U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5076

Prepared in cooperation with West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of

Highways; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation

Service; and Canaan Valley Institute

Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams

in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic

Province, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia
Cover photograph of Big Cedar Creek near Lebanon, Virginia; view looking upstream,

by Jefferson N. Keaton, U.S. Geological Survey
Development and Analysis of Regional 

Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban 

Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province, 

Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia

By Jefferson N. Keaton, Terence Messinger, and Edward J. Doheny

Prepared in cooperation with West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways; 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Canaan Valley 

Institute

Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5076

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

Gale A. Norton, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Charles G. Groat, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2005

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services

Box 25286, Denver Federal Center

Denver, CO 80225

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Director

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Richmond, VA 23228

dc_va@usgs.gov

Information about water resources in Virginia is available online at http://va.water.usgs.gov
iii

Contents

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

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

Purpose and Scope ................................................................................. 2

Description of Study Area ........................................................................ 3

Bankfull Discharge ................................................................................. 3

Development of Regional Curves ........................................................................ 7

Site Selection ....................................................................................... 7

Identification of Bankfull Stage .................................................................. 7

Field Data Collection .............................................................................. 8

Pebble Counts ................................................................................. 8

Basin Characteristics .............................................................................. 8

Analysis of Channel Data ........................................................................... 8

Regional Curve Simple Linear Regression Relations .......................................... 10

Analysis of Regional Curves ........................................................................... 13

Variability of Dependent Variables in Regional Curves Relation .............................. 13

Multiple Linear Regression Models Including Basin Characteristics ........................ 16

Geographic Analysis of Regional Curves ......................................................... 18

Drainage Basin Size and Variability of Bankfull Characteristics .............................. 18

Comparison of 1.5-Year Discharge Data to Bankfull Discharge Data ........................ 20

Regression Model for the 1.5-Year Discharge for Streamflow-Gaging

Stations Throughout Virginia ...................................................... 20

1.5-Year Discharge Regression Model for Streamflow-Gaging

Stations in the Southern and Central Sections of the

Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province ....................................... 20

Comparison of Regional Curves with Other Data Sets of Bankfull Characteristics ......... 22

Quality Assurance ................................................................................. 23

Summary and Conclusions .............................................................................. 23

Acknowledgments ....................................................................................... 24

References Cited ....................................................................................... 24

Appendix Station Descriptions and Photographs, Longitudinal Profiles,

Riffle Cross Sections, and Bed Material Particle-Size Distributions

of Study Reaches ................................................................................. 27

Figures

 1–2. Maps showing—

 1. Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province (study area) and adjacent

 provinces in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia ...................................................... 4

 2. Location of streamflow-gaging stations used for development

 of regional curves ................................................................................................................ 5

 3–10. Graphs showing—

 3. Regional curve relating bankfull cross-sectional area to

 drainage area ..................................................................................................................... 14
iv

 4. Regional curve relating bankfull width to drainage area ........................................... 14

 5. Regional curve relating bankfull mean depth to drainage area ................................ 15

 6. Regional curve relating estimated bankfull discharge to

 drainage area ..................................................................................................................... 15

 7. Regression residuals for regional curve models in relation to

 drainage area for bankfull cross-sectional area (A), bankfull

 width (B), bankfull mean depth (C),and bankfull discharge (D). ................................. 19

 8. Regression model of 1.5-year discharge in relation to drainage

 area for every streamflow-gaging station ..................................................................... 21

 9. Regression residuals of 1.5-year discharge model in relation

 to drainage area ................................................................................................................ 21

 10. Regression model of 1.5-year discharge in relation to drainage

 area for streamflow-gaging stations .............................................................................. 22

Tables

1. Streamflow-gaging stations used for development of regional curves ............................ 6

2. Basin characteristics for study sites ....................................................................................... 9

3. Diagnostic statistics for bankfullbest-fit lines ..................................................................... 10

4. Bankfull stream channel characteristics of study site ....................................................... 11

5. Equations and diagnostic statistics for regional curves relating

bankfull discharge and channel geometry to drainage area ............................................ 13

6. Equations and diagnostic statistics for multivariate regression models ........................ 17

7. Calculations for bankfull discharge and channel geometry using

regional curves and multivariate models with 75-percent

carbonate bedrock ................................................................................................................... 17

8. Calculations of regional curves and multivariate models with

75-percent carbonate bedrock ............................................................................................... 17

9. Results of bankfull discharge, bankfull channel geometry,

and D50 for quality-assurance surveys .................................................................................. 23
v

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

acre 0.004047 square kilometer (km2)

square mile (mi2) 259.0 hectare (ha)

square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

Velocity

foot per second (ft/s) 0.3048 meter per second (m/s)

Flow rate

cubic foot per second (ft3/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

cubic foot per second per square 

mile [(ft3/s)/mi2]

 0.01093 cubic meter per second per square 

kilometer [(m3/s)/km2]

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1929 

(NGVD 29).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27).

Conversion Factors and Datum
Abstract

Regression relations for bankfull stream characteristics 

based on drainage area (often called “regional curves”) are 

used in natural stream channel design to verify field determinations of bankfull discharge and stream channel characteristics. Bankfull stream characteristics were assessed for 

stream reaches at 41 streamflow-gaging stations in the Valley 

and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and 

West Virginia. Data collected included bankfull cross-sectional 

geometry, flood plain geometry, and longitudinal profile data. 

In addition, particle-size distributions of streambed material were determined and data on basin characteristics were 

compiled for each reach. Regional curves were developed for 

bankfull cross-sectional area, width, and discharge with R2

values of 0.95, 0.89, 0.87, and 0.91, respectively. Examination 

of the regional curves residuals indicates that there is more 

variability in bankfull cross-sectional area, width, and discharge for smaller streams than for larger streams. In contrast, 

there is more variability for bankfull mean depth for larger 

streams than for smaller streams.

Geographic analysis of regional curve residuals indicated 

that there were no further subdivisions within the Valley and 

Ridge Physiographic Province in the three-state study area for 

which individual sets of regional curves should be developed. 

In addition, two separate sets of regional curves were developed with data from the 41 sites to examine potential differences in the relations between the southern (n = 9) and central 

(n = 32) sections of the province. There were differences in 

slope and intercept between the two bankfull discharge test 

relations and a difference in intercept for the width test relations at the 95-percent confidence level. However, the results 

of this analysis were inconclusive and therefore one set of 

regional curves for the study area is presented in this report.

The regional curves were compared to regression models 

developed from similar data collected in the Pennsylvania and 

Maryland portions of the province. No statistical difference in 

the slope or intercept of regression lines of the three data sets 

was detected for any of the four bankfull parameters at the 95-

percent confidence level.

Basin characteristics such as percentage of basin forested 

(percent forested) and percentage of basin underlain by carbonate bedrock (percent carbonate) were analyzed to evaluate 

variability among regression points. Multivariate regression 

relations including explanatory terms for percent carbonate 

and drainage area produced higher R2 values than the regional 

curves for bankfull cross-sectional area (R2 = 0.95), bankfull 

width (R2 = 0.92), and bankfull discharge (R2 = 0.93). There 

was no improvement for the bankfull mean depth relation 

from adding the additional term. Inclusion of the other basin 

characteristics in multivariate relations did not improve the 

regression models.

Regression models developed for the 1.5-year discharge 

for all streamflow-gaging stations with peak discharge data 

throughout Virginia (n = 486) and throughout the Valley and 

Ridge Physiographic Province in Virginia (n = 147) were 

compared to the regional curve relating bankfull discharge 

to drainage area. A similar trend in decreasing variability 

with increasing drainage area was observed for the 1.5-year 

discharge for all stations in Virginia. This indicates that the 

change in variability observed in the discharge regional curve 

likely would exist with a larger data set. There was no statistical difference at the 95-percent confidence level between 

regression relations for the southern section of the province (n 

= 40) and the central section (n = 107). This finding supports 

maintaining only one set of regional curves for the study area.

Not all of the variability in the regional curves is 

explained by drainage area alone. Causes of the remaining 

variability likely vary among study sites. Users of the regional 

curves developed in this study are cautioned that, because of 

inherent variability in hydrologic data, a thorough analysis of 

the fluvial system and the drainage basin is necessary when 

evaluating the bankfull characteristics of a stream.

Introduction

Rebuilding of physically degraded stream channels is 

becoming a key element in the management of surface-water 

resources throughout the Nation. Driven largely by Section 

404 of the Federal Clean Water Act, many states are required 

Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams 

in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic 

Province, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia

By Jefferson N. Keaton, Terence Messinger, and Edward J. Doheny
2 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

to mitigate impacts to streams caused by construction, mining, 

and other activities. Loss of physical habitat and sedimentation in streams are among the most widespread causes of 

stream impairment. In 2000, states reported that 39 percent of 

all streams assessed for Section 305(b) of the Water Pollution Control Act (699,946 miles of streams or approximately 

19 percent of all stream miles) were impaired. Sedimentation was reported as the cause of degradation in 31 percent of 

impaired streams and habitat loss was reported as the cause 

for an additional 22 percent (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 2002). A report by the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (2000) indicates that only 17 percent of the streams 

in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands region supported “good” fish 

populations and only 25 percent were rated “good” for aquatic 

insects. The major cause of these impairments was destruction 

of riverine and riparian habitat (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 2000).

Natural channel design, or “stream restoration,” involves 

rebuilding a channel with the dimensions, slope, and plan-view 

pattern that will convey the water and sediment loads from the 

drainage basin without aggrading or degrading. Stream channels designed to approximate natural, stable conditions are 

more likely to remain in equilibrium over time and therefore 

reduce erosion and sedimentation and provide suitable aquatic 

habitat.

The current practice of natural channel design is based 

largely on the science of fluvial geomorphology, which 

focuses on how land forms are shaped by flowing water 

(Brookes and Shields, 1996). The importance of this discipline in designing functional channels has been documented 

in the engineering literature at least since the 1950’s (Lane, 

1955). Application of this science in natural channel design 

has grown tremendously in recent years, however, due in part 

to the availability of relatively simple methods outlined by 

Rosgen (1996). Rosgen has developed a descriptive stream 

classification system and associated techniques of natural 

channel design founded largely upon scientific principles 

outlined by earlier geomorphologists such as Leopold, Wolman, and Miller (Leopold and others, 1964). The Rosgen 

methodology, in which stream restoration designs are based on 

the dimensions of a similar stable stream, or “reference reach,” 

has become widely used in the United States (Watson and others, 1995).

Natural channel designs are often sized to convey 

the “bankfull” discharge. Bankfull discharge, which many 

researchers have related to a peak flow return frequency of 

approximately 1 to 2 years (Knighton, 1998), is theoretically 

the streamflow magnitude that is most effective in moving 

bedload sediment over time and thus forms the average structural characteristics of channels (Wolman and Miller, 1960; 

Dunne and Leopold, 1978; Leopold, 1994). The bankfull discharge and bankfull channel geometry characteristics of crosssectional area, width, and mean depth have been shown to be 

highly correlated with drainage area (Dunne and Leopold, 

1978). Regression relations between drainage area and these 

bankfull characteristics are often used to calibrate field-identified bankfull dimensions for ungaged stream reaches.

These regression relations are typically called regional 

curves because they are developed within a particular region, 

often a physiographic province. The curves are often developed on a regional basis because climatic, physiographic, and 

geologic factors that dictate the processes that form channels 

vary regionally (Leopold and Maddock, 1953; Leopold and 

others, 1964; Montgomery and Buffington, 1998). Changes 

in land cover may also affect discharge and channel geometry 

(Hammer, 1972; Dunne and Leopold, 1978).

The drainage basin is considered the “fundamental unit of 

the fluvial landscape,” and many researchers believe that basin 

characteristics should be analyzed to determine their effect 

on channel geometry (Ritter and others, 2002). Analysis of 

the effects of basin characteristics such as type of land cover 

and bedrock lithology on stream channel geometry may help 

explain some of the variability in the regional curves that is 

not explained by drainage area. Analysis of additional factors may identify effects on channel geometry that should be 

considered by users of regional curves. In some cases, these 

effects may cover a larger geographic area than a single basin, 

and it may be necessary to develop multiple sets of regional 

curves representing subdivisions within a particular physiographic province.

Natural channel design is considered to be an important 

technology for remediating stream impacts in the Mid-Atlantic 

Highlands. To support natural channel design efforts in this 

region, in 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Transportation, 

Division of Highways; the Natural Resources Conservation 

Service; and the Canaan Valley Institute began a 2-year study 

to develop regional curves for the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

This study is similar to one being conducted by the USGS in 

Pennsylvania, including the Valley and Ridge Province in that 

state.

Purpose and Scope

This report describes the development and analysis of 

regional curves for the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. The investigation of potential geographic patterns in the regional curves 

is explained. The regional curves developed in this study are 

compared to other regional curves data sets, and analyses of 

basin characteristics that may contribute to regional differences in channel geometry are described. In addition, the 

regional curves are compared to similar relations developed 

for the 1.5-year discharge and drainage area throughout Virginia and in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in 

Virginia.
Introduction 3

Description of Study Area

The Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province (the 

province) is a long, narrow belt of the Appalachian Mountains characterized by folded Paleozoic rocks and bordered 

primarily by the Blue Ridge and New England Physiographic 

Provinces to the east and by the Appalachian Plateaus Physiographic Province on the west. The province is geologically and 

topographically varied and consists of a series of northeast/

southwest-trending parallel, even-crested ridges and valleys 

formed by folding and thrust faulting (Fenneman, 1938). The 

province stretches from New England to the Gulf Coastal 

Plain in Alabama and includes large portions of eastern West 

Virginia, western Virginia, and western Maryland, which comprise the study area for this project (fig. 1).

The study area has been subdivided into two sections—

Central Valley and Ridge and Southern Valley and Ridge— 

that meet at the divide between the New River and Tennessee 

River Basins west of Wytheville, Va. (Hack, 1989). The Central Valley and Ridge section is part of the Central Appalachians. The southeastern part of the Central Valley and Ridge 

is referred to as the Great Valley (the Shenandoah Valley in 

Virginia and West Virginia). This feature is a low, broad valley 

divided by hills and low ridges and is underlain by Cambrian- to Ordovician-age carbonate rocks where karst features 

are common. The valley is the product of an erosional cycle 

that is near completion (Hack, 1965). The northwestern part 

of the Central Valley and Ridge is composed of high ridges 

and narrow valleys formed primarily of Silurian- to Pennsylvanian-age sandstones and shales. The Southern Valley and 

Ridge section, west of Wytheville, Va., is part of the Southern 

Appalachians and consists entirely of ridges and high, narrow 

valleys where thrust faulting, rather than folding, has been 

the dominant mechanism of deformation (Hack, 1989). The 

bedrock in this section of the province includes Silurian- to 

Mississippian-age sandstone and Cambrian- to Ordovician-age 

limestone, dolomite, and shale. Throughout the study area, 

high ridges are capped by resistant sandstone and the valleys 

are commonly limestone. Lower ridges and narrower valleys 

are typically formed of shale and dolomite, which are usually 

slightly more resistant than the limestone (Bingham, 1991).

The elevation throughout the study area generally 

increases to the southwest. This corresponds to the prominence of the Great Valley in the central section, which is 

below 500 ft in elevation at its lowest point. The valley floor 

itself becomes significantly steeper southwestward (Hack, 

1965). The narrow valleys of the southern section are generally between 2,000 and 2,500 ft in elevation. Many ridges that 

dominate the landscape of the study area outside of the Great 

Valley are more than 4,000 ft in elevation (Bingham, 1991).

Streams are the major geomorphic agent in the Valley 

and Ridge, and the landforms are interrelated with the drainage network (Fenneman, 1938; Hack, 1965). Much of the 

province is drained by streams in a trellis pattern aligned with 

the parallel arrangement of the valleys and ridges. Streams are 

now oriented generally longitudinally with the strike of the 

regional structure, though some major rivers are transverse. 

The streams are structurally controlled and tend to follow beds 

of less resistant rock but occasionally cut through harder rock 

to create water gaps (Fenneman, 1938). Soils are generally 

thin throughout the province, except where they are protected 

by colluvial or residual boulders (Hack, 1989). The streams 

typically flow on or near the bedrock.

The climate of the region is moderate with typically cold 

winters and mild to hot summers. In most areas of the province, the growing season averages 180 days (Bingham, 1991). 

Precipitation amounts tend to decrease from south to north 

through the region. In Virginia, annual precipitation in the Valley and Ridge ranges from 48 in./yr in the south to 38 in./yr in 

the north (Nelms and others, 1997). The Maryland Valley and 

Ridge Physiographic Province has a small rain shadow area 

near Cumberland where the annual precipitation is 36 in./yr; 

the remainder of the province in Maryland averages 40 in./yr 

(Carpenter and Hayes, 1996). In West Virginia, the province 

has annual rainfall averages ranging from 36 in./yr to 40 in./yr 

(Wiley and others, 2000). Precipitation is generally distributed 

throughout the year, but is greatest during the summer months 

(Bingham, 1991).

The Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province was once 

covered with forests consisting of a variety of hardwoods and 

intermittent stands of conifers or mixed forests. Most of the 

forests have been cut multiple times and the forested areas that 

remain are typically poor in quality (Bingham, 1991). Much of 

the land remains cleared for agricultural use. The Great Valley 

is important for agriculture because of its fertile soils derived 

from limestone; livestock and poultry are prominent in this 

region along with small grains and apples. In the southern Valley and Ridge, tobacco is the largest cash crop. The population 

of the Great Valley region is growing rapidly with expanding 

urban and suburban areas, while much of the rest of the province is growing at a much slower rate. 

Forty-one gaged stream reaches throughout the threestate study area were included in this study (fig. 2). The areal 

coverage is distributed throughout the study area, with 5 study 

sites in western Maryland, 31 in western Virginia, and 5 in 

eastern West Virginia. There were 9 sites in the southern section of the province and 32 in the central section. Streamflowgaging station names, locations, gage types, and periods of 

record for all study sites are shown in table 1, and site descriptions are provided in the appendix.

Bankfull Discharge

Wolman and Miller (1960) defined bankfull discharge 

as the discharge that fills the channel to the beginning of the 

active flood plain and that typically has a recurrence interval 

of between 1 and 2 years. They surmised that the bankfull 

discharge is also the discharge that moves the most sediment 

in a stream channel over time and is therefore responsible for 

the average geometric characteristics of the channel that are 

formed through erosional and depositional processes. The 
4 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

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Figure 1. Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province (study area) and adjacent provinces in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Introduction 5

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Figure 2. Location of streamflow-gaging stations used for development of regional curves in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic 

Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
6 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Table 1. Streamflow-gaging stations used for development of regional curves for the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in

Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

[dms, degrees, minutes, and seconds; CRG, continuous-record gage; CSG, crest-stage gage]

Station

number Station name Latitude (dms)

Longitude 

(dms)

Gage

type

Period of record

01601500 Wills Creek near Cumberland, Md. 39 40 11 78 47 17 CRG 1905–1906, 1930–2004

01605500 South Branch Potomac River at Franklin, W.Va. 38 38 14 79 20 14 CRG 1940–20042004

01607500 South Fork South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine, W.Va. 38 37 53 79 14 38 CRG 1943–2004

01609000 Town Creek near OldTown, Md. 39 33 12 78 33 19 CRG 1928–1935, 1967–1981, 2001–2004

01609800 Little Cacapon River near Levels, W.Va. 39 29 55 78 29 20 CRG 1966–1977

01613160 Potomac River Tribuatary near Hancock, Md. 39 41 29 78 07 37 CSG 1965–1976

01613900 Hogue Creek near Hayfield, Va. 39 12 52 78 17 18 CRG 1960–1986, 1992–2004

01614000 Back Creek near Jones Springs, W.Va. 39 30 43 78 02 15 CRG 1928–1975

01617800 Marsh Run at Grimes, Md. 39 30 52 77 46 38 CRG 1963–2004

01619475 Dog Creek tributary at Locust Grove, Md. 39 27 57 77 39 38 CSG 1966–1976

01620500 North River near Stokesville, Va. 38 20 15 79 14 25 CRG 1946–2004

01624800 Christians Creek near Fisherville, Va. 38 07 42 78 59 41 CRG 1967–1997

01627500 South River at Harriston, Va. 38 13 07 78 50 13 CRG 1925–1961, 1968–2004

01632000 North Fork Shenandoah River at Cootes Store, Va. 38 38 13 78 51 11 CRG 1925–2004

01632082 Linville Creek at Broadway, Va. 38 36 24 78 48 13 CRG 1985–2004

01632900 Smith Creek near New Market, Va. 38 41 36 78 38 35 CRG 1960–2004W.Va.

01632970 Crooked Run near Mt. Jackson, Va. 38 45 44 78 41 06 CSG 1972–2004

01633650 Pugh’s Run near Woodstock, Va. 38 55 48 78 32 43 CSG 1971–2003

01634500 Cedar Creek near Winchester, Va. 39 04 52 78 19 47 CRG 1937–2004

01635500 Passage Creek near Buckton, Va. 38 57 29 78 16 01 CRG 1932–2004

02011400 Jackson River near Bacova, Va. 38 02 32 79 52 54 CRG 1974–2004

02013000 Dunlap Creek near Covington, Va. 37 48 10 80 02 50 CRG 1928–2004

02014000 Potts Creek near Covington, Va. 37 48 10 80 02 10 CRG 1928–1956, 1965–2004

02015600 Cowpasture River near Head Waters, Va. 38 19 30 79 26 14 CSG 1949–1994, 1996–2001

02015700 Bullpasture River at Williamsville, Va. 38 11 43 79 34 14 CRG 1960–2004

02018500 Catawba Creek near Catawba, Va. 37 28 05 80 00 20 CRG 1943–2004

02020100 Renick Run near Buchanan, Va. 37 35 07 79 38 04 CSG 1967–2003

02053800 South Fork Roanoke River near Shawsville, Va. 37 08 24 80 16 00 CRG 1960–2004

02055100 Tinker Creek near Daleville, Va. 37 25 03 79 56 08 CRG 1956–2004

03167000 Reed Creek at Grahams Forge, Va. 36 56 22 80 53 13 CRG 1927–2004

03177710 Bluestone River at Falls Mills, Va. 37 16 17 81 18 18 CRG 1980–1997

03182700 Anthony Creek near Anthony, W.Va. 37 54 30 80 17 30 CRG 1971–1982

03471500 South Fork Holston River at Riverside, near Chilhowie, Va. 36 45 37 81 37 53 CRG 1920–1931, 1942–2004

03473500 Middle Fork Holston River at Groseclose, Va. 36 53 27 81 31 07 CRG 1948–57, 1958–87, 1988–89, 1990–95, 2001

03474000 Middle Fork Holston River at Seven Mile Ford, Va. 36 48 26 81 37 20 CRG 1942–81, 1982–87, 1987–89, 1989–2004

03487800 Lick Creek near Chatham Hill, Va. 36 57 44 81 28 21 CSG 1966–1968, 1969–2004

03488000 North Fork Holston River near Saltville, Va. 36 53 48 81 44 47 CRG 1920–2004 

03488450 Brumley Creek at Brumley Gap, Va. 36 47 30 82 01 10 CSG 1979–1981, 1982–2004

03489800 Cove Creek near Shelleys, Va. 36 39 13 82 21 16 CSG 1951–2001

03475600 Cedar Creek near Meadowview, Va. 36 44 50 81 51 19 CSG 1967–2004

03523000 Big Cedar Creek near Lebanon, Va. 36 54 29 82 02 20 CSG 1953–1959, 1960–1977, 1991–1994, 2001
Development of Regional Curves 7

streamflow magnitude that moves the most sediment over 

time has been referred to as the effective discharge (Andrews, 

1980).

The concepts that the bankfull discharge and effective 

discharge are equivalent, that they consistently recur every 1 

to 2 years on a variety of rivers, and that they are responsible 

for the size and shape of channels have been disputed by some 

researchers and supported by others. Bankfull discharge may 

not, in all cases, be the effective discharge. Furthermore, the 

channel-forming discharge is likely representative of a range 

of flows that are responsible for the size and shape characteristics of the channel (Knighton, 1998). However, under 

certain conditions, the bankfull-as-channel-forming-discharge 

theory may apply. Emmett and Wolman (2001) state that in 

streams where the bedload is not composed of “very large-size 

particles” and streamflow is not highly variable, a large body 

of evidence suggests that the effective discharge is the bankfull 

discharge and the recurrence interval is often between 1 and 2 

years. Knighton (1998) concludes that, although the standard 

assumptions may not hold for all conditions, for perennial 

rivers that do not have “very resistant boundaries” and occur in 

humid, temperate regions, the bankfull-as-effective-discharge 

model is the standard for channel design and river studies. 

Development of Regional Curves

Forty-one stream reaches at streamflow-gaging stations 

were studied to develop regional curves for the Valley and 

Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and 

West Virginia. Bankfull discharge and channel geometry data 

were collected at each site. These data were thoroughly analyzed to ensure that bankfull characteristics of each site were 

valid. The bankfull discharge and channel geometry values 

were then regressed with drainage area using the ordinary least 

squares method to construct the regional curves.

Site Selection

All sites in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province 

in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia were evaluated for 

inclusion in the study if they met the following criteria:

• At least 10 years of data for annual peak flows collected after 1985 (or before 1985 if major land-use 

change has not occurred in the basin);

• Drainage basins of less than 250 mi2;

• Drainage basins of less than 20-percent developed land 

use (non-urban);

• Flow regulated from less than 20-percent of the drainage area; and

• Minimal effects from interbasin flow (flow into or out 

of basins due to factors such as water use or drainage 

ditches).

A total of 58 sites in the study area met the criteria: 7 in Maryland, 44 in Virginia, and 7 in West Virginia.

No reconnaissance was performed before the sites were 

visited. However, if upon arrival to a site, the study team 

determined that stable morphologic features were not present 

or that the stream was too deep to wade, the site was removed 

from the study. At this stage 17 sites were excluded; the 

remaining 41 sites were included in the study.

Identification of Bankfull Stage

The 41 selected stream reaches were evaluated to 

estimate the bankfull stage using a combination of statistical analysis of annual peak discharges in conjunction with 

the streamflow-gaging station stage-discharge relation and 

morphologic characteristics of the channel. Frequency analysis 

was performed for each station by fitting a Pearson Type III 

frequency distribution to the logarithms of the annual peak 

discharges in the station record. This procedure generates 

recurrence intervals for a variety of discharges and is outlined 

in Bulletin 17B, Guidelines for Determining Flood-Flow Frequency (Hydrology Subcommittee of the Interagency Advisory Committee on Water Data, 1982). This information was 

used along with the stage-discharge rating to determine the 

gage heights (stage at the streamflow-gaging station relative 

to gage datum) that correspond to the 1- and 2-year discharges 

at the station. Historic stream channel geometry data including width, mean depth, and cross-sectional area collected at 

discharge measurement cross sections were plotted against 

discharge. These plots and results of peak discharge analyses 

were used to help verify that field-identified bankfull features 

correspond to a discharge of approximately the 1- to 2-year 

recurrence interval. 

Before surveying the stream channels, the field team 

walked each reach for a distance of at least 20 times the estimated bankfull width and identified morphologic features that 

can be indicators of the bankfull stage. These bankfull features 

typically included one or more of the following:

• Top of bank where active flood plain begins;

• A bench feature on the bank; or, 

• A prominent break in slope of bank. 

At most sites, the top of bank feature or a bench feature 

below the top of the bank defined the bankfull features. At 

some sites a prominent break in slope was used if it continued 

at a consistent level along a large portion of the study reach. If 

consistent bankfull features of the types listed above were not 

identifiable, the site was eliminated from the study. In some 

cases, however, few of these types of features were at a consistent elevation but the sites were used in the study to maximize 

the number of sites in the data set.

Bankfull features in the approximate range of elevations 

near the 1- and 2- year stages were flagged along the length 

of the reach. If more than one set of possible bankfull features 
8 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

was observed at different stages along the channel, all sets of 

features were surveyed.

Field Data Collection

Channel Surveys

In this study, all measurements of channel geometry 

(cross-sectional area, width, and mean depth) were made with 

regard to the bankfull stage. A two-person crew used survey 

instruments to perform a vertical and horizontal survey of the 

morphologic features of each site. At sites in Virginia and 

West Virginia, total station instruments were used to collect 

the survey data. The instruments automatically calculated 

elevation, horizontal distance, and horizontal angle for each 

feature surveyed. A global positioning system was often used 

to establish the coordinates of the beginning survey points. At 

sites in Maryland, an optical level was used to determine the 

vertical position of morphologic features and a field tape was 

used to measure horizontal distances between features. All 

surveys were tied into the gage datum (the datum on which 

stage-discharge relations are based).

Two riffle cross sections were surveyed along with the 

longitudinal profile of each reach. To perform the cross-section surveys, the crew typically set up the instrument at a level 

spot on the flood plain or a point bar and made measurements 

of selected features including, but not limited to bankfull 

indicators, slope breaks, edge of water, thalweg, point bars, top 

of bank, and terraces. In most cases, flood plains of cross sections were surveyed to the elevation of the floodprone stage, or 

twice bankfull maximum depth (Rosgen, 1996), or up to 200 

ft from top of bank for flat conditions. Longitudinal profiles 

were surveyed for a distance of up to 20 times the bankfull 

width. Measurements were taken of the thalweg, potential 

bankfull features, and water surface at each successive bed 

feature in the downstream direction. Bed features surveyed 

included riffles, runs, pools, and glides, where all four features 

existed. In most cases, the longitudinal profile survey extended 

past the streamflow-gaging station location. At some sites this 

was not possible, usually due to a very deep, unwadable pool 

at the station.

Pebble Counts

A modified version of the Wolman (1954) pebble count 

was conducted to evaluate bed material particle-size distributions at each riffle cross section. At each cross-section, 100 

bed material particles were collected from the surface of the 

streambed. The particles were selected randomly at equal 

intervals across the channel from edge of water to edge of 

water. Particles were measured with a ruler or sand gage 

designed for sizing very small particles. The diameter of each 

particle was recorded.

Basin Characteristics

The upstream drainage network and drainage basin of 

each stream reach in the study were delineated using ArcGIS 

version 8.3 and ArcHydro (Environmental Systems Research 

Institute, 2002a, 2002b) Geographic Information System (GIS) 

software. The stream network and basins were delineated 

based on 30-meter digital elevation model grid files (U.S. Geological Survey, 2001). The area of each basin was compared 

to USGS published values (Bisese, 1995; Wiley and others, 

2000) and, if necessary, redelineated until the area matched the 

published value. These digital drainage basins were converted 

to GIS coverages that were then used alone or with other GIS 

data to quantify characteristics of the basin and drainage network. The National Land Cover Dataset (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1996) was used to calculate the percentage 

of each basin that is forested. Digital representations of the 

geologic maps of the three states in the study area were used 

to estimate the percentage of each basin underlain by carbonate bedrock. The geologic map of Maryland was generated 

using data created by Swain and others (2004). Digital versions of the state geologic maps of Virginia (Virginia Division 

of Mineral Resources, 2003) and West Virginia (West Virginia 

Department of Environmental Protection, 1998) were used 

for basins in those states. Drainage density was calculated for 

each basin by dividing the total length of the stream network 

delineated with ArcHydro by the basin drainage area. The 

other basin characteristics (mean basin elevation, mean annual 

precipitation, and 24-hour, 2-year rainfall) are from published 

values (Bisese, 1995; Wiley and others, 2000). Basin characteristics for each site are in table 2.

Analysis of Channel Data

After the survey data and pebble count data were compiled, each site was analyzed individually. Longitudinal 

profiles of the bankfull features, the water surface at the time 

of the survey, and the channel bed were plotted. The distances 

of all surveyed bankfull features above the water surface were 

calculated and compared to each other and to the estimated 

stage of the 1.5-year discharge throughout the reach. Only 

those surveyed features with a consistent stage relative to 

the water surface at the time of the survey were included in 

the final plots. A best-fit line was fitted through the bankfull 

feature points for the entire reach to develop a continuous 

representation of the bankfull profile. This technique allowed 

the bankfull profile to represent the average bankfull stage 

throughout the reach and provided a means to base the bankfull stage on all of the bankfull data collected. It is important 

to use all of the bankfull data because any individual feature 

is identified subjectively and is potentially erroneous (Leopold, 1994). The bankfull profile typically extended past the 

streamflow-gaging station, and the bankfull gage height was 

estimated to be where the best-fit line crossed the station location. This estimated bankfull gage height was used to deter-
Development of Regional Curves 9

Table 2. Basin characteristics for study sites in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland,

Virginia, and West Virginia.

[Drainage density, total length divided by drainage area; mi2, square mile; mi/mi2, miles per square mile; ft, feet; in., inch;

n.d., no data]

Station

number

Drainage 

area

(mi2)

Area

forested1

(percent)

Area 

carbonate 

bedrock

(percent)

Drainage 

density

(mi/mi2)

Mean basin 

elevation1

(ft)

Mean annual 

precipitation1

(in.)

24-hour, 2-year 

rainfall2

(in.)

01601500 247 70 2.30 1.49 1,880 36 2.75

01605500 179 80 19.8 1.59 2,940 40 2.9

01607500 103 80 5.60 2.03 2,370 38 2.9

01609000 148 79 14.30 1.70 1,310 36 2.85

01609800 108 70 0.00 1.61 1,220 34 2.9

01613160 1.20 40 .00 2.04 683 37.5 2.9

01613900 15.0 70 34.0 2.08 1,200 37 2.80

01614000 235 70 11.9 1.71 890 39 3.0

01617800 18.9 n.d. 100 1.66 509 39.5 3.1

01619475 0.10 26 7.10 n.d. n.d. 40 3.15

01620500 17.2 98 .00 1.76 3,300 42.1 3.65

01624800 70.1 40 77.9 1.95 1,550 38.9 3.19

01627500 212 61 60.2 1.82 1,750 43.9 3.85

01632000 210 89 4.60 1.60 2,020 35.8 3.09

01632082 45.5 n.d. 71.6 1.79 n.d. n.d. n.d.

01632900 93.2 50 61.9 1.91 1,400 38 3.58

01632970 6.49 45 81.9 1.74 1,200 35.3 2.78

01633650 3.66 60 41.6 2.24 1,510 35.2 2.52

01634500 103 86 22.9 1.69 1,350 34.6 2.87

01635500 87.8 81 33.3 1.67 1,490 38.7 3.25

02011400 158 n.d. 36.4 1.64 n.d. n.d. n.d.

02013000 164 87 .00 1.58 2,230 38.5 2.56

02014000 153 85 11.0 1.72 2,320 38.6 2.62

02015600 11.3 81 28.4 1.38 n.d. n.d. n.d.

02015700 110 80 47.7 1.75 2,200 40.1 2.90

02018500 34.3 88 .90 1.51 1,880 42.6 3.30

02020100 2.06 70 28.7 2.13 1,660 42.8 3.19

02053800 110 25 3.40 1.68 2,300 42.8 2.97

02055100 11.7 26 82.1 1.75 1,470 42.0 3.36

03167000 247 43 41.6 1.71 2,500 38.6 2.68

03177710 44.2 n.d. 40.8 1.40 n.d. 44.0 2.50

03182700 144 95 2.80 1.77 2,480 40.0 2.90

03471500 76.1 83 38.0 1.70 2,870 42.0 2.83

03473500 7.39 49 18.9 1.99 2,710 39.0 2.69

03474000 132 64 37.0 1.74 2,480 40.0 2.50

03487800 25.5 96 .00 1.66 2,770 42.6 2.65

03488000 222 63 33.9 1.64 2,730 43.4 2.58

03488450 21.1 n.d. .20 1.92 n.d. n.d. n.d.

03489800 17.3 70 68.1 1.60 1,500 45.9 2.52

03523000 51.5 40 33.8 1.80 2,400 43.5 2.48

1

From Bisese (1995) and Wiley and others (2000).

 2Maximum rainfall in 24 hours during any 2-year period.
10 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

mine the corresponding bankfull discharge from the stage–discharge rating. This estimated discharge was compared to the 

results of the peak flow analysis to ensure that the recurrence 

interval was approximately 1 to 2 years. Diagnostic statistics 

were calculated for the bankfull best-fit lines (table 3). The 

bankfull features surveyed in each cross section were included 

on the bankfull profile to verify that the cross-section bankfull 

features fit the profile of the entire study reach.

Each of the two riffle cross sections was then plotted and 

the bankfull stage identified on the plots. The bankfull crosssectional area, bankfull width, and bankfull mean depth were 

calculated for each cross section and the geometries of the two 

were compared. One of the cross sections was selected to represent the study reach. In most cases, the primary criterion for 

selecting a cross section was the significance of the bankfull 

feature(s). For example, the top of a channel where the active 

flood plain begins was considered to be more significant than 

a break in slope on the channel below the top of the bank.

The pebble count data were grouped into size categories 

according to the particle-size classification system published 

by Rosgen (1996). A cumulative frequency distribution of the 

particle sizes was constructed by plotting cumulative percentages against the size categories. From this information the 

D84 and D50 (the particle sizes that are larger than 84 percent 

and 50 percent, respectively, of the material sampled) were 

determined. The D50 is the median particle size and the D84 

represents the particle size that is two standard deviations 

larger than the median (Leopold and others, 1964).

Stream channel characteristics were then compiled for 

every site in the reach (table 4). These characteristics include 

the bankfull channel geometry used in the regional curves, the 

D50 and D84 from the riffle pebble counts, the classification 

parameters based on Rosgen’s (1996) classification system, 

and the classification stream type. The classification parameters include the reach slope, the bankfull width to bankfull 

depth ratio, the entrenchment ratio (ratio of bankfull width to 

flood prone width) and the sinuosity (ratio of stream length to 

valley length). Plots of longitudinal profiles, cross sections, 

and particle-size distributions are included with site descriptions for each study site in the appendix.

Regional Curve Simple Linear Regression 

Relations 

Linear regression techniques were used to develop 

regional curves for the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia using S-Plus 

version 6.1 statistics software (Insightful Corporation, 2002). 

The bankfull channel geometry data (table 4) and estimated 

bankfull discharge data (table 4) for all 41 sites were plotted 

against drainage area on a log-log scale. A power function 

best-fit line was fitted through each plot using the ordinary 

least squares method. The regional curves for cross-sectional 

area, width, mean depth, and discharge are shown in figures 

3 through 6, respectively. The equations and test statistics for 

Table 3. Diagnostic statistics for bankfull

best-fit lines in the Valley and Ridge

Physiographic Province in Maryland,

Virginia, and West Virginia.

[R2, correlation coefficient]

Station number R2

Residual 

standard

error

01601500 0.985 0.229

01605500 .951 .805

01607500 .955 .502

01609000 .926 .518

01609800 .721 .448

01613160 .980 .307

01613900 .946 .268

01614000 .490 1.444

01617800 .925 .226

01619475 .994 .034

01620500 .991 .523

01624800 .442 .680

01627500 .984 .441

01632000 .865 .749

01632082 .902 .373

01632900 .887 .386

01632970 .962 .337

01633650 .980 .594

01634500 .918 .443

01635500 .987 .115

02011400 .954 .391

02013000 .963 .496

02014000 .828 .497

02015600 .957 .273

02015700 .989 .353

02018500 .810 .250

02020100 .990 .530

02053800 .892 .892

02055100 .982 .174

03167000 .971 .236

03177710 .909 .270

03182700 .904 .316

03471500 .925 .376

03473500 .910 .196

03474000 1.000 .003

03487800 .973 .169

03488000 .966 .314

03488450 .969 .895

03489800 .901 .267

03523000 .861 .955

03475600 .926 .190
Development of Regional Curves 11

Table 4. Bankfull stream channel characteristics of study sites in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.[mi2, square mile; ft2, square feet; ft, feet; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mm, millimeter; ft/ft, foot per foot; <, less than]

Station

number

Drainage

area 

(mi2)

Cross-sectional

area

(ft2)

Width

(ft)

Mean 

depth

(ft)

Estimated

discharge

(ft3/s)

Recurrence

interval 

(years)

1.5-year 

discharge 

(ft3/s)

D501

(mm)

D842

(mm)

Width:

Depth

ratio

Entrenchment Slope (ft/ft) Sinuosity Rosgen stream type3

01601500 247 621 165 3.8 3,220 1.1 4,580 120 393 44.1 1.2 0.0035 1.10 F01605500 179 441 103 4.3 2,960 1.4 3,340 103 188 24.0 5.3 .0052 1.03 C01607500 103 324 94.7 3.4 1,200 <1.1 2,610 109 189 27.7 2.0 .0035 1.04 C01609000 148 484 132 3.7 2,770 1.4 2,900 48.9 117 35.9 3.6 .0028 1.06 C01609800 108 393 90.9 4.3 2,840 1.4 3,060 73.1 168 21.0 2.2 .0013 1.11 C01613160 1.20 9.70 9.90 1.0 57.0 1.3 77.0 54.7 121 10.2 1.5 .0241 1.07 G01613900 15.0 118 43.8 2.7 629 1.5 629 50.3 103 16.3 2.3 .0054 1.20 C01614000 235 646 121 5.3 3,630 1.3 4,380 36.8 80.0 22.8 1.2 .0030 1.26 C01617800 18.9 42.6 25.2 1.7 112 2.3 72.0 15.1 98.0 14.8 1.3 .0047 1.32 B01619475 0.10 4.50 8.70 0.5 13.5 1.4 14.0 7.60 16.0 16.7 1.3 .0123 1.33 B01620500 17.2 110 55.3 2.0 464 1.4 495 108 173 27.8 1.1 .0119 1.27 B01624800 70.1 325 63.8 5.1 1,580 1.3 1,930 47.2 101 12.5 15 .0011 1.14 C01627500 212 60 134 4.5 3,340 1.4 3,700 123 183 30.0 2.2 .0048 1.11 C01632000 210 832 149 5.6 3,700 1.2 6,010 55.8 108 26.5 3.4 .0016 1.12 C01632082 45.5 164 58.6 2.8 782 1.3 951 19.8 74.0 20.9 2.8 .0027 1.08 C01632900 93.2 431 91.5 4.7 1,350 1.3 1,574 21.9 54.0 21.1 5.1 .0022 1.14 C01632970 6.49 53.3 27.9 1.9 179 <1.1 508 32.4 116 14.6 3.1 .0059 1.04 C01633650 3.66 38.4 26.1 1.5 110 2.0 75.1 61.6 89.0 17.7 7.7 .0228 1.07 C01634500 103 459 102 5.3 2,650 1.7 2,300 32.9 65.0 20.2 4.2 .0026 1.05 C01635500 87.8 336 78.0 4.3 2,110 1.9 1,680 137 268 18.1 2.6 .0124 1.23 C02011400 158 539 107 5.0 2,190 1.3 2,750 149 423 21.2 1.6 .0038 1.01 B02013000 164 565 117 4.8 2,880 1.2 4,060 82.8 195 24.2 2.0 .0035 1.37 C02014000 153 555 117 5.0 2,380 1.2 3,040 50.6 134 22.4 2.2 .0022 1.21 C02015600 11.3 50.2 35.6 1.4 143 <1.2 202 73 180 25.3 3.0 .0055 1.35 C02015700 110 338 92.4 3.7 2,250 1.1 3,330 200 470 25.3 2.2 .0095 1.24 C02018500 34.3 137 56.6 2.3 1,050 1.4 1,160 28.0 127 24.9 2.0 .0053 1.23 C
12 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province Table 4. Bankfull stream channel characteristics of study sites in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.—Continued [mi2, square mile; ft2, square feet; ft, feet; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; mm, millimeter; ft/ft, foot per foot; <, less than] Station number Drainage area (mi2

)

Cross-sectional

area

(ft2

)

Width

(ft)

Mean 

depth

(ft)

Estimated

discharge

(ft3/s)

Recurrence

interval 

(years)

1.5-year 

discharge 

(ft3/s)

D50

1

(mm)

D84

2

(mm)

Width:

Depth

ratio

Entrenchment Slope (ft/ft) Sinuosity Rosgen stream type3

02020100 2.06 30.5 23.3 1.3 235 1.3 187 75.9 166 17.8 1.8 .0220 1.14

B

02053800 110 519 113 4.6 2,390 1.8 1,913 65.7 119 24.4 4.0 .0024 1.13

C

02055100 11.7 90.8 38.6 2.4 266 1.1 516 37.4 144 16.4 7.1 .0044 1.21

C

03167000 247 536 153 3.5 3,010 1.4 3,290 65.2 202 43.8 1.3 .0033 1.09

B

03177710 44.2 198 56.5 3.5 681 1.5 675 25.6 58.0 16.2 4.4 .0017 1.40

C

03182700 144 547 122 4.5 2,350 1.1 3,850 176 368 27.0 2.2 .0031 1.23

C

03471500 76.1 234 72.8 3.2 1,150 1.2 1,560 62.7 116 22.6 2.5 .0022 1.02

C

03473500 7.39 25.4 17.3 1.5 93.2 1.2 129 32.3 69.0 11.8 1.5 .0035 1.07

B

03474000 132 336 83.0 4.1 2,420 1.4 2,620 46.1 84.0 26.1 1.5 .0033 1.06

B

03487800 25.5 166 67.6 2.5 519 <1.1 1,040 63.6 120 27.6 1.6 .0036 1.01

B

03488000 222 641 218 2.9 2,360 <1.1 4,950 55.2 115 74.4 2.3 .0016 1.22

C

03488450 21.1 129 52.1 2.5 540 1.4 570 135 332 21.1 1.5 .0190 1.01

B

03489800 17.3 107 36.8 2.9 325 <1.1 685 22.0 122 12.6 3.5 .0036 1.02

C

03523000 51.5 257 88.9 2.9 1,210 1.1 1,944 51.4 123 30.7 1.6 .0073 1.03

B

03475600 3.38 15.8 9.90 1.6 39.4 1.9 35.8 14.1 31.0 6.2.0 15 .0066 1.06

E

1Median particle size of streambed material.2Particle size larger than 84 percent of streambed material.3From Rosgen, 1996.
Analysis of Regional Curves 13

the regional curves are shown in table 5. Bankfull mean depth 

refers to bankfull cross-sectional area divided by bankfull 

width; however, the equation for bankfull mean depth relation 

is included for convenience.

The regional curves (figs. 3 through 6, table 3) include 

95-percent prediction intervals for individual estimates of the 

dependent variable. Prediction intervals are often confused 

with confidence intervals, but the calculations to determine 

the range of the two sets of intervals are different (Helsel and 

Hirsch, 1992). The 95-percent prediction interval on a regression relation represents a 95-percent certainty that an individual observed value of y for a given x will fall within the upper 

and lower limits of the interval (Helsel and Hirsch, 1992; G.E. 

Schwarz, written communs., 2005).

Each regional curve relation between the dependent 

variables and drainage area is strongly linear and indicates that 

discharge and channel geometry have a positive relation with 

increasing drainage area. Visual inspection of the residuals 

plots indicates minor changes in the variance of the dependent 

variables (heteroscedasticity) as drainage area increases. No 

effects from influential outliers were found through an examination of the Cook’s Distance statistic. Kolmogorov-Smirnov 

(K-S) goodness-of-fit tests (alpha = 0.05) indicate that, 

although the residuals of the width and mean depth regional 

curves are log-normally distributed (p = 0.113 and 0.613, for 

K-S tests, respectively), the residuals of cross-sectional area 

and discharge regional curves do not fit that distribution (p = 

0.018 and 0.008, for K-S tests, respectively). This may be due 

to the mild heteroscedasticity mentioned above. However, the 

R2 values and F-statistics indicate that an uncommon transformation of the data is not warranted. Table 5 includes p-values 

for the bankfull discharge and cross-sectional area relations 

despite the fact that the assumption of normality of the residuals is required for that calculation. Users should be aware that 

these p-values may be erroneous. 

Analysis of Regional Curves 

Simple linear regression was used to develop regional 

curves useful in calibrating bankfull characteristics of streams. 

The regional curve relations and diagnostic statistics were 

analyzed. A considerable amount of variability remains in 

the relations and this variability changes with drainage basin 

size. Additional analysis was conducted to further evaluate 

this variability. The relations were evaluated to see if regional 

curves should be subdivided geographically. In addition, the 

regional curves were compared to similar data sets from other 

studies in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province and to 

larger data sets of 1.5-yr discharge data.

Variability of Dependent Variables in Regional 

Curves Relation

The correlation coefficient (R2) is a measure of the fit 

of the data to the regression line, that is, how well the independent variable accounts for the variability of the dependent 

variable. The R2 values for the regional curves indicate that 

drainage area accounts for more variability in bankfull crosssectional area than for any other dependent variable, although 

it only accounts for slightly more variability than discharge 

(table 5). The width relation has a somewhat lower R2 value 

than discharge and the mean depth relation has the poorest fit 

of the four (table 5). Discharge is controlled primarily by basin 

characteristics, with drainage area being the most significant; cross-sectional area is controlled by multiple variables 

including discharge, slope, and channel roughness (Knighton, 

1998). These additional factors affecting cross-sectional area 

should, in theory, cause the cross-sectional area relation to 

have a lower R2 value than the discharge relation. However, in 

this study, the R2 values for the regional curves (table 5) and 

the multivariate models (table 6) indicate that drainage area 

Table 5. Equations and diagnostic statistics for regional curves relating bankfull discharge

and channel geometry to drainage area in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in 

Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

[R2, correlation coefficient; CSA, bankfull cross-sectional area; DA, drainage area; W, bankfull width;

D, bankfull depth; Q, estimated bankfull discharge]

Equation p-value1 R2

Residual 

standard 

error

(Log10)

Residual 

standard 

error

(percent)

F-statistic

CSA = 12.595*(DA)0.7221 0.00 0.9448 0.1327 30.6 667.8

W = 12.445(DA)0.4362 .00 .8939 .1143 25.7 328.5

D = 1.001(DA)0.2881 .00 .8705 .0845 20.9 262.0

Q = 43.249(DA)0.7938 .00 .9066 .1937 45.9 378.8

 1p-value shown although assumption of log-normal distribution is not met.
14 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

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Figure 3. Regional curve relating bankfull cross-sectional area (CSA) to drainage area (DA) in the non-urban Valley and Ridge 

Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Figure 4. Regional curve relating bankfull width (W) to drainage area (DA) in the non-urban Valley and Ridge 

Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Analysis of Regional Curves 15

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Figure 5. Regional curve relating bankfull mean depth (D) to drainage area (DA) in the non-urban Valley and Ridge 

Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Figure 6. Regional curve relating estimated bankfull discharge (Q) to drainage area (DA) in the non-urban Valley and Ridge 

Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
16 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

explains more of the variability in cross-sectional area than 

in discharge. A possible reason for this is that the discharge 

values are estimated, in some cases on the basis of poor 

stage-discharge ratings, although all of the other variables are 

measured directly. Therefore, error is more likely to exist in 

the discharge values than in the other dependent variables. The 

width and mean depth regional curves have lower R2 values 

than discharge and cross-sectional area because these variables 

are strongly affected by local factors such as resistance of 

bed and bank materials to erosion (Knighton, 1987) and bank 

vegetation (Smith, 1976). Schumm (1960) found that width-todepth ratios of streams are related to particle size of the bank 

material. Miller (1984) found a similar relation to the size of 

the bedload material. In other words, two streams with the 

same cross-sectional area and similar discharges could have 

substantially different width-to-depth ratios. 

Multiple Linear Regression Models Including 

Basin Characteristics

Multiple linear regression techniques were used to evaluate whether the inclusion of individual basin characteristics 

(table 2) would improve the predictive ability of the regional 

curve relations by explaining a portion of the remaining 

variability in the dependent variables. Log-transformed and 

untransformed basin characteristics (table 2) of each site 

were used to test multiple linear regression models (models 

with multiple explanatory variables) for predicting bankfull 

discharge and channel geometry; each basin characteristic was 

included with drainage area as an independent variable, one 

at a time. The untransformed independent variable percentage 

of carbonate bedrock underlying the drainage basin, hereafter 

referred to as “percent carbonate,” was significant at the 5- 

percent level for bankfull cross-sectional area, bankfull width, 

and bankfull discharge. The p-values for the significance tests 

for these terms were 0.042, 0.002, and 0.002, respectively. 

The logarithm to base 10 (log) of percent carbonate was 

somewhat less significant, and only for bankfull width (p = 

0.036). Multivariate models for predicting bankfull cross-sectional area, width, and discharge were developed including the 

untransformed percent carbonate term (table 6). The addition 

of this term does statistically improve the models as can be 

seen from reductions in standard error (table 6), Mallow’s Cp, 

and the PRESS statistic (table 7). The Cp and PRESS statistics 

allow for the analysis of improvements to a regression model 

from the addition of specific explanatory variables beyond 

that attributable to simply including more variables. The logtransformed variable percentage of basin forested (hereafter 

referred to as “percent forested”) had a p-value of 0.03 when 

regressed with bankfull discharge; however, the exponent 

was positive, indicating increasing discharge with increasing 

percentage of basin forested. Adding this variable to the multivariate model for discharge slightly improved the R2

 value; 

however, regression diagnostics showed that it lowers the 

Mallow’s Cp value but raises the PRESS statistic. The weak 

statistical improvement and the fact that the positive coefficient conflicts with understood behavior indicate that percent 

forested should not be included in a multivariate regression 

model for discharge. None of the other basin characteristics 

analyzed were significant. 

The multivariate regression models for bankfull crosssectional area, width, and discharge that include the percent 

carbonate term produce smaller estimates of the independent 

variables than do the regional curves (for example calculations, see table 8). This difference occurs because the percent 

carbonate term has a negative coefficient. The percent carbonate coefficients in the three multivariate equations indicate 

that the additional variable has the most effect on bankfull 

discharge. The effect on the width and cross-sectional area 

relations was approximately the same. The mean depth model 

was not improved by adding the percent carbonate term. 

Because cross-sectional area is the product of width and depth, 

randomness in the mean depth model is incorporated into the 

cross-sectional area model, thus diluting its power.

The most likely reason that the percent carbonate term 

has a negative correlation with discharge, and therefore crosssectional dimensions, is that many of the basins underlain 

by carbonate bedrock in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic 

Province have karst landforms. Karst landforms are defined 

as “topography that is formed over limestone, dolomite, and 

gypsum by dissolution, and is characterized by sinkholes, 

caves, and underground drainage” (Bates and Jackson, 1984). 

Drainage systems in karst areas are often disrupted with all or 

portions of the streamflow diverted to the underground system. 

Even when streams are not disrupted in karst areas, the underlying geology has an effect on streamflow. White and Reich 

(1970) studied 114 basins of various size in Pennsylvania and 

found that those underlain by carbonate rock had mean annual 

floods that were considerably smaller in magnitude than those 

in noncarbonate basins.

In this study, the percentage of carbonate rock underlying 

the drainage basins of the study sites ranges from 0 percent to 

100 percent. Many of the points with high percent carbonate 

values plot below the regression lines, although others do not. 

Percent carbonate values of 30 percent or less were observed 

at 21 of 41 sites. The remaining 20 sites had percent carbonate 

values ranging from 30 percent to 100 percent. An analysis 

of covariance between these two groups of data showed no 

significant difference in slope or intercept between the regression lines of the two groups for any of the dependent variables 

at the 5-percent significance level (all p-values were greater 

than 0.05). Nor is there a difference in terms of trend line 

slope and intercept between the regression lines of those sites 

with greater than 50 percent of the basin underlain by carbonate bedrock and those with less than 50 percent underlain by 

carbonate bedrock. For this reason, all 41 sites were used to 

create a single set of regional curves.

The variability in the effects of carbonate bedrock on 

bankfull discharge and cross-sectional geometry for the sites 

in this study is expected because the effects of karst landforms on surface hydrology depend on the development of 
Analysis of Regional Curves 17

Table 6. Equations and diagnostic statistics for multivariate regression models in the Valley and Ridge

Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

[R2, correlation coefficient; CSA, bankfull cross-sectional area; Log, Log10; DA, drainage area; PC, percent carbonate;

W, bankfull width; Q, estimated bankfull discharge]

Equation p-value1 R2

Residual 

standard 

error

(Log10)

Residual 

standard 

error 

(percent)

F-statistic

Log(CSA) = 1.162 + 0.7112 log(DA) - 0.0015(PC) 0.00 0.9481 0.1303 30.6 347.3

Log(W) = 1.171 + 0.42442 log(DA) - 0.0018(PC) .00 .9155 .1033 23.3 205.8

Log(Q) = 1.765 + 0.7739 log(DA) - 0.0031(PC) .00 .9259 .1748 43.3 237.4

 1

p-value shown although assumption of log-normal distribution is not met.

Table 8. Calculations of regional curves and multivariate models with 75-percent

carbonate bedrock in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland,

Virginia, and West Virginia.

[mi2, square mile; CSA, bankfull cross-sectional area; W, bankfull width; Q, estimated bankfull

discharge]

Drainage

area

mi2

CSA

regional

curve

CSA 

multivariate 

model

W 

regional

curve

W 

multivariate 

model

Q

regional

curve

Q 

multivariate 

model

 2 20.8 18.3 16.8 14.6 75.1 58.3

 10 66.4 57.6 34.0 28.9 268 202

 25 129 111 50.7 42.6 554 412

 50 212 181 68.6 57.2 958 704

 100 350 296 92.8 76.7 1,670 1,200

 200 578 485 126 103 2,900 2,060

Table 7. Calculations for bankfull discharge and channel geometry using regional 

curves and multivariate models with 75-percent carbonate bedrock in the Valley and 

Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

[CSA, bankfull cross-sectional area; DA, drainage area; W, bankfull width; Q, estimated

bankfull discharge; Log, Log10; PC, percent carbonate; Cp, Mallow’s Cp; PRESS; 

prediction error sum of squares]

Equation Cp PRESS

CSA = 12.595*(DA)0.7221 6.2 0.83

W = 12.445(DA)0.4362 14.0 .64

Q = 43.249(DA)0.7938 10.5 1.76

Log(CSA) = 1.162 + 0.7112 log(DA) - 0.0015(PC) 3.0 .76

Log(W) = 1.171 + 0.42442 log(DA) - 0.0018(PC) 3.0 .47

Log(Q) = 1.765 + 0.7739 log(DA) - 0.0031(PC) 3.0 1.42
18 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

the underground drainage system, particularly the connectivity of the fractures (Ede, 1975). These conditions, along with 

the effects of local geology, may differ greatly from basin to 

basin. In addition, some carbonate lithologies are more subject 

to dissolution than others. In this study, calcareous shale and 

sandstone units were included with limestone and dolomite 

units as carbonate. Users of the regional curves should be 

aware that basins underlain by carbonate bedrock may have 

different runoff responses than those underlain by noncarbonate bedrock. Therefore, the regional curves may over-predict 

bankfull discharges and cross-sectional geometry for streams 

underlain by carbonate bedrock.

The multivariate regression models that include a term 

for percent carbonate may not be more useful in calibrating 

bankfull discharge and geometry of channels than the regional 

curves. Because of the variability in hydrologic response 

among drainage basins, it is unlikely that either the regional 

curves or the multivariate models will predict bankfull characteristics precisely. However, the multivariate models illustrate 

that drainage basin characteristics affect hydrologic regimes 

and thus impact the bankfull discharge and what the possible 

magnitude of these impacts may be.

Geographic Analysis of Regional Curves

Residuals of each of the regional curves were plotted 

on maps of the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province to 

determine whether there are geographic variations in bankfull 

discharge and cross-sectional geometry. Though there were 

small groupings of positive or negative residuals, no definitive 

geographic patterns were apparent for any of the four data sets. 

Because the southern and central sections of the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province (fig. 1) are somewhat 

different geologically, data on bankfull characteristics of sites 

in the two sections were compared. Separate power function 

relations were developed for bankfull discharge and channel 

geometry data from the two sections, and analysis of covariance was performed to identify any statistical differences 

between the two data sets. A difference between the two 

data sets for slope and intercept was identified for the width 

relation at the 95-percent confidence level (all p-values were 

greater than 0.05), and a difference in intercept was identified 

at the 95-percent confidence level for the discharge relation 

(all p-values were greater than 0.05). For the other two dependent variables, there were no differences.

Diagnostic statistics for the power function relations 

developed for the southern and central sections were compared 

to regional curves (for all 41 sites) for the same dependent 

variables. The R2 values for the width relations were 0.88 and 

0.93 for the southern and central sections, respectively, and the 

F-statistics were 52.56 and 423.6, respectively. These values 

represent a small decrease in model fit and statistical significance for the southern section data set and a small increase in 

both for the central section data set. For the bankfull discharge 

relations, the R2 values were 0.9386 and 0.9167 and the Fstatistics were 106.9 and 330.1 for the southern and central 

sections, respectively. These values represent a small increase 

in model fit but a small decrease in model significance in both 

cases. These small statistical differences in slope and intercept between the southern and central section data sets are 

inconclusive due to the small number of sites in the southern 

section (9). Because a significant statistical improvement is 

not gained by separating the data into two models, the regional 

curves for width and discharge have not been split between the 

two sections. Therefore, separate equations for bankfull width 

and discharge for the southern and central sections are not 

included in this report.

Drainage Basin Size and Variability of Bankfull 

Characteristics

Variability in the residuals of the regional curves was 

examined in relation to drainage basin size. In this study, the 

drainage basins ranged in size from 0.10 mi2 to 247 mi2. Plots 

of the residuals from the regional curves relating bankfull 

cross-sectional area, width, mean depth, and discharge to 

drainage area (fig. 7A–D) indicate changes in variability of 

residuals in relation to basin size. The presence of this variability, called heteroscedasticity, violates an assumption of 

simple linear regression that there is constant variance of 

the dependent variable in relation to the independent variable (Helsel and Hirsch, 1992). The variability of bankfull 

discharge residuals decreases as drainage area increases (fig. 

7D). The variability is not as evident in the cross-sectional 

area residuals (fig. 7A) and width residuals (fig. 7B) relations 

and is reversed in the mean depth residuals (fig. 7C) relation. 

The increasing variability of depth as drainage area increases, 

which can be seen on the mean depth regional curve (fig. 5), 

is incorporated into the cross-sectional area relation (width x 

mean depth) thus increasing the variability in that relation for 

larger basins.

These patterns in variability are expected and may be due 

to a variety of potential causes. Small drainage basins are more 

responsive to storms with limited areal coverage than larger 

basins where the effects of small storms are dampened by the 

larger contributing drainage area. In a similar manner, small 

changes in land cover may increase discharges in small basins 

but have little effect on large basins. There are also potential 

problems with discharge records in small basins. Often, the 

rapid rise and fall of water levels (commonly called “flashiness”) in small streams makes it difficult to measure peak 

discharge; therefore, stage–discharge ratings for small streams 

are often theoretical. In addition, the period of record for 

streamflow-gaging stations on small streams is often shorter 

resulting in less reliable discharge frequency analysis.

The patterns illustrated in figure 7A–D are not definitive; 

however, the significance of this variability would possibly 

become clearer with a larger data set. Potential changes in 

variability of residuals in regional curves related to basin size 

may be an important factor in the application of these tools. 
Analysis of Regional Curves 19

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Figure 7. Regression residuals for regional curve models in relation to drainage area for bankfull cross-sectional area (A), bankfull width (B), bankfull mean depth (C),and bankfull discharge (D).
20 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Heteroscedasticity may cause the prediction intervals on the 

regional curves plots to be erroneous. Users should be aware 

of the potential for greater variability in the magnitude of 

observed bankfull characteristics in relation to regional curve 

best-fit lines for smaller streams. 

Comparison of 1.5-Year Discharge Data to 

Bankfull Discharge Data

In this study, regional curves were developed to estimate 

bankfull discharge and cross-sectional channel geometry for a 

large region. The protocol followed required that the fieldidentified bankfull stage relate to a discharge with a recurrence 

interval of approximately 1 to 2 years. Leopold and others 

(1964) and Dunne and Leopold (1978) state that the bankfull 

discharge has a recurrence interval of approximately 1.5 years. 

The 1.5-year discharge data from a large number of USGS 

streamflow-gaging stations in Virginia were regressed against 

drainage area as a comparison to the discharge regional curve. 

The benefits of this analysis are two-fold. First, the statistics 

and trends described in this report for bankfull discharge can 

be compared to this larger, more robust data set of measured 

values with greater spatial coverage. Second, the variability 

in hydrologic data of a discharge approximating bankfull 

for a large area can be analyzed by comparison with a wellpopulated data set. This analysis is relevant not only for the 

discharge regional curve, but for the regional curves developed 

in this study for other dependent variables that are inherently 

related to discharge.

Regression Model for the 1.5-Year Discharge for 

Streamflow-Gaging Stations Throughout Virginia

A frequency analysis was performed for every station 

in Virginia for which peak flow data have been collected (n 

= 486) following procedures described in the section “Identification of Bankfull Stage.” A regression model relating the 

1.5-year discharge to drainage area was developed for this data 

set (fig. 8). The power function for this relation is:

Q1.5 = 75.200(DA)0.7243 (1)

Where Q1.5 is the 1.5-year discharge, in ft3/s, and

 DA is drainage area, in mi2.

The R2 value for this relation is 0.8717, the residual standard error is 78.2 percent, and the F-statistic is 3,214. A K-S 

goodness-of-fit test reveals that the residuals of this data set 

are not log-normally distributed (p < 0.001). These diagnostics 

are similar to those of the regional curve relating bankfull discharge to drainage area, except for a higher F-statistic, which 

indicates a more significant model, and a higher residual standard error, which indicates more dispersion of data around the 

regression line. These results support the assumption that the 

regional curve for discharge is representative of the relation 

between drainage area and discharge. The R2 value is lower 

for equation 1 than for the bankfull discharge regional curve 

because the latter represents only one physiographic province, 

but the former represents an entire state.

Basin characteristics for many of the basins included in 

the Virginia statewide model are not available. However, it 

is possible to examine the variability in discharge related to 

drainage area for this model. A plot of the residuals of the 

1.5-year discharge regression model in relation to drainage 

area (fig. 9) shows that as drainage area increases, the variability in residuals decreases. In other words, the variability of 

residuals is greater in the 1.5-year discharge regression model 

for smaller basins. A similar pattern can be seen when the 

bankfull discharge regional curve residuals are plotted against 

drainage area (fig. 7D). Although the size of the data set used 

for development of the regional curves is insufficient to properly analyze this phenomenon, analysis of the larger data set 

of 1.5-year discharges indicates that the relation between basin 

size and residuals variability should be considered by users of 

regional curves (see “Drainage Basin Size and Variability of 

Bankfull Characteristics”).

1.5-Year Discharge Regression Model for 

Streamflow-Gaging Stations in the Southern 

and Central Sections of the Valley and Ridge 

Physiographic Province

It was not possible to determine if the regional curves 

developed in this study should be divided into separate sets of 

equations for the southern and central sections of the Valley 

and Ridge Physiographic Province because of the limited data 

set available. A larger data set (n = 147) of 1.5-year discharge 

data for all stations in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic 

Province in Virginia was analyzed to determine if there was a 

difference in this variable in relation to drainage area between 

the southern and central sections. A regression model was 

developed for the 1.5-year discharge for every station in the 

province in Virginia. A plot of the regression model with 

unique symbols for points in the southern and central sections 

is shown in figure 10. The equation for this model is:

Q1.5 = 41.076(DA)0.8563 (2)

Where Q1.5 is the 1.5-year discharge, in ft3/s, and

 DA is drainage area, in mi2. 

The R2 value for this model is 0.9257, the F-statistic is 

1806.0, and the residual standard error is 22.3 percent. The 

regression diagnostics indicate a highly significant model that 

fits the 1.5-year data set. A K-S goodness-of-fit test indicates 

that the residuals of this data set are not log-normally distributed (p = 0.07). The R2

 value of this model is higher than the 

model for stations throughout Virginia (equation 1) most likely 

because this model was developed with data from a particular 

physiographic province. 

This data set includes 1.5-year discharge values for 107 

stations in the central section and 40 stations in the south-
Analysis of Regional Curves 21

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Figure 8. Regression model of 1.5-year discharge in relation to drainage area for every streamflow-gaging station 

with peak flow data in Virginia.

Figure 9. Regression residuals of 1.5-year discharge model in relation to drainage area.
22 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

ern section of the province. An analysis of covariance was 

performed between 1.5-year discharge regression models for 

these two data sets to determine if there was a difference in 

intercept or slope between the two. Results indicate that there 

is no statistical difference in either slope or intercept between 

the two data sets at the 95-percent confidence level (all p-values were greater than 0.05). Although the 1.5-year discharge 

is only an approximation of the bankfull discharge, the results 

of this analysis support the conclusion that the regional curve 

for discharge developed in this study should not be separated 

into two separate models for the southern and central sections. 

Because the other independent variables for which regional 

curves were developed are related to discharge, these results 

also support combining the other regional curves for the central and southern sections. 

Comparison of Regional Curves with Other Data 

Sets of Bankfull Characteristics

The regional curves developed in this study were compared to other discharge and channel geometry regression 

models for the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province. 

Specifically, the four regional curves were compared to data 

collected for bankfull discharge and cross-sectional geometry 

for the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Pennsylvania (J. C. Chaplin, USGS, written commun., 2004) and to 

the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province data points from 

a recent study of Maryland streams conducted by the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (McCandless, 2003). Analysis 

of covariance was performed to determine if there were differences in slope or intercept between the regional curves developed for the present study and those of the regression models 

developed from data from either of the other studies.

Regression models developed with the USFWS data

(n = 5) were compared to the regional curves developed for 

this study because the current study area included the Maryland Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province. There was no 

statistical difference in slope or intercept at the 5-percent significance level (all p-values were greater than 0.05) between 

the regression lines for USFWS data for cross-sectional area, 

width, mean depth, and discharge and the regional curves for 

the same parameters developed for the current study.

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Figure 10. Regression model of 1.5-year discharge in relation to drainage area for streamflow-gaging 

stations in the Southern and Central Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Virginia.
Summary and Conclusions 23

The USGS Pennsylvania data (n = 28) were compared in 

a similar manner to the current study data and to the current 

study data combined with the USFWS data. This was done 

to allow for a statistical comparison of all available data for 

the Valley and Ridge Province in the four states (Maryland, 

Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) to determine if a 

single set of regional curves would be appropriate to describe 

channel geometry and discharge for the large region. In all 

cases, there was no statistical difference in slope or intercept at 

the 5-percent significance level (all p-values were greater than 

0.05).

The similarity of the regional curves of the current study 

to regression models developed for data sets of the USFWS in 

Maryland and the USGS in Pennsylvania has two important 

implications. First, these data sets were collected independently by at least five separate field teams, which suggests 

that the methods used are consistent and repeatable. Second, 

these results indicate that, in general, the relations of bankfull 

discharge and cross-sectional geometry to drainage area are 

similar throughout the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in these four states.

Quality Assurance

A quality-assurance protocol was established for this 

project to assess the variability in the measurements that were 

made by various field teams. Three sites were resurveyed by 

a different field team. Specifically, a team from each USGS 

office surveyed one of the sites originally studied by another 

office. The USGS Maryland team resurveyed a site originally 

surveyed for the Pennsylvania regional curves study. Two sites 

from the present study were resurveyed–the USGS Virginia 

team resurveyed a site in West Virginia and the USGS West 

Virginia team resurveyed a site in Virginia. Results of the 

quality-assurance surveys show that, except for the bankfull 

cross-sectional area at station 02053800, South Fork Roanoke 

River near Shawsville, Va., all quality-assurance measurements were within plus or minus 26 percent of the original 

values (table 9).

Summary and Conclusions

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with 

the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of 

Highways; the Natural Resources Conservation Service; and 

Canaan Valley Institute, undertook a two-year study to develop 

regional curves that relate bankfull discharge and channel 

geometry to drainage area for the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

This study took place from 2002 to 2004 and included an 

assessment of 41 stream reaches at streamflow-gaging stations. Each assessment included a channel geometry survey, 

estimation of bankfull discharge, and analysis of riffle bed 

material. From the data collected, simple linear regression 

models were developed for bankfull cross-sectional area, 

width, mean depth, and discharge with respect to drainage 

area for the Valley and Ridge Province in these three states. 

These regression models, called regional curves, may be used 

to calibrate field-identified bankfull characteristics of ungaged 

streams.

Geographic analysis of regional curve residuals indicated 

that there were no further subdivisions within the Valley and 

Ridge Physiographic Province in the three-state study area for 

which individual sets of regional curves should be developed. 

In addition, two separate sets of regional curves were developed with data from the 41 sites to examine potential differences in the relations between the southern (n = 9) and central 

(n = 32) sections of the province. There were differences in 

slope and intercept between the two bankfull discharge test 

relations and a difference in intercept for the width test relations at the 95-percent confidence level. However, the results 

of this analysis were inconclusive and therefore separate 

regional curves were not developed for the Central and Southern Valley and Ridge.

The regional curves developed for this study show that 

drainage area explained from 86 to 95 percent of the variability in bankfull characteristics. Basin characteristics of 

each stream in the study, such as percentage basin forested 

and percentage of basin underlain by carbonate bedrock, were 

analyzed to determine potential causes of the remaining variability in the regional curves. The only basin characteristic 

that was significant in the study data set was percentage of 

Table 9. Results of bankfull discharge, bankfull channel geometry, and D50 (median particle size of streambed material) for quality-assurance 

(QA) surveys and surveys for three study sites in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Station

number

Bankfull cross-sectional area Bankfull width Bankfull depth Bankfull discharge D50

Study

survey

Quality

assurance

Percent

difference

Study

survey

Quality

assurance

Percent

difference

Study

survey

Quality

assurance

Percent

difference

Study

survey

Quality

assurance

Percent

difference

Study

survey

Quality

assurance

Percent

difference

01567500 108 101 -6.85 43.2 32.1 -25.7 2.5 3.1 25.2 424 376 -11.3 71.0 57.0 -19.7

01609800 393 452 14.9 90.9 97.4 7.15 4.3 4.6 6.98 2,830 2,540 -10.2 73.1 68.3 -6.6

02053800 519 315 -39.3 113 82.9 -26.4 4.6 3.8 -17.4 2,390 1,840 -23.0 65.7 52.6 -19.9
24 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

basin underlain by carbonate bedrock (percent carbonate). 

Multivariate regression equations including a term for percent 

carbonate were developed and had higher R2 values and lower 

residual standard error than the regional curves. However, 

these small improvements did not warrant separation of the 

regional curves in terms of the amount of carbonate bedrock 

in the basin. Users of the regional curves should be aware that 

basins underlain by carbonate bedrock may have different 

runoff responses than those underlain by noncarbonate bedrock. Therefore, the regional curves may over-predict bankfull 

discharges and cross-sectional geometry for streams underlain 

by carbonate bedrock. 

A relation between size of the drainage basin and the 

variability of residuals was also demonstrated in two regression models relating a specific discharge to drainage area. The 

residuals of regression models developed for this study for 

bankfull discharge and the 1.5-year discharge of every station 

in Virginia with peak flow data were plotted against drainage 

area. These plots indicated that as drainage area increases, 

variability in the discharge (and, potentially, channel geometry 

variables) decreases. Users should be aware of the potential 

for greater variability in the magnitude of observed bankfull 

characteristics in relation to regional curve best-fit lines for 

smaller streams. 

The regional curves were compared to similar regression models developed for data collected in Maryland by 

the USFWS and in Pennsylvania by the USGS. The regional 

curves developed for the current study were not significantly different from those developed for the other data sets. 

Although the regional curves developed in this study should 

not be expected to identify bankfull characteristics with precision, they are an important tool for stream assessment. The 

curves may be used in conjunction with detailed studies of 

fluvial systems and their drainage basins to estimate bankfull 

discharge and channel geometry characteristics.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the following individuals for technical support on this project: Harold Henderlite, 

John Jastram, Karl Dydak, Roger Starsoneck, Jeffrey Griffith, 

Charles Strain, Stephen Baker, Douglas Chambers, Jeremy 

White, Kurt McCoy, James Scott, and Alan Simpson of the 

USGS; Willard Smith and David Byrd of the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service; Jonathan Stauffer, Carolyn Browder, and 

Michael Keeler of the Virginia Department of Environmental 

Quality; and Louise Finger of the Virginia Department of 

Game and Inland Fisheries. Jeffrey Wiley, USGS, is acknowledged for his work in helping to design the study. Jeffrey 

Chaplin, USGS, and Tess Wynn, Virginia Polytechnic Institute 

and State University Department of Biological Systems Engineering, are acknowledged for providing technical reviews of 

this report. Edward Koerkle, USGS, provided invaluable guidance on statistical analysis of data for this project.

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Appendix

Station Descriptions and Photographs, Longitudinal Profiles, Riffle Cross 

Sections, and Bed Material Particle-Size Distributions of Study Reaches
28 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01601500

Wills Creek near Cumberland, Md.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station is located approximately 500 ft downstream of a highway bridge. Low-flow 

data show some slight fluctuations caused by work at an upstream quarry.

The stream was entrenched by a roadway embankment on the right and a railroad embankment on the left. This site is the most 

entrenched site in the study and the only site classified as an F stream type according to the Rosgen (1996) classification system. 

The bankfull discharge is constricted on the right bank by a high embankment and a roadway, and unconstricted on the left bank. 

Flows significantly greater than bankfull are also constricted on the left bank by a railroad embankment. The main bankfull 

features in the channel were breaks in bank slope and the top of the bank. The bed was mostly cobble with some small boulders. 

Both banks were heavily forested with trees and small woody vegetation and there were few signs of bank erosion. The study 

reach was wide and shallow, fairly straight, and had a mild slope.

View looking downstream at reach for Willis Creek near Cumberland, Md.
Appendix 29

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Figure A1. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Wills Creek near Cumberland, Md., August 5, 2003.
30 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01605500

South Branch Potomac River at Franklin, W. Va.

The continuous record streamflow-gaging station is approximately 150 ft upstream from a bridge that may have a slight backwater effect at the bankfull discharge. 

The bankfull channel was well defined through the upstream half of the reach, primarily by the top of the bank. In the downstream half of the reach, which included the station location, bankfull channel indicators were poorly defined. The banks of 

the upstream half of the reach were low and showed little erosion. In this section, the right bank vegetation was predominantly 

grass and the left bank was wooded. The downstream half of the reach was a gorge, with steep rocky banks on both sides. In the 

upstream half of the reach, the flood plain on the right side of the stream channel was a wide pasture. The left side of the stream 

channel was bordered by a steep hill. In the downstream part of the reach, no flood plain was present. The hill on the left side of 

the channel contained riprap from the adjacent highway. The bed material was predominantly bedrock with some coarse gravel 

and cobble. The reach was very straight and had a mild slope.

View looking downstream at reach of South Branch Potomac River at Franklin, W.Va.
Appendix 31

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Figure A2. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of South Branch Potomac River at Franklin, W.Va., October 31, 2003.
32 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01607500

South Fork South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine, W. Va.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station was approximately 100 ft upstream from a bridge that may have had a slight 

backwater effect on the bankfull discharge. The stage-discharge relation for this station was changed substantially in February 

2003, when a flow event deposited a significant amount of coarse sediment on a mid-channel bar. Prior to this event, the discharge for the bankfull stage (gage height of 4.09 ft) was 1,529 cfs. Following this event, discharge at the same gage height was 

1,195 cfs. The latter discharge is reported as bankfull in this report because it was current at the time of the survey. However, the 

channel may be adjusted to a larger discharge.

The channel was relatively wide and shallow. The main bankfull features in the reach were the top of the bank and changes in 

bank slope. Several changes in slope were present in the stream banks through most of the reach. The banks showed little erosion, and were rocky and well vegetated, primarily with trees. The bed material was primarily coarse gravel and cobble with 

sections of exposed bedrock. The flood plain on the right side of the stream channel was a wide field with houses, yards, and a 

school. The left side of the stream channel was bordered by a steep hill. The study reach was very straight and had a mild slope.

View looking downstream at reach of South Fork South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine, W.Va.
Appendix 33

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Figure A3. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of South Fork South Branch Potomac River at Brandywine, W.Va., May 1, 2003.
34 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01609000

Town Creek near Oldtown, Md.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station is located 2,000 ft downstream of a single-span highway bridge. The bankfull 

discharge is unconstricted downstream from the bridge.

The study reach was very straight. The main bankfull features in the study reach were breaks in bank slope and the top of the 

bank. Much of the bed material consisted of large cobbles and very coarse gravel. Bedrock outcrops were present in many areas 

of the channel bed and all along the right bank. The stream banks were vegetated with grass, small woody vegetation, and some 

trees. There was little evidence of erosion on the banks. The flood plain on the left side was flat to gently sloping and mostly 

cleared for residential land use. The stream was bordered on the right by wooded, rocky bluffs. The stream was wide and shallow and in some places had vegetation growing from the stream bed. The study reach had a mild slope.

View looking downstream at reach of Town Creek near Oldtown, Md.
Appendix 35

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Figure A4. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Town Creek near Oldtown, Md., April 29, 2003.
36 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01609800

Little Cacapon River near Levels, W. Va.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station is approximately 20 ft downstream from a bridge that is not likely to affect the 

bankfull. The station was last active in 1977, and the last discharge measurement above a wading stage was made in 1972.

The bankfull channel was not clearly defined throughout most of the reach. The primary bankfull indicators used were breaks in 

bank slope. Several changes in slope were present at different elevations in the stream banks through most of the reach. Those 

that were the most consistent and fell within the range of stages representing the 1- and 2-year discharges were used to define 

bankfull stage. The banks showed little erosion, and were well vegetated with trees and bushes. The flood plain on the right side 

of the stream channel was a wide field that was planted in corn at the time of the survey. The left side of the stream channel was 

bordered by a steep hill. The channel was mostly straight and the bed was predominantly made up of small cobble and some 

gravel, and bedrock was exposed in some sections of the channel. The slope of the study reach was mild.

No photo available
Appendix 37

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Figure A5. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Little Cacapon River near Levels, W.Va., August 26, 2004.
38 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01613160

Potomac River tributary near Hancock, Md.

The crest-stage partial-record streamflow-gaging station on Potomac River tributary was used to monitor peak gage heights and 

discharge during water years 1965 to 1976. The station is located just upstream of a circular concrete pipe culvert. The culvert 

may constrict the bankfull discharge slightly. However, backwater should be minimal due to a water-surface slope that typically 

exceeds 2 percent. Streamflow-measurement data indicate a combination of conventional discharge measurements and flowthrough-culvert indirect discharge measurements that were used to calibrate a theoretical culvert rating for the site.

This stream was narrow and entrenched and is the only stream in the study classified as a G type according to the Rosgen (1996) 

classification system. However, it is very only slightly too entrenched to be a B. The bankfull channel was defined throughout 

the reach by field indicators such as breaks in bank slope or top of bank. The bankfull channel in the vicinity of the station location was clearly defined by these indicators. The stream bed was primarily composed of gravel and small cobble. There were 

some boulders and bedrock present and a large amount of woody debris. The channel was very straight and both banks were 

well vegetated with trees and small woody vegetation. The flood plains on either side were quite steep and wooded.

View looking upstream at reach of Potomac River tributary near Hancock, Md.
Appendix 39

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Figure A6. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Potomac River tributary near Hancock, Md., May 1, 2003.
40 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01613900

Hogue Creek near Hayfield, Va.

The streamflow-gaging station at this site was originally operated as a continuous-record station but was discontinued in 1986. 

Operation began again as a continuous-record station in 1992. The station is on the right bank just upstream of a concrete bridge. 

A tributary enters the stream between the bridge and the station. There are no bridge piers in the channel and the bridge does not 

appear to restrict flow at bankfull stage.

The stream was a relatively narrow riffle–run dominated system with few pools. The dominant bed material was large gravel. 

The slope of the channel was mild. In many places in the channel bedrock was exposed, sometimes resulting in cascades. There 

was significant erosion along the channel, especially where buffers were absent. Some sections, however, had as much as 15 ft of 

buffer with woody and herbaceous vegetation. The primary bankfull feature at the site was the top of the bank. There were few 

stable bankfull indicators at riffles, most of which are bedrock cascades. The downstream portion of the study reach included a 

sizable secondary channel. Erosion, cascade riffles, dense vegetation, and the secondary channel made identification of bankfull 

features at the site difficult. The flood plains were mostly flat and used for home sites and farm lands.

View looking upstream at reach of Hogue Creek near Hayfield, Va.
Appendix 41

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Figure A7. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Hogue Creek near Hayfield, Va., June 12, 2003.
42 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01614000

Back Creek near Jones Springs, W. Va.

This continuous record streamflow-gaging station is approximately 50 ft downstream from a bridge that has a likely effect on the 

bankfull discharge due to constriction of higher flows causing a backwater effect. Therefore, the study reach did not include any 

points upstream from the bridge. The station has been discontinued since 1975.

Bankfull features were difficult to identify in the study reach but the most common ones used were changes in bank slope. The 

flood plain on the left side of the stream channel was a wide field, used as a hayfield at the time of the study. The right side of 

the stream channel was bordered by a steep hill. The channel banks were vegetated with trees and small woody vegetation. The 

study reach was sinuous and had a gentle slope. The channel was relatively narrow and deep and much of it was a long pool. The 

bed material was composed primarily of gravel. Some areas of exposed bedrock were observed in the study reach.

No photo available
Appendix 43

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Figure A8. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Back Creek near Jones Spring, W.Va., September 17, 2003.
44 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01617800

Marsh Run at Grimes, Md.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station is located approximately 250 ft upstream from a highway bridge. The bridge 

does not appear to constrict the bankfull discharge. 

The reach was fairly straight and ran along a road. The primary bankfull indicators at the site included breaks in bank slope. 

The size of the bed material varied significantly throughout the reach and included sand, gravel, cobble, and bedrock. In some 

locations, soft limestone bedrock was visible. At the upper end of the study reach, the channel seemed to be actively adjusting to 

a drop structure located upstream of a foot bridge. The banks were tree-lined in many areas, but where they were not vegetated, 

scouring had occurred. The study reach was relatively narrow and deep, moderately sinuous, and had a mild slope. The flood 

plains were flat on both sides.

View looking downstream at reach of Marsh Run at Grimes, Md.
Appendix 45

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Figure A9. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Marsh Run at Grimes, Md., January 13, 2003.
46 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01619475

Dog Creek Tributary near Locust Grove, Md.

The crest-stage streamflow-gaging station is located just upstream from a circular concrete pipe culvert. The culvert will constrict the bankfull discharge with a small amount of backwater upstream of the station. Flow-through-culvert indirect discharge 

measurements were used to calibrate a theoretical culvert rating.

The bankfull channel was defined throughout most of the reach by field indicators such as breaks in bank slope. The bankfull channel in the vicinity of the crest-stage streamflow-gaging station was poorly defined because of the hydraulic effects of 

the culvert, and a road drain near the culvert opening. The study reach began approximately 32 ft upstream of the culvert and 

extended upstream to a spring head, where the stream channel ends. Some bank erosion was present in the channel. The channel is relatively narrow and deep. The study reach was fairly sinuous and the slope was mild to moderate. The bed was gravel 

dominated and both banks were very well forested. There was no bedrock observed in the channel. The flood plains beyond the 

buffer were mostly flat and used as pastures.

View looking upstream at reach of Dog Creek Tributary near Locust Grove, Md.
Appendix 47

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Figure A10. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Dog Creek tributary near Locust Grove, Md., January 6, 2003.
48 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01620500

North River near Stokesville, Va. 

This site is a continuous-record streamflow-gaging station. The station is approximately 250 ft upstream from a bridge. The 

bridge may cause slight backwater effect at bankfull discharge.

The channel had been modified following a major flood in 1985, and, in some sections, the top of the bank appeared to have 

been formed by heavy equipment. The bankfull channel was wide and shallow but poorly defined throughout most of the study 

reach. The main bankfull indicator used was change in bank slope. In some sections, the bankfull channel appeared to have 

been formed by the stream inside the larger, artificial channel. Several changes in slope were present at different elevations in 

the stream banks through most of the reach, and the true bankfull feature was difficult to identify. Although the banks were well 

vegetated with trees in some parts of the reach, they were poorly vegetated in others. In these areas, the banks were eroded and 

showed signs of mass wasting. The bed material was primarily cobble with no exposed bedrock. The flood plain on the right 

side of the stream channel was a wide forested field. The left side of the stream channel was bordered by a forested flood plain 

in the upstream three-fourths of the reach, and by a cliff at the downstream end of the reach. The channel was fairly straight and 

had a mild to moderate slope.

View looking downstream at reach of North River near Stokesville, Va.
Appendix 49

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Figure A11. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of North River near Stokesville, Va., August 5, 2003.
50 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01624800

Christians Creek near Fishersville, Va.

The streamflow-gaging station at this site was discontinued in 1997. It is located on the right bank in a bend adjacent to an old 

bridge. There is not likely any effect from the bridge on the bankfull discharge.

The site was surrounded by farm lands including an active horse farm adjacent to the upstream end of the reach. The channel 

was fairly narrow and deep. There was very little riparian buffer on either side of the reach because cleared farm lands extend to 

the channel on both sides. There was significant herbaceous and some woody vegetation on both banks. The banks are relatively 

stable but there were some areas of scour, especially under the bridge near the station. The flood plains on both sides were flat. 

The stream bed was mostly coarse gravel and small cobble with a significant number of riffles and pools. There were sections of 

exposed bedrock along the stream bed throughout the reach. Many of the riffles were located in bends and had adjacent gravely 

point bars. The primary bankfull indicator at the site was the top of the bank. The study reach had a few mild bends but was 

mostly straight. The slope was mild.

View looking downstream at reach of Christians Creek near Fishersville, Va.
Appendix 51

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Figure A12. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Christians Creek near Fishersville, Va., November 3, 2003.
52 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01627500

South River at Harriston, Va.

The streamflow-gaging station at this site is located approximately 100 ft downstream of a highway bridge. The bridge may 

impede high flows somewhat, but should not cause a significant backwater effect at bankfull discharge. The study reach did not 

include the station location because of a deep, unwadable pool at the bridge.

The study reach was a relatively wide, shallow, riffle–run dominated system with large boulders and outcrops of bedrock. There 

was also a significant amount of cobble bed material throughout the reach. The channel banks were densely vegetated on either 

side with trees and other woody and herbaceous vegetation and there was little indication of erosion. The flood plains were 

mostly flat and cleared for farm and residential use beyond the buffers. The reach was straight except for one large bend and the 

slope was mild. The primary bankfull features throughout the site were the top of bank or a bench feature below a terrace.

View looking upstream at reach of South River at Harriston, Va.
Appendix 53

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Figure A13. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of South River at Harriston, Va., July 8, 2004.
54 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01632000

North Fork Shenandoah River at Cootes Store, Va.

The continuous record streamflow-gaging station is located on the left bank near a bridge. The bridge deck is far above the water 

surface but there are two piers in the channel. The bridge may cause minimal backwater effects on bankfull flows.

The study reach was wide and relatively deep. The width of the riparian buffers on either side varied and consisted of trees, and 

small woody and herbaceous vegetation. The banks were relatively stable but there were some areas of scour, especially under 

the bridge near the station. The stream bed was mostly coarse gravel and small cobble with a significant number of riffles and 

pools. The downstream section was a very long, deep pool created by a natural dam held up by bedrock. There were sections of 

exposed bedrock along the stream bed throughout the reach. There were point bars and mid-channel bars of cobble throughout 

the reach. The primary bankfull indicator at the site was the top of the bank. The flood plains were gently sloping and became 

flat farther from the channel. The study reach was surrounded by development including an auto repair shop. The upstream section was adjacent to a field with row crops. The study reach was very straight and the slope was mild.

View looking upstream at reach of North Fork Shenandoah River at Cootes Store, Va.
Appendix 55

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Figure A14. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of the North Fork Shenandoah River at Cootes Store, Va., August 9, 2004.
56 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01632082

Linville Creek at Broadway, Va.

This continuous-record streamflow-gaging station is located on the left bank approximately 200 ft downstream of a bridge. The 

bridge is a steel suspension bridge and is not likely to impact flows.

The channel was a fairly straight, bedrock-controlled channel with some cobbles and gravel. A large terrace ran along the left 

side of the channel. The main bankfull features were a bench below the top of the bank in places where the stream is entrenched, 

and the top of the bank in other places. The banks of the channel were poorly vegetated with sparse trees and grass. However, 

very little bank erosion was observed. The flood plain was flat and cleared on both sides. The upstream portion of the reach ran 

next to a factory that is situated approximately 300 ft upstream of the bridge. The study reach was very straight and had a mild 

slope.

View looking upstream at reach of Linville Creek at Broadway, Va.
Appendix 57

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Figure A15. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Linville Creek at Broadway, Va., February 1, 2004.
58 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01632900

Smith Creek near New Market, Va.

This streamflow-gaging station is located just upstream of a highway bridge. The bridge has a pier at both edges of the stream 

that does not likely cause a significant backwater effect.

The stream was a fairly wide, shallow channel with nearly vertical banks on both sides. The banks were fairly stable but there 

was evidence of mild erosion. The stream bed was composed of bedrock covered with gravel and some small cobble. Many 

separate riffles were present in the reach surveyed with fewer well-defined pools. A large pool at the downstream end of the survey was too deep to wade (possibly 5 to 6 ft deep). The stream has mild to moderate sinuosity at this location and a mild slope. 

A 60- to 150-ft buffer of trees and small woody and herbaceous vegetation ran along the entire left bank, but the right bank had 

much less riparian vegetation. Crop fields extended to within 20 ft of the left bank. The primary bankfull indicator at the site was 

the top of the bank. At some locations, the top of the bank was 1 to 2 ft lower than most sections. A moderately sloped flood 

plain existed on the left side while the right flood plain was fairly flat.

View looking upstream at reach of Smith Creek near New Market, Va.
Appendix 59

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Figure A16. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Smith Creek near New Market, Va., November 4, 2003.
60 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01632970

Crooked Run near Mt. Jackson, Va.

This site has a crest-stage streamflow-gaging station on both the upstream and downstream side of a set of four box culverts. The 

right two box culverts are silted in and the right side of the channel downstream of the culverts has narrowed so that only two of 

the box culverts convey any of the flow. The culverts are likely to restrict flow at higher discharges including bankfull.

The stream channel downstream of the culverts had mostly stable banks and was more narrow and deep than the upstream section. Upstream of the culverts, the channel was less stable with significant erosion on the banks and short sections of failing 

banks. Most of the channel had pools, riffles, runs, and glides. Approximately 600 ft downstream of the culverts, the slope of the 

channel increased significantly and became dominated by riffle and run bed morphology. The stream was not surveyed beyond 

this point. The study reach bed material was mostly gravel with some cobble and a few instances of exposed bedrock. Most of 

the length of the study reach had a 10- to 20-ft wide buffer of herbaceous and woody vegetation. Land beyond the buffer on both 

sides of the channel was mostly flat and has been cleared for use as pastures. The primary bankfull indicators along the reach 

were the top of bank and a stable bankfull bench. The study reach was relatively narrow and deep, very straight, and had a mild 

slope.

View looking upstream at reach of Crooked Run near Mt. Jackson, Va.
Appendix 61

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Figure A17. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Crooked Run near Mt. Jackson, Va., June 13, 2003.
62 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01633650

Pugh’s Run near Woodstock, Va.

This site has a crest-stage streamflow-gaging station installed on both the upstream and downstream side of a box culvert. The 

rating for this station is theoretical, which results in a greater uncertainty in the relation of stage to discharge.

There were strong bankfull features at the site, primarily the top of a stable bench. The study reach was straight, fairly wide and 

shallow and had predominantly very large gravel and small cobble bed material. The overall slope of the stream was moderate 

but there was a break in slope where the gradient became less steep about halfway through the study reach. The stream was a 

riffle–run dominated system. Of the few pools present, the pool just downstream of the culvert was by far the largest in area and 

the deepest. Sections of the channel had exposed bedrock forming cascades. In these sections the local slope was very steep. 

Both sides had buffers with plentiful woody and herbaceous vegetation and flat to gently sloping floodplains. Portions of the 

banks above the bankfull stage had significant erosion, most likely caused by bank sloughing. Below bankfull stage there was 

little erosion.

View looking upstream at reach of Pugh’s Run near Woodstock, Va.
Appendix 63

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Figure A18. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Pugh’s Run near Woodstock, Va., June 12, 2003.
64 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01634500

Cedar Creek near Winchester, Va.

The streamflow-gaging station at this site is located 1600 ft upstream of the bridge. This station is a long running continuousrecord station.

Between the bridge and the station there was a section of gorge with large boulders in the channel and deep, slow-moving water. 

The gorge ended approximately 750 ft downstream of the bridge. The channel upstream of the gorge for several thousand feet 

was similar to the section near the station. The banks through the study reach were fairly high, indicating that the channel was 

somewhat incised. There was significant erosion on the banks, making it difficult to find bankfull features. The only bankfull 

feature found was a break in slope near the top of the bank. The channel had a riparian buffer on either side 5 to 20 ft wide 

which consisted of woody and herbaceous vegetation. On either side of the channel, pasture lands extended for hundreds of 

feet beyond the buffers. The bed material in the channel was primarily large gravel and small cobbles. No exposed bedrock was 

observed. The stream was a riffle/run dominated system with few pools. At the downstream end of the study reach a large steep 

riffle ended in a long, deep section of pool. The stream was fairly straight through the study section and had a mild gradient.

View looking upstream at reach of Cedar Creek near Winchester, Va.
Appendix 65

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Figure A19. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Cedar Creek near Winchester, Va., January 21, 2004.
66 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 01635500

Passage Creek near Buckton, Va.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station at this site is approximately 300 ft upstream of a bridge which is not likely to 

impede flow at bankfull discharge.

The stream was fairly deep, including a pool at the bridge that was not wadable. The few riffles in the stream were long. There 

were very few pools. The upstream portion of the study reach was braided, though on the day of the survey only the main channel conveyed water. Bankfull features were difficult to find in the braided section. In the downstream section, near the station, 

the primary bankfull feature was the top of the bank. The bed material was composed primarily of cobble with some gravel, 

small boulders, and bedrock. Both banks were heavily vegetated with trees and other woody vegetation. The flood plains bordering the channel were mostly flat and wooded or cleared and used as a home site. There was one major bend in the study reach; 

otherwise it was very straight. The slope of the channel was mild.

View looking downstream at reach of Passage Creek near Buckton, Va.
Appendix 67

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Figure A20. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of the Passage Creek near Buckton, Va., July 7, 2004.
68 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 02011400

Jackson River near Bacova, Va.

The continuous–record streamflow-gaging station at this site is approximately 2,000 ft downstream from a low-water bridge and 

there are no other structures in the reach. 

The channel was riffle–run dominated. The bankfull channel was well defined throughout most of the reach primarily by 

changes in bank slope or the top of the bank. Several changes in slope were present in the stream banks through most of the 

reach, although a primary indicator was often clearly defined. The banks were vegetated with trees but there was little undergrowth. They were rocky and stable. The channel bed was cobble and small boulders with some bedrock outcrops. The study 

reach was very straight with a mild slope. The flood plains were mildly sloped and mostly forested.

View looking downstream at reach of Jackson River near Bacova, Va.
Appendix 69

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Figure A21. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Jackson River near Bacova, Va., September 18, 2003.
70 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 02013000

Dunlap Creek near Covington, Va.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station is approximately 50 ft downstream from a bridge that likely has little effect on 

the bankfull discharge in the survey reach. 

The bankfull channel was fairly well defined throughout most of the reach primarily by changes in bank slope. Several changes 

in slope were present in the stream banks through most of the reach, but a consistent break was surveyed as the bankfull feature. 

The banks were forested with trees but there was little undergrowth. They were rocky and appeared stable. The channel bed was 

mostly cobble and some gravel with sections of exposed bedrock. The study reach was fairly sinuous and the slope was mild. 

The channel was bordered on the right side by steep hills, and on the left side by a wide, forested flood plain.

View looking downstream at reach of Dunlap Creek near Covington, Va.
Appendix 71

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Figure A22. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Dunlap Creek near Covington, Va., August 7, 2003.
72 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 02014000

Potts Creek near Covington, Va.

The streamflow-gaging station is approximately 50 ft downstream from a bridge that likely has little effect on the stage-discharge relation at bankfull discharge. 

The bankfull features were difficult to identify throughout most of the reach. Field indicators used included changes in bank 

slope and top of the bank. Several breaks in slope of benches were present along the banks through most of the reach. The banks 

were lightly forested with dense undergrowth. The banks upstream from the bridge showed little erosion, but the banks downstream from the bridge had several slumps and rotational failures. The study reach was moderately sinuous and had a mild slope. 

The bed material was mostly coarse gravel and cobble. The stream channel upstream from the bridge was bordered on the right 

side by a narrow flood plain, and on the left side by a hill with a flat shelf about 25 ft above the stream bed. The stream channel 

downstream from the bridge also had narrow flood plains on both sides.

View looking upstream at reach of Potts Creek near Covington, Va.
Appendix 73

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Figure A23. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Potts Creek near Covington, Va., September 16, 2003.
74 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 02015600

Cowpasture River near Head Waters, Va.

 The crest-stage streamflow-gaging station was attached to the downstream wing wall of the left-descending abutment of a now 

removed bridge. The constriction of flow at the old bridge span probably results in backwater at higher flows. The station was in 

operation as a crest-stage station at the time of the survey.

The bankfull channel was well defined below the abandoned bridge abutment, but not above the abutment, due to construction 

of a newer bridge and cattle grazing in the riparian zone and channel. The bankfull channel was well defined throughout most of 

the reach by field indicators such as changes in substrate and bank slope. The banks showed little erosion. The stream channel 

was bordered on the right side by a flood plain, which was wooded and with a dense understory. The stream channel was bordered on the left side by a hillside which became very steep in the lower section of the reach. The study reach was fairly sinuous 

and had a mild slope. The bed material was primarily cobble. No bedrock was observed in the study reach.

View looking downstream at reach of Cowpasture River near Head Waters, Va.
Appendix 75

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Figure A24. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Cowpasture River near Head Waters, Va., July 23, 2003.
76 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 02015700

Bullpasture River at Williamsville, Va.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station at this site is approximately 50 ft downstream from a highway bridge. The 

bridge likely has little backwater effect on the bankfull discharge at the station, but may create substantial backwater upstream 

from the bridge. The study reach was discontinued approximately 200 ft upstream of the bridge.

The bankfull channel was well defined throughout most of the reach by field indicators such as changes in bank slope and top 

of the bank. Several changes in slope were present in the stream banks through most of the reach, but on the right bank, the top 

of the bank was especially distinct in the downstream third of the reach. The banks were rocky and lightly forested with dense 

undergrowth. The stream channel was bordered on the right side by a flood plain, which contained some houses and yards at the 

time of the survey. The stream channel was bordered on the left side by a hill. The bed materials were large cobble and small 

boulders. Bedrock was observed in the channel bed in sections of the reach. The study reach was moderately sinuous and the 

gradient was mild.

View looking downstream at reach of Bullpasture River at Williamsville, Va.
Appendix 77

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Figure A25. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Bullpasture River at Williamsville, Va., July 21, 2003.
78 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 02018500

Catawba Creek near Catawba, Va.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station is approximately 150 ft downstream from a bridge that likely has little effect 

on the stage-discharge relation at bankfull discharge, and about 200 ft upstream from another bridge that may create a substantial backwater at bankfull discharge. The survey reach included the first bridge, but not the second.

The bankfull channel was well defined throughout most of the reach by field indicators such as changes in bank slope, although 

the bankfull channel was poorly defined in the section between the two bridges. Several changes in slope were present in the 

stream banks through most of the reach, but a primary feature, a distinct change in slope near the top of the bank, was present in 

most of the reach. The banks were rocky, with numerous bedrock outcrops. The banks were forested with trees and other woody 

vegetation. The banks showed little erosion, except for a section of the left bank in the upstream third of the reach, which was 

adjacent to a highway and protected by riprap. Except for the road, the flood plains were undeveloped. The bed material at the 

site was exposed bedrock, gravel, and cobble. The slope of the study reach was mild and the reach was moderately sinuous.

View looking downstream at reach of Catawba Creek near Catawba, Va.
Appendix 79

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Figure A26. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Catawba Creek near Catawba, Va., August 5, 2003.
80 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 02020100

Renick Run near Buchanan, VA

The crest-stage streamflow-gaging station at this site was attached to the upstream wingwall of a box culvert. The culvert likely 

has a substantial backwater effect on the stage-discharge relation at bankfull discharge. The rating for this station is theoretical. 

Only eight measurements have been made at the site, and all were made for discharges below the bankfull discharge.

The most common bankfull indicator at the site was the top of the bank. The channel bed was gravel and cobble and had numerous bedrock outcrops. The flood plains and banks had been cleared of all vegetation except for grass and a few scattered trees. 

The banks showed few signs of erosion, except for a section of cut bank on the left bank in the upstream third of the reach. The 

stream channel was bordered by gently sloping flood plains on both sides. The flood plain on the right side was used as a pasture 

at the time of the survey, and the flood plain on the left side was used for houses and yards. The study reach was fairly straight 

and had a moderate slope.

View looking upstream at reach of Renick Run near Buchanan, Va.
Appendix 81

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Figure A27. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Renick Run near Buchanan, Va., July 1, 2003.
82 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 02053800

South Fork Roanoke River near Shawsville, Va.

The streamflow-gaging station at this site is a continuous record station located at a pool approximately 95 ft downstream of a 

bridge on the right bank. The bridge deck is approximately 30 ft above the water surface and has two concrete piers in the channel. Minimal backwater effects may occur at bankfull discharge.

The channel was a riffle-run dominated stream with a cobble bed. The cobble seemed to be well cemented with sand and small 

gravel. Some sections of the bed were predominantly sand, especially in the few small pools present. No exposed bedrock was 

observed in the study reach. The primary bankfull indicator at this site was the top of the bank or, in the upstream sections, a 

stable bench feature below the top of the bank. The channel banks were vegetated with trees and grass but little small woody or 

herbaceous vegetation. Moderate scour was observed at some locations on the banks. The channel had a mild slope and was very 

straight except for a turn that was made as the stream approached and ran alongside a steep mountainside. Except for this section 

the flood plains were flat, cleared, and used for home sites and a church.

View looking downstream at reach of South Fork Roanoke River near Shawsville, Va.
Appendix 83

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Figure A28. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of South Fork Roanoke River near Shawsville, Va.,January 7, 2004.
84 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 02055100

Tinker Creek near Daleville, Va.

This continuous-record streamflow-gaging station is about 1,000 ft downstream from a large pipe culvert that likely had no 

effect on bankfull discharge in the survey reach. 

The primary bankfull feature, a distinct change in slope, was present in most of the reach. The banks were rocky and well vegetated, with grasses, small woody vegetation and trees. The banks showed little erosion, except for a section of cut bank on the 

right bank in the middle third of the reach. Bankfull features were difficult to identify through this section. The stream channel 

was bordered by flood plains on both sides, which were used as a pasture at the time of the survey. The bed material was primarily gravel with significant sections of bedrock and some cobble. The channel was somewhat sinuous, narrow, and deep. The 

slope was mild.

View looking downstream at reach of Tinker Creek near Daleville, Va.
Appendix 85

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Figure A29. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Tinker Creek near Daleville, Va., August 15, 2003.
86 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03167000

Reed Creek at Grahams Forge, Va.

This continuous-record streamflow-gaging station is located 20 ft downstream of a highway bridge. The bridge has two piers in 

the channel, which may cause some backwater effect at high flows though it is likely minimal.

The channel was relatively wide and shallow with many bedrock outcroppings and large boulders. There was also a lot of cobble 

bed material throughout the reach. The study reach was very straight and ran along a high, densely vegetated bluff on the right 

side. The left bank was vegetated with only grass and a few scattered trees. Very little bank erosion was observed. The gently 

sloping flood plain on the left side was farmland, private yards, and the site of an old, abandoned store and mill. The study reach 

was a riffle–run system except for a large, 200-ft-long pool that dominated the middle of the reach. The primary bankfull features identified at the site were the top of the bank or a bench below the top of the bank. The slope of the study reach was mild.

View looking downstream at reach of Reed Creek at Grahams Forge, Va.
Appendix 87

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Figure A30. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Reed Creek at Grahams Forge, Va., April 19, 2004.
88 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03177710

Bluestone River at Falls Mills, Va.

The streamflow-gaging station is a continuous record station just upstream from a small bridge that likely has little backwater 

effect at bankfull discharge. The station at this site has been discontinued since 1997.

The stream is a meandering channel with occasional gravel point bars that runs partially adjacent to a two-lane road embankment. Approximately 400 ft upstream of the station, the stream turns away from the road and runs through a very flat farm field. 

Otherwise, the study reach was very straight. There is significant erosion along the banks after the turn, likely due to dairy cattle 

accessing the stream. The right bank of the stream upstream of the turn is filled up to the road. The bed material is mostly gravel 

and small cobbles on bedrock. Bedrock is exposed in some places. The primary bankfull features throughout the reach are at the 

top of the bank. The flood plain is very flat beyond bankfull for a long distance. The slope of the channel was mild.

View looking upstream at reach of Bluestone River at Falls Mills, Va.
Appendix 89

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Figure A31. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Bluestone River at Falls Mills, Va., July 23, 2003. 
90 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03182700

Anthony Creek near Anthony, W. Va.

This continuous-record streamflow-gaging station was about 1 mile downstream from the nearest bridge. The station has been 

discontinued since 1982, and the structure is no longer present. The period when the continuous streamflow-measurement station was active, 1971-1982, was an exceptionally wet period, and Log-Pearson peakflow frequency statistics calculated for this 

station were exceptionally high for the region (Wiley and others, 2000). Regional frequency statistics were judged to be more 

representative for this station than station frequency analysis. The bankfull discharge was determined from the rating, but the 

frequency was from the regional regression equation.

The primary bankfull indicators at this site were the top of the bank and changes in bank slope. A primary feature, a distinct 

change in slope, was present in most of the reach on both banks. The banks were well vegetated with large trees and, in some 

sections, dense rhododendron thickets. The banks showed little erosion. The stream channel was bordered on the left side by a 

forested flood plain with dense rhododendron thickets for the upstream two-thirds of the reach. Downstream from this section 

of the reach, the left side of the channel was bordered by a steep, forested hillside that contained some very large boulders. On 

the right side, the upstream quarter of the stream channel was bordered by a steep, forested hill. The rest of the right side of the 

channel was bordered by a forested flood plain, and contained some overflow channels that probably carried a slight amount 

of flow at bankfull stage. The cross section for this site used for the curves was above this section. The bed material was small 

cobble and gravel. The study reach was relatively sinuous and the slope was mild.

View looking downstream at reach of Anthony Creek at Anthony, W. Va.
Appendix 91

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Figure A32. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Anthony Creek near Anthony, W.Va., October 9, 2003.
92 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03471500

South Fork Holston River at Riverside near Chilhowie, Va.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station at this site is located approximately 400 ft upstream from a highway bridge. 

The bridge has two piers in the channel, which may cause a slight backwater effect at high flows.

The bed material in the study reach was mostly gravel and cobble over bedrock, which was exposed in many places. The bankfull channel was well defined by the top of banks. In some sections of the channel, there was a stable bench feature below the 

bankfull feature. The right bank of the study reach was well vegetated with trees and small woody vegetation. Very little bank 

erosion was observed. The flood plains on both sides were generally flat. The left flood plain was cleared for private yards and 

the grounds of a church. In the upstream section, the left bank was vegetated only with grass. In the downstream section the left 

bank was covered with small woody vegetation. The reach was very straight and had a mild slope. The reach had riffles, runs, 

glides, and several deep pools.

View looking upstream at reach of South Fork Holston River at Riverside near Chilhowie, Va.
Appendix 93

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Figure A33. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of South Fork Holston River at Riverside near Chilhowie, Va., August 19, 2003.
94 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03473500

Middle Fork Holston River at Groseclose, Va.

The original streamflow-gaging station at this site has been discontinued and it is now operated as a crest-stage station. The 

station is on the left bank immediately downstream of a large box culvert, which will cause a backwater effect at bankfull discharge. The study reach was downstream of the culvert.

The local slope at the outlet of the culvert was fairly steep but the remainder of the study reach had a much flatter gradient. The 

reach had long sections of pool and shorter riffles and runs. The reach was dominated by gravel bed material and there were no 

bedrock outcroppings observed. The channel is fairly narrow with dense woody and herbaceous vegetation on both banks. The 

right side of the stream runs along the bottom of a steep railroad grade for the entire length of the study reach, which is very 

straight. The stream was likely channelized when the railroad was constructed. The left bank appeared to be natural with a stable 

bankfull bench. There was also a low bench feature below bankfull throughout the reach. In the upstream section the left flood 

plain was quite steep; in the downstream portion the slope was more gentle but still rising high above the stream bed. Because of 

this and the railroad grade on the right, the stream is entrenched.

View looking downstream at reach of Middle Fork Holston River at Groseclose, Va.
Appendix 95

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Figure A34. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Middle Fork Holston River at Groseclose, Va.,July 18, 2003.
96 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03474000

Middle Fork Holston River at Seven Mile Ford, Va.

The streamflow-gaging station at this site is a continuous record station that is on the right bank downstream of a bridge at the 

end of a long pool. The bridge has two piers in the channel and the deck is approximately 20 ft above the water surface. There 

may be some slight backwater effect at the bankfull discharge.

The stream had a wide, shallow channel with several significant bedrock cascades, one immediately downstream of the station. 

The channel had exposed bedrock throughout, which was partially covered by bed material of gravel and cobble. The study 

reach had deep pools, riffles/cascades, and long runs and glides. The upstream section of the study reach had wide riparian buffer on both sides. The middle section had no buffer on either side. The downstream section had a wide buffer on the right and 

very little buffer on the left. The primary bankfull indicator at this site was the top of the bank or, in the upstream sections, a 

stable bench feature below the top of the bank. Much of the upstream section from the bridge to downstream of the first cross 

section appears to be artificially entrenched with steep flood plains due to previous construction activities. There is a highway 

(I-81) on the left bank and a subdivision on the right bank. There is considerable scour through some sections of the reach, especially where the banks are near vertical due to highway fill. The study reach was wide and shallow, very straight, and had a mild 

slope.

View looking downstream at reach of Middle Fork Holston River at Seven Mile Ford, Va.
Appendix 97

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Figure A35. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of the Middle Fork Holston River near Seven Mile Ford, Va.,August 6, 2003.
98 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03487800

Lick Creek near Chatham Hill, Va.

The streamflow-gaging station at this site was once a continuous-record station but has been a crest-stage station only since 

1968. It is located on a farm 270 ft upstream of a highway bridge. It is not likely that the bridge causes backwater during high 

flows.

The channel was wide and somewhat shallow. The bed material was mostly gravel and small cobble, and bedrock was exposed 

in some sections of the channel. The study reach was very straight and has a mild slope. The banks are gently sloped and appear 

stable. The primary bankfull feature surveyed at this site was the top of the bank or a break in slope near the top of the bank. In 

some places significant breaks in slope were used as bankfull features. Much of both banks were vegetated with trees and small 

woody vegetation. A portion of the left bank and flood plain had been completely cleared and used as farm land. Further downstream the left bank was forested. The right bank sloped up to a small road in the upstream section and was flatter and forested 

in the downstream section.

View looking downstream at reach of Lick Creek near Chatham Hill, Va.
Appendix 99

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Figure A36. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Lick Creek near Chatham Hill, Va., August 6, 2003.
100 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03488000

North Fork Holston River near Saltville, Va.

The continuous-record streamflow-gaging station at this site is not in the vicinity of a bridge. There are no structures present to 

impede flow.

The channel was very wide and shallow and there is vegetation growing in the bed in many locations. The study reach had one 

of the most gentle gradients of any in the study and it was one of the most sinuous. The bed material was composed of gravel 

and small cobble. No exposed bedrock was observed in the study reach. The banks were vegetated sporadically with trees, small 

woody vegetation, and herbaceous vegetation. In many areas the flat flood plain was used for private yards and farm fields. In 

these locations, the banks were only grass covered. Little evidence of bank erosion was observed throughout the study reach. 

The primary bankfull indicator at this site was the top of the bank or a stable bench feature.

View looking upstream at reach of North Fork Holston River near Saltville, Va.
Appendix 101

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Figure A37. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of North Fork Holston River near Saltville, Va., May 19, 2004.
102 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03488450

Brumley Creek at Brumley Gap, Va.

This site has a crest stage streamflow-gaging station on the downstream abutment of the bridge on the right side. Few measurements have been made at the site, all for discharges well below bankfull, and the rating is theoretical. The bridge has one pier in 

the center of the stream which does not likely cause backwater at bankfull flows.

This is a fairly steep stream with bed material of large cobble and small boulders. The stream empties into the North Fork 

Holston River immediately downstream of the study site. There was a dramatic change in slope as the stream approached the 

much larger river. The stream is very straight for most of this length and splits into two channels both upstream and immediately downstream of the survey reach. The channel is cascading with a few scour pools and short runs. There is thick woody and 

herbaceous vegetation on the tops of the banks for up to 20 ft but the land is generally cleared beyond that for residential and 

agricultural land use. The flood plains are mostly flat or have a gentle slope. The primary bankfull indicators at the site were 

stable benches below the top of the bank. The benches were intermittent and relatively few bankfull features were identifiable at 

the site.

View looking upstream at reach of Brumley Creek at Brumley Gap, Va.
Appendix 103

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Figure A38. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Brumley Creek at Brumley Gap, Va., August 20, 2003.
104 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03489800

Cove Creek near Shelleys, Va.

This site is a crest stage streamflow-gaging station attached to an upstream wingwall of a bridge. The only point on the stage discharge rating above the bankfull discharge was estimated with the contracted opening method indirect measurement. The bridge 

opening is narrow and the structure likely causes a backwater effect at high flows including bankfull. Although there are no piers 

in the channel, the bridge cuts off access to the flood plain completely.

This study reach was a very straight bedrock channel with a mild slope. The stream was relatively narrow and deep. Upstream of 

the bridge there were houses with maintained, sloping lawns on either side that continued down to the top of the stream banks. 

The downstream section was vegetated with trees and small woody and herbaceous vegetation. The bankfull flood plain was 

very apparent through this section and the banks were stable and vegetated. The bed material throughout the study reach was primarily bedrock. One study riffle had some gravel, the other did not. The bedrock was folded and jutted up into the flow more in 

some places than others, creating the riffle sections. The banks were stable and the bankfull features throughout the reach were 

at the top of the bank. There is a terrace on the left bank above the top of the bank.

View looking upstream at reach of Cove Creek near Shelleys, Va.
Appendix 105

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Figure A39. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 2 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Cove Creek near Shelleys, Va., August 18, 2003.
106 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 03523000

Big Cedar Creek near Lebanon, Va.

This site has a crest-stage streamflow-gaging station and the measurement record is limited. Most measurements were made 

during the 1950’s and early 1980’s. The station is located on a pier of an old bridge. The bridge deck is gone, but two abutments 

remain. A new highway bridge spans the channel. Neither structure seems likely to impede flow.

The study reach was fairly straight. Much of the channel was clean bedrock, especially the riffles, but some of the bedrock 

was covered by flat cobbles and gravel. The study reach was wide and shallow with a gentle slope. The section of stream near 

the station was in a fairly narrow valley which broadens downstream. Although an active flood plain existed throughout much 

of the site the valley walls were steep. The banks were vegetated mostly with herbaceous vegetation and some small woody 

ve 

often existed below the bankfull feature at about half of the distance between the channel bed and the bankfull stage. The banks 

appeared stable.

View looking upstream at reach of Big Cedar Creek near Lebanon, Va.
Appendix 107

Figure A40. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Big Cedar Creek near Lebanon, Va., September 10, 2003.

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108 Development and Analysis of Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province

Station 3475600

Cedar Creek near Meadowview, Va.

This site has a crest-stage streamflow-gaging station only. Very few measurements have been made at the site, all of which were 

far less than the bankfull discharge. The rating is theoretical and several measurements do not fit the rating curve well. The 

upstream end of the study reach is crossed by a one lane bridge over a 48-inch culvert. The culvert may restrict the high flows to 

some degree. There is also a culvert near the downstream end of the study reach where the crest-stage station is located, which 

may also restrict bankfull flows.

The study reach was a narrow, deep channel flowing over bedrock. It had no riparian buffer on either side upstream of the station 

and limited buffer of herbaceous vegetation on the downstream section of the study reach. The flood plain on either side was 

mostly flat. The stream runs next to a commercial building on the right bank and had private lawns on the left bank. The stream 

banks are stable throughout the study reach. Bedrock was exposed in many locations but covered through much of the reach by 

small to medium gravel. The study reach was very straight and has a mild slope. It has likely been channelized in the past. Far 

downstream of the study reach the channel becomes quite sinuous. Bankfull was determined to be the top of the bank throughout 

the reach.

View looking upstream at reach of Cedar Creek near Meadowview, Va.
Appendix 109

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Figure A41. Longitudinal profile (A), riffle cross section 1 (B), and particle-size distribution of bed material (C), in study reach of Cedar Creek near Meadowview, Va., September 9, 2003.