Equation of estimate, SE of correla-

(percent) tion, R

Level of

significance

(from F-ratio

for width)

North and 

Middle 

Loup 

Rivers.

2 =0.031W a 6 =0.13W2' 18

Q100=0.0016W

10

26

35

40

47

52

56

0.98 

.97 

.97 

.96 

.96 

.95 

.95

0.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

.001

Calamus, 

Cedar, 

Elkhorn, 

North Fork 

Elkhorn, 

and South 

Loup 

Rivers.

Q=0.27W°'86 16 .95 .001

(5) Owing to increases of basin size and attenuation of 

flood discharges in the downstream direction, 

exponents of width in table 2 for the various 

channel types of table 1 typically decrease as the 

recurrence interval increases. Thus, for a 

specified channel type, the percentage differences among the various flood magnitudes 

generally are greatest for floods with a small recurrence interval and progressively decrease as 

the flood magnitudes increase (table 2). These 

trends for the seven channel types (table 1) are 

represented in figures 5-11. Exceptions to these 

generalizations are provided by streams of the 

Sand Hills (table 6; fig. 4). Owing largely to the 

unique geology of the area, streams of the Sand 

Hills have (1) increasing discharge variability, 

(2) an increasing tendency for braided channel 

patterns, and (3) increasing exponents with 

flood magnitudes in the downstream direction 

(Osterkamp, 1978).
RESULTS 13

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

4 10 40

NORTH AND MIDDLE 

LOUP RIVERS

CALAMUS, CEDAR, ELKHORN, 

NORTH FORK ELKHORN, AND 

SOUTH LOUP RIVERS!

1.0

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN METERS

FIGURE 4. Structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for selected streams of the Sand Hills 

area, Nebraska.

EFFECT OF GRADIENT AND OTHER VARIABLES ON 

WIDTH-DISCHARGE RELATIONS

In tables 4 and 5 channel gradients are treated as independent variables, although it is acknowledged that 

they are dependent chiefly on the water and sediment 

discharge of a channel. Previous studies (Lane, 1957; 

Osterkamp, 1978) have established gradient-discharge 

relations and the manner in which they vary according 

to differences in bed-material sizes. If channel-sediment characteristics were presented as power functions in the equations of this paper instead of as ranges 

or groups of width-discharge data, the insertion of a 

gradient expression would be redundant. Within each 

channel-type group (table 1), however, no sediment-size 

distinctions are made, and the use of a gradient term is 

valid. For each channel type, it is assumed that gradient has an approximately linear effect (after logarithmic transformations) on the width-discharge relations; 

although, as previously noted, this assumption is invalid when applied to the spectrum of sediment conditions (table 5). 

It was established (Osterkamp, 1978) that:

G=aQ-° 25 , (3)

or, in terms of mean discharge (Q) as the dependent 

variable,

Q~a'G (4)

thereby indicating that with an increase of mean discharge in the downstream direction a general decrease 

in channel gradient (G) occurs. The coefficients, a and 

a', in large part vary with the characteristics of channel sediment (Osterkamp, 1978). When included in a 

multiple power-function equation, the gradient exponent is reduced, of course, in absolute value, but it 

must retain a negative value to provide a meaningful 

physical relation to discharge estimates. In general,

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

10 100

I I I I l-H*«

1.0 10 100

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN METERS

FIGURE 5. Structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for high silt-clay bed channels.
14 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

100

40

1.0 10 100

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN METERS

FIGURE 6. Structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for medium silt-clay bed channels.

the gradient exponents (table 4) range from 0.3 to 

 0.7, regardless of flow frequency. These exponents 

result in as much as a three-fold variation for typical 

ranges in gradient within the several channel-type 

groups. As examples, width-discharge equations for 

sand-bed, sand-banks channels (table 4) are illustrated 

in figure 12 for mean discharges and floods of 25-year 

recurrence intervals using representative values of gradient for that channel type. These examples show 

about a two-fold difference in predicted discharges for 

the range of gradients selected (fig. 12).

Numerous studies of downstream hydraulic geometry and_ channel geometry demonstrate that mean 

depth (d), like width, has a general power-function relation with discharge characteristics:

Q^d*, (5)

where f is a positive exponent.

For most channel types, mean depth increases with 

mean discharge but at a slower rate than does width. 

Mean depths were depths that were measured (or, in 

some instances, estimated) at all sites included in this

study, and the depths are listed in table 9. Channel 

depth, however, can be variable within relatively short 

reaches, as well as through time at the same section. 

Hence, representative depths cannot be defined 

reliably; thus, depth shows little statistical significance (Schumm, 1961; Hedman, Kastner, and Hejl, 

1974). Despite this difficulty, a number of computer 

analyses that included considerations of depth were 

made to determine whether mean depth could provide 

improvement to the width-discharge relations. The 

resulting relations are not shown because the exponent 

for depth was not statistically significant and was unrealistically negative.

Two variables that can have a large effect on widthdischarge relations but which receive limited attention 

here are climate, particularly as reflected by riparian 

vegetation, and stream flashiness. The amount, type, 

and maturity of riparian vegetation are known to have 

measurable effects on the sizes and shapes of alluvial 

channels (Schumm and Lickty, 1963; Burkham, 1972; 

Osterkamp, 1977). Because the stablizing effect that a

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

10 100

10,000

i.o 10 100 

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN METERS

FIGURE 7. Structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for low silt-clay bed channels.
RESULTS 15

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

10 100

30,000

1000 O

1.0 10 100

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (WT, IN METERS

FIGURE 8. Structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for sand-bed, silt-banks channels.

community of riparian vegetation has on channel 

banks is virtually the same regardless of channel size, 

the relative effect on width-discharge relations decreases as mean discharges increase. Quantative techniques for measuring the effects of vegetation have not 

been developed yet, and therefore vegetation is not 

considered in the equations of this paper.

In general, unregulated stream channels are widened 

only during erosive discharge and have a tendency to 

narrow at all other times of discharge (Burkham, 1972; 

Osterkamp, 1977, 1979a). Relatively stable, narrow 

channels, therefore, are more likely to occur for 

streams of steady discharge than for those of highly 

variable and periodically erosive discharge. Natural 

examples of the two extremes are the channels of very 

steady spring effluent and the channels of highly 

ephemeral streamflow in an arid or semiarid region.

Because the discharge characteristics of most partly 

regulated streams do not differ greatly from many natural streams of discharge with small variability, data 

from some partly regulated streams are incorporated 

into this study. Except to provide examples, the relations presented here are not separated into groups

based on discharge variability because: (1) additional 

grouping within most of the channel-type classes (table 

1) would result in data sets too small to provide dependable results, (2) the use of discharge characteristics as a basis (independent variable) for estimating 

other discharge characteristics is a questionable practice, and (3) commonly, little is known of the discharge 

characteristics when the channel-geometry equations 

are used in practical manner.

The results of computer analyses for sand-bed, sandbanks channels when the data are divided into two 

groups according to discharge variability are given in 

table 7. Sand-channel streams are used to illustrate the 

effect of stream flashiness because sufficient data (96 

sets) are available. They represent a wide range of geologic and hydrologic conditions. Results (tables 2, 4) 

show general instability and large standard errors of 

estimate, and the channels are easily widened by 

erosive discharges. The data were separated into two 

groups, those that have low variability of discharge 

and those that have highly variable discharge, which 

are defined as having ratios of the 10-year flood to

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

10 100 300

TTTl I T I

10,000

-h40

1.0 10 100

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN METERS

FIGURE 9. Structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for sand-bed, sand-banks channels.
16 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN 

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

30,000

10,000 Q

1.0 10 100

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN METERS

FIGURE 10. Structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for gravel-bed channels.

mean discharge (Q10IQ) of less than or equal to 60, and 

more than 60, respectively.

Comparisons of the results in table 7 with the corresponding results of tables 2 and 4 show significant differences in both the equations and standard errors of 

estimate. Relative to the equations of tables 2 and 4, 

relations for the low-variability streams have larger 

width exponents and smaller coefficients, indicating 

slower transport rates of bed-material load, and the 

high-variability streams have smaller width exponents 

and larger coefficients, indicating faster transport 

rates of bed-material sizes. Thus, the equations confirm the expected result that little discharge variability favors relatively narrow channels, whereas increased variability and erosive flood discharges produce wider channels. It is inferred that the width exponents for the low-variability data would be even 

larger if the somewhat anomalous data from the Sand 

Hills area, Nebraska, were not disproportional in that 

group. Probably because of the unusual geologic condiACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

10 100 300 i r I Til I I I 30,000

1.0 10 100

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN METERS

FIGURE 11. Structural relations between active-channel width and 

discharge characteristics for cobble-bed channels.

tions of the Sand Hills, channels there convey very 

low-variability discharge yet tend to be relatively wide. 

For this reason, the standard errors of estimate for the 

low-variability streams (table 7) remain large, being 

only moderately smaller than those of the sand-bed, 

sand-banks' channels in general (tables 2, 4). The 

highly variable discharge streams, however, appear to 

yield a representative set of data and show standard 

errors substantially less (table 7) than those of the entire data set for sand-channel streams (tables 2, 4).

Width-discharge and width-gradient-discharge relations no doubt are affected by other variables that are 

not considered here. Among these complicating variables are land-use practices (for example, the effect of 

livestock), water salinity (and its potential for flocculation of clay particles), and particularly the elapsed time 

since the last erosive flood. Suitable methods presently 

are not available to evaluate quantitatively the effects 

of these or other potential effects of geometry-discharge relations.
RESULTS 17

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN FEET

ACTIVE-CHANNEL WIDTH (W), IN METERS

FIGURE 12. Width-gradient-discharge relations for mean discharges (Q) and the 25-year floods (Q25 ) for sand-bed, sandbanks channels using representative values of gradient (G).

VARIABILITY AND ERROR ANALYSIS

Statistical summaries for the equations given in tables 2, 4, 6, and 7 show large ranges for the standard 

errors of estimate, correlation coefficients, and levels 

of significance. Numerous causes or sources of error 

appear to contribute to the standard-error values; 

these include: (1) inaccurate or misleading discharge 

data, (2) inconsistent geometry data resulting from improper site selection or differences in measuring technique between sites, (3) discharge variability and 

elapsed time since the previous erosive flood, (4) improper collection and analysis techniques for the channel-material samples, (5) grouping of channels by 

ranges of channel-sediment properties, and (6) other 

complicating variables, only some of which have been 

mentioned. Of these, the first three sources of error appear to be the most significant.

As previously mentioned, most measurement sites 

for this study were selected at streamflow-gaging stations that have at least 20 years of continuous discharge records. For this length of record, it is calculated for Kansas streams, as an example, that the standard errors of estimate for accuracy of mean discharge 

is about 0.10 log unit, or roughly 25 percent (average) 

(Jordan and Hedman, 1970, p. 16). Thus, a similar part 

of the standard error for each equation in tables 2, 4,

TABLE 7 . Width-discharge and width-gradient-discharge 

relations for sand-bed, sand-banks channels of differing 

discharge variability

[Q is mean discharge, in cubic meters per second; Q2 through QiOT are flood discharges, in cubic meters per second, of recurrence intervals 2 through 100 

years; W is active-channel width, in meters; and G is channel gradient (nondimensional)]

Percentage

Standard reduction of

Discharge 

variability

Low,

QIO/Q<60

(55 data

sets)

High,

(Q,o/Q)>60

(41 data

sets)

Equation

Q = 0.035 W1 '62

Q=0.0044W1 - 36G~0'42

Q2 =0.32Wh51

Q2 =0.029W1 ' 18G"°-49

Q5 =0.60WL5°

Q5 = 0.038W1 ' 13G~°'56

Q10 =0.92W1 ' 47

Q10=0.055W1 '09G~°-58

Q25 =1.5W1 ' 43

Q25 =0.088W1 ' 05G"°-58

Q50 =2.1W1 '41

Q50 =0.12W1 - 01G~0' 58

Q100 =2.6W1 '40

Q

r\ i F7ijir0.99r«-0.58 100=0.17W G

Q= 0.047 W1 '36

Q=0.0042W1 ' 03G~°-49

Q2 =3.9W1 "04

Q2 =1.6W°-81 G"°-23

Q5 =15W°'89

Q5 =7.3W0' 69G-°- 19

Q10=30W°'81

Q10 =17W°-62G-°- 16

Q26 = 64W°'71

Q25 =46W°-55G"°- 12

Q50 = 100W0' 66

Q50=85W°-50G-°-09

Q100 =140W0'64

Q100 =160W°-45G-°-06

error 

of estimate, SE

(percent)

71

65

94

86

101

91

104

94

110

99

115

105

121

111

59

45

57

55

50

49

48

47

47

47

48

48

50

50

average SE 

from corresponding

value in

table 2 or 4

2

0

13

15

23

26

28

31

30

35

31

35

31

35

14

20

50

46

74

68

84

78

93

87

98

92

102

96

and 7 can be assumed to be the result of inaccurate values for mean discharge. (Owing to close similarities for 

discharge and channel data, the same generalization is 

not true for the relations in table 6.)

The data in tables 2 and 4 also show that, in general, 

the smallest standard errors of estimate and largest 

correlation coeffients are associated with the most 

stable channels, those formed of abundant fine-grained 

material and those that are well armored. Ostensibly 

because sand channels are the most vulnerable to widening by flood discharges, they have the poorest correlations between width (and gradient) and the various 

discharge characteristics. Hence, the sand-channel relations show relatively large standard errors of esti-
18 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

mate. When discharge variability is considered, even 

in an approximate manner, substantial improvement 

in the standard errors results (table 7).

Similarities in the equations in table 5 and most of 

the equations in table 4 indicate that the exponent value for gradient ordinarily should be 0.4 to 0.5. 

When values differ significantly from this range, use of 

a gradient term in a width-discharge relation does not 

lead to reduction of standard error, and the levels of 

significance for gradient are very small (tables 2, 3, 4, 

5, 7). For the high and medium silt-clay bed channels, 

the values and ranges of gradient probably are too 

small and the errors due to measurement too great to 

permit statistically significant results. For those two 

channel types, therefore, gradient exponents are 

anomalous (of positive value), lead to an increase in 

standard errors of estimate, and show little 

significance. For these reasons, width-gradient-discharge relations for the high and medium silt-clay bed 

channels have been omitted from table 4. The other 

width-gradient-discharge relations presented in this 

paper (table 4, 7) appear to be preferrable alternatives 

to the width-discharge equations if gradient information is available.

Comparisons of the standard errors of estimate for 

the relations presented here with those of analogous 

equations for regions of the Missouri River basin (Hedman and Kastner, 1977) are variable. For those equations that do not compare favorably, several possible 

causes can be cited:

(1) The data sets, thus equations, of Hedman and 

Kastner (1977) were determined in part by regionalization of the Missouri River basin for 

mean discharge and flood characteristics, resulting in the smallest standard errors that could be 

achieved while maintaining reasonably consistent regional boundaries. The process of dividing the basin into regions serves to minimize the 

differences in discharge variability, topography, 

and climate within each region, as well as isolating data, such as those of the Sand Hills, that 

could appear anomalous in other data groupings.

(2) The data of Hedman and Kastner (1977) were limited to gage sites on unregulated streams with a 

minimum of 20 years of continuous records. For 

reasons previously mentioned, the data of this 

report include those from some partly regulated 

streams and from several streams with fewer 

than 20 years of record. The standard errors for 

the flood equations, in particular, can be expected to be increased by the inclusion of data from 

partly regulated streams.

(3) The defined ranges of sediment characteristics for 

several of the channel types (table 1) in this 

analysis may be too broad to provide small 

standard errors. More importantly, when 

streams transport significant amounts of both 

the silt-clay and sand sizes, bed-and-bank 

samples can be variable through time as well as 

within short channel distances at the same time. 

Thus, it is difficult to obtain representative 

samples for these types of streams. This difficulty is inferred to be much of the cause for the 

relatively large standard errors of estimate for 

the relations of the medium and low silt-clay bed 

channels (tables 2, 4).

UTILITY AND CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study demonstrate that sediment 

characteristics have a quantitative effect on geometrydischarge relations of alluvial channels, but it has been 

shown that regionally defined relations sometimes provide better results than do the equations given here. 

For practical purposes, perhaps discharge characteristics for the Missouri River basin need to be estimated 

using both the equations in tables 2 and 4 and regionalized relations, such as those of Hedman and Kastner 

(1977). A benefit of the present study is that the equations probably are applicable to ungaged perennial, 

alluvial streams of other areas.

Similar to relations developed by channel-geometry 

techniques, the equations provided here yield estimates of discharge characteristics quickly and inexpensively. Unlike the equations of most other studies, 

they require knowledge, generally particle-size analyses, of the channel-sediment characteristics. For reconnaissance purposes, however, it is sometimes impractical to collect and analyze the necessary samples. By 

making qualitative evaluations of the sediment characteristics of a channel and by generalizing the equations 

in table 2, immediate onsite estimates of discharge are 

feasible. For example, onsite observations generally 

are adequate to identify sand-bed, silt-banks channels; 

sand-bed, sand-banks channels; and channels that are 

bedded by gravel or cobbles. The appropriate equations from table 2 (or table 7) then can be applied directly. Discharges for the remaining channels, with relatively muddy streams, can be generalized by

0.03W20; 

2 = 2W15 ; 

5 = 7W14 ;

= 14W13;

= 22W12;

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9) 

(10)
REFERENCES CITED 19

1.1. (11)

and

Q1M = 37W1 - 1 . (12) 

The above equations, which are composites modifying 

the high and medium silt-clay bed equations of table 2, 

express discharge (Q) in cubic meters per second and 

width (W) in meters; equivalent equations, in inchpound units, are given in table 10 (p. 36).

Besides the effect of channel-sediment properties on 

width-discharge relations, the results of this study 

demonstrate that discharge variability can have a measurable effect on channel geometry. Sand channels 

lacking sufficient fine or coarse material to form resistant banks are most susceptible to differing geometries 

due to discharge variability (table 7). Thus, as indicated earlier, channel size and shape are the integrated results of all water and sediment discharges 

conveyed by the channel, and when applied to the active-channel section, the concept of a specific channelforming discharge seems inappropriate. It follows 

from these results that at least qualitative predictions 

are feasible for the channel changes that might occur 

as a result of upstream alterations, such as dam and 

reservoir construction, changes in land-use practices, 

diversion of streamflow, or channelization. Furthermore, if the channel material and discharge characteristics of reservoir releases or a controlled drainage system can be anticipated, the results given here can be 

used for design purposes of the channel. As noted 

previously, regime studies (for the design of irrigation 

canals) date back many decades, but the present study 

includes much broader ranges of discharges and channel- sediment properties than do the canal studies.

REFERENCES CITED

Brush, L. M., Jr., 1961, Drainage basins, channels, and flow characteristics of selected streams in central Pennsylvania: U.S. 

Geological Survey Professional Paper 282-F, p. 145-181.

Burkham, D. E., 1972, Channel changes of the Gila River in Safford 

Valley, Arizona, 1846-1970: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 655-G, 24 p.

DeWalle, D. R., and Rango, Albert, 1972, Water resources applications of stream channel characteristics on small forested basins: Water Resources Bulletin, American Water Resources 

Association, v. 8, no. 4, August 1972, p. 697-703.

Dixon, W. J., ed., 1965, BMD, Biomedical computer programs: Los 

Angeles, University of California School of Medicine, 620 p.

Emmett, W. W., 1972, The hydraulic geometry of some Alaskan 

streams south of the Yukon River: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report, 44 p.

Guy, H. P., 1969, Laboratory theory and methods for sediment 

analysis: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 5, chap. C-l, 58 p.

Hedman, E.' R., 1970, Mean annual runoff as related to channel geometry in selected streams in California: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1999-E, p. E1-E17.

Hedman, E. R., and Kastner, W. M., 1972, Kansas streamflow characteristics, part 9 Mean annual runoff as related to channel 

geometry of selected streams in Kansas: Kansas Water Resources Board Technical Report No. 9, 25 p.

 1977, Streamflow characteristics related to channel geometry 

in the Missouri River basin: U.S. Geological Survey Journal 

of Research, v. 5, no. 3, May-June 1977, p. 285-350.

Hedman, E. R., Kastner, W. M., and Hejl, H. R., 1974, Kansas 

streamflow characteristics, part 10 Selected streamflow 

characteristics as related to active-channel geometry of 

streams in Kansas: Kansas Water Resources Board Technical Report No. 10, 21 p.

Hedman, E. R., Moore, D. O., and Livingston, R. K., 1972, Selected 

streamflow characteristics as related to channel geometry of 

perennail streams in Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey OpenFile Report, 14 p.

Jordan, P. R., and Hedman, E. R., 1970, Evaluation of the surfacewater data program in Kansas: Kansas Water Resources 

Board Bulletin 12, 49 p.

Kennedy, R. C., 1895, Prevention of silting in irrigation canals: Institute of Civil Engineers Proceedings, v. 119, p. 281-290.

Khan, H. R., 1971, Laboratory study of alluvial river morphology; 

Fort Collins, Colorado State University, unpublished Ph. D. 

thesis, 189 p.

Kopaliani, F. D., and Romashin, V. V., 1970, Channel dynamics of 

mountain rivers in "Soviet Hydrology: Selected Papers": 

American Geophysical Union, v. 5, p. 441-452.

Lacey, Gerald, 1930, Stable channels in alluvium: Institute of Civil 

Engineers Proceedings, v. 229, p. 259-384.

Lane, E. W., 1957, A study of the shape of channels formed by natural streams flowing in credible material: U.S. Army Engineer Division, Missouri River, M.R.D. Sediment Series 9, 

106 p.

Leopold, L. B., and Maddock, Thomas, Jr., 1953, The hydraulic geometry of stream channels and some physiographic implications: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 252, 57 p.

Lowham, H. W., 1976, Techniques for estimating flow characteristics of Wyoming streams: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 76-112, 86 p.

Mark, D. M., and Church, Michael, 1977, On the misuse of regression in earth science: Mathematical Geology, v. 9, p. 63-75.

Moore, D. O., 1968, Estimating mean runoff in ungaged semiarid 

areas: International Association of Scientific Hydrology Bulletin, v. 13, no. 1, February 1968, p. 29-39.

Nixon, M., 1959, A study of the bankfull discharges of rivers in England and Wales: Institute of Civil Engineers Proceedings 

(London), v. 12, p. 157-174.

Osterkamp, W. R., 1977, Effect of channel sediment on width-discharge relations, with emphasis on streams in Kansas: Kansas Water Resources Board Bulletin 21, 25 p.

 1978, Gradient, discharge, and particle-size relations of alluvial channels in Kansas, with observations on braiding: American Journal of Science, v. 278, November 1978, p. 1253-1268.

 1979a, Variation of alluvial-channel width with discharge and 

character of sediment: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 79-15, lip.

 1979b, Bed- and bank-material sampling procedures at channel-geometry sites: Denver, Colo., Proceedings National 

Conference on Quality Assurance of Environmental Measurements, p. 86-89.
20 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

Osterkamp, W. R., and Hedman, E. R., 1977, Variation of width and 

discharge for natural high-gradient stream channels: Water 

Resources Research, v. 13, no. 2, April 1977, p. 256-258.

Osterkamp, W. R., McNellis, J. M., and Jordan, P. R., 1978, Guidelines for the use of structural versus regression analysis in 

geomorphic studies: U.S. Geological Survey WaterResources Investigations 78-135, 22 p.

Pickup, G., and Rieger, W. A., 1979, A conceptual model of the relationship between channel characteristics and discharge: 

Earth Surface Processes, v. 4, p. 37-42.

Riggs, H. C., 1974, Flash flood potential from channel measurements: Paris, France, Flash Floods Symposium, Publication 

No. 112, International Association of Hydrological Sciences, 

p. 52-56.

 1978, Streamflow characteristics from channel size: American Society of Civil Engineers, Journal of the Hydraulics Division, v. 104, no. HY1, January 1978, p. 87-96.

Riggs, H. C., and Harenberg, W. A., 1976, Flood characteristics of 

streams in Owyhee County, Idaho: U.S. Geological Survey 

Water-Resources Investigations, Open-File Report 76-88, 

14 p.

Schumm, S. A., 1960a, The effect of sediment type on the shape and 

stratification of some modern fluvial deposits: American 

Journal of Science, v. 258, p. 177-184.

 1960b, The shape of alluvial channels in relation to sediment 

type: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 352-B, p. 

17-30.

 1961, Dimensions of some stable alluvial channels: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 424-B, p. 26-27.

 1963, Sinuosity of alluvial rivers on the Great Plains: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 74, p. 1089-1100.

 1968, River adjustment to altered hydrologic regimen Murrumbidgee River and paleochannels, Austrialia: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 598, 65 p.

Schumm, S. A., and Lichty, R. W., 1963, Channel widening and 

flood-plain construction along Cimarron River in southwestern Kansas: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 

352-D, p. 71-88.

Scott, A. G., and Kunkler, J. L., 1976, Flood discharges of streams 

in New Mexico as related to channel geometry: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-414, 38 p.

Stall, J. B., and Fok, Yu-si, 1968, Hydraulic geometry of Illinois 

streams: Illinois State Water Survey Research Report 15, 

47 p.

Wolman, M. G., 1954, A method of sampling coarse river bed material: American Geophysical Union Transactions, v. 35, no. 6, p. 

951-956.

 1955, The natural channel of Brandywine Creek, Pennsylvania: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 271, 56 p.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
22 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

TABLE 8. Discharge characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin

[Q, mean discharge; <?2 , 2-year flood discharge; <? 5-year flood discharge; <?, , 10-year flood discharge; Qu, 25-year flood discharge; Qso , 50-year flood discharge; QIOO, 100-year flood discharge. All discharges are in cubic meters per second]

Map

No.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

Station 

No.

06018500

06025500

06027200

06050000

06052500

06115200

06120500

06123500

06126500

06127500

06185500

06191500

06192500

06197500

06200000

06205000

06233000

06235500

06244500

06258000

06270000

06290500

06294000

06294700

06305500

06308500

06309000

06317000

06318500

06323500

06326500

06329200

06332000

06334500

06335000

Station Name

Beaverhead River near Twin

Bridges, Mont. ...........

Big Hole River near Melrose,

Mont. ..................

Jefferson River at Silver Star,

Mont. ..................

Hyalite Creek at Hyalite

Ranger Station near

Bozeman, Mont. .........

Gallatin River at Logan,

Mont. ..................

Missouri River near

Landusky, Mont. .........

Musselshell River at

Harlowton, Mont. ........

Musselshell River near

Ryegate, Mont. ..........

Musselshell River near

Roundup, Mont. ..........

Musselshell River at

Musselshell, Mont. ........

Missouri River near

Culbertson, Mont. ........

Yellowstone River at Corwin

Springs, Mont. ...........

Yellowstone River near

Livingston, Mont. ........

Boulder River near Contact,

Mont. ..................

Boulder River at Big Timber,

Mont. ..................

Stillwater River near

Absarokee, Mont. ........

Little Popo Agie River near

Lander, Wyo. ............

Little Wind River near

Riverton, Wyo. ...........

Fivemile Creek above

Wyoming Canal, near

Pavillion, Wyo. ...........

Muddy Creek near Shoshoni,

Wyo. ...................

Nowood River near Ten

Sleep, Wyo. ..............

Little Bighorn River below

Pass Creek, near Wyola,

Mont. ..................

Little Bighorn River near

Hardin, Mont. ...........

Bighorn River at Bighorn,

Mont. ..................

Goose Creek below Sheridan,

Wyo. ...................

Tongue River at Miles City,

Mont. ..................

Yellowstone River at Miles

City, Mont. ..............

Powder River at Arvada,

Wyo. ...................

Clear Creek near Buffalo,

Wyo. ...................

Piney Creek at Ucross, Wyo. .

Powder River near Locate,

Mont. ..................

Burns Creek near Savage,

Mont. ..................

White Earth River at White

Earth, N. Dak. ...........

Little Missouri River at Camp

Crook, S. Dak. ...........

Little Beaver Creek near

Marmarth, N. Dak. .......

Q

11.6

32.5

55.9

1.89

29.6

262

4.57

5.01

5.61

5.64

297

88.4

107

10.8

17.6

27.6

2.27

17.0

.064

.555

3.14

6.03

8.81

112

5.21

12.5

326

7.76

1.78

2.48

17.6

.094

.816

3.82

1.12

Q,

30.3

207

183

11.6

141

850

30.3

38.8

50.7

46.5

683

487

584

105

173

192

17.5

139

2.89

12.1

34.0

38.2

58.6

407

46.4

130

1544

214

19.1

28.6

266

6.83

17.1

70.2

96.6

Q,

41.9

309

342

16.0

188

1389

57.8

81.3

95.8

92.3

1000

620

720

125

215

245

28.9

217

7.65

23.6

59.0

58.6

102

577

75.4

219

1952

416

30.0

45.3

538

37.4

39.1

132

168

Q,.

49.8

374

383

18.9

217

1868

78.5

118

132

132

1320

697

802

137

239

277

37.1

272

12.7

33.5

78.5

73.4

136

683

97.2

286

2184

599

38.5

56.9

776

88.7

59.0

182

221

ft.

60.0

456

424

22.5

251

2647

106

175

185

185

1820

785

892

150

268

314

47.9

345

21.8

48.6

106

92.4

182

809

127

377

2439

898

50.1

79.3

1020

218

90.7

256

292

ft.

67.6

518

448

25.3

275

3375

128

225

229

234

2320

844

958

159

289

343

56.4

402

31.0

61.9

130

107

220

898

151

448

2612

1176

59.8

99.2

1220

385

118

317

346

Q»

75.4

578

468

28.1

299

4250

151

280

278

278

2890

898

1017

167

309

368

64.9

460

42.5

76.8

155

123

259

983

177

518

2768

1506

70.0

109

1420

637

149

385

402
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 23

TABLE 8. Discharge characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map

No.

36

37

38

39

40

41 

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

Station

No.

06335500

06336000

06336500

06337000

06339500

06340000 

06340500

06341400

06341800

06343000

06345000

06345500

06347000

06348000

06349000

06349500

06350000

06351000

06352000

06354000

06354500

06355500

0635600

06356500

06357800

06359500

06394000

06395000

06402500

06406000

06409000

06410500

06414000

06421500

06430500

06431500

Station Name

Little Missouri River at

Marmarth, N. Dak. .......

Little Missouri River at

Medora, N. Dak. ..........

Beaver Creek at Wibaux,

Mont. ..................

Little Missouri River near

Watford City, N. Dak. .....

Knife River near Golden

Valley, N. Dak. ...........

Spring Creek at Zap, N. Dak. 

Knife River at Hazen, N. Dak.

Turtle Creek near Turtle Lake,

N. Dak. .................

Painted Woods Creek near

Wilton, N. Dak. ..........

Heart River near South Heart,

N. Dak. .................

Green River near Gladstone,

N. Dak. .................

Heart River near Richardton,

N. Dak. .................

Antelope Creek near Carson,

N. Dak. .................

Heart River near Lark, N.

Dak. ...................

Heart River near Mandan,

N. Dak. .................

Apple Creek near Menoken,

N. Dak. .................

Cannonball River at Regent,

N. Dak. .................

Cannonball River below

Bentley, N. Dak. ..........

Cedar Creek near Haynes,

N. Dak. .................

Cannonball River at Breien,

N. Dak. .................

Beaver Creek at Linton,

N. Dak. .................

North Fork Grand River near

White Butte, S. Dak. ......

South Fork Grand River at

Buffalo, S. Dak. ..........

South Fork Grand River near

Cash, S. Dak. ............

Grand River at Little Eagle,

S. Dak. .................

Moreau River near Faith,

S. Dak. .................

Beaver Creek near Newcastle,

Wyo. ...................

Cheyenne River at Edgemont,

S. Dak. .................

Beaver Creek near Buffalo

Gap, S. Dak. .............

Battle Creek at Hermosa,

S. Dak. .................

Castle Creek above Deerfield

Reservoir, near Hill City,

S. Dak. .................

Rapid Creek above Pactola

Reservoir, at Silver City,

S. Dak. .................

Rapid Creek at Rapid City,

S. Dak. ................

Rapid Creek near

Farmingdale, S. Dak. ......

Redwater Creek at Wyo.-

S. Dak.State line .........

Spearfish Creek at Spearfish,

S. Dak. .................

Q

9.63

13.4

.632

17.0

2.73

1.24 

5.10

.0213

.212

.790

1.01

2.92

.456

6.06

7.16

.960

1.26

2.47

.731

6.82

1.15

1.57

.233

1.56

6.51

3.82

.929

2.86

.199

.270

.286

1.14

1.76

1.56

1.04

1.45

Q,

268

289

25.5

428

90.7

51.0 

139

1.39

8.30

44.5

42.5

105

28.3

109

127

16.9

52.3

77.6

30.6

141

30.6

38.5

18.1

48.4

143

104

31.5

83.8

3.40

9.06

1.78

6.77

11.2

18.5

8.35

7.84

Q8

516

578

98.3

793

199

98.9 

297

3.71

23.4

104

100

217

80.7

276

336

47.6

148

228

96.9

337

81.6

172

41.3

117

258

262

57.8

>

185

15.8

29.7

4.11

15.8

33.4

40.8

23.1

20.2

Q,.

711

810

193

1074

289

135 

428

5.92

38.2

156

149

295

133

436

526

77.6

248

382

170

504

130

363

63.2

183

334

422

80.2

289

38.0

52.1

6.43

26.1

74.2

64.4

39.1

35.4

Q«

991

1144

391

1462

416

184 

623

9.43

62.6

234

223

392

219

693

812

127

416

637

300

742

208

784

98.6

295

426

619

114

476

103

90.9

10.6

47.0

210

108

68.5

67.7

Qso

1218

1416

606

1770

521

223

782

12.5

84.4

297

283

459

297

922

1049

171

569

872

428

935

276

1269

131

397

488

949

144

668

204

127

14.7

69.8

457

154

98.7

106

Q,,,,

1459

1705

898

2093

629

261 

955

16.0

109

368

351

521

385

1183

1304

221

748

1142

583

1136

351

1943

168

516

546

1258

179

915

385

169

19.8

102

993

213

137

162
24 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

TABLE 8. Discharge characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map

No.

72 

73 

74 

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

Station 

No.

06433000 

06437000 

06444000 

06447000

06447500

06448000

06449100

06449500

06450500

06453500

06453600

06454000

06454100

06454500

06461000

06462500

06464500

06464900

06466500

06467600

06469500

06470000

06470500

06471500

06473000

06477000

06477500

06478500

06480000

06481000

06481500

06483500

06485500

06486000

06600100

06600300

06600500

06601000

Station Name

Redwater River above Belle 

Fourche, S. Dak. .......... 

Belle Fourche River near 

Sturgis, S. Dak. .......... 

White River at Crawf ord, 

Nebr. ................... 

White River near Kadoka, 

S. Dak. .................

Little White River near

Martin, S. Dak. ...........

Lake Creek above Refuge,

near Tuthill, S. Dak. .......

Little White River near Vetal,

S. Dak. .................

Little White River near

Rosebud, S. Dak. .........

Little White River below

White River, S. Dak.

Ponca Creek at Anoka, Nebr. .

Ponca Creek at Verdel, Nebr. . Niobrara River at Wyo.-Nebr.

State line ...............

Niobrara River at Agate,

Nebr. ...................

Niobrara River above Box

Butte Reservoir, Nebr. ....

Minnechaduza Creek at

Valentine, Nebr. ..........

Plum Creek at Meadville,

Nebr. ...................

Key a Paha River at Wewela,

S. Dak. .................

Keya Paha River near Naper,

Nebr. ...................

Brazile Creek near Niobrara,

Nebr. ...................

James River near Manfred,

N. Dak. .................

Pipestem Creek near Pingree, 

N. Dak. .................

James River at Jamestown,

N. Dak. .................

James River at La Moure,

N. Dak. .................

Elm River at Westport,

S. Dak. ...................

James River at Ashton,

S. Dak. .................

James River near Forestburg,

S. Dak. .................

Firesteel Creek near Mount

Vernon, S. Dak. ..........

James River near Scotland,

S. Dak. .................

Big Sioux River near

Brookings, S. Dak. ........

Big Sioux River near Dell

Rapids, S. Dak. ...........

Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls,

S. Dak. .................

Rock River near Rock Valley,

Iowa ...................

Big Sioux River at Akron,

Iowa ...................

Missouri River at Sioux City,

Iowa ...................

Floyd River at Alton, Iowa . . . West Branch Floyd River

near Struble, Iowa ........

Floyd River at James, Iowa . . Omaha Creek at Homer,

Q

3.82 

7.73 

.572

7.87

.541

.549

1.48

3.12

3.57

1.40

2.19

.123

.413

.872

.963

3.03

1.93

3.77

2.47

.0818

.552

1.65

2.53

1.31

4.39

7.87

.654

10.6

4.33

7.16

1.31

8.50

23.8

904

1.33

.864

5.07

Q,

23.4 

105 

10.2 

274

5.15

2.26

9.15

20.9

48.2

48.1

53.2

2.14

1.81

6.03

6.06

11.7

19.4

58.6

134

2.92

11.8

17.0

22.1

21.0

10.9

32.1

11.3

56.1

60.9

87.5

41.1

166

274

963

48.4

51.8

97.1

Q.

55.5 

214 

23.8 

436

12.1

3.03

17.4

45.6

109

94.9

122

7.42

2.97

14.0

10.2

20.4

45.0

111

433

8.78

43.8

42.4

57.9

80.7

28.5

94.8

42.2

126

172

234

118

456

615

1643

137

124

224

QU

87.8 

307 

38.5 

569

20.0

3.60

25.0

72.2

179

140

197

15.4

3.96

23.1

14.0

28.3

74.8

161

759

14.9

77.7

65.2

92.7

153

45.6

172

83.0

192

282

377

198

736

904

1870

299

188

348

Q,,

144 

450 

66 

768

35

4

37

123

323

218

337

35

5

41

20

41,

134

244

1340

25,

133

100

150

292

73.

331

168

297

462

603

331

1190

1323

2125

388

283

561

5

.8

.7

.36

.7

.7

.52

.1

.0

.4

.1

,3

Qso

198 

573 

97.2 

941

53.2

5.01

50.1

177

488

295

487

63.7

6.91

60.9

25.7

53.5

201

323

1898

34.6

179

129

201

428

98.1

512

265

391

623

804

456

1589

1668

2380

538

365

765

ft.

265 

712 

138 

1130

77

5

65

250

724

391

688

110

8

88

32,

68,

295

422

2561

45.

228

160

260

600

128

764

397

501

804

1031

600

2040

2034

2550

717

453

1011

9

.3

.69

.7

.58

.4

.3

.3

,6
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 25

TABLE 8. Discharge characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map 

No.

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

Station 

No.

06606600

06607000

06607200

06608000

06608500

06609500

06610000

06628900

06632400

06639000

06649000

06670500

06671000

06677500

06678000

06679000

06680000

06681000

06684000

06685000

06687000

06692000

06712000

06776500

06779000

06782500

06783500

06784000

06785000

06786000

06787500

06788500

06790500

06791500

06792000

Station Name

Nebr. ...................

Little Sioux River at

Correctionville, Iowa ......

Odebolt Creek near Arthur,

Iowa ...................

Maple River at Mapleton,

Iowa ...................

Tekamah Creek at Tekamah,

Nebr. ...................

Soldier River at Pisgah,

Iowa ...................

Boyer River at Logan, Iowa . . Missouri River at Omaha,

Nebr. ...................

Pass Creek near Elk

Mountain, Wyo. ..........

Rock Creek above King

Canyon Canal near

Arlington, Wyo. ..........

Sweetwater River near

Alcova, Wyo. ............

La Prele Creek near Douglas,

Wyo. ...................

Laramie River near Fort

Laramie, Wyo. ...........

Rawhide Creek near Lingle,

Wyo. ...................

Horse Creek near Lyman,

Nebr. ...................

Sheep Creek near Morrill,

Nebr. ...................

Dry Spottedtail Creek at

Mitchell, Nebr. ...........

Tub Springs near Scottsbluff,

Nebr. ...................

Winters Creek near

Scottsbluff, Nebr. ........

Red Willow Creek near

Bayard, Nebr. ............

Pumpkin Creek near 

Bridgeport, Nebr. .........

Blue Creek near Lewellen,

Nebr. ...................

Birdwood Creek near

Hershey, Nebr. ...........

Cherry Creek near Franktown,

Colo. ...................

Dismal River at Dunning,

Nebr. ...................

Middle Loup River at

Arcadia, Nebr. ...........

South Loup River at

Ravenna, Nebr. ..........

Mud Creek near Sweetwater,

Nebr. ...................

South Loup River at St.

Michael, Nebr. ...........

Middle Loup River at St.

Paul, Nebr. ...............

North Loup River at Taylor,

Nebr. ...................

Calamus River near Burwell,

Nebr. ...................

North Loup River at Ord,

Nebr. ....................

North Loup River near St.

Paul, Nebr. ..............

Cedar River near Spalding,

Nebr. ...................

Cedar River near Fullerton,

Nebr. ...................

Q

1.02

19.9

.445

6.60

.188

3.57

8.86

830

1.16

2.33

3.57

1.14

4.08

.609

1.87

1.55

.963

1.05

1.51

2.46

.869

1.97

4.33

.251

9.09

18.2

5.44

1.17

6.88

34.0

13.0

8.47

24.4

27.4

4.33

6.82

Q,

166

193

29.2

182

52.1

258

354

1811

13.4

41.9

19.4

16.1

24.5

5.78

19.1

5.49

9.72

14.4

10.9

22.7

4.67

6.20

11.7

21.7

14.6

79.3

102

31.7

96.9

235

39.3

16.9

75.1

181

16.4

83.8

Q.

227

360

57.2

320

113

419

510

2341

21.2

60.9

31.4

36.9

54.6

14.5

36.3

7.65

20.3

23.8

17.8

38.8

12.1

9.46

17.1

68.5

17.0

126

230

65.7

230

402

52.1

22.8

115

340

30.0

179

Q,.

314

479

79.0

416

163

530

603

2729

26.9

73.6

40.2

58.5

81.9

24.0

52.1

9.12

31.4

32.0

23.0

50.7

20.8

12.1

21.3

124

18.6

166

374

92.1

382

555

61.2

27.2

147

490

42.5

279

Q»

436

631

109

538

237

666

711

3265

34.7

90.1

51.3

97.6

125

42.1

78.7

11.1

51.5

48.7

30.0

66.8

38.5

16.1

27.5

232

20.6

227

651

128

688

799

74.2

33.4

196

751

64.2

467

Q.o

533

748

132

629

297

768

785

3696

41.0

102

59.8

138

162

61.3

104

12.5

72.8

66.6

35.4

79.3

58.6

19.6

32.9

348

22.1

283

955

156

1031

1028

84.4

38.5

238

1008

84.7

666

Q,»

635

861

156

719

362

869

853

4157

47.5

114

68.5

189

205

88.4

135

13.9

100

90.4

41.1

92.6

86.9

23.5

38.5

498

23.7

348

1368

185

1510

1310

95.4

43.9

286

1328

110

926
26 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

TABLE 8. Discharge characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map

No.

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

181

182

Station

No.

06794000

06795500

06797500

06798500

06799000

06799100

06799500

06800000

06803000

06803555

06804000

06806500

06807000

06808500

06809500

06813000

06814000

06817000

06817500

06818000

06819190

06819500

06820500

06821500

06823000

06823500

06824000

06824500

06825500

06827500

06828500

06831500

06835000

06836000

06838000

06841000

06844500

06845000

Station Name

Beaver Creek at Genoa, Nebr.

Shell Creek near Columbus,

Nebr. ...................

Elkhorn River at Ewing,

Nebr. ...................

Elkhorn River at Neligh,

Nebr. ...................

Elkhorn River near Norfolk,

Nebr. ...................

North Fork Elkhorn River

near Pierce, Nebr. .........

Logan Creek near Uehling,

Nebr. ...................

Maple Creek near Nickerson,

Nebr. ...................

Salt Creek at Roca, Nebr. ....

Salt Creek at Greenwood,

Nebr. ...................

Wahoo Creek at Ithaca,

Nebr. ...................

Weeping Water Creek at

Union, Nebr. .............

Missouri River at Nebraska

City, Nebr. ..............

West Nishnabotna River at

Randolph, Iowa ..........

East Nishnabotna River at

Red Oak, Iowa ...........

Tarkio River at Fairfax, Mo. . .

Turkey Creek near Seneca,

Kans. ...................

Nodaway River at Clarinda,

Iowa ...................

Nodaway River near

Burlington Junction, Mo. . . Missouri River at St.

Joseph, Mo. .............

East Fork One Hundred and

Two River near Bedford,

Iowa ...................

One Hundred And Two River

at Maryville, Mo. .........

Platte River near Agency,

Mo. ....................

Arikaree River at Haigler,

Nebr. ...................

North Fork Republican River

at Colo.-Nebr. State line . . . Buffalo Creek near Haigler,

Nebr. ...................

Rock Creek at Parks, Nebr. . . Republican River at

Benkelman, Nebr. ........

Landsman Creek near Hale,

Colo. ...................

South Fork Republican River

near Benkelman, Nebr. ....

Republican River at Stratton,

Nebr. ...................

Frenchman Creek near

Imperial, Nebr. ...........

Stinking Water Creek near

Palisade, Nebr. ...........

Blackwood Creek near

Culbertson, Nebr. .........

Red Willow Creek near Red

Willow, Nebr. ............

Medicine Creek above Harry

Strunk Lake, Nebr. .......

Republican River near

Orleans, Nebr. ...........

Sappa Creek near Oberlin,

Kans. ...................

Q

3.57

1.20

4.90

7.99

14.3

2.51

5.21

1.71

1.20

7.65

2.17

2.31

990

15.6

10.6

5.24

3.48

9.09

14.9

1100

1.43

5.83

24.5

.697

1.37

.221

.402

2.56

.108

1.54

3.91

1.93

1.21

.188

.892

1.94

9.29

.501

Q,

62.3

43.3

32.3

45.6

108

49.6

166

70.0

75.3

297

111

99.4

2554

484

275

189

136

278

382

2790

57.7

209

409

69.4

8.36

.934

1.25

40.5

42.2

80.2

104

7.59

10.1

12.1

11.5

59.8

110

24.6

Qi

142

84.3

84.1

103

238

119

329

143

194

762

233

227

3377

674

484

334

295

470

685

5635

163

334

688

186

16.8

1.56

2.29

106

96.3

201

235

16.3

22.3

28.9

23.2

145

195

71.1

Q,o

231

116

148

193

377

182

459

201

300

1176

338

331

3970

787

637

436

431

598

895

6790

206

422

904

331

25.4

2.15

3.31

186

148

297

357

25.5

35.7

48.2

34.8

245

263

124

Q»

402

161

283

357

643

278

640

283

459

1787

456

482

4776

921

836

558

637

753

1153

8578

265

535

1195

649

40.8

3.06

5.01

357

235

425

550

42.8

60.9

86.7

55.5

448

360

223

Q>°

592

196

442

544

929

360

782

351

586

2292

555

598

5418

1011

989

643

819

864

1337

9447

299

620

1428

1028

56.7

3.94

6.66

558

317

518

725

61.2

88.4

130

76.2

677

442

329

<?,«,

850

232

674

813

1314

450

935

419

725

2827

654

719

6097

1096

1142

728

1014

969

1516

10624

338

705

1672

1589

77.

4.

8.

853

414

609

926

85.

125

191

102

1000

530

462

.3

.96

.72

.5
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 27 

TABLE 8. Discharge characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map

No.

183

184

185

186

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206

207

208

209

210

211

212

213

214

215

216

217

218

Station 

No.

06845200

06846500

06847000

06847500

06848500

06851000

06853500

06855800

06855900

06856000

06859500

06860000

06861000

06862700

06863500

06864050

06864500

06866500

06867000

06867500

06869500

06870200

06871000

06871500

06872500

06873000

06874000

06876700

06876900

06877600

06878000

06878500

06879900

06880000

06880500

06880800

Station Name

Sappa Creek near Beaver

City, Nebr. ..............

Beaver Creek at Cedar Bluffs,

Kans. ...................

Beaver Creek near Beaver

City, Nebr. ..............

Sappa Creek near Stamford,

Nebr. ...................

Prairie Dog Creek near

Woodruff, Kans. ..........

Center Creek at Franklin,

Nebr. ...................

Republican River near Hardy,

Nebr. ...................

Buffalo Creek near

Jamestown, Kans. ........

Wolf Creek near Concordia,

Kans. ...................

Republican River at

Concordia, Kans. .........

Ladder Creek below Chalk

Creek near Scott City,

Kans. ...................

Smoky Hill River at Elkader,

Kans. ...................

Smoky Hill River near

Arnold, Kans. ............

Smoky Hill River near

Schoechen, Kans. .........

Big Creek near Hays, Kans. . .

Smoky Hill River near Bunker

Hill, Kans. ..............

Smoky Hill River at

Ellsworth, Kans. .........

Smoky Hill River near

Mentor, Kans. ...........

Saline River near Russell,

Kans. ...................

Paradise Creek near Paradise,

Kans. ...................

Saline River at Tescott,

Kans. ...................

Smoky Hill River at New

Cambria, Kans. ..........

North Fork Solomon River at

Glade, Kans. .............

Bow Creek near Stockton,

Kans. ...................

North Fork Solomon River

at Portis, Kans. ..........

South Fork Solomon River

above Webster Reservoir,

Kans. ...................

South Fork Solomon River

at Osborne, Kans. ........

Salt Creek near Ada, Kans. . . .

Solomon River at Niles,

Kans. ...................

Smoky Hill River at

Enterprise, Kans. .........

Chapman Creek near

Chapman, Kans. ..........

Lyon Creek near Woodbine,

Kans. ...................

Big Blue River at Surprise,

Nebr. ...................

Lincoln Creek near Seward,

Nebr. ...................

Big Blue River at Seward,

Nebr. ...................

West Fork Big Blue River

near Dorchester, Nebr. ....

Q

1.08

.632

.770

1.93

1.17

.200

17.7

2.28

.357

22.0

.241

.974

2.04

.977

1.19

5.81

7.42

12.4

3.37

.549

6.26

18.2

.957

.436

4.11

2.04

3.80

1.58

15.9

45.7

2.40

3.06

.830

1.28

3.17

5.01

Q.

39.9

17.0

16.1

37.7

66.6

7.79

130

66.3

30.3

224

21.0

55.0

144

58.1

51.8

193

238

130

107

26.0

88.7

167

65.1

38.2

113

126

51.0

35.7

192

281

107

183

48.1

34.6

81.3

89.2

Q,

83.6

40.2

41.6

89.5

143

30.3

235

164

57.5

397

75.1

203

368

170

102

397

482

238

249

88.9

197

410

185

93.5

255

354

155

127

397

544

204

510

123

75.1

194

162

Q»

122

63.5

66.3

139

213

60.3

340

261

79.3

538

145

397

558

287

150

538

623

340

380

167

297

722

317

148

368

598

272

235

589

790

281

853

191

108

291

214

Q»

180

103

111

221

326

124

538

425

111

765

289

802

821

490

227

765

765

482

578

326

459

1520

561

240

567

1031

482

439

912

1200

394

1450

295

154

433

281

Q..

231

142

153

297

425

195

736

578

137

991

450

1250

1023

682

300

963

906

562

753

499

606

2630

810

329

736

1456

680

646

1218

1600

487

2030

380

191

550

331

QlOO

289

187

203

385

544

292

991

759

166

1246

671

1870

1227

911

391

1133

1020

821

952

725

776

4390

1125

433

906

1977

906

901

1586

2080

586

2720

473

229

674

382
28 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN 

TABLE 8. Discharge characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map

No.

219

220

221

222

223

224

225

226

227

228

229

230

231

232

233

234

235

236

237

238

239

240

241

242

243

244

245

246

247

_248

249

250

251

252

Station 

No.

06881000

06883575

06884200

06884400

06885500

06887500

06888000

06889000

06891000

06891500

06892000

06892350

06894000

06895500

06897500

06898100

06898400

06899500

06899700

06902000

06902200

06905500

06907700

06908000

06909000

06910500

06911900

06913500

06914000

06925200

06930000

06931500

06932000

06934500

Station Name

Big Blue River near Crete,

Nebr. ...................

Little Blue River near

Alexandria, Nebr. ........

Mill Creek at Washington,

Kans. ...................

Little Blue River near Barnes,

Kans. ...................

Black Vermillion River near

Frankfort, Kans. .........

Kansas River at Wamego,

Kans. ...................

Vermillion Creek near

Wamego, Kans. ..........

Kansas River at Topeka,

Kans. ...................

Kansas River at Lecompton,

Kans. ...................

Wakarusa River near

Lawrence, Kans. ..........

Stranger Creek near

Tonganoxie, Kans. ........

Kansas River at DeSoto,

Kans. ...................

Little Blue River near Lake

City, Mo. ................

Missouri River at Waverly,

Mo. ....................

Grand River near Gallatin,

Mo. ....................

Thompson River at Mount

Moriah, Mo. .............

Weldon River near Leon,

Iowa ...................

Thompson River at Trenton,

Mo. ....................

Shoal Creek near Braymer,

Mo. ....................

Grand River near Sumner,

Mo. ....................

West Yellow Creek near

Brookfield, Mo. ..........

Chariton River near Prairie

Hill, Mo. ................

Blackwater River at Valley

City, Mo. ................

Blackwater River near Blue

Lick, Mo. ................

Missouri River at Booneville,

Mo. ....................

Moreau River near Jefferson

City, Mo. ................

Dragoon Creek near

Burlingame, Kans. ........

Marais Des Cygnes River near

Ottawa, Kans. ...........

Pottawatomie Creek near

Garnett, Kans. ...........

Starks Creek at Preston, Mo. .

Big Piney River near Big 

Piney, Mo. ..............

Little Beaver Creek near

Rolla, Mo. ...............

Little Piney Creek at

Newburg, Mo. ............

Missouri River at Hermann,

Mo. ....................

Q

9.94

6.74

2.82

18.6

3.88

138

2.57

155

200

5.61

6.17

196

3.82

1370

32.3

15.6

2.07

26.3

7.39

108

3.09

32.4

12.8

20.5

1640

10.3

1.95

18.4

6.54

.101

15.5

.154

4.30

2260

Q,

195

182

132

346

210

1080

141

1312

1561

184

164

1420

113

3200

700

419

109

640

199

1513

87.8

394

683

283

2148

385

153

314

303

21.9

342

38.8

177

4941

Q,

408

343

258

660

487

2080

297

2465

2889

360

312

2830

180

6955

1105

623

360

1074

300

2340

144

561

1263

499

8167

521

245

711

561

34.3

581

66.0

357

111716

Q,.

578

459

363

923

739

2920

425

3399

3881

496

431

3680

226

8389

1380

753

471

1371

368

2889

184

663

1702

666

10521

603

309

1110

779

42.8

751

85.5

504

14452

Q,,

813

612

516

1314

1142

4109

612

4787

5326

688

598

4530

286

10458

1720

915

623

1739

450

3626

234

785

2297

901

12748

697

394

1810

1105

53.0

969

111

722

18413

Q5.

1000

728

643

1652

1496

5300

768

5977

6459

841

734

5670

329

11484

1969

1028

724

2011

507

4136

271

870

2759

1096

16477

762

456

2501

1388

60.6

1133

131

906

20570

Q,,.,

1187

841

782

2028

1898

6520

935

7252

7677

1002

875

6800

371

12773

2212

1139

833

2272

567

4674

309

949

3229

1306

19328

824

521

3371

1705

68.0

1300

151

1108

23193
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 29

TABLE 9. Geometry measurements and sediment characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin

[ACW, active-channel width, in meters; DEP, average depth, in meters, BUS, silt-clay content of the bed, in percent, dso, median particle size of the bed, in millimeters; BSH, bank silt-clay 

content, in percent (high); BSL, low bank silt-clay content, in percent; GRA, channel gradient, dimensionless]

Map

No.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

Station

No.

06018500

06025500

06027200

06050000

06052500

06115200

06120500

06123500

06126500

06127500

06185500

06191500

06192500

06197500

06200000

06205000

06233000

06235500

06244500

06258000

06270000

06290500

06294000

06294700

06305500

06308500

06309000

06317000

06318500

06323500

06326500

06329200

06332000

06334500

Station Name

Beaverhead River near Twin

Bridges, Mont. ...........

Big Hole River near Melrose,

Mont. ..................

Jefferson River at Silver Star,

Mont. ..................

Hyalite Creek at Hyalite

Ranger Station near

Bozeman, Mont. .........

Gallatin River at Logan,

Mont. ..................

Missouri River near

Landusky, Mont. .........

Musselshefl River at

Harlowton, Mont. ........

Musselshell River near

Ryegate, Mont. ..........

Musselshell River near

Roundup, Mont. ..........

Musselshell River at

Musselshell, Mont. ........

Missouri River near

Culbertson, Mont. ........

Yellowstone River at Corwin

Springs, Mont. ...........

Yellowstone River near

Livingston, Mont. ........

Boulder River near Contact,

Mont. ..................

Boulder River at big Timber,

Mont. ..................

Stillwater River near

Absarokee, Mont. ........

Little Popo Agie River near

Lander, Wyo. ............

Little Wind River near

Riverton, Wyo. ...........

Fivemile Creek above

Wyoming Canal, near

Pavillion, Wyo. ...........

Muddy Creek near Shoshoni,

Wyo. ...................

Nowood River near Ten

Sleep, Wyo. ..............

Little Bighorn River below

Pass Creek, near Wyola,

Mont. ..................

Little Bighorn River near

Hardin, Mont. ...........

Bighorn River at Bighorn,

Mont. ..................

Goose Creek below Sheridan,

Wyo. ...................

Tongue River at Miles City

Mont. ..................

Yellowstone River at Miles

City, Mont. ..............

Powder River at Arvada,

Wyo. ...................

Clear Creek near Buffalo,

Wyo. ...................

Piney Creek at Ucross, Wyo. .

Powder River near Locate,

Mont. ..................

Burns Creek near Savage,

Mont. ..................

White Earth River at White

Earth, N. Dak. ...........

Little Missouri River at Camp

Crook, S. Dak. ...........

ACW

16.2

51.8

64.0

10.7

44.2

190

18.3

22.9

20.4

30.5

320

82.3

88.4

31.4

36.6

33.5

14.0

46.6

2.99

6.86

11.3

22.6

42.7

82.3

22.6

47.2

219

45.7

10.7

16.3

62.5

3.32

5.18

17.7

DEP

1.07

1.73

1.68

1.07

1.46

6.33

.74

.64

.98

.91

10. 7

3.05

3.66

.61

1.46

1.37

.88

1.37

.27

.74

1.98

1.74

1.42

3.2

1.28

1.10

7.30

1.92

.54

.62

1.79

.63

.88

.68

BBS

2

1

1

1

1

15

1

1

1

12

10

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

43

1

1

1

1

2

5

12

1

1

3

13

4

3

d,o

6.0

150

38

250

25

.18

130

14

10

8.6

.19

130

100

150

130

230

51

120

11

6.8

.074

38

19

10

25

4.2

10

.16

20

50

.35

8.3

3.0

1.4

BSH

51

50

50

70

5

40

40

33

34

29

55

70

60

36

50

60

30

66

35

33

51

40

50

77

60

47

33

54

31

34

30

38

41

57

BSL

51

50

50

70

5

40

19

25

34

13

55

70

60

30

50

60

30

44

17

33

51

40

- 50

22

60

47

33

25

31

34

30

14

34

25

GRA

0.0016

.0028

.00080

.028

.0018

.00049

.0029

.0020

.0018

.00097

.00016

.0023

.0027

.0018

.0110

.0062

.0054

.00096

.0052

.0039

.0016

.0028

.0020

.00045

.0027

.00066

.00068

.00087

.024

.0043

.00095

.0032

.00069

.00080
30 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

TABLE 9. Geometry measurements and sediment characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map

No.

35

36

37

38

39

40

41 

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

Station

No.

06335000

06335500

06336000

06336500

06337000

06339500

06340000 

06340500

06341400

06341800

06343000

06345000

06345500

06347000

06348000

06349000

06349500

06350000

06351000

06352000

06354000

06354500

06355500

0635600

06356500

06357800

06359500

06394000

06395000

06402500

06406000

06409000

06410500

06414000

06421500

06430500

Station Name

Little Beaver Creek near

Marmarth, N. Dak. .......

Little Missouri River at

Marmarth, N. Dak. .......

Little Missouri River at

Medora, N. Dak. ..........

Beaver Creek at Wibaux,

Mont. ..................

Little Missouri River near

Watford City, N. Dak. .....

Knife River near Golden

Valley, N. Dak. ...........

Spring Creek at Zap, N. Dak. 

Knife River at Hazen, N. Dak.

Turtle Creek near Turtle Lake,

N. Dak. .................

Painted Woods Creek near

Wilton, N. Dak. ..........

Heart River near South Heart,

N. Dak. .................

Green River near Gladstone,

N. Dak. .................

Heart River near Richardton,

N. Dak. .................

Antelope Creek near Carson,

N. Dak. .................

Heart River near Lark, N.

Dak. ...................

Heart River near Mandan,

N. Dak. .................

Apple Creek near Menoken,

N. Dak. ................

Cannonball River at Regent,

N. Dak. .................

Cannonball River below

Bentley, N. Dak. ..........

Cedar Creek near Haynes,

N. Dak. .................

Cannonball River at Breien,

N. Dak. .................

Beaver Creek at Linton,

N. Dak. .................

North Fork Grand River near

White Butte, S. Dak. ......

South Fork Grand River at

Buffalo, S. Dak. ..........

South Fork Grand River near

Cash, S. Dak. ............

Grand River at Little Eagle,

S. Dak. .................

Moreau River near Faith,

S. Dak. .................

Beaver Creek near Newcastle,

Wyo. ...................

Cheyenne River at Edgemont,

S. Dak. .................

Beaver Creek near Buffalo

Gap, S. Dak. .............

Battle Creek at Hermosa,

S. Dak. .................

Castle Creek above Deerfield

Reservoir, near Hill City,

S. Dak. .................

Rapid Creek above Pactola

Reservoir, at Silver City,

S. Dak. .................

Rapid Creek at Rapid City,

S. Dak. .................

Rapid Creek near

Farmingdale, S. Dak. ......

Red water Creek at Wyo. 

S. Dak. State line .........

ACW

9.30

57.9

61.0

.6.40

70.1

13.7

6.71 

16.2

.762

3.05

2.59

6.10

10.4

5.79

29.0

30.5

6.40

6.40

14.9

7.32

30.5

8.53

10.1

5.18

7.92

42.7

18.6

7.62

21.3

3.20

3.51

3.66

7.92

10.7

7.92

6.40

DEP

1.02

1.28

1.43

.65

1.73

1.22

.79 

1.36

.049

.19

.58

.38

.90

1.28

1.09

1.38

.79

.50

1.40

.82

1.58

.79

.85

.87

.70

.38

.69

1.09

.48

.46

.22

.40

.37

.54

.44

.92

BDS

3

3

1

7

3

2

11 

2

76

1

12

1

1

3

1

5

23

15

5

5

11

5

1

9

20

4

5

10

1

6

1

5

1

2

1

8

d,«

12

.62

.60

4.8

.17

.50

.26 

.46

.02

100

.47

15

50

5.6

.42

.22

.18

.40

.29

1.4

.14

1.5

8.1

.51

1.7

.24

.35

25

.65

17

180

1.8

100

130

60

3.4

BSH

28

32

29

12

65

41

33 

32

95

27

55

24

40

46

41

40

42

48

22

49

42

78

8

16

41

18

27

68

28

55

10

61

73

53

50

44

BSL

9

32

25

11

65

17

29 

26

58

16

39

23

25

40

34

33

26

24

22

46

36

59

8

16

41

2

18

64

24

47

1

57

66

28

50

39

GRA

.00090

.00071

.00063

.0018

.00078

.00040

.00090 

.00050

.0011

.0014

.00050

.0010

.00056

.0014

.00093

.00045

.00028

.00054

.00046

.0014

.00056

.0016

.0010

.0014

.0012

.00046

.00043

.00066

.0014

.0054

.0022

.0082

.0052

.0072

.0031

.0022
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 31

TABLE 9. Geometry measurements and sediment characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map 

No.

71

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77 

78 

79 

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

Station 

No.

06431500 

06433000 

06437000 

06444000 

06447000 

06447500 

06448000 

06449100 

06449500 

06450500

06453500

06453600

06454000

06454100

06454500

06461000

06462500

06464500

06464900

06466500

06467600

06469500

06470000

06470500

06471500

06473000

06477000

06477500

06478500

06480000

06481000

06481500

06483500

06485500

06486000

06600100

06600300

06600500

Station Name

Spearfish Creek at Spearfish, 

S. Dak. ................. 

Redwater River above Belle 

Fourche, S. Dak. .......... 

Belle Fourche River near 

Sturgis, S. Dak. .......... 

White River at Crawford, 

Nebr. ................... 

White River near Kadoka, 

S. Dak. ................. 

Little White River near 

Martin, S. Dak. ........... 

Lake Creek above Refuge, 

near Tuthill, S. Dak. ....... 

Little White River near Vetal, 

S. Dak. ................. 

Little White River near 

Rosebud, S. Dak. ......... 

Little White River below

White River, S. Dak. ......

Ponca Creek at Anoka, Nebr. .

Ponca Creek at Verdel, Nebr. . Niobrara River at Wyo.-Nebr.

State line ...............

Niobrara River at Agate,

Nebr. ...................

Niobrara River above Box

Butte Reservoir, Nebr. ....

Minnechaduza Creek at

Valentine, Nebr. ..........

Plum Creek at Meadville,

Nebr. ...................

Keya Paha River at Wewela,

S. Dak. .................

Keya Paha River near Naper,

Nebr. ....................

Brazile Creek near Niobrara,

Nebr. ...................

James River near Manfred,

N. Dak. .................

Pipestem Creek near Pingree,

N. Dak. .................

James River at Jamestown,

N. Dak. .................

James River at La Moure,

N. Dak. .................

Elm River at Westport,

S. Dak. ...................

James River at Ashton,

S. Dak. .................

James River near Forestburg,

S. Dak. .................

Firesteel Creek near Mount

Vernon, S. Dak. ..........

James River near Scotland,

S. Dak. .................

Big Sioux River near

Brookings, S. Dak. ........

Big Sioux River near Dell

Rapids, S. Dak. ...........

Skunk Creek at Sioux Falls,

S. Dak. .................

Rock River near Rock Valley,

Iowa ...................

Big Sioux River at Akron,

Iowa ...................

Missouri River at Sioux City,

Iowa ...................

Floyd River at Alton, Iowa . . . West Branch Floyd River

near Struble, Iowa ........

Floyd River at James, Iowa . .

ACW

10.4 

13.4 

25.9 

4.57 

47.2 

4.88 

3.66 

11.6 

15.2

16.8

13.7

21.6

3.66

4.57

5.79

10.7

25.3

15.8

35.7

36.3

1.83

3.96

12.5

21.3

10.7

18.3

31.1

8.53

33.5

22.0

22.9

14.0

34.4

54.9

350

20.1

9.75

24.7

D

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1.

1

2,

17

l!

EP

.44 

.53 

.55 

.84 

.56 

.61 

.38 

.52 

.73

.24

.63

.68

.66

.70

.60

.70

.22

.79

.89

.06

.20

.36

.03

.52

.29

.53

.58

.95

.92

.27

.86

.52

.52

.70

.52

.50

.10

BDS

1 

1 

1

3 

9 

11

1 

1 

1

1

1

1

17

9

1

18

4

1

1

1

40

1

5

3

1

55

5

2

47

5

1

5

1

31

1

19

6

3

dso

110 

40 

50 

.28 

.32 

.21 

.30 

.31 

.28

.44

.58

.51

.16

.25

.35

.25

.31

.33

.29

.41

100

2.9

1.8

8.0

2.1

.059

.26

.99

.055

1.6

.40

.95

.89

.17

.34

.27

.44

.52

BSH

5 

64 

70 

70 

81 

69 

24 

50 

36

66

43

42

31

27

41

22

39

35

36

49

30

39

28

48

5

61

57

32

39

54

82

22

38

63

60

57

58

86

BSL

5 

53 

58 

44 

81 

63 

10 

22 

23

52

17

40

28

27

40

13

36

32

24

25

24

32

28

48

4

40

16

21

39

10

62

22

14

48

60

47

37

67

GRA

.014 

.0029 

.0011 

.0043 

.00093 

.0018 

.0017 

.0013 

.0021

.0010

.0018

.0014

.0055

.0024

.0013

.0038

.0018

.0012

.0012

.0015

.00047

.00042

.00044

.000094

.00035

.000072

.000060

.00060

.000082

.00028

.00058

.00069

.00049

.00025

.00021

.00066

.0012

.00032
32 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

TABLE 9. Geometry measurements and sediment characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map

No.

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129 

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

Station

No.

06601000

06606600

06607000

06607200

06608000

06608500

06609500

06610000

06628900

06632400

06639000

06649000

06670500

06671000

06677500

06678000

06679000

06680000

06681000

06684000

06685000 

06687000

06692000

06712000

06776500

06779000

06782500

06783500

06784000

06785000

06786000

06787500

06788500

06790500

06791500

06792000

Station Name

Omaha Creek at Homer,

Nebr. ...................

Little Sioux River at

Correctionville, Iowa ......

Odebolt Creek near Arthur,

Iowa ...................

Maple River at Mapleton,

Iowa ...................

Tekamah Creek at Tekamah,

Nebr. ...................

Soldier River at Pisgah, Iowa .

Boyer River at Logan, Iowa . . Missouri River at Omaha,

Nebr. ...................

Pass Creek near Elk

Mountain, Wyo. ..........

Rock Creek above King

Canyon Canal near

Arlington, Wyo. ..........

Sweetwater River near

Alcova, Wyo. ............

La Prele Creek near Douglas,

Wyo. ...................

Laramie River near Fort

Laramie, Wyo. ...........

Rawhide Creek near Lingle,

Wyo. ...................

Horse Creek near Lyman,

Nebr. ...................

Sheep Creek near Morrill,

Nebr. ...................

Dry Spottedtail Creek at

Mitchell, Nebr. ...........

Tub Springs near Scottsbluff,

Nebr. ...................

Winters Creek near

Scottsbluff, Nebr. ........

Red Willow Creek near

Bayard, Nebr. ............

Pumpkin Creek near 

Bridgeport, Nebr. ......... 

Blue Creek near Lewellen,

Nebr. ...................

Birdwood Creek near

Hershey, Nebr. ...........

Cherry Creek near Franktown,

Colo. ...................

Dismal River at Dunning,

Nebr. ...................

Middle Loup River at

Arcadia, Nebr. ...........

South Loup River at

Ravenna, Nebr. ..........

Mud Creek near Sweetwater,

Nebr. ...................

South Loup River at St.

Michael, Nebr. ...........

Middle Loup River at St.

Paul, Nebr. ..............

North Loup River at Taylor,

Nebr. ...................

Calamus River near Burwell,

Nebr. ...................

North Loup River at Ord,

Nebr. ...................

North Loup River near St.

Paul, Nebr-. ..............

Cedar River near Spalding,

Nebr. ...................

Cedar River near Fullerton,

Nebr. ...................

ACW

8.53

33.8

7.32

35.0

5.73

29.3

32.9

290

8.69

11.9

24.4

9.30

19.2

3.93

17.1

5.64

7.01

5.94

5.33

14.0

5.49

11.7

15.2

3.96

26.2

62.5

38.4

10.4

45.1

134

47.2

70.7

75.6

85.3

24.7

31.1

DEP

1.01

2.44

.35

1.01

.51

1.46

2.29

11.6

.98

.79

.80

.53

1.02

.82

1.01

.92

.64

.65

.86

.59

.24

.57

.80

.22

.91

1.22

1.25

1.52

1.19

1.07

1.19

.25

.98

1.52

.26

1.37

BDS

49

20

32

5

24

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

10

3

7

1

1

3

1

1

10

1

1

8

1

1

1

38

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

dM

.067

.18

.29

.35

.68

.37

.42

.18

150

230

1.7

180

.41

.17

.11

.25

.32

6.6

9.2

7.3

.16

.38

.29

1.0

.26

.20

.19

.16

.18

.32

.27

.28

.38

.27

.27

.26

BSH

82

75

77

79

79

82

90

65

23

50

33

60

28

50

45

43

42

50

42

60

44

46

42

44

61

53

54

86

76

58

46

38

63

70

21

63

BSL

70

44

60

55

75

76

86

65

20

50

25

60

14

49

39

24

37

29

23

51

17

40

28

44

50

39

42

61

67

51

45

24

36

43

15

46

GRA

.0012

.00023

.0014

.00083

.0012

.00074

.00058

.00016

.0092

.017

.0010

.0030

.0018

.0026

.0017

.00079

.0043

.0041

.0015

.00091

.0013

.0039

.0024

.025

.0010

.0015

.0010

.00051

.00086

.0010

.0013

.0010

.0013

.0011

.00083

.00085
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

TABLE 9. Geometry measurements and sediment characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

33

Map

No.

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

181

Station

No.

06794000

06795500

06797500

06798500

06799000

06799100

06799500

06800000

06803000

06803555

06804000

06806500

06807000

06808500

06809500

06813000

06814000

06817000

06817500

06818000

06819190

06819500

06820500

06821500

06823000

06823500

06824000

06824500

06825500

06827500

06828500

06831500

06835000

06836000

06838000

06841000

06844500

Station Name

Beaver CreekTat. Genoa, Nebr.

Shell Creek near Columbus,

Nebr. ...................

Elkhorn River at Ewing,

Nebr. ...................

Elkhorn River at Neligh,

Nebr. ...................

Elkhorn River near Norfolk,

Nebr. ...................

North Fork Elkhorn River

near Pierce, Nebr. .........

Logan Creek near Uehling,

Nebr. ...................

Maple Creek near Nickerson,

Nebr. ...................

Salt Creek at Roca, Nebr. ....

Salt Creek at Greenwood,

Nebr. ...................

Wahoo Creek at Ithaca,

Nebr. ...................

Weeping Water Creek at

Union, Nebr. .............

Missouri River at Nebraska

City, Nebr. ..............

West Nishnabotna River at

Randolph, Iowa ..........

East Nishnabotna River at

Red Oak, Iowa ...........

Tarkio River at Fairfax, Mo. . .

Turkey Creek near Seneca,

Kans. ...................

Nodaway River at Clarinda,

Iowa ...................

Nodaway River near

Burlington Junction, Mo. . . Missouri River at St. Joseph,

Mo. ....................

East Fork One Hundred and

Two River near Bedford,

Iowa ...................

One Hundred and Two River

at Maryville, Mo. .........

Platte River near Agency,

Mo. ..................

Arikaree River at Haigler,

Nebr. ...................

North Fork Republican River

at Colo.-Nebr. State line . . . Buffalo Creek near Haigler,

Nebr. ...................

Rock Creek at Parks, Nebr. . .

Republican River at

Benkelman, Nebr. ........

Landsman Creek near Hale,

Colo. ...................

South Fork Republican River

near Benkelman, Nebr. ....

Republican River at Stratton,

Nebr. ...................

Frenchman Creek near

Imperial, Nebr. ...........

Stinking Water Creek near

Palisade, Nebr. ...........

Blackwood Creek near

Culbertson, Nebr. .........

Red Willow Creek near Red

Willow, Nebr. .............

Medicine Creek above Harry

Strunk Lake, Nebr. .......

Republican River near

Orleans, Nebr. ...........

ACW

16.0

6.86

32.0

54.9

80.8

12.8

23.2

15.7

7.01

51.8

10.2

8.23

270

62.5

41.2

29.3

9.14

43.3

60.4

270

14.3

24.7

41.2

5.94

5.79

1.92

2.74

36.8

3.81

35.1

38.1

11.0

8.23

3.84

5.49

12.3

43.9

DEP

1.28

1.00

.97

.92

1.01

.90

1.31

.68

1.30

1.56

1.06

1.58

10

1.07

1.52

1.49

1.83

1.43

1.37

10

.87

1.04

2.35

.61

.55

.47

.37

.30

.71

.30

.30

.50

.70

1.08

1.04

.65

1.71

BDS

1

25

1

1

2

11

1

2

77

1

1

29

1

13

1

2

14

1

3

1

22

2

6

1

1

4

2

1

24

1

1

11

19

40

51

17

1

<* 

.28

.30

.34

.28

.24

.25

.24

.31

.03

.59

.38

.50

.43

.34

.42

.41

.42

.46

.35

.40

.40

.50

.33

.36

.48

.34

.30

.30

.34

.34

.30

2.4

.47

.090

.058

.72

.59

BSH

84

66

22

15

24

63

79

64

77

66

73

79

65

75

80

77

82

68

70

83

69

66

51

33

47

29

41

22

37

30

30

45

88

79

55

68

58

BSL

84

65

13

7

15

17

48

50

68

64

70

75

59

72

61

71

81

54

66

76

35

59

30

25

37

13

25

22

14

30

30

39

71

50

37

64

56

GRA

.0014

.00054

.00073

.00094

.00069

.00052

.00039

.0014

.00066

.00051

.00063

.00086

.00024

.00051

.00040

.00090

.00073

.00056

.00072

.00021

.00080

.00049

.00036

.0015

.0011

.0025

.0025

.0018

.0027

.0020

.0020

.0014

.0023

.0013

.0013

.0011

.00066
34 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

TABLE 9. Geometry measurements and sediment characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map

No.

182

183

184

185

186

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206

207

208

209

210

211

212

213

214

215

216

217

Station

No.

06845000

06845200

06846500

06847000

06847500

06848500

06851000

06853500

06855800

06855900

06856000

06859500

06860000

06861000

06862700

06863500

06864050

06864500

06866500

06867000

06867500

06869500

06870200

06871000

06871500

06872500

06873000

06874000

06876700

06876900

06877600

06878000

06878500

06879900

06880000

06880500

Station Name

Sappa Creek near Oberlin,

Kans. ...................

Sappa Creek near Beaver

City, Nebr. ..............

Beaver Creek at Cedar Bluffs,

Kans. ...................

Beaver Creek near Beaver

City, Nebr. ..............

Sappa Creek near Stamford,

Nebr. ...................

Prairie Dog Creek near

Woodruff, Kans. ..........

Center Creek at Franklin,

Nebr. ...................

Republican River near Hardy,

Nebr. ...................

Buffalo Creek near

Jamestown, Kans. ........

Wolf Creek near Concordia,

Kans. ...................

Republican River at

Concordia, Kans. .........

Ladder Creek below Chalk

Creek near Scott City,

Kans. ...................

Smoky Hill River at Elkader,

Kans. ...................

Smoky Hill River near

Arnold, Kans. ............

Smoky Hill River near

Schoechen, Kans. .........

Big Creek near Hays, Kans. . .

Smoky Hill River near Bunker

Hill, Kans. ..............

Smoky Hill River at

Ellsworth, Kans. .........

Smoky Hill River near

Mentor, Kans. ...........

Saline River near Russell,

Kans. ...................

Paradise Creek near Paradise,

Kans. ...................

Saline River at Tescott,

Kans. ...................

Smoky Hill River at New

Cambria, Kans. ..........

North Fork Solomon River at

Glade, Kans. .............

Bow Creek near Stockton,

Kans. ...................

North Fork Solomon River

at Portis, Kans. ..........

South Fork Solomon River

above Webster Reservoir,

Kans. ...................

South Fork Solomon River

at Osborne, Kans. ........

Salt Creek near Ada, Kans. . . .

Solomon River at Niles,

Kans. ...................

Smoky Hill River at

Enterprise, Kans. .........

Chapman Creek near

Chapman, Kans. ..........

Lyon Creek near Woodbine,

Kans. ...................

Big Blue River at Surprise,

Nebr. ...................

Lincoln Creek near Seward,

Nebr. ...................

Big Blue River at Seward,

Nebr. ...................

ACW

4.88

7.92

4.11

4.27

8.08

4.88

6.00

42.7

7.32

3.35

57.9

2.74

6.86

37.2

6.71

7.01

33.5

30.5

33.2

13.7

6.10

13.0

24.4

7.01

7.01

15.5

11.0

11.6

7.01

23.5

59.4

9.75

7.92

6.10

7.62

11.0

DEP

.62

.65

.64

.43

.38

.40

'.75

.86

.47

.29

2.9

.17

.40

.40

.18

1.01

.47

.65

1.27

.63

.50

1.29

2.44

.14

.16

.38

.25

.28

.45

1.74

2.29

1.98

.61

.59

1.12

1.01

BBS

2

5

92

34

8

62

1

1

82

88

1

4

19

1

1

29

1

1

10

4

27

37

5

7

1

1

2

9

51

13

2

52

90

44

74

42

dM

.80

.45

.02

.56

.56

.030

.28

.71

.03

.02

.46

1.7

.74

.80

1.2

.41

.78

.77

.33

.64

.51

1.7

.20

.47

.72

.57

.59

.88

.04

.58

.43

.05

.02

1.2

.03

.22

BSH

89

94

98

58

46

80

30

43

94

96

62

63

34

30

30

66

69

55

90

62

78

52

77

86

33

85

28

18

87

57

94

97

92

76

74

82

BSL

89

94

98

26

35

67

29

43

94

96

13

33

32

30

8

54

66

52

52

58

59

52

70

73

33

45

9

11

59

36

57

83

46

42

63

75

GRA

.0013

.00080

.0010

.0013

.00067

.00064

.0048

.00072

.00028

.00061

.00066

.0026

.0028

.0012

.0010

.00081

.00074

.00055

.00021

.00058

.0013

.00038

.00027

.0013

.0019

.00054

.0015

.0010

.00038

.00016

.00031

.00054

.00079

.00044

.00046

.00039
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 35

TABLE 9. Geometry measurements and sediment characteristics of selected streams in the Missouri River basin Continued

Map

No.

218

219

220

221

222

223

224

225

226

227

228

229

230

231

232

233

234

235

236

237

238

239

240

241

242

243

244

245

246

247

248

249

250

251

252

Station

No.

06880800

06881000

06883575

06884200

06884400

06885500

06887500

06888000

06889000

06891000

06891500

06892000

06892350

06894000

06895500

06897500

06898100

06898400

06899500

06899700

06902000

06902200

06905500

06907700

06908000

06909000

06910500

06911900

06913500

06914000

06925200

06930000

06931500

06932000

06934500

Station Name

West Fork Big Blue River

near Dorchester, Nebr. ...

Big Blue River near Crete,

Nebr. ...................

Little Blue River near

Alexandria, Nebr. ........

Mill Creek at Washington,

Kans. ...................

Little Blue River near Barnes,

Kans. ...................

Black Vermillion River near

Frankfort, Kans. .........

Kansas River at Wamego,

Kans. ...................

Vermillion Creek near

Wamego, Kans. ..........

Kansas River at Topeka,

Kans. ...................

Kansas River at Lecompton,

Kans. ...................

Wakarusa River near

Lawrence, Kans. ..........

Stranger Creek near

Tonganoxie, Kans. ........

Kansas River at DeSoto,

Kans. ...................

Little Blue River near Lake

City, Mo. ................

Missouri River at Waverly,

Mo. ....................

Grand River near Gallatin,

Mo. ....................

Thompson River at Mount

Moriah, Mo. .............

Weldon River near Leon,

Iowa ...................

Thompson River at Trenton,

Mo. ....................

Shoal Creek near Braymer,

Mo. ....................

Grand River near Sumner,

Mo. ....................

West Yellow Creek near

Brookfield, Mo. ..........

Chariton River near Prairie

Hill, Mo. ................

Blackwater River at Valley

City, Mo. ................

Blackwater River near Blue

Lick, Mo. ................

Missouri River at Booneville,

Mo. ....................

Moreau River near Jefferson

City, Mo. ................

Dragoon Creek near

Burlingame, Kans. ........

Marais Des Cygnes River near

Ottawa, Kans. ...........

Pottawatomie Creek near

Garnett, Kans. ...........

Starks Creek at Preston, Mo. . Big Piney River near Big

Piney, Mo. ..............

Little Beaver Creek near

Rolla, Mo. ...............

Little Piney Creek at

Newburg, Mo. ............

Missouri River at Hermann,

Mo. ....................

ACW

16.5

26.8

39.6

11.1

52.4

12.8

223

7.47

159

171

12.8

12.8

165

8.84

320

51.8

43.9

21.0

82.3

11.9

70.1

11.4

53.3

18.0

18.3

430

33.5

9.14

33.5

9.75

2.29

44.2

4.27

15.2

424

DEP

1.28

1.37

2.00

.84

1.22

.92

11.0

.75

8.0

8.5

1.54

1.22

8.5

1.16

13

2.6

2.01

.58

2.13

2.01

3.96

1.37

2.17

2.44

3.66

17.2

2.23

.70

1.74

1.16

.18

1.77

.28

.85

17.0

BDS

2

1

1

9

10

78

1

64

1

1

84

87

1

65

1

1

1

9

1

28

26

10

1

38

80

1

44

1

19

83

2

1

1

1

1

d60

.27

.35

.62

.42

.66

.03

.65

.04

.80

.86

.03

.03

.55

.03

.38

.27

.43

.35

.32

.43

.36

.48

.41

.50

.03

.35

1.0

80

.19

.03

8.6

17

18

15

.48

BSH

74

84

70

73

91

84

12

79

90

93

95

76

83

73

61

62

61

70

42

45

62

47

57

61

97

58

56

81

70

93

32

37

9

9

44

BSL

73

23

65

58

81

60

12

63

64

75

95

76

82

52

60

40

38

65

21

39

12

41

50

57

65

58

52

81

70

93

30

17

2

6

44

GRA

.00025

.00028

.0012

.00062

.00052

.00049

.00025

.00072

.00027

.00027

.00039

.00018

.00034

.00034

.00015

.00034

.00076

.00079

.00076

.00089

.00013

.00052

.00032

.00027

.00035

.00016

.00028

.00063

.00039

.00020

.0056

.0011

.0056

.0014

.00013
36 CHANNEL GEOMETRY AND SEDIMENT, MISSOURI RIVER BASIN

TABLE 10. Width-discharge and width-gradient-discharge 

relations expressed in inch-pound units

[ SCj, is silt-clay percentage of bed material; SCbk is silt-clay percentage of 

bank material; and dso is median particle size of bed material, in millimeters. Q is mean discharge, in cubic feet per second; Q2 through Q,m 

are flood discharges, in cubic feet per second, of recurrence intervals 2 

through 100 years; and W is active-channel width, in feet]

Channel type Equation 1 Channel type Equation

Table 2

High silt- Q = 0.088W2' 12 

clay bed Q2 = 7.7W1 '86 

scbd= Q5 = 23W1 ' 77 

61.100; Q10 = 36W174 

d60<2.0). Q25 = 60W171 

Q60 = 74W1 '71

Q100 = 85W1 - 74

Med. silt- Q = 0.14W176 

clay bed Q2 = 20W127 

(SCbd= Q.-64W1 ' 16 

31-60; Q10 = 180WL08 

d60<2.0). Q26 = 220W1 '05 

Q50 = 340Wa" 

Q100 = 380W1 -02

Low silt- Q = 0.14W173

clay bed Q2 = 22W126 

(SCM = Qb = 85Wl'n 

11-30; Q10 = 160W1 '05 

d50<2.0). Q25 = 330W°'97 

Q60 = 500W°'93 

Q100 = 640W°-93

Sand bed Q = 0.13W1>69

silt banks Q2 = 29W116 

/op <in- r\ Q9w^'*"

70-100; Q1D =170W1 '02 

d60>2.0). Q26 = 330W°'96 

Q50 = 470W°-93 

Q100 = 600W°-92

Sand bed Q = 0.15W162 

sandbanks Q2 = 7.1W132 

(SCM<10; Q. = 19W1 '26 

SCbk<70; Q10 = 34W1 ' 21 

dBO<2.0). Q25 = 68Wh15 

Qso^lOOW1 ' 12 

Q10. = 130W1 - 12

Gravel bed Q = 0.095W181 

(d60 = Q2 = 17Wh15 

2,0-64). Q6 = 75W0'95 

Q10 = 160W°-84 

Q25 = 380W°-70 

Q50 = 510W0'67 

Q100 = 930W°-60

Cobble bed Q = 0.095 W184 

(d50>64). Q2 = 5.3W1 '43 

Q6 = 28W1J6 

Q10 = 62W1 '03 

Q25 = 150W°'89 

Q50 = 270W°-80 

Q100 = 410W°-75

Channel type Equation

Table 3

All data 9 = 0.13W1 ' 71

Q2 1DW

Q5 =55Whl ° 

Q10 =100Wh04 

Q25 =200W°'97 

Q50 =290W° 94 

Q100 = 370W°'94

TABLE 10. Width-discharge and width-gradient-discharge 

relations expressed in inch-pound units Continued

Channel type Equation 1 1 Channel type Equation

Table 4

Low siltclay 

bed SCM11-30; 

d50<2.0).

Sand bed, 

silt 

banks 

(SCbd< 

10;

scbk=

70-100; 

d60<2.0).

Cobble bed

(d5o>64).

Q = 0.0084W1 '36G~°'59 

Q2 -0.89W°-80G~0- 69

Q5 = 3.8W°'68G~0-66 

Q10 = 9.4Wa64G"°-61

Q26 = 28W°-60G-°-54 

Q50 = 58W0- 58G-°'49 

Q100 = 120W0'56G-°-43

Q

~~ _ /\ /M niirl.43/^ 0.49

Q2 = 6.4W°-95G-°-34 

Q6 = 20Wa87G~°-33

Q10 = 39W°-81 G~°-33 

Q25 = 78W°-75G~0- 32

Q

Ton\iir0.72ri-0.30

Q100 = 190W°-68G~°-31

Q = 0.098W1 '82G~°-01 

Q2 = 0.95W1 '39G~°'34 

Q6 = 3.7W1 ' 13G~°-38 

Q10 = 8.6W°-99G~°-38 

Q26 = 23W°-85G~0- 36

Q

yC7ixrO-76/-i-0.34 50 = 47 W U

Q100 = 91W°-68G~°-31

Sand bed, Q = 0.023 WL34G~°-44 

sand banks O -1 4W1 -02G~°'42

(SChH< 10; Q6 = 3.1W°-94G-°-46

scbk<

70; QIO = 5.8W°-88G~°-46 

d50<2.0). Q26 = 12W°-83G~°-44 

Q50 = 19W°-80G-°-43 

Q100 = 31W0- 77G-0- 42

Gravel bed Q6 = 28W°'75G~0 27

(dso = Q10 = 47W°-63G~°-32 

2.0-64). Q25 = 90W°-50G~°-35

Q50 =140W°-42G~a36 

Q100 = 220Wa35G~0- 37

Data source Equation

Table 5

Data source

All data Q = 0.042WL54G~°'26 

Q2 = 2.7W0- 96G-°-40 

Q6 = 7.1W0- 82G" a45 

Q10 = 12Wa75G-°-47

Q25 = 23V 

Qso = 34V 

Q,oo = 50V

r0.65p -0.48

M-0.6lQ-0.48

Equation Data source Equation

Table 6

North and 

Middle 

Loup 

Rivers.

Q = 5.6W°'90 

Q2 = 0.12W1 ' 86

Q5 = 0.34W218

Q10 = 0.016W2 ' 37 

Q25 = 0.0065W2 '59 

Q50 = 0.0034W2 ' 74 

Q100 = 0.0018W290

Calamus, 

Cedar, Q = 3.4W°'86 

Elkhorn, 

North 

Fork 

Elkhorn, 

and 

South 

Loup 

Rivers.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 37

TABLE 10. Width-discharge and width-gradient-discharge 

relations expressed in inch-pound units Continued

Discharge 

variability Equation

Discharge 

variability Equation

Table 7

Low,

QJQ^GO

(55 data

sets).

Q = 0.18WL62

Q = 0.03lW136G-° 42

Q = 1 9W1 ' 51

Q2 = o!25W118G-°'49

QB = 3.6WL5°

OB =0.35W1 '13G~0-56

Q10 = 5.7W1 '47

Q n'sQW1 -09*^ ~°-58 10 = 0.53W G

Q26 =9.7WL43

Q2B = 0.89WL05G-°-58

Q =14WL41

QL = 1.3WL01G-°-58

Q100 = 17WL4°

Q10o = 1.9W°-"G °'58

High, Q = 0.33W1>36 Q10/Q>60 Q 0.044W1 '03G~°'49

(41 data Q2 = 40WL04

sets). Q2 = 22W°-81G-a23

QB = 180 W°'89

QB = 110W°-69G-° 19

Q10 =400W°'81

Q10 = 290W°-62G-°- 16

Q2B = 970W°'71

Q2B =840W°-55G-°- 12

QBO = 1,600W°-66

QBO = 1,700W°-50G-0-09

Qloo = 2,300 W°'64

Q100 = 3,300 W°-45G~°-06

Equation No. Equation

Equations for Muddy Stream Channels

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

= 0.098W2.0

Q2 = 12W1 ' 5

Q10 = 110W 

Q2B = 190W 

QBO = 290W 

Q108 =350W

AU.S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE; 1982 57S-O34/122