Surface-Water Quality-Assurance 

Plan for the Tallahassee Office, 

U.S. Geological Survey

By Stewart A. Tomlinson

Open-File Report 2006-1021

U.S. Department of the Interior

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

Gale A. Norton, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2006

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Suggested citation:

Tomlinson, S.A., 2005, Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006-1021, 40 p.
iii

Contents

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

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

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................1

Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................................2

Responsibilities .....................................................................................................................................2

Office Chief, Tallahassee Office ................................................................................................2

Chief of Hydrologic Surveillance (Data Chief) ........................................................................2

Chief of Hydrologic Studies and Chief of Georgia-Florida NAWQA Program....................4

Surface-Water Specialist...........................................................................................................4

Senior Hydrologic Technician....................................................................................................4

Field Personnel.............................................................................................................................4

Automated Data Processing System Database Administrator............................................4

Collection of Surface-Water Data...............................................................................................................4

Gage Installation and Maintenance ..................................................................................................5

Measurement of Stage ........................................................................................................................5

Gage Documents...................................................................................................................................7

Levels ....................................................................................................................................................9

Site Documentation..............................................................................................................................9

Station Descriptions....................................................................................................................9

Photographs................................................................................................................................10

Current-Meter Discharge Measurements......................................................................................10

Depth Criteria for Meter Selection .........................................................................................10

Criteria for Sounding-Weight Selection.................................................................................12

Number of Measurement Subsections..................................................................................12

Computation of Mean Gage Height ........................................................................................12

Check Measurements...............................................................................................................12

Corrections for Storage ............................................................................................................12

Field Notes ..................................................................................................................................12

Acceptable Equipment..............................................................................................................13

Spin Tests ....................................................................................................................................15

Alternative Equipment...............................................................................................................15

Other Direct Methods of Measuring Discharge...................................................................15

Indirect Measurements .....................................................................................................................16

Crest-Stage Gages..............................................................................................................................16

Artificial Controls ................................................................................................................................17

Flood Conditions..................................................................................................................................17

Low-Flow Conditions..........................................................................................................................18

Cold-Weather Conditions ..................................................................................................................19

Processing and Analysis of Stage and Surface-Water Data...............................................................19

Measurements and Field Notes .......................................................................................................19

Continuous Record .............................................................................................................................19

Procedures for Computing, Reviewing, and Publishing Records...............................................20
iv

Gage Height ................................................................................................................................20

Levels..........................................................................................................................................20

Rating...........................................................................................................................................21

Datum Corrections, Gage-height Corrections, and Shifts ..................................................21

Hydrographs ...............................................................................................................................22

Station Analysis..........................................................................................................................22

Furnished Records.....................................................................................................................22

Daily Values Table......................................................................................................................23

Manuscript and Annual Report ...............................................................................................23

Crest-Stage Gages..............................................................................................................................23

Real-Time Data....................................................................................................................................23

Error Handling.............................................................................................................................24

Data Qualification Statements.................................................................................................24

Office Setting.......................................................................................................................................24

Work Plan....................................................................................................................................24

File Folders for Surface-water Stations.................................................................................24

Field Trip Folders ........................................................................................................................25

Levels..........................................................................................................................................25

Station Analyses and Descriptions.........................................................................................25

Discontinued Stations...............................................................................................................25

Map Files.....................................................................................................................................25

Archiving .....................................................................................................................................25

Publication and Review of Surface-water Data Reports......................................................................26

Types of Publications .........................................................................................................................26

Annual Data Report ............................................................................................................................26

Publication Policy ...............................................................................................................................26

Safety ...........................................................................................................................................................27

Training ..........................................................................................................................................................27

Summary........................................................................................................................................................27

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................28

Appendix A. Water Resources Division and Office of Surface-Water Memorandums Cited.....32

Appendix B. Tallahassee Office Note Sheets for Recording Surface-Water Data ......................33

FIGURES

1. Organizational chart of the Tallahassee Office.................................................................................... 3

2. Gaging station operation and maintenance..........................................................................................6

3. Field documents.........................................................................................................................................8

4. Direct discharge measurement guidelines .........................................................................................11 

5. Field measurement notes .......................................................................................................................14
v

ACRONYMS

ADAPS Automated Data Processing System

ADCP Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers

ADR Analog-to-Digital Recorders

CAP Computer Program used to Compute Peak Discharge at Culverts

CARS Center for Aquatic Resources Studies

CCWS Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies

CD Compact Disk

CSG Crest-Stage Gage

CWRS Center for Watershed Restoration Studies

DCP Data Collection Platforms

EDL Electronic Data Loggers

FISC Florida Integrated Science Center

FRC Federal Records Center

GIS Geographic Information System

GPS Global Positioning System

HIF Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility

HYDRA Computer Program within ADAPS

IT Information Technology

JHA Job Hazard Analysis

LRGS Local Receiving Ground Station

NAWQA National Water-Quality Assessment Program

NCALC Computer Program used to Compute Manning’s n Value

NWIS National Water Information System

NWISWeb National Water Information System Web

OSW Office of Surface Water, USGS

PDF Portable Document Format

PZF Point-of-Zero Flow

QA Quality Assurance

SAC Computer Program used to Compute Peak Discharge with the 

 Slope-Area Method

TWRI Techniques of Water Resources Investigations 

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

WSPRO Water-Surface Profile Computation Model
Abstract

This Tallahassee Office Surface-Water Quality-Assurance 

Plan documents the standards, policies, and procedures used 

by the Tallahassee Office for activities related to the collection, 

processing, storage, analysis, and publication of surface-water 

data. This plan serves as a guide to all Tallahassee Office personnel involved in surface-water data activities, and changes 

as the needs and requirements of the Tallahassee Office, 

Florida Integrated Science Center, and Water Discipline 

change. Reg­ular updates to this Plan represent an integral part 

of the quality-assurance process. In the Tallahassee Office, 

direct oversight and responsibility by the employee(s) assigned 

to a surface-water station, combined with team approaches in 

all work efforts, assure high-quality data, analyses, reviews, 

and reports for cooperating agencies and the public.

Introduction

Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 

on March 3, 1879 to provide a permanent Federal agency to 

perform the systematic and scientific “classification of the 

public lands, and examination of the geologic structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain” (Rabbit, 

1989). Previous to 2003, four Divisions in the USGS existed—

the Geologic Division, the Biological Resources Division, 

the Geography (formerly Mapping) Division, and the Water 

Resources Division (WRD). Presently, the USGS is in the 

process of integrating the different disciplines to become a 

“seamless” agency. In Florida, the Florida Integrated Science 

Center (FISC) encompasses all the disciplines in the State 

under an umbrella of three science centers: 1) the Center for 

Aquatic Resources Studies (CARS), which include the 

primarily water-discipline offices in Tallahassee and 

Altamonte Springs, and the primarily biology-discipline office 

in Gainesville; 2) the Center for Watershed Restoration 

Studies (CWRS), which encompasses the primarily waterdiscipline Ft. Lauderdale and Ft. Myers offices; and 3) the 

Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies (CCWS) consisting 

of the primarily geologic-discipline office in St. Petersburg 

and the primarily water-discipline office in Tampa. The USGS 

mission of appraising the Nation’s water resources includes 

surface-water activities in the Tallahassee Office. Federal, 

State, and local agencies use surface-water information, 

including streamflow, stage, and sed­iment data, for resources 

planning and management throughout the State. The general 

public uses stage and discharge data for informational 

purposes such as flood monitoring and recreation.

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of the Tallahassee Office Surface-Water 

Quality-Assurance Plan includes documenting the standards, 

policies, and procedures used for activities related to the 

collection, pro­cessing, storage, analysis, and publication of 

surface-water data. This plan identifies responsibilities for 

ensuring that stated policies and procedures are carried out. 

The plan also serves as a guide for all Tallahassee Office 

per­sonnel involved in surface-water activities and as a resource 

for identifying memorandums, publications, and other 

literature that describe in more detail associated techniques 

and requirements. Also, the quality-assurance plan provides 

informa­tion and guidelines for cooperating agencies and other 

agencies that furnish data to the Tallahassee Office.

The scope of this report encompasses discussions of the 

policies and procedures followed by the Tallahassee Office 

for the collection, processing, analysis, storage, and publication of surface-water data. Primary types of sur­face-water data 

collected by personnel of the Tallahassee Office include stage 

and streamflow data. Other data collected to refer to “Quality 

Assurance” includes water-quality, ground-water, sediment, 

meteorological, and evapotranspiration data. The SurfaceWater Quality Assurance Plan also presents issues related 

to the man­agement of the computer data base and employee 

Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan 

for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey

By Stewart A. Tomlinson
safety and training. Although procedures and products of 

surface-water data collected for interpretive projects are 

subject to the criteria presented in this report, project chiefs 

must develop a separate and complete quality-assurance plan 

for their interpretive projects. Project chiefs should consult 

USGS publications for guidelines on quality assurance and 

work plans (Green, 1991; Schroder and Shampine, 1992; 

Shampine and others, 1992). The Tallahassee Chief of the 

Hydrologic Surveillance Section (Data Chief) reviews the 

Tallahassee Office Surface-Water Quality Assurance Plan 

at least once every 3 years to ensure that responsibilities 

and methodologies are current and that ongoing procedural 

improvements are effectively documented.

This Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan does not 

address, or briefly addresses, some topics. The Plan does not 

discuss proposed policy and issues for archiving data on 

permanent media, issues related to manpower and budget 

consid­erations, or methods to correct flaws in the current 

system. Nor does the Plan address sediment data in detail; 

personnel who collect and analyze sediment data refer to 

the published USGS Quality-Assurance Plan and guidelines 

(Knott and others, 1993; Knott and others, 1992; Porterfield, 

1972).

Acknowledgements

The Tallahassee Office Surface-Water Quality-Assurance 

Plan utilizes the basic framework presented in “A Workbook 

for Preparing Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plans for 

Offices of the U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources 

Division” by Donald V. Arvin (U.S. Geological Survey, 

1994) and released by Office of Surface Water Memorandum 

95.03. Differences between the Workbook and the Tallahassee 

Office’s Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan include text 

additions and dele­tions, rewording of the text, reorganization 

of some sections, and inclusion of figures for quick reference.

Responsibilities

Quality assurance involves actively maintaining and 

improving high standards at all levels of responsibility. 

Maintaining high-quality standards for surface-water data, as 

well as other data, remain key to the integrity of the USGS. 

Clear delineations of responsibility sometimes become 

difficult to determine because of vary­ing levels of expertise 

and duties in an office, combined with numerous types of 

gaging activities and instruments. While the Tallahassee Office 

Chief takes responsibility for overseeing the entire Tallahassee 

Office program, which includes surface-water data-collection 

and analysis, ultimately the person having the most impact on 

the quality assurance of the collected data is the field person 

who collects the data. Just as the author of a report in the 

Tallahassee Office oversees the manuscript through completion (U.S. Geological Survey, 1995), it is the employee who 

must ensure that accurate, timely data are collected and 

processed up to the point of final review and approval. 

Co-workers, supervisors, and managers in the Tallahassee Office organization (fig. 1) serve as resources for the 

employee. Teamwork and excellent communication between 

employees in collecting, analyzing, and reviewing data are 

critical to an effective Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan.

Specific responsibilities for various Tallahassee personnel are 

outlined below.

Office Chief, Tallahassee Office

Managing and directing the Tallahassee Office program, 

including oversight of all surface-water activities.

Ensuring that surface-water activities in the Tallahassee 

Office meet the needs of the Federal Government, the 

Tallahassee Office, State and local agencies, partner 

agencies, and the public.

Ensuring that all aspects of this Surface-Water QualityAssurance Plan are understood and followed by 

Tallahassee Office personnel. This is accomplished by the 

Office Chief’s direct involvement or through clearly stated 

delegation of this responsibility to other personnel in the 

Tallahassee Office.

Providing final resolution of any conflicts or disputes 

related to surface-water activities within the Tallahassee 

Office.

Keeping subordinates briefed on procedural and technical 

communications from Regional offices and Headquarters.

Ensuring that all publications and other technical 

communications released by the Tallahassee Office are 

accurate, timely, and in accord with USGS policy.

Chief, Hydrologic Surveillance (Data Chief)

Advises Tallahassee Office Chief on all matters related to 

surface-water in the Tallahassee Office.

Responsible for developing, updating, and implementing 

the Tallahassee Office Surface-Water Quality-Assurance 

Plan.

Coordinates quality-assurance activities in the Data 

Section and Information Technology Section.

Ensures that surface-water projects within the Data 

Section satisfactorily address quality-assurance issues.

In conjunction with the Tallahassee Office Chief, 

coordinates surface-water quality assurance issues with 

Tallahassee Office, Regional, and Headquarters staff 

specialists.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
Figure 1. Organizational chart of the Tallahassee, Florida office, September 2005.

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY - FLORIDA INTEGRATED SCIENCE CENTER

CENTER FOR AQUATIC RESOURCES STUDIES

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, GAINESVILLE, TALLAHASSEE AND TAMPA, FLORIDA

Created on: 2/7/06 

OFFICE OF THE CENTER DIRECTOR

FTE 

RUSSELL J. HALL GS-15 CENTER DIRECTOR 1.00DAVID P. BROWN GS-14 DEPUTY CENTER DIRECTOR 1.00JEFFREY A. KEAY GS-14 DEPUTY CENTER DIRECTOR 1.00HANNAH M. HAMILTON GS-11 PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 1.00WILLIAM R. STRANGHOENER GS-09 FACILITY MANAGER 1.00

NORTH FLORIDA PROGRAMS

FTE 

EDWARD T. OAKS GM-14 SUPERVISORY HYDROLOGIST 1.00 FORD JOSEPH CARROLL GS-12 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPEC. 1.00 VACANT GS-09 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPEC. 1.00 BELLINO, TERESA GS-04 INFORMATION TECH. ASST. (STEP) .50 L. 

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES SECTION

FTE 

CARMINE R. SCUDERO GS-13 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER 1.00 LINDA N. PROTO GS-08 PROGRAM ASSISTANT 1.00 JO ANN GROVE GS-07 ADMIN. OPS. SPECIALIST 1.00 BEVERLY R. ROWLEY GS-07 ADMIN. OPS. ASSISTANT 1.00

ANNE V. DONOHUE GS-03 CLERK TYPIST 1.00

NORTH FLORIDA PROGRAMS

FTE 

EDWARD T. OAKS GM-14 SUPERVISORY HYDROLOGIST 1.00 FORD JOSEPH CARROLL GS-12 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPEC. 1.00 VACANT GS-09 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPEC. 1.00 BELLINO, TERESA GS-04 INFORMATION TECH. ASST. (STEP) .50 L. 

NORTH FLORIDA PROGRAMS

FTE 

GARY L. MAHON GM-13 SUPERVISORY HYDROLOGIST 1.00 JOSEPH CARROLL GS-12 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPEC. 1.00 TRESA L. BELLINO GS-07 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SPEC. 1.00

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS SECTION

FTE 

JANE R. EGGLESTON GS-13 SUPERVISORY GEOLGOIST 1.00 TERESA L. EMBRY GS-12 TECH. PUBLICATIONS EDITOR 1.00 RONALD S. SPENCER GS-11 ILLUSTRATOR 1.00JAMES A. TOMBERLIN GS-11 ILLUSTRATOR 1.00TWILA D. WILSON GS-11 WRITER-EDITOR 1.00GIS APPLICATION UNIT

AGUSTIN A. SEPULVEDA GS-12 COMPUTER SPECIALIST 1.00

I INTERMITTENT PT PART TIME SCEP STUDENT CAREER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM CONTRACTOR – EMPLOYEES HIRED THROUGH ETI SERVICES

GEORGIA-FLORIDA NAWQA SECTION

FTE 

MARIAN P. BERNDT GS-13 SUPERVISORY HYDROLOGIST 1.00 (PT)CHRISTY CRANDALL GS-12 HYDROLOGIST .77 (PT)LORI J. LEWIS GS-09 BIOLOGIST .50 (I)LYNDA S. CHASAR GS-12 HYDROLOGIST (FACULTY APPT) .23 JOHN R. PITTMAN GS-11 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN 1.00 DARLENE A. BLUM GS-09 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN .80 W. SCOTT MCBRIDE GS-07 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN 1.00 TERRY PETROSKY GS-07 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN 1.00 MARK FULKERSON GS-09 HYDROLOGIST .25

HYDROLOGIC STUDIES SECTION

FTE 

GARY L. MAHON GS-13 SUPERVISORY HYDROLOGIST 1.00 (PT)ANNE F. CHOQUETTE GS-12 HYDROLOGIST .72J. HAL DAVIS GS-12 HYDROLOGIST 1.00 (PT)JACK W. GRUBBS III GS-12 HYDROLOGIST .50  (PT))HELEN M. LIGHT GS-12 BOTANIST .77 RICHARD L. MARELLA GS-12 GEOGRAPHER 1.00(PT)MELANIE R. DARST GS-11 BOTANIST .80 MICHAEL TURTORA GS-11 ECOLOGIST 1.00WARREN CARMICHAEL GS-04 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN (SCEP) .66 RAMONA TURNER GS-04 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN (SCEP) .54 

 HYDROLOGIC SURVEILLANCE SECTION

FTE 

STEWART A. TOMLINSON GS-13 SUPVY HYDROLOGIST 1.00RICHARD J. VERDI GS-09 HYDROLOGIST 1.00HYDROLOGIC NETWORK UNITJAMES D. GOIN GS-11 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN 1.00 DAVID B. DALE GS-11 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN 50 D. MARK STEPHENS GS-11 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN 1.00 DENNIS J. WALSH GS-08 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN 1.00 ROY B. STANLEY GS-08 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN 1.00 M. ERIK OHLSON GS-04 HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIAN (SCEP) .50 ERNIE ALVAREZ CONTRACTOR ERICA L. RAU CONTRACTOR 

Figure 1. Organizational Chart of the Tallahassee, Florida Office, September 2005 

Introduction 
Chief, Hydrologic Studies and Chief, GeorgiaFlorida National Water-Quality 

Assessment (NAWQA) Program

Review individual ongoing investigations that have 

surface-water data requirements and ensure that 

Tallahassee Office surface-water quality-assurance 

procedures, including appropriate data archiving, are 

being performed. 

Coordinate and review any surface-water qualityassurance issues with the Data Chief.

Advise the Tallahassee Office Chief and Data Chief on 

current surface-water projects in the Studies and NAWQA 

Sections within the Tallahassee Office.

Surface-Water Specialist (same position as Data 

Chief—September 2005)

Advises Tallahassee Office Chief and Studies Chief of 

current surface-water quality-assurance policy and 

procedures.

Keeps abreast of current federal water policies, 

procedures, and practices regarding surface-water 

quality assurance. 

Reviews project proposals involving surface-water data 

collection and analysis, and ensures that projects include 

a quality-assurance element.

Reviews surface-water reports produced by the 

Tallahassee Office and ensures that proper adherence to 

quality-assurance guidelines and procedures has been 

maintained in data collection and analysis.

Makes recommendations to Tallahassee Office Chief for 

improvements in localsurface-water quality-assurance 

programs and procedures.

Senior Hydrologic Technician

Responsible for ensuring that Data Section personnel 

follow the Tallahassee Office Surface-Water QualityAssurance Plan.

In consultation with the Data Chief/Surface-Water 

Specialist, implements procedures to improve surfacewater data collection methods when needed.

1.

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2.

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2.

Provides input to Data Chief on surface-water quality 

assurance procedures used by Data Section personnel.

Field Personnel

Responsible for following the guidelines and procedures 

outlined in the Tallahassee Office Surface-Water 

Quality-Assurance Plan for all surface-water datacollection activities.

Notifies supervisor of any issues that make it difficult or 

impossible to follow the Tallahassee Office’s SurfaceWater Quality-Assurance Plan at field stations and 

recommends ways to correct the situation.

Regularly reviews real-time data to detect potential 

problems with the gage-height record.

Automated Data Processsing System (ADAPS) 

Data Base Administrator

Responsible for ensuring that data disseminated from 

the National Water Information System (NWIS) and 

NWISWeb have been quality-assured before release to 

the public.

Makes recommendations to the Tallahassee Office Data 

Chief for improvement of surface-water quality-assurance 

procedures regarding NWIS and NWISWeb.

Coordinates assignment of station numbers for surfacewater stations with Data Chief.

Coordinates determination of drainage areas for new 

stations with Data Chief.

Responsible for mainatining the ADAPS database 

including: (1) creating new sites in ADAPS; 

(2) coordinating installation of ADAPS revisions, patches 

and other updates; (3) training personnel on correct usage 

of the ADAPS database including processing, flagging, 

and archiving data; and (4) coordinating problem 

resolution and responses to inquiries regarding the 

ADAPS database.

Collection of Surface-Water Data

Planning and resource management require reliable 

surface-water data because many anthropogenic activi­ties, 

including industry, agriculture, energy production, waste 

disposal, and recreation, link closely to streamflow and water 

availability. A primary component of operating streamflow3.

1.

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3.

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3.

4.

5.

 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
gaging stations (referred to as “gaging sta­tions” in this report) 

and conducting other water-resource studies performed by 

the USGS in the Tallahassee Office includes the collection of 

stage and discharge data.

Gaging stations operate with the objective of obtaining 

a continuous record of stage and discharge at the selected site 

(Carter and Davidian, 1968, p. 1). A system of instruments 

that sense and record water-surface elevation in the stream 

provide a continuous record of stage. Employees periodically 

make discharge measurements to define or verify the stagedischarge relation and to define the time and magnitude of 

variations in that relation. 

In the Tallahassee Office, all personnel follow established 

USGS guidelines on the collection of stage and dis­charge 

data. Several USGS publications, such as Geological Survey 

Water Supply Paper 2175 (Rantz and others, 1982) and various 

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations (TWRI, book 3) 

of the USGS rigorously discuss USGS guidelines on surfacewater data collection. The USGS Office of Water Quality and 

Office of Surface Water memorandums (Appendix 1, accessed 

on the Internet at http://water.usgs.gov/admin/memo/) provide 

detail on some of these guidelines.

Gage Installation and Maintenance

Critical activities for ensuring quality in streamflowdata collection and analysis include proper installation and 

maintenance of gaging stations. Effective site selection, 

correct design and construction, and regular maintenance of a 

gage can make the difference between efficient and accurate 

determination of drainage-basin discharge, or time-consuming, 

poor estimates of flow. 

Site selection for a gaging station depends on several 

criteria, including the purpose of the gage, hydraulic 

con­ditions, and access. Criteria that describe the ideal 

gaging-station site (Rantz and others, 1982, p. 5) include 

unchanging natural controls that promote a stable stagedischarge or index-velocity relation, a satisfactory reach for 

measuring dis­charge throughout the expected range of stage, 

and a means of efficiently accessing the gage and measuring 

the location. Other aspects considered by Tallahassee Office 

personnel when planning gage-house installations include 

physical features such as rock riffles, overflow dams, and 

channel characteristics (Kennedy, 1984, p. 2).

The Data Section Chief or Project Chief, in conjunction 

with input from field personnel familiar with the area, selects 

the employee to be assigned the new gage. The Data Chief/

Surface-Water Specialist selects sites for new gaging stations 

and oversees the gage construction through to com­pletion. 

Factors considered in site selection include: (1) purpose of 

the gage, (2) hydraulic and hydrologic consider­ations, and 

(3) cost and accessibility. Selection of a new site involves 

consulting with the cooperating agency, checking terrain and 

drainage area on a topographic map, field reconnaissances, 

and file search and inventory for data on previous sites on 

the selected or nearby streams. The Data Section Chief or 

Project Chief ensure that agreements with property owners are 

properly documented and that all necessary permits have been 

obtained. In Florida, permits are required for installation of 

gages on bridges from the appropriate agency responsible for 

the bridge (County, State, Federal). Other permits may also be 

required. The Data Section Chief or Project Chief approve the 

site design, in conjunction with input from the employee who 

will be servicing the site and the crew installing the gage. The 

Data Section Chief or Project Chief approves the final gaging 

station product.

A program of careful inspection and maintenance 

of gages, gage shelters, and the gage record promotes 

the collection of reliable and accurate data. Allowing the 

equipment and structures to fall into disrepair may result in 

unreliable data and safety issues. Tallahassee Office policy 

requires field personnel to visually inspect a gaging station 

during each site visit, and to make a detailed inspection once 

a year. To prevent the buildup of mud or the clogging of 

intakes, employees flush intakes to stilling wells during each 

visit and de-silt the wells as needed (every 2-15 years) or after 

a major flood event. Other maintenance activities employees 

perform on a regular basis include checking all inside and 

outside staff gages, checking the bubbler rate and volume of 

gas left in the nitro­gen tank, removing debris and silt from 

the pressure transducer, purging the transducer orifice line, 

checking/main­taining the battery voltage, noting outside 

high-water marks, and maintaining a log of gage activities in 

the gage (fig. 2).

Employees report any deficiencies that they can­not 

immediately repair on the gage inspection sheets (form P-17, 

Appendix B). The employee should work with the senior 

technical person, Data Section Chief, or Project Chief to 

remedy the noted deficiencies or hazards. The employee 

should never compromise safety for any reason and must 

accurately and immediately report and document station safety 

deficiencies to the senior technical person, Data Section Chief, 

or Project Chief. In addition to the annual inspections by the 

employee regularly servicing the gage, the Data Section Chief 

or their designee inspects each gaging site at least once every 

3 years.

Measurement of Stage

Many types of available instruments measure the water 

level, or stage, at gaging stations. Gage types include nonrecording gages (Rantz and others, 1982, p. 24) and recording 

gages (Rantz and others, 1982, p. 32). Because stage data may 

be used in a variety of ways, OSW policy requires that field 

personnel collect surface-water stage records at stream sites 

using specified instruments and procedures (Office of Surface 

Water Memorandum 93.07). These instruments and procedures usually provide sufficient accuracy to support computation of discharge from a stage-discharge relation. In some 

Collection of Surface-Water Data 
GAGING STATION OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

• GAGE HOUSE INSPECTION INFORMATION MUST BE ON USGS MEASUREMENT

 F ORM 9-275F, OR SUBSTITUTE

 Name of field person or observer

 Date of visit and readings

 Outside staff gage readings

 Inside staff gage, tape gage, or datalogger readings

 Station number and name

 

• CHECK BUBBLER SYSTEM AT PRESSURE TRANSDUCER SITES

 Read and record remaining pressure in nitrogen tank

 Replace tank if less than 200 lbs. remaining

 Check for leaks in system if tank has been replaced more than twice in a year

• FLUSH INTAKES AND PURGE ORIFICE LINES

 Make sure water runs clear from stilling well

 For submersible pressure transducers, remove and clean transducer

 For nonsubmersible pressure transucers, purge orifice line 

• TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION IF STAGES DIFFER BY MORE THAN 0.02 FT.

 Adjust and note datalogger offsets

 Adjust and note tape stage indicator

 Run levels to resolve reference gage accuracy issues

 Establish temporary reference point for damaged gages

• CHECK BATTERY VOLTAGE, REGULATOR/CHARGER, AND SOLAR PANEL

 Replace battery if voltage drops below 12.2 volts (use volt meter)

 Check solar panel for cracks or bullet holes

 Verify solar panel is good by using a 50-ohm resistor

• CHECK DATALOGGER; DOWNLOAD DATA WITH FIELD COMPUTER

 Replace datalogger if it does not pass system check

 Maintain laptop computer battery in charged condition

 Keep spare battery pack with laptop computer

 Keep log of programs for stations in field trip

 Keep hard copies of programming sheets in field folder and gage house

 Transfer downloaded data to compact disks or pen drives upon return from field

• CUT GRASS, BRUSH, AND TREE LIMBS AROUND GAGE AND LINES AS NEEDED

• MAKE DISCHARGE MEASUREMENT AT SITE AS SCHEDULED

 Read gage heights before and after measurement and record

 Record location of measuring section, control, and flow conditions

 Follow criteria outlined in fig. 4

 

Figure 2. Gaging station operation and maintenance.

 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
cases, because of poor hydrologic conditions, instruments that 

may not meet OSW standards, such as radar units, are used. 

Gaging stations usually operate for the purpose of 

determining daily discharge, and instantaneous annual 

extremes in stage and discharge. This includes the goal of 

collecting stage data at the accuracy of 0.01 ft. or 0.2 per­cent, 

whichever is less restrictive for the stage being measured 

(Office of Surface Water Memorandums 89.08, 93.07, 96.05). 

In some cases, however, such accuracy is impossible. For 

example, some of the Tallahassee Office’s large river stations 

show surge as much as + or -0.10 ft. But in some lakes and 

streams with wave action, employees cannot read staff gages 

more accurately than + or - 0.10 ft. In these cases, comments 

in the station analysis alert the data user to such irregularities. Office of Surface Water Memorandum 93.07 provides an 

explanation of USGS policy on stage-measurement accuracy 

as it relates to instrumentation. 

The types of instrumentation installed at any specific 

gage shelter operated by the Tallahassee Office depend on 

a number of factors. These factors include the needs of the 

cooperating agency, availability of utility lines, terrain—

including slope and aspect, configuration of the stream and its 

banks, and the expected range in stage. Types of continuous 

water-level recorders operated by personnel in the Tallahassee 

Office primarily include various manufactures of Electronic 

Data Loggers (EDLs) and Data Collection Platforms (DCPs) 

connected to stage sensors. However, partner agencies sometimes use analog-to-digital recorders (ADRs) and strip-chart 

recorders as backups for the EDLs in USGS gages. Sensors 

used to monitor stage include float and tape assemblages 

driving shaft encoders, submersible and nonsubmersible 

pressure transducers, and radar units. For instantaneous 

observation of stage, instruments used include steel tapes, staff 

gages, wire-weight gages, and electric-tape gages. The Data 

Section or Project Chief, in consultation with the cooperating 

agency and employee to be assigned the sta­tion determine 

which type of water-level recorders and sensors will be 

installed and operated at each gaging station. 

Accurate stage measurement requires not only accurate 

instrumentation but also proper installation and regular 

monitoring of all system components to ensure that equipment and sensor accuracy do not deteriorate with time (Office 

of Surface Water Memorandum 93.07). Employees observe 

reference and primary gages to ensure that gage-house instruments accurately record the water levels of the body of water 

being investigated. The reference gage is a non-record­ing 

gage used to set the principal gage. The main purpose of 

the reference gage is to furnish periodic independent watersurface elevations to monitor the accuracy of the primary gage, 

and other gages (Kennedy, 1983, p. 10). The principal gage 

records the continuous or near-continuous record of surfacewater elevations. For example, at stations with stilling wells, 

employees usually check the float recorder (the primary gage) 

against the inside staff gage or electric tape gage (the reference 

gage). At a station with a pressure transducer, the transducer 

(the primary gage) is checked against a wire-weight gage, 

outside staff gage (the reference gages), or crest-stage gage 

(CSG). In some cases, reference points (for tape-down to the 

water surface) may serve as reference gages because outside 

staff gages are regularly destroyed by trees and debris in the 

river or by vandalism. If they are not in the same pool, the 

relationship between the reference gage and the primary gage 

can change as the gage height increases (because of slope 

changes) and employees document these changes. In ADAPS, 

these changes can be accounted for by using an equation for 

input. Because of the potential changes in slope under such 

conditions, the primary gage is not usually adjusted to the 

reference gage during high flows. 

The employee ensures that instrumentation installed at 

gaging stations, including stage sensors, is properly serviced 

and calibrated. This task is accomplished by visiting the site 

and observing any deficiencies. If observed deficiencies are 

minor, the employee should repair them on the spot using 

spare parts carried in the field vehicle. If the deficiencies are 

major, then the employee consults with the senior technical 

person, electronics specialist, construction crew, Data Section 

or Project Chief to formulate a corrective plan of action. 

Obviously, the nature of the observed problem will dictate 

which action to take. Individuals who have questions related 

to the cal­ibration and maintenance of water-level recorders 

should contact the senior technical person, Data Section Chief, 

or Project Chief. 

Secondary methods of data verification are valuable tools 

in the quality-assurance of data. In Florida, low gradients 

keep flows near peak or low levels for several days, which 

facilitates checking the accuracy of a peak or low. One goal of 

the Tallahassee Data Section is to provide more independent 

verification of peaks and lows, and CSGs will be installed at 

sites not having them to provide such verification. At some 

gages, cooperators maintain backup recorders which help 

assure a complete and accurate stage record at the gage. For 

example, a gaging station with a stilling well might contain 

two float-tape systems, one for the EDL, and one for a 

back-up recorder.

Gage Documents

Tallahassee Office procedure dictates that employees 

maintain field documents (fig. 3) in each gage shelter for 

the purpose of keeping an on-site record of observations, 

equipment maintenance, structural maintenance, and other 

information helpful to field personnel. Documents to be 

maintained at each gage shelter include: (1) a log of site visits 

updated by field personnel during each visit which describes 

control conditions and lists gage readings; (2) a copy of the 

most current rating and rating table; (3) a copy of the most 

recent station description detailing all the gages, reference 

marks, and measurement cross-sections; (4) a measurement 

summary which includes gage-house maintenance notes, 

equipment maintenance notes, and discharge measurements 

(Appendix figures 2-5); (5) a copy of the programming sheet 

Collection of Surface-Water Data 
FIELD DOCUMENTS

GAGE HOUSE DOCUMENTS

• USGS FIELD OFFICE GAGING STATION SERVICE NOTES

Servicing party and date

Outside gage reading

For stilling well sites—inside and outside staff gages and/or wire-weight gage

For transducer sites, nitrogen tank pressure and bubble rate

As appropraite, datalogger readings

Battery voltage

• MEASUREMENT INFORMATION

Where measured

 Equipment used

 Maximum depth and velocity

 Remarks on control, point-of-zero flow, high-water marks, minimum and maximum clip

 Comments on flushing intakes or cleaning transducer

• COPY OF EDL OR DCP PROGRAMMING SHEET; BASIC PROGRAMMING

 INSTRUCTIONS

• SPECIAL GAGE NOTES

 Special attention items

 Maximum and minimum clip corrections

 Telephone contacts 

 Copy of most recent station description

 Copy of current rating and rating table

 Gage house calendar

 Past year hydrograph (optional)

• FIELD FOLDER DOCUMENTS

 Map with instructions on getting to the site

 Copy of most recent station description

 Copy of current rating, rating table, and shift diagram

 List of discharge measurements and preliminary shifts

 Pertinent notes, letters regarding gages at site

Figure 3. Field documents.

 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
for the EDL or DCP and brief instruc­tions on how to access 

and program the EDL or DCP; (6) the Job Hazard Analysis 

(JHA) and Highway Safety Plan applicable for the site; 

(7) notes with important telephone numbers and any special 

quirks at the gage; and (8) notes regarding measurement 

procedures and safety rules at the station during extreme 

events, such as flood­ing and low flows. An optional document 

to include in the gage shelter might be a hydrograph of the 

previous year’s mean daily flows. All documents should 

be kept in a sealed, hard plastic tube to protect them from 

moisture and pests.

The employee assigned to the gaging station ensures that 

outdated gage documents are regularly updated. When field 

personnel visit a gage shelter and identify a need to update one 

or more of the documents, they should replace documents as 

needed (note this may require some planning and forethought) 

or make a note to replace them on the next visit. Individuals 

having questions related to what documents should be kept in 

a gage shelter, when the documents should be replaced with 

newer documents, or appropriate methods of appending logs 

or plotting mea­surements should contact their senior technical 

person, Data Section Chief, or Project Chief.

Levels

The various gages at a gaging station are set to register 

the altitude of a water surface above a selected level reference 

surface called the gage datum. The gage’s supporting 

structures--stilling wells, backings, shelters, bridges, and other 

structures--tend to settle or rise as a result of earth movement, 

static or dynamic loads, vibration, or damage by floodwaters 

and flood-borne debris. Vertical movement of a structure 

makes the attached gages read too high or too low and, if 

the errors go undetected, may lead to increased uncertainties 

in streamflow records. Employees use leveling, a procedure 

which uses surveying instruments to determine altitudinal 

differ­ences between two points, to determine the gage datum, 

and to periodically check the gage for vertical movement 

(Kennedy, 1990, p. 1). Running levels periodically to all bench 

marks, reference marks, reference points, and gages at each 

station reveals if any datum changes have occurred (Rantz and 

others, 1982, p. 545). Three widely-dispersed reference marks 

need to be established at every gage, so that all of them would 

not be lost during a flood event. Another reason that three reference marks are needed is that if one gets disturbed, then the 

other two should still be in agreement and the bad reference 

mark can be determined. At sites with pressure transducers, 

levels are run to the orifice whenever possible.

Tallahassee Office procedure requires that levels are 

periodically run at all gages. Field personnel run levels at 

new gaging stations when installed, or at a minimum during 

the first year after the gage is constructed. They run levels to 

established gaging sta­tions once every 3-5 years, after any 

major flood event, after any type of earth movement in the 

area, or any time unre­solved gage-height discrepancies exist 

between the various gages at a station exist (Kennedy, 1990, 

p.14). Field notes are checked for satisfactory closure and 

arithmetic error prior to leaving the station. Employees reset 

gages to agree with levels when levels show greater than a 

0.02 ft. vertical change. When gages are reset, field personnel document the reset on a miscellaneous note sheet or level 

note sheet (Appendix B, Form 9-275D and Form 9-276). For 

all levels at new stations, along with routine 3-5 year levels or 

levels used to reset a gage datum or establish reference points, 

field personnel use an engineer’s level. For other checks when 

less accuracy is required, other types of levels, such as a laser 

level, become acceptable. Levels to the outside water surface 

should always be made.

Kennedy (1990) describes field and documentation 

methods used to run levels. Kennedy (1990) and Office of 

Surface Water Memorandum 93.12 detail level procedures 

pertaining to circuit closure, instrument reset, and repeated 

use of turning points. Field personnel maintain the level 

instruments in proper adjustment by running a fixed-scale 

test and/or a peg test (Kennedy, 1990, p. 12-14). Person­nel 

document these tests on a miscellaneous note sheet that is kept 

as a peg-test log with the level notes.

The employee ensures that all field level notes are 

checked and that levels are run at the appropriate fre­quency. 

The employee enters the level information on the historical 

level-summary form within 2 weeks after the levels are 

completed. The summary should include changes in elevation of reference marks and the orifice, and corrections to 

be applied to the inside and outside staff gages. The senior 

technical person or Data Section Chief ensures that levels are 

run correctly and that all level notes are completed. 

Site Documentation

Site documentation requires thorough qualitative and 

quantitative information describing each gaging station. 

This documentation, in the form of a station description 

and photographs, provides a permanent record of site 

char­acteristics, structures, equipment, instrumentation, 

altitudes, location, and changes in conditions at each site. 

These documents also provide a history of past flood events, 

nearby construction, or any unusual occurrences at the site.

Station Descriptions

A station description outlining basic gage information becomes part of the permanent record for each gaging 

station. Tallahassee Office procedure dictates that the station 

description for a new gage is written at the time the first year’s 

records are computed. The employee assigned to service the 

gaging station ensures that the station description is prepared 

correctly and in a timely manner. Employees should obtain 

assistance from the senior technical person or Data Section 

Chief if they have a question on preparing and completing 

station descriptions. The employee reviews station descriptions 

Collection of Surface-Water Data 
every year and updates them if necessary. The senior technical 

person or Data Section Chief reviews all station descriptions to 

ensure that they are updated and complete.

Station descriptions outline specific types of information 

in a consistent format (Kennedy, 1983, p. 2). The sta­tion 

description includes information such as location of the 

station, date of establishment, drainage area above the site, 

description of the gages, history of activities at the station, 

reference and benchmarks, channel and control characteristics, 

floods, point-of-zero flow (PZF), the Job Hazard Analysis, site 

maps, and road/driving logs to the site. Other items employees 

should include are detail on discharge measurements and 

cross-sections, extreme stage and discharge, regulations and 

diversions, cooperative agencies, local observers, and other 

site-specific information (Kennedy, 1983, p. 3-5). Drainage 

areas determined using Geographic Information System (GIS) 

methods need to be checked against the original drainage area 

maps for consistency.

The employee maintains paper copies of the station 

description in the station folder and field folder, at the gage 

site, as well as electronic copies on the USGS computer. For 

new sites, employees work with coworkers to obtain latitude, 

longitude, and drainage area information from the most current 

USGS topographic maps. These should be verified with 

Global Positioning System (GPS) readings in the field. They 

obtain historical information from a variety of sources such as 

annual reports, investigative or open-file reports, or USGS and 

other-agency files. The ADAPS database administrator assigns 

the station number. 

Photographs

Field personnel photograph gage shelters, station 

controls, channel conditions, reference marks, flood damage, 

indirect measurement sites, vandalism, and other important 

circumstances to document activity and conditions at the 

gaging station on an as needed basis. Field personnel should 

carry disposable cameras in their field vehicle to take 

photographs when they might be needed. The Tallahassee 

Data Section maintains a few digital cameras, which should 

be used for more extensive photographic needs. For hardcopy prints, the back of each photograph that is included 

with the station folder should be marked with a permanentink marker to document the station number, station name, 

date, gage height, and any other information needed to 

interpret the photo. Digital photographs for gages serviced 

by the Tallahassee Office are stored in data archive directories set up for each gage. Photographs should be named to 

document the event, location, and gage involved. Hard-copy 

prints or CDs of digital photographs for the current year are 

placed in the primary folder, while older photo­graphs are 

placed in the station folder, or in the historic station files, for 

documentation.

Current-Meter Discharge Measurements

Employees make direct measurements of discharge 

with any one of a number of methods approved by the U.S. 

Geological Survey, the most common of which is the currentmeter method. In the current-meter measurement, the sum 

of the products of the subsection areas of the stream cross 

section and their respective average velocities determines 

the discharge (Rantz and others, 1982, p. 80). Rantz and 

others (1982, p. 139), Carter and Davidian (1968, p. 7), and 

Buchanan and Somers (1969 p. 1) describe procedures used 

for current-meter measurements.

When personnel make measurements of stream discharge, 

they attempt to minimize errors. Sauer and Meyer (1992) 

identify sources of errors, which include: random errors 

such as depth errors associated with soft, uneven, or mobile 

streambeds; and uncertainties in mean velocity associated 

with vertical-velocity distribution errors and pul­sation errors. 

Velocity distribution errors also include systematic errors, or 

bias, associated with improperly cali­brated equipment or the 

improper use of such equipment.

To reduce systematic errors in direct-discharge 

measurements, Data Section Chiefs rotate most field trips 

every 3-5 years, or include informal check-measurement 

programs on all field trips. Because of complex, varied 

instrumenta­tion and remote station locations, some field trips 

in the Tallahassee Office tend to be matched to expertise and 

physical capabilities, and thus are rarely rotated.

Tallahassee Office practices related to the measurement 

of discharge (fig. 4) by use of the current-meter method, in 

accor­dance with USGS policies, include such topics as depth 

criteria, number of measurement subsections, computation of 

mean gage height, check measurements, and corrections for 

storage. 

Depth Criteria for Meter Selection

Tallahassee Office personnel select the type of current 

meter to be used for each discharge measurement based on 

criteria presented in Office of Surface Water Memorandum 

85.07. Generally speaking, a Price AA meter should be used at 

depths greater that 1.5 ft., and a Price pygmy meter for depths 

below 1.5 ft. However, there are also velocity considerations. 

The reverse side of the pygmy meter rating table details all the 

specific information. Personnel should use current meters with 

caution when a measurement must be made in conditions outside of the ranges of the method presented in Office of Surface 

Water Memorandum 85.07, and downgrade the measurement 

accuracy accordingly.

Frequently, stream conditions fit guidelines between 

those for a pygmy meter measurement and AA meter measurement. In these cases, the meter most suited for the 

majority of the channel flow should be used. For example, 

if the cross section varies from depths of 0.7 ft. for 10 ft. of 

the cross section, then slowly increases to 2.5 ft. for 30 ft. 

10 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
DIRECT DISCHARGE MEASUREMENT GUIDELINES

• IDEAL CROSS-SECTION SELECTION CRITERIA

 Nearly uniform bottom across section

 Average velocity greater than 0.5 ft/sec; depth greater than 0.5 ft.

 Straight channel whenever possible to avoid angles

 Uniform flow free of eddies, slack water, and excessive turbulence

 Cross section close to gage to avoid storage or inflow adjustments

• METER SELECTION CRITERIA

 DEPTH OF WATER

 If greater than 1.5 ft., choose a Price AA meter

 Use low-flow AA meter for cross sections with average velocity less than 1 ft/sec

 If less than 1.5 ft., choose Price pygmy meter

• CURRENT METER QUALITY ASSURANCE/MAINTENANCE

 Perform spin test before each trip ad log, or perform each day

 For Price AA meter, 1.5 minutes is acceptable, 4 minutes is ideal

 For Price pygmy meter, 0.5 minute is acceptable, 1.5 minutes is ideal

 Check meter and repair or replace bent cups and worn pivots

 Clean and oil meter daily, or after each measurement in sediment-laden water

• MEASUREMENT NOTES INCLUDE

 Date, party, meter type, suspension, and meter number

 Name of stream and station number, or location for miscellaneous measurement

 Stage readings before, during, and after measurement

 Time measurement started and ended, with intermediate times

 Bank of stream that measurement was started from

 Control and flow conditions

 Other pertinent information regarding conditions 

• NUMBER OF MEASUREMENT SUBSECTIONS

 Ideally about 25-30 stations

 Target no more than 5 percent of flow in each section

 Use fewer stations for rapidly changing stage, floods with lots of debris, or narrow channels 

• STOPWATCH

 Periodically test stopwatch with regular watch or another stopwatch

 Allow 40-70 seconds for each vertical measurement

 1⁄2 counts are acceptable in rapidly-changing stages—record as 1⁄2 counts

• CHECK MEASUREMENTS

 Perform second measurement if first is more than 5 percent from current rating or shift

 Change meter and stopwatch

 Use different stationing, or change cross sections

• WORK MEASUREMENT IN FIELD WHENEVER POSSIBLE

Figure 4. Direct discharge measurement guidelines.

Collection of Surface-Water Data 11
12  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey

of cross section, then gradually decreases to 1 ft. of depth 

over 10 ft., a Price AA meter is probably the best meter to 

use as most of the flow will most likely be in the deeper part 

of the cross section. The employee should rec­ognize, however, that there will be some greater error in those parts of 

the measurement where the water is shallower than 1.5 ft. 

Ideally, a pygmy meter would be used for the parts of the 

cross section shallower than 1.5 ft. and a Price AA meter for 

areas deeper than 1.5 ft. However, this approach is generally 

not practical and probably not worth the perhaps slight gain 

in measurement accuracy. In cases where two channels exist, 

one deep and one shallow, then changing meters becomes 

more practical and reasonable. Personnel who have questions concerning the appropriate procedures for making stage 

and discharge measurements should address their questions 

to fellow employees, the senior technical person, or the Data 

Section or Project Chief.

Criteria for Sounding-Weight Selection

When a measurement must be made from a bridge or 

boat, employees must consider depth and velocity in choosing 

the correct weight to use. A general rule is to use a weight at 

least as heavy as the product of the fastest velocity and 

deepest depth in the cross section (Rantz and others, 1982, 

p. 146-147). However, heavier weights may need to be used in 

shallow, faster streams. Tags on the reel’s line will allow for 

correct depths to be determined in fast water. 

Number of Measurement Subsections

The spacing of observation verticals in the measurement 

section can affect the accuracy of the measurement (Rantz 

and others, 1982, p. 179). USGS criteria state that employees 

observe depth and velocity at a minimum number of about 

30 verticals, which is normally necessary to ensure that no 

more than 5 percent of the total flow is measured in any 

one vertical. Even under the worst conditions the discharge 

computed for each vertical should not exceed 10 percent of 

the total discharge and ideally not exceed more than 5 percent 

(Rantz and others, 1982, p. 140). Exceptions to this policy 

prevail in circumstances where accuracy would be sacrificed if 

this number of verticals were maintained, such as for measurements during rapidly changing stage (Rantz and others, 

1982, p. 174). Employees sometimes use fewer verticals than 

are ideal for very narrow streams (about 12-feet wide when 

an AA meter is used and about 5-feet wide when a pygmy 

meter is used). Since measurement of discharge is essentially 

a sampling process, the accuracy of sampling results often 

decreases markedly when the number of samples is less than 

about 25.

Computation of Mean Gage Height

Tallahassee Office personnel use procedures presented 

in Rantz and others (1982, p. 170) for computing mean gage 

height during a discharge measurement. The coordinates for 

plotting discharge measurements for a streamflow gaging 

site includes mean gage height of the measurement. Methods 

used to determine the mean gage height involve dischargeweighting or time-weighting the stage readings during the 

measurement. For this to be accomplished, it is essential 

that field personnel periodically enter times on the notesheet 

during the measurement so that the weighting procedures can 

be applied if needed.

Check Measurements

USGS policy states that if a discharge measurement plots 

more than 5 percent from the rating or shift currently in place, 

then employees should make a second discharge measurement 

to check it. Because many sites maintained by the Tallahassee 

Office have only fair to poor measurement conditions, 

consideration of site conditions is a major factor in deciding 

whether a check measurement is made. These conditions 

include characteristics such as control stability, bed movement, 

and growth of vegetation in the channel during summer. 

During recessions after peak flows, changes of 5 percent or 

more from the rating are common, whereas during low flows, 

a shift difference of plus or minus 0.02 ft. is acceptable. If an 

obvious control change is observed, this should be noted on 

the field sheet and no check measurement needs to be made. 

When making a check measurement to verify less obvious 

control conditions, employees change or check as much of 

the instru­mentation and conditions as possible. These changes 

and checks include using a different current meter, changing 

stopwatches or checking the stopwatch with a regular timepiece, selecting different vertical sections in the cross-section, 

or choosing a new cross-section altogether (Rantz and others, 

1982, p. 346). In cases where the second mea­surement verifies 

neither the original rating or shift, or the first measurement, a 

third measurement might be made and the closest 2 out of 3 

used.

Corrections for Storage

Rantz and others (1982, p. 177) and Office of Surface 

Water Memorandum 92.09 discuss corrections for storage 

applied to mea­sured discharges for the purpose of defining 

stage-discharge relations. These corrections involve an adjustment to the measured discharge based on the channel surface 

area and average rate of change in stage in the reach between 

the gage and point of measurement. Storage corrections 

generally apply only if the discharge measurement is made at 

some distance from the gaging station cross section.

Field Notes

A necessary component of surface-water data collection 

and analysis includes thorough documentation of field 

observations and data-collection activities. To ensure that 

clear, thorough, and systematic notations are made during field 
observations, field personnel record discharge measurements 

on standardized USGS measurement notes (Form 9-275 series, 

Appendix B). If these forms are not available, any substitute 

can be used, even a regular sheet of paper, so long as the field 

person includes all the necessary information in the notes 

(fig. 5). Field notes are considered original legal documents, 

and thus, employees should not erase original observations 

once written on the note sheet. Instead, they should make 

corrections to original data by crossing the value out, then 

writing the correct value. Some exam­ples of original data on 

a discharge-measurement note sheet include gage readings, 

depths, measurement stations, current-meter counts or clicks, 

and time notations. Employees can erase derived or computed 

data, such as com­puted widths, velocities, section and total 

discharges, and mean gage height.

Information that should be included by field personnel 

on the measurement note sheet includes, at minimum, the 

initials and last name of all field-party members, date, times 

associated with gage readings and other observations, station 

name and number, control and channel conditions, outside 

and inside (if applicable) staff gage readings, read­ings from 

the EDL or DCP, condition of the battery and nitrogen tank (if 

applicable), type of instrument used for any discharge measurements, any observed HWMs, crest-stage gage read­ings, 

PZF estimates, and any other pertinent information regarding 

unusual gage or streamflow conditions. Points-of-zero flow 

should be collected at wadeable streams whenever feasible and 

included on the Form 9027 as well as the measurement notes. 

Mathematics for PZF estimates, reference-point elevations, 

and similar calculations should be shown on the measurement 

note sheet. 

Employees document notations associated with 

miscellaneous surface-water data-collection activities on 

miscellaneous note forms (Form 9-275D, Appendix B) or 

any other sheet of paper so long as the necessary information is included (fig. 5). All miscellaneous notes include, at 

minimum, initials and last name of field-party members, date, 

time associated with observations, purpose of the site visit, 

and pertinent gage-height readings or other infor­mation. 

Besides 9-275 series of discharge measurement notes, 

other types of field notes used in the Tallahassee Office 

include crest-stage gage notes (T-9335, Appendix B), level 

notes (9-276, Appendix B), and a field inspection sheet 

for dataloggers (Appendix B). A variety of pertinent station and conditions information, readings, observations, and 

calculations are required in filling out these notes (fig 5; 

Appen­dix B). 

Generally, discharge measurements made during field site 

visits will be calculated onsite after the measurement is made. 

This allows check measurements to be made without having to 

make another station visit. During floods or other emergency 

situations, employees should calculate discharge measurements as soon as possible and phone results into the office for 

informational purposes. This is particularly important during 

major floods so that dis­charges the Tallahassee Office presents to the public and the media reflect the most current data 

possible.

The degree of review and checking of field note 

sheets depends on the experience of the employee. For new 

employees, fellow employees or the senior technical person 

check every measurement or field note right after the site 

visit to ensure that all required information and observations 

are made and noted correctly, and that discharge measurements are being completed according to standards and are 

correctly computed. Experienced employees with demonstrated competence generally need only periodic reviews of 

the measurements and field notes. In the event of unusual 

conditions, however, the measurement should be thoroughly 

reviewed and checked. Reviewers finding deficiencies in 

the content, accuracy, clarity, or thoroughness of field notes 

notify the employee of these facts by communi­cating USGS 

standards and requirements directly with them. Reviewers who 

find continued deficiencies in an employee’s measurement 

notes should notify the senior technical person, Data Section 

Chief, or Project Chief, who will then review USGS measurement notes standards with the employee. Clear, accurate, 

and thorough field notes are key to the quality assurance of 

surface-water data. Employees that consistently fail to remedy 

doc­umented deficiencies will be subject to disciplinary action, 

including removal for serious and continued problems (Water 

Resources Division Memorandum 98.10).

Acceptable Equipment

The Tallahassee Office personnel use equipment for the 

measurement of surface-water discharge that has been certified 

acceptable by the USGS through use and testing. Usually, this 

equipment has been rigorously tested and calibrated by the 

USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF). An array of 

acceptable equipment for measuring discharge includes current meters, timers, wad­ing rods, bridge cranes, tag lines, and 

others (Rantz and others, 1982, p. 82; and Smoot and Novak, 

1968). Although an official list of acceptable equipment is not 

available, Buchanan and Somers (1969), Carter and Davidian 

(1968), and Edwards and Glysson (1988) discuss the equipment used by the USGS.

Tallahassee Office personnel most commonly use the 

Price AA current meter and the Price pygmy current meter 

for measuring surface-water discharge. The HIF, who test 

a percentage of all new meters received to assure they 

meet USGS standards, supplies these current meters to the 

Tallahassee Office. Employees may use other current meters, 

provided that those meters have been fully tested, calibrated, 

and field-checked against the appro­priate Price meter. Generally, the use of other meters will require an ongoing quality-assurance program to validate their regular use. Methods 

followed by Tallahassee Office personnel for inspecting, 

repairing, and cleaning these meters are described in Smoot 

and Novak (1968, p. 9), Rantz and others (1982, p. 93), and 

Buchanan and Somers (1969, p. 7).

Collection of Surface-Water Data 13
FIELD MEASUREMENT NOTES

• USE 9-275 SERIES NOTES FOR INSPECTIONS AND MEASUREMENTS

• STATION INSPECTION NOTES INCLUDE

 Date and party

 Name of stream and USGS station number

 Outside and inside (stilling well) stage readings 

 Datalogger or Data Collection Platform stages and times

 Readings and times for all other sensors

 Control and flow conditions

 Observed high-water marks and maximum/minimum clip readings

 Condition of battery and nitrogen tank (if applicable)

 Other pertinent information regarding equipment and conditions 

• IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, MEASUREMENT NOTES INCLUDE

 Meter type and meter number

 Streamflow location for miscellaneous measurement

 Stage readings and times before, during, and after measurement

 Time measurement started and ended, with intermediate times

 Bank of stream that measurment was started from

• MISCELLANEOUS FIELD NOTES

 Used for almost anything

 Include party, date, time, station name, and number, and observations

• CREST-STAGE GAGE NOTES

 For crest-stage gage inspections and service

 Include party, date, time, station number, station name

 Include stick readings, quality of marks, high-water marks, and other observations

• LEVEL NOTES

 For running levels at streams

 Include station number, party, date, time, and level readings and calculations

• INFORMATION ON ALL NOTES SHOULD BE WRITTEN AS COMPLETELY AND

 LEGIBLY AS POSSIBLE. ASK YOURSELF IF SOMEONE ELSE COULD

 UNDERSTAND THE NOTES COMPLETELY IN 10 YEARS TIME--THE ANSWER SHOULD BE “YES.”

Figure 5. Field measurement notes.

14  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
The ultimate responsibility for the good condition and 

accuracy of a current meter rests with the field person who 

uses it (Office of Surface Water Memorandum 89.07). A timed 

spin test made a few minutes before a measure­ment does not 

ensure that the meter will not become damaged or fouled 

during the measurement. Field personnel must assess apparent 

changes in velocity or visually inspect the meter periodically 

during the measurement to ensure that the meter continues to 

remain in proper operating condition. If there is any question 

regarding the performance of a meter, an immediate spin test 

may provide the answer.

Spin Tests

Tallahassee Office procedure requires spin tests prior 

to each field trip. When in the field, employees document 

spin-test results on their measurement note sheets. When 

spin tests are made in the office, or after a meter has been 

repaired or parts changed, spin tests are entered in a notebook 

with a log that is maintained for each instrument. Archived 

surface-water data include this log (Office of Surface Water 

Memorandum 89.07). Spin tests and visual inspections may 

identify needed repairs to meters. Field personnel note these 

repairs on the log for the particular meter being serviced. The 

senior technical person, Data Section Chief, or Project Chief 

reviews the logs periodically to assure that personnel perform 

regular spin tests, maintenance, and repairs to current meters. 

If deficiencies are observed during this review of the log, the 

senior technical person, Data Section Chief, or Project Chief 

orally communicates noted prob­lems to the employee, who 

should immediately take the recommended corrective actions. 

In addition to the timed spin tests performed prior to field 

trips, field personnel inspect the meter before and after each 

measurement to see that the meter is in good condition, that 

the cups spin freely, and the cups do not come to an abrupt 

stop. Descriptive notations made at the appropriate location 

on the field note sheet concerning the meter condition, such 

as “OK” or “free” or other such comments denote that an 

inspection has been completed. To ensure that field personnel 

carry out their responsibilities in maintaining the equipment 

they use, the senior technical person, Data Section Chief, or 

Project Chief inspect equipment semiannually. They communicate noted deficiencies directly to the employee responsible 

for the meter, and the employee takes immediate corrective 

actions.

Regular repairs involve replacing a variety of parts 

that make up the current meter. The Data Section keeps an 

inventory of spare parts for use in maintaining current meters. 

The combined responsibility of all employees maintains 

this inventory and apprises the senior technical person when 

supplies. Employees replace or repair damaged cups immediately because damaged cups can change the standard meter 

calibration. For meters that fail spin tests, employees should 

change the pivot, pivot bearing, head assembly, or yoke until 

they obtain a spin test that meets OSW guidelines. The office 

disposes of broken parts, but retains worn or slightly damaged 

parts for conditioning by the HIF. Periodically, the senior 

technical person will return the aggregated used parts to the 

HIF for refurbishment, replacement, or recalibration. Metal 

parts that cannot be refurbished are recycled.

Alternative Equipment

New conditions and the development of new technology 

sometimes involve the collection of surface-water data with 

alternative equipment that has not been fully tested or accepted 

by USGS. To demonstrate the quality of surface-water data 

collected with alternative equipment, offices must thoroughly 

document procedures and observations. 

Presently, the Tallahassee Office routinely uses the 

Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) to measure 

some streams. USGS Water Supply Paper 93-2395 (Simpson 

and Oltmann, 1992), Open File Reports 95-70 (Lipscomb, 

1996), 95-4218 (Morlock, 1996) and Office of Surface Water 

Memorandums 96.01, 96.02,and 97.02 deal with ADCP 

instruments, tests, and issues, including a quality assurance 

plan for USGS. The OSW has formed a Hydroacoustics 

Section, which maintains a web page including information on 

quality assurance procedures for ADCP’s at:

http://il.water.usgs.gov/adcp/

ADCP technology is evolving quickly and new procedures and methods will evolve as well. Training employees 

and encouraging communication between staff and experts in 

this technology will help assure that ADCPs are consistently 

used in an appropriate manner to collect and prcoess data to 

USGS standards of accuracy.

 The Tallahassee Office may cooperate or contract work 

with another agency which uses alternative equip­ment, such as 

Swoffer current meters. Quality-assurance programs between 

alternative meters and Price meters will be developed between 

the USGS and the other agency or contractor to assess whether 

the alternative meter can be regularly used. Such a program 

would entail testing both types of meters under controlled and 

field conditions under an array of stream discharges to validate 

or invalidate use of the alternative meter. In addition, the other 

agency or contractor must provide the Tallahassee Office with 

the procedures that they use for ensuring proper calibration of 

their current meters.

Other Direct Methods of Measuring Discharge

Tallahassee Office procedures dictate that USGS OSW 

techniques and guidelines are followed when discharge 

mea­surements are made with any selected method of 

measurement. These methods include the moving boat 

method, the tracer-dilution method, volumetric methods, and 

use of portable weirs and flumes (Rantz and others,1982; 

Buchanan and Somers, 1969; and Kilpatrick and Schneider, 

1983). 

Collection of Surface-Water Data 15
Indirect Measurements

In north Florida, floods often last several days to weeks 

because of relatively low gradients in terrain and stream channels. Thus, the office has historically relied on obtaining peak 

discharges by direct measurement. However, in some situations, especially extreme floods, it is impossible or impractical to measure peak discharges by means of a current meter. 

There may not be sufficient warning for personnel to reach the 

site to make a direct measurement, or physical access to the 

site during the event may not be feasible. A peak discharge 

determined by indirect meth­ods becomes, in many situations, 

the best available means of defining the upper portions of the 

stage-discharge rela­tion at a site (Rantz and others, 1982, p. 

334). Because the results may be unreliable, USGS generally 

does not accept extrapolation of a stage-discharge relation, 

or rating, beyond twice the measured discharge at a gaging 

station. 

The Tallahassee Office follows data-collection and 

computation procedures presented in Benson and Dalrymple 

(1967). That report includes policies and procedures related to 

site selection, field survey, identification of high-water marks, 

the selection of roughness coefficients, computations, and the 

written summary. The Tallahassee Office also follows procedures for measurement of peak discharge by indirect methods 

presented in Rantz and others (1982, p. 273). 

In addition to the general procedures presented in Benson 

and Dalrymple (1967), the Tallahassee Office follows guidelines presented in other reports that describe specific types 

of indirect measurements suited to specific types of flow 

con­ditions. Barnes (1967) and Dalrymple and Benson (1967) 

describe the slope-area method used by the USGS, which 

is based on the Manning equation. Arcement and Schneider 

(1989) describe procedures for selecting the roughness coefficient. Office of Surface Water Memorandums 97.01 and 96.32 

discuss the computer-based tools, program SAC (Fulford, 

1994), used for computing peak discharge with the slopearea method, program CAP (Fulford, 1995), used to compute 

peak discharge at culverts, and program NCALC, used to 

compute Manning’s n value from a known discharge, water 

sur­face profile, and cross-section properties. Bodhaine (1982) 

describes procedures for the determination of peak dis­charge 

through culverts, based on a classification system which 

delineates six types of flow. Models described by Matthai 

(1967), along with the Water-Surface Profile Computation 

model (WSPRO) described by Shearman (1990), show how 

peak discharge can be estimated at sites where open-channel width contractions occur, such as flow through a bridge 

structure. 

General guidelines that are followed by the Tallahassee 

Office when making indirect measurements include those 

discussed in Office of Surface Water Memorandum 92.10 

and in Shearman (1990). Violation of any one of the general 

guidelines does not nec­essarily invalidate an indirect measurement (Office of Surface Water Memorandum 92.10), but 

should be cause for careful scrutiny and analysis. Criteria that 

might invalidate an indirect measurement include possible 

presence of a hydraulic jump, a discontinuous water-surface 

slope, inadequate fall between cross sections, or evidence of 

bed changes between the time of the flood and the indirect 

measurement. 

The Data Chief or Project Chief ensures that indirect 

measurements are performed cor­rectly. In all indirect measurements, the computations should be documented with all plots 

as shown in the TWRI’s and should include the field notes, 

photos, and a formal summary page. The Tallahassee Office 

Data Chief/Surface-Water Specialist reviews indirect measurements to ensure that they are being performed properly.

If deficiencies are found during the review, actions taken to 

remedy the situations include discussing the deficiencies with 

the person or persons completing the indirect mea­surement 

or providing proper training. The Tallahassee Data Chief/

Surface-Water Specialist refers questionable and difficult 

indirect mea­surements to other Florida Office Surface-Water 

Specialists, or to the Regional Surface-Water Specialist for 

resolution. 

The senior technical person or Data Section Chief 

determines when and where indirect measurements are made. 

Generally, an indirect measurement should be performed 

when the estimated discharge is more than twice the high­est 

direct measurement made at the site. For quality assurance, 

validation, and training purposes, a few indirect mea­surements 

should be made annually. 

The employee should identify and flag high-water 

marks as soon as possible after the flood, and after obtain­ing 

permission from property owners. Because the quality and 

clarity of high-water marks are best just after a flood, personnel traveling in the field need flagging equipment such as nails 

and plastic markers, spray paint, paint sticks, and brightlycolored flagging tape in their field vehicles. 

After the computation of each indirect measurement, 

the Section or Project Chief, Data Chief, or Surface- Water 

Specialist checks graphs, field notes and data, plotted profiles, 

maps, calculations or computer output, and written analyses 

associated with the measurement. A single labeled folder 

organizes the information, which is then included with the 

primary folder for use in computing or reviewing the record. 

Historic indirect measurements become part of the archived 

indirect measurement files.

The Tallahassee Office maintains and updates the peakflow data files, including computer data-base files (Office of 

Surface Water Memorandum 92.10). The Section Chief or 

Project Chief ensures that appropriate indirect-measure­ment 

results are entered correctly into the peak-flow files. 

Crest-Stage Gages

Crest-stage gages, or CSGs, are used as tools throughout 

the USGS for determining peak stages at otherwise ungaged 

sites, confirming peak stages at selected sites where recording gages are located, confirming peak stages where pressure 

16  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
transducers are used, and determining peak stages along 

selected stream reaches or at other locations, such as upstream 

and downstream from bridges and culverts. To provide the 

most effective high-water marks, CSGs need to be installed 

in the same cross-section as the transducer. These data are 

invaluable for performing indirect measurements. At sites 

without CSGs, employees must depend on obtaining a number 

of high-water marks to obtain flood profiles. The OSW 

requires quality-assurance procedures comparable to those 

used at continuous- record stations for the operation of CSGs 

and for the computation of annual peaks at CSGs (Office of 

Surface Water Memorandum 88.07).

Part of the Tallahassee Office’s surface-water program 

includes operation of CSGs. There is currently a 21-station 

CSG program in the Tallahasseee Office. The Tallahassee 

Office follows procedures in the operation of CSG’s presented 

in Rantz and others (1982, p. 9, 77, 78). One or more gages at 

each selected site mark peak water-surface elevations. Culvert 

stations, or other sites where water-surface elevations are 

required to com­pute the amount and type of flow through the 

structure, require upstream and downstream CSGs.

When CSG data are used to determine peak flows, 

field personnel develop stage-discharge relations from direct 

measurements, indirect high-water measurements, or programs 

for theoretical flow through a culvert or other structure. 

Employees run levels to the gage every 3-5 years, or as soon 

as possible after signif­icant changes in the gage because of 

damage to the gage, reconstruction, or other such situations. 

An outside high-water mark confirms recorded peak stages 

whenever possible. The employee flags this mark as soon as 

possible after the event so that personnel can determine the 

elevation of the high-water mark the next time levels are run.

Field personnel write CSG observations on a CSG note 

sheet (Appendix B), measurement note sheet, or any other note 

sheet (Appendix B), so long as they include all the necessary 

information. Properly completed CSG field notes contain, at a 

minimum, initials and last name of field personnel, date, time 

of observation, the reading above the base bolt, mathematics 

used to calculate elevation, and any pertinent notes regarding the conditions the data were collected under. The CSG 

readings are entered into the electronic 9-207 form in ADAPS.

The Section Chief ensures that correct data-collection 

procedures are used by personnel in installing, main­taining, 

and reading CSGs. The Chief periodically reviews CSG note 

sheets and orally communicates any observed defi­ciencies to 

the appropriate employee, along with recommendations to 

correct them. The Section Chief assures that employees are 

properly trained in operating CSGs. 

Artificial Controls

 Artificial controls, including broad-crested weirs, thinplate weirs, and flumes, are built in stream channels for the 

purpose of simplifying the procedure of obtaining accurate 

records of discharge (Rantz and others, 1982, p. 12). Such 

structures serve to stabilize and constrict the channel at a 

section, reducing the variability of the stage-discharge relation. 

In the Tallahassee Office, these structures are most often used 

in low-flow projects rather than long-term stations.

In situations where artificial controls are installed as 

permanent structures, determination of stage-discharge 

relations depends on the design rating when direct measurements cannot be made. In most cases, however, employees 

regularly make volumetric or current meter measurements 

to validate the artificial control estimates. Tallahassee Office 

personnel use portable weir plates and flumes in situations that 

include low flow controls. Buchanan and Somers (1969, p. 57) 

and Rantz and others (1982, p. 263) describe the methods used 

in applying these portable devices.

The Section or Project Chief ensures that field personnel 

use artificial control designs appropriate for the gaging site 

and that they use correct methods to install and operate the 

control. When installing an artificial con­trol, the Tallahassee 

Office personnel take into account the criteria for selecting the 

various types of controls, principles gov­erning their design, 

and the attributes considered to be desirable in such structures 

(Carter and Davidian, 1968, p. 3; Rantz and others, 1982, p. 15 

and 348; and Kilpatrick and Schneider, 1983, p. 2 and 44).

During field inspections of artificial controls, employees 

write specific information pertaining to control conditions 

on field note sheets for the purpose of assisting in analysis of 

the surface-water data. These notes include height of water 

above the control, the amount of free fall and submergence at 

weirs, time and date of observation, station number and name, 

name or initials of the field person, and comments on channel 

conditions upstream and downstream of the artificial control. 

Regular maintenance at artificial controls includes cleaning the 

control, clean­ing the staff plate, and checking for and repairing 

any observed leaks. Field personnel should consult the senior 

tech­nical person, Section Chief, or Project Chief for help in 

solving issues associated with artificial controls.

Flood Conditions

 Flood conditions present issues that otherwise do not 

occur on a regular basis. These issues can include difficul­ties 

in gaining access to a streamflow gage or measuring site 

because roads and bridges are flooded, closed, or destroyed. 

Debris in the channel can damage equipment and present 

dangers to personnel collecting the data. Rapidly changing 

stage or conditions requiring measurements to be made 

at locations some distance away from the gage can create 

difficulties in associating a gage height to a measured 

discharge. Because of the difficult and chang­ing conditions, 

field personnel follow a series of specific guidelines during 

floods (U.S. Geological Survey, 1992).

The Tallahassee Office maintains a flood plan so that 

high-priority surface-water data associated with flood conditions are collected correctly and in a timely manner. The 

flood plan describes responsibilities before, during, and 

Collection of Surface-Water Data 17
after a flood, informational-reporting procedures, and fieldactivity priorities. The flood plan serves as a central reference for emergency communications, telephone numbers for 

key Tallahassee Office personnel, information for accessing 

streamflow gages equipped with telemetry, and methods of 

obtaining the most current data.

The Data Chief ensures that the flood plan includes all 

appropriate information, reviews the flood plan annually, 

and makes updates to the plan as required. The Data Chief 

provides copies of the flood plan to all Section per­sonnel and 

key project personnel who may assist in flood measurements 

and monitoring. Each individual that receives a copy of the 

plan keeps the document near their desk or with their field 

folders, and maintains copies of key information, such as 

telephone numbers, in their field vehicle. The senior technical 

person, Section Chief, or Project Chief ensure that individuals 

who receive a copy of the plan are fully versed on the plan’s 

contents. 

During a flood, the Section Chief, in conjunction with the 

Data Chief, coordinates flood activities. For per­sonnel that are 

not already in the field during flood conditions, they should 

first contact the Section Chief or senior technical person for 

their assignments. If the Section Chief or senior technician 

are not available, field per­sonnel should come directly to the 

office with an overnight bag in case of extended work hours. 

For personnel that are already in the field, their first responsibility during flood conditions is to contact the Section Chief or 

senior technical person for their assignment. If neither of these 

people can be reached, they should call and consult with other 

technical persons or coworkers in the office, and using the 

Tallahassee Office Flood Plan as a guide, decide what station 

they should proceed to. Personnel who arrive at a gaging station to find that a flood has occurred should make a discharge 

measurement, note and flag high-water marks as appropriate, and record any pertinent observations about the flood or 

weather conditions before proceeding to their next site. Tallahassee Office personnel apply methods described by Rantz 

and others (1982, p. 60) such as observing high-water marks 

inside and outside wells, flagging debris lines, and taking CSG 

readings to determine peak stage at gaging stations.

Tallahassee Office personnel follow policies and procedures stated in a number of publications and memorandums 

when collecting surface-water data during floods. Rantz and 

others (1982, p. 159-170) present techniques for current-meter 

measurements of flood flow. Benson and Dalrymple (1967, 

p. 11) discuss procedures for identifying high-water marks 

for indirect discharge measurements. Office of Surface Water 

Memorandum 92.09 and Buchanan and Somers (1969, p. 54) 

present information on adjustments applied to make measured 

flow hydraulically comparable with recorded gage height 

when discharge measurements are made a distance from the 

gaging station. It is the responsibility of all personnel with 

questions about particular policies or procedures related to 

flood activities, or who recognize their need for further training in any aspect of flood-data collection, to address their 

questions to the senior technical person or Data Chief. 

The Data Chief reviews all activities related to floods. 

This review includes seeing that guidelines and priorities 

spelled out in the flood plan are followed and that the guidelines appropriately address Tallahassee Office requirements 

for obtaining flood data in a safe and thorough manner. The 

Data Chief communicates orally or in writing any deficiencies 

in following the flood plan directly to Data Section employees 

and to other Section Chiefs, who in turn provide corrective 

measures and/or training for field personnel, as appropriate.

Low-Flow Conditions

Because of less-frequent precipitation during fall in north 

Florida compared to the rest of the year, low flows occur at 

many streams in late fall and early winter. Low flows may 

also occur during periods of drought during any season of the 

year. Tallahassee Office procedure requires that field personnel make point-of-zero-flow determinations at least once 

annually during low flow at wadable stations. These data help 

employees extend rating curves down and determine the offset, 

thus timing is important. Tallahassee Office personnel use 

DCP data to decide when best to visit a site to obtain low-flow 

discharge measurements near the lowest flows of the year.

 Low-flow conditions differ from those observed during periods of medium and high flow. Low-flow discharge 

measurements define or confirm the lower portions of stagedischarge relations for gaging stations, and as part of seepage 

runs, identify channel gains or losses. Additionally, low-flow 

data help in the interpretation of other associated data, such 

as well readings. Low-flow measurements also help define 

the relation between low-flow characteristics in one basin 

and those of a nearby basin for which more data are available 

(Office of Surface Water Memorandum 85.17). The designated 

wading measurement location must be documented in the 

station description.

In many situations, factors during low flows reduce the 

accuracy of discharge measurements. These factors include 

algae growth that impedes the free movement of currentmeter buckets, and larger percentages of the flow moving in 

the narrow spaces between cobbles or fractures in the rock. 

When natural conditions exist in the range considered by the 

field personnel to be undependable, they physically improve 

the cross section for measurement by removing debris or 

large cobbles, constructing dikes to reduce the amount of 

non-flowing water, or take other measures (Buchanan and 

Somers, 1969, p. 39). In some cases, field personnel must 

clean the control, but only after reading and recording the gage 

height before cleaning. After modifying the cross section or 

control, personnel allow the flow to stabilize before initiating a discharge measurement. Since the modification will 

almost certainly affect the stage, personnel record gage-height 

readings on the field notes before and after they modify the 

channel so that appropriate adjust­ments to the gage-height 

record can be made. They should also note these readings on 

gage-house documents.

18  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
The senior technical person, Data Chief, or Project Chief 

ensure that Tallahassee Office personnel use appropriate 

equipment and procedures during periods of low flow. 

Reviewing field measurement notes during the records review, 

or more often in the case of drought conditions, accomplishes 

this task. During periods of low flow the Data Chief/SurfaceWater Specialist or Project Chief provide answers to questions 

from Tallahassee Office personnel pertaining to data collection 

during periods of low flow.

Cold-Weather Conditions

Surface-water activities in the Tallahassee Office do not 

typically include making streamflow-discharge measurements 

during prolonged freezing weather conditions. Sub-freezing air temperatures, near-freezing water temperatures, wind, 

sleet, and ice can create difficulties in collecting data as well 

as dangers to field personnel. Employee safety remains the 

highest priority in collecting streamflow data. 

Processing and Analysis of 

Surface-Water Data

The computation of streamflow records involves the analysis of field observations and field measurements (including 

the stage record), the determination of stage-discharge 

relations, adjustment and application of those rela­tions, and 

systematic documentation of the methods and decisions that 

were applied. The Tallahassee Office computes stream­flow 

records and annually publishes those data. The procedures followed by the Tallahassee Office pertaining to the processing, 

analysis, and computation of streamflow records are based on 

those described in Rantz and others (1982) and in Kennedy 

(1983).

Measurements and Field Notes

The gage-height information, discharge information, 

control conditions, and other field observations written by 

personnel onto measurement note sheets and other field 

note sheets form the basis for records computation for each 

gaging station. The USGS stores measurements and field 

notes that contain original data indefinitely (Hubbard, 1992). 

The Tallahassee Office stores measurements and other field 

notes for the water year that is currently being computed in 

the primary station folder. The Data Section stores previous 

water year’s measurements and notes for each station in the 

designated filing place.

Tallahassee Office procedure regarding checking 

discharge measurements varies depending on the measure­ment 

and experience of the employee. Generally, Section personnel 

check discharge measure­ments made by employees with 

less than about 3 years of experience. Measurements made 

by experienced employees that calculate within the checkmeasurement criteria for their station, and are less than the 

highest measurement of the year, generally do not have to be 

checked. However, Data Section employees should check measurements that define a substantial part of the rating or shift, 

or were made during significant floods or low flows. Measurements that reflect a change in the rating should be checked. 

Procedures involved in checking a measurement include 

reviewing the mathematics, velocities, width calculations, 

gage heights and corrections, comparing the measurement 

gage heights with those from the recording instruments in the 

computer files, and other items (Kennedy, 1983, p. 7.)

The Tallahassee Office enters measurements into the the 

NWIS computer files using ADAPS and keeps the original 

measurement notes made during the year in the primary 

station folder. The employee enters the measurement into 

NWIS within 2 weeks of the field trip in which the measurement was made, unless there are extenuating circumstances, or 

other arrangements have been made by the Section Chief and 

Data Chief.

Continuous Record

 The Tallahassee Office collects surface-water gageheight information as continuous record data (hourly, 30- 

minute, 15-minute, or 5-minute values, for example) in the 

form of electronic readings in a data logger, telephone modem, 

and transmissions by satellite. Personnel apply stage-discharge 

relationships to convert gage-height record to discharge 

record. Therefore, the accuracy of gage-height record, in great 

part, reflects the accuracy of computed discharges.

Tallahassee Office policy dictates that real-time data 

be the primary record whenever possible. Exceptions are for 

stations with many regularly-missing transmissions and(or) 

other extenuating circumstances. All real-time data ratings 

and shifts are updated at midnight. ADAPS will automatically 

calculate a mean daily value unless more than 120 minutes 

of data are missing from the DCP transmissions. Under some 

circumstances, ADAPS will automatically calculate a mean 

daily value with up to 600 minutes of missing data. If the time 

gap crosses midnight between two days, then ADAPS will not 

calculate a mean for either day. Backup record is inserted from 

data-logger data using ADAPS when needed to fill in gaps so 

that a mean daily value may be calculated. 

Employees assemble the gage-height record for the 

period of analysis in as complete a manner as possible. They 

identify periods of inaccurate gage-height data, then correct 

those data using datum corrections, gage-height corrections, 

or flag the data erroneous using the program HYDRA within 

ADAPS, as appropriate. Authors discussing the assembly of 

gage-height record and procedures for processing those data 

include Kennedy (1983, p. 6), and Rantz and others (1982, 

p. 560 and p. 587).

The Tallahassee Office utilizes a variety of methods for 

entering stage data in the computer NWIS files. For stations 

Processing and Analysis of Surface-Water Data 19
with DCPs, the computer uses specific software (ADAPS) to 

“automatically” store stage data transmitted from the satellite. 

In ADAPS, the primary instrument (data descriptor) for 

current records is denoted with an asterisk. Per­sonnel 

transfer data from EDLs to portable laptop field computers, 

then transfer the data into the USGS computer files using 

appropriate software for that purpose. 

Gage-height record is never estimated except in special circumstances. In ADAPS, flags after the original data 

denote the source: “e” from EDLs; “s” from DCPs; “*” for 

values edited by USGS personnel, “@” for values reviewed 

by USGS personnel, and “~” for computer-interpolated 

values. Employees flag estimated mean daily flow data in 

the computer with an “e” before the value. In all cases, the 

employee checks the data for missing and erroneous values 

using computer software for that purpose. 

Personnel may fill periods of bad or missing data with 

data from backup recorders operated by cooperating agencies, 

if available. For DCP sites, data from the EDL may be entered 

to fill in periods when the DCP transmissions were missed. 

Personnel enter these data into ADAPS using computer 

programs if possible, or by hand, and check for consistency in 

number and timing with other electronic data on either side of 

the bad or missing period. For DCP stations, data for missing 

transmissions will be entered from backup sources. Exceptions 

are made for peak flow or minimum flow events to document 

instantaneous extremes. When personnel use data from backup 

recorders and enter those data in the computer, they document the periods and source of the data in the station analysis 

in the primary station folder. Likewise, employees document 

periods and sources of estimated data on the station analysis 

in the primary folder. Typically, the employee who oper­ates 

and maintains the gage is the one who enters, maintains, and 

documents the stage data in ADAPS.

Procedures for Computing, Reviewing, and 

Publishing Records

The employee follows through with the processing 

of records for their assigned stations, working the first 

computation for all associated records. After the first 

computation, a different employee reviews and checks the 

work. Finally, a senior technical or designated employee 

reviews the record and makes any required changes. When 

major changes are required, the record is returned to the 

employee assigned to the gage to make those changes. 

After the records are completed, the Data Section, along 

with assistance of the Publications Unit and NWIS database 

adminstrators, compiles the data, prepares the annual data 

report, arranges for printing of the report, duplicates and 

distributes CDs of the report, and makes the report available 

on the Internet. The current annual data report is available at 

the following web address:

http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/wdr/#FL

Key elements for a Surface-Water Quality-Assurance 

Plan include ensuring the thoroughness, consistency, and 

accuracy of streamflow records. These records entail a variety 

of data, which include the gage-height record including 

instanta­neous extremes, levels, ratings, datum and gage-height 

corrections, shifts, hydrographs, station analyses, furnished 

records, and the daily values table. The goals, procedures, and 

policies for each component differ. 

 Gage Height

The accuracy of surface-water discharge records depends 

on the accuracy of discharge measurements, the accu­racy of 

rating definition, and the completeness and accuracy of the 

gage-height record (Office of Surface Water Memorandum 

93.07). Computation of streamflow records includes ensuring 

the accuracy of gage-height records by comparisons with 

gage-height readings made from independent reference gages, 

comparison of inside and outside gages, examination of highwater marks, comparisons of recorded peaks and troughs with 

those at auxiliary recorders or adjacent gages, examination of 

data obtained at CSGs, and confirmation or updating of gage 

datums by levels.

Employees examine the gage-height record to determine 

if the record accurately represents the water level of the 

body of water being monitored. As part of this examination, they identify periods of time during which inac­curacies 

have occurred and, whenever possible, determine the cause 

for those inaccuracies. When appropriate, personnel flag 

inaccurate gage-height records in ADAPS and place notes to 

that effect in the primary station folder.

Gage-height record documentation involves detailing 

observations in several parts of the record to clearly doc­ument 

stage changes at the station. Employees must document all 

gage-height corrections by entering them in ADAPS and 

including a hardcopy of the file in the primary folder. They 

should note gage heights observed during field inspections or 

discharge measurements directly on the primary record on the 

day of observation to assure agreement between the observed 

and computed gage heights. Additionally, employees note the 

source of gage-height data used to fill in periods of missing or 

erroneous gage-height data on the primary record sheet as well 

as on the station analysis within the primary station folder. 

Generally, the person assigned to the station will be the one 

who flags erroneous data or inserts backup data in ADAPS. 

The employee keeps hard copies or computer dis­kettes of the 

replacement data in the primary station folder. 

Levels 

By running levels, employees can detect errors in gageheight data caused by vertical changes in the gage or gagesupporting structure, and can reset gages or adjust gage readings by applying corrections based on levels (Kennedy, 1983, 

p. 6). Procedures for computing level records for each station 

20 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
include ensuring that the front sheet has been completed for 

each set of levels, checking levels, ensuring that the level 

information was listed in the his­torical levels summary, and 

ensuring that information was applied in ADAPS appropriately as datum corrections. Information on how to run and 

compute levels is available in TWRI 3-A19 (Kennedy, 1990). 

The individ­ual computing the record checks field notes 

for indications that the gages were reset correctly by field 

personnel. If the gages were not reset to agree with the levels, 

then corrections must be applied to the record to make them 

do so, and the employee responsible for the station will reset 

the gages on their next field trip to the site and document that 

action on a measurement note sheet. The individual computing 

the records makes appropriate adjustments to the gage-height 

record by applying datum corrections.

Rating

One of the principal tasks in computing the discharge 

record includes the development of the stage-discharge 

relation, also called the rating. The rating is usually the 

relation between gage height and discharge (simple rating). 

Ratings for some special sites involve additional factors such 

as velocity (index-velocity ratings), rate of change in stage, 

or fall in slope reach (com­plex ratings; Kennedy, 1983, p. 

14). Tallahassee Office personnel follow procedures for the 

development, modification, and application of ratings that are 

described in Kennedy (1984). Tallahassee Office personnel 

also follow guidelines pertaining to rating and records 

computation that are presented in Kennedy (1983, p. 14) and 

in Rantz and others (1982, Chap. 10-14 and p. 549).

For each gaging station, the most recent digital rating 

table can be obtained by accessing the rating table files in the 

computer using ADAPS. Additionally, the employee maintains 

a paper copy of the rating table in the station primary folder, 

the field folder, and the gage house. A graphical plot of the 

most recent rating can be obtained by using the com­puter to 

plot the rating, or accessing the original paper version or copy 

in the station primary folder, or copies in the field folder.

Various Tallahassee Office procedures apply to ratings. 

Typically, the employee assigned to the station develops new 

ratings; however, sometimes a reviewer or checker develops the new rating. Employees obtain in-house reviews of 

ratings and shifts before they are distributed outside the office. 

Final ratings will be approved by the Section Chief or senior 

technical person. Employees generally apply shifts to the 

rating when measurements indicate a change in the rating or 

previous shift of more than 5 percent. Shifts that extend over 

the entire range of the rating and/or persist more than one 

year may reflect a fairly stable control change and should 

be analyzed and drawn up as new ratings. Ratings should 

generally be extended no more than twice the discharge of 

the highest direct measurement. Employees should include 

all measurements made to develop the new rating, along with 

the highest 10 measurements made at the site. The old rating 

should be outlined lightly on the same sheet as the new rating. Sheets showing the new and old rating should show the 

numbers of the ratings and the dates they were first applied 

and ended, station name and number, measurement numbers, 

the offset, and values for the x and y axis (discharge and 

stage). The Data Chief/Surface-Water Specialist or senior 

technical person provide the ultimate guidance to Tallahassee 

Office personnel regarding ratings.

Datum Corrections, Gage-Height Corrections, 

and Shifts

Datum corrections, as measured by levels, represent a 

correction applied to gage-height readings to compensate for 

the effect of settlement or uplift of the gage (Kennedy, 1983, 

p. 9). Employees apply datum corrections to gage-height 

record in terms of magnitude (in feet) and in terms of when 

the datum change occurred. In the absence of any evidence 

indicating exactly when the change occurred, employees must 

assume that the change occurred gradually from the time 

the previous levels were run, and they prorate the correction 

with time (Rantz and others, 1982, p. 545). This may require 

records revision for previous years. Datum corrections apply 

when the magnitude of the vertical change becomes greater 

than 0.02 ft.

Gage-height corrections compensate for differences 

between the primary gage and the reference gage (Rantz and 

others, 1982, p. 563). These corrections apply in the same 

manner as datum corrections. Employees apply gage-height 

corrections to make recorded data agree with reference 

gage data. They apply these corrections when the difference 

between the primary (recording) gage and the reference gage 

is greater than 0.02 ft.

A shift represents a correction applied to the stagedischarge relation, or rating, to compensate for variations in 

the rating. Shifts reflect the fact that stage-discharge relations 

are not permanent but vary from time to time, either gradually or abruptly, because of changes in the physical features 

that form the control at the gaging station (Rantz and others, 

1982, p. 344). Applied shifts vary in magnitude with time and 

with stage (Kennedy, 1983, p. 35). Gen­erally, employees do 

not apply shifts unless a measurement, or series of measurements, vary more than 5 percent from the rating. A stageshift diagram documents shifts, plotting a measurement’s 

shift from the rating against the measurement’s gage height. 

Evidence from the hydrograph, rating, and plotted measurements determines how the shift diagram is drawn and applied. 

In the Tallahassee Office, time shifts are normally only used 

when a stage shift cannot be justified by the available data. 

For some streams with very mobile bed material, time shifts 

may be more appropriate for working the record. Once shifts 

are applied, measure­ments should vary from the rating by less 

than 5 percent (measurement rated good), 8 percent (measurement rated fair), or more than 8 percent (measurement rated 

poor).

Processing and Analysis of Surface-Water Data  21
The employee documents datum corrections, gage-height 

corrections, and shifts in the computer and station files. Datum 

and gage-height corrections, along with shift data, in the 

computer are located in ADAPS. Paper copies of these files 

are maintained in the primary station folder. After final review, 

copies of the datum corrections, gage- height corrections, and 

stage and time shifts are maintained with the station analysis 

as part of the historic record. Generally, transitions in gageheight corrections and shifts should be smooth between water 

years. However, so long as the computed discharge difference 

is less than 5 percent, or less than the rating quality of the data 

(fair, 5-8 percent; poor, more than 8 percent), no changes are 

made to the previous year’s record.

Hydrographs

A discharge hydrograph is a plot of daily mean or unit 

value discharges versus time. The horizontal axis represents the date and the logarithmic vertical axis represents 

the discharge. In the process of computing station records, 

this hydrograph becomes a useful tool in identifying periods 

of erroneous information, such as incorrect shifts or datum 

corrections. Additionally, hydrographs help in the estimation 

of discharges for periods of undefined stage-discharge relation, 

such as during backwater conditions and periods of missing 

record.

Information placed on the hydrograph for each station 

includes station name, station number, water year, date the 

hydrograph was plotted, drainage area, plot of daily mean or 

unit value discharge data, plots of measurements, and hydrograph of the streamflow stations with which the hydrograph 

was compared. Personnel generally compute the hydrograph 

on the computer and print it out on a plotter. Reviewers check 

and finalize hydrographs during the final review.

Hydrographic comparison helps verify the reasonableness of the computed discharge data. Stations appropriate for 

comparing with another station include the following: 

(1) sites downstream or upstream of the station being 

ana­lyzed; (2) sites in adjacent watersheds; or (3) sites with 

comparable drainage areas in the same general vicinity. 

Compari­sons can also be made by adding or subtracting 

stations, which is useful for streams with diversions. Large 

differences noted by the hydrographic comparison need to 

be explained in the station analysis and included with the 

hydrograph as part of the review package. Final hydrographs 

should become part of the archive file. 

Station Analysis

The station analysis documents the data collected, 

procedures used in processing the data, and the logic upon 

which the computations were based for each year of record 

for each station. The analysis serves as a basis for review 

and as a reference in case questions arise about the records 

at some future date (Rantz and others, 1982, p. 580). Topics 

discussed in detail in the station analysis include equipment, 

hydrologic conditions, gage-height record, datum corrections, rating, discharge, special computations, hydrologic 

comparisons, remarks, and recommendations. The section on 

gage-height record includes information on instrument issues, 

and maximum and minimum recorded stages. The section 

on datum corrections provides information on levels and the 

zero of the gage. The rating section details the control conditions for the gage, type of bed material, rating and shifts used 

during the analysis, and maximum and minimum computed 

discharges. The discharge section provides information on the 

rating and hydrographic comparison used. Finally, the remarks 

section details record accuracy and miscellaneous information 

on the station record such as rat­ing irregularities, estimated 

record, assumptions and/or reasoning needed to interpret 

the record, or recommenda­tions for station operation and 

maintenance. The employee responsible for maintaining the 

station generally writes the station analysis.

The Tallahassee Office maintains electronic files for all 

station analyses. Personnel in Tallahassee access these files on 

the computer by going to the following directory:

\\fltlhsr001\archive\analysis\xxxx

where xxxx is the water year.

Communication is a key element in records-working, 

processing, and review. The Tallahassee Office encour­ages 

persons checking the record to review and discuss all changes 

with the person working the record. Such interaction not only 

allows the opportunity to educate the records-worker as to 

errors they may have made in procedure or analysis, but also 

enables the records-worker and checker to knowledgeably 

discuss any changes made to the record with future reviewers. 

The Section Chief, or designee, decides differences that cannot 

be resolved by mutual discussion and agreement between the 

records-worker and the checker. The reviewer assures that 

the station analyses are properly completed and stored on the 

computer and in the final record.

Furnished Records

The Tallahassee Office receives surface-water 

data collected under the supervision of other agencies, 

organi­zations, or institutions. The Tallahassee Office performs 

quality-assurance reviews and publishes these data in the 

USGS annual data report. The quality-assurance program for 

data collection includes at least two annual check measurements and gage inspections. The assurance program for the 

furnished data, which includes mean daily discharge values 

and extreme stages and discharges, involves annual records 

reviews. These reviews include checking the daily val­ues 

summary, list of discharge measurements, copies of the front 

22  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
sheets for the discharge measurements, primary computation 

sheets showing gage-height and datum corrections and shifts, 

a hydrograph and hydrographic compar­ison with another station, rating tables and rating curves, shift diagrams, and the 

station analysis. In the case of errors in computation of the 

furnished record, or of questions regarding the standards under 

which the data were collected, the USGS will work with the 

furnishing agency to resolve these issues. If an issue cannot 

be resolved, or the record is determined to be unreliable, the 

record should be published as “poor.” In extreme cases, the 

record should not be published. Documentation of the issues 

in these cases should be made part of the station record and 

the USGS should work with the furnishing agency to remedy 

the situation.

Daily Values Table

With few exceptions, for each gaging station operated 

by the USGS, ADAPS computes and stores a mean dis­charge 

value for each day. The daily values table generated by 

ADAPS displays mean daily discharges stored for each day of 

the water year. Employees compare the daily discharge values 

table with hydrographs to ensure rea­sonableness and accuracy 

of the tables. Paper copies of the daily values table kept in the 

primary station folder, which are periodically updated though 

the year, document the status of the record. The final manuscript is checked with these data. The mean daily discharges 

are published in the annual data report.

One possible exception to computing and publishing 

mean daily flows involves tidally-affected data. Currently, 

the Office of Surface Water is drafting a memorandum 

describing the acceptable methods for publishing and releasing 

tidally-affected flow, which may include running the data 

through digital filters to remove the tidal influence, or in 

only publishing extremes. Until this memo is finalized and 

realeased, Tallahassee will continue publishing mean daily 

flow data for all sites and include remarks in the manuscript 

for sites affected by tide and backwater.

Manuscript and Annual Data Report

When Tallahassee Office personnel have computed, 

analyzed, checked, reviewed, and finalized records for the 

water year, the surface-water data for that water year are 

published along with other data in the Tallahassee Office’s 

annual report for northwest Florida, which is part of the “U.S. 

Geological Survey Water-Data Reports” series. Information presented in the annual data report includes mean daily 

discharges for the year, mean daily gage heights for the year 

(some stations), extremes for the year and period of record, 

and various statistics. Additionally, station description information presented in the annual data report supply important 

information details such as physical descriptions of the gage 

and basin, history of the station and data, and statements of 

coop­eration. In preparing the annual data report for publication, the Tallahassee Office follows the guidelines presented in 

the report, “WRD Data Reports Preparation Guide” (Novak, 

1985) and the Office of Information Technical Memorandums 

which are accessed at: 

http://water.usgs.gov/usgs/publishing/Memos/

The Tallahassee Office Data Chief maintains responsibil­ity for 

coordinating and producing the annual data report. 

Crest-Stage Gages

 The Tallahassee Office maintains CSGs to collect peak 

flow data at about 21 sites, located within small drainage 

basins. Culvert computations are used to estimate the peak 

discharges associated with these stages. When possible, direct 

measurements of flow are used to validate these computations. 

Additionally, some stations with pressure transducers have 

CSGs to document and/or verify peak stages. Pro­cedures for 

computing CSG records should be similar to those for other 

gaging stations. The field notes are exam­ined for correctness and accuracy. Peak stages recorded by CSGs are cross 

referenced with other available information; the dates of the 

peaks are determined by analyzing available precipitation data 

and peak data from recording gages within the same basin or 

from nearby basins.

For each station, a list of all measurements is maintained 

and each measurement is assigned a chronological number. 

For each station, a graphical plot of the current rating along 

with each recent and each notably high stage-discharge 

measurement is made readily available to those who check 

and review the station record. The original graphical rating 

plots are kept in the primary folder while copies are kept in 

the field folder. Current station descriptions and a summary 

of levels are maintained in the primary folder. A brief station 

analysis is written each year describing computation of the 

annual peak, identifying which rating was used and the type of 

flow condition, and describing how the dates of the peaks were 

determined.

Data Section personnel update the Peak-Flow File 

promptly after peak data have been finalized. A current listing 

of annual peaks become part of the station folder for review 

purposes (Office of Surface Water Memorandum 88.07).

Real-time Data

 Of the continuous-record gages maintained by the 

Tallahassee Office, about 85 percent provide real-time data. 

However, the Tallahassee Office plans to have real-time data 

available at all gages in the network by the end of FY 2006. 

Cooperating agencies and the public use these data for flood 

monitoring and warning, low-flow monitoring and fisheries 

interests, power production, res­ervoir and river management, 

recreational information, and other uses. The ADAPS database manager and Section personnel check the data coming 

Processing and Analysis of Surface-Water Data  23
from DCPs daily to quality assure the information. Additionally, most of these data are regularly checked and updated 

by field personnel who use the data for their primary record. 

As soon as field personnel enter measurements, shifts, rating 

changes, and datum corrections (usually within 2 weeks of 

their field trip) into ADAPS, these changes are also reflected 

in the real-time data on NWIS web. Any noted errors in the 

real-time data are corrected through a team effort between the 

employee responsible for the station and the ADAPS database 

administrator.

Computer software is used to monitor the data stream 

from the Local Receiving Ground Station (LRGS), data from 

individual stations, and the operation of the data links, WEB 

server, and the computer itself. The Information Technology Section provides technical support to the Data Section 

in resolving web, NWIS, and individual station problems, as 

well as other complex problems.

Real-time data from streamflow stations maintained by 

the Tallahassee Office are served from computers located in 

Tallahassee. The NWIS Web software is used to conform data 

to national USGS stan­dards. Current hydrologic data from 

real-time stations in the Tallahassee Office can be obtained on 

the Internet at: 

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/rt 

while the Florida Integrated Science Center home page can be 

found at:

http://fisc.er.usgs.gov/

Water Resources Division Technical Memorandum 

97.17 discusses release of real-time data on the Internet. 

This memorandum requires frequent and ongoing screening 

and review of the NWIS Web data, including daily reviews 

of hydrographs during normal office hours of operation. 

Additionally, “sniffer programs” established by the Office of 

Surface Water document spikes in the data stream and send 

automatic email notifications to the Tallahassee Data Section 

Chief and the ADAPS database adminstrator. The Tallahassee 

Office ADAPS Database Administrator works in conjunction 

with office personnel to review and screen real-time data on 

the Internet.

Error Handling

There are two general types of errors associated with 

streamflow data delivered by the real-time system and disseminated on the Internet. The first type of error results from 

persistent problems, which are usually associated with some 

type of equipment failure in data collection or transmission. 

Because of the nature of the problem, the errors generally 

persist for more than a single data-collection interval. The 

second type of error results from intermittent problems, which 

are often the result of a data transmission error. These often 

show up as either a zero or unreasonably large or small value. 

By checking Internet hydrographs of the data, employees can 

determine if the gage’s instruments are working correctly. Zero 

values and unusually high or low numbers alert the employee 

to possible errors, which can be dealt with immediately.

Data Qualification Statements

Water Resources Division Memorandum 95.19 requires 

that streamflow data made available on the Internet be considered pro­visional until the formal review process has been completed. To ensure that everyone who accesses the data from 

the Internet is aware of this status, data qualification statements are included at key locations with a clickable heading 

“Pro­visional Data Subject to Revision” on all real-time data 

pages. For Florida, the station list of al-time data sites includes 

this provisional statement.

Office Setting

Maintaining surface-water data and related information 

in a systematic and organized manner increases the effi­ciency 

and effectiveness of data-analysis and data-dissemination 

efforts. Good organization of files reduces the like­lihood of 

misplaced information; misplaced data and field notes can lead 

to analyses based on inadequate information, with a possible 

decrease in the quality of analytical results. 

Work Plan

No Section in the Tallahassee Office maintains a formal 

work plan. Section Chiefs regularly commu­nicate verbal 

work assignments to their staff. Employees in Tallahassee 

perform most major gage construction. Occasionally, a 

contractor installs a new gage when specialized equipment or 

unusual gage installations are required. Minor or routine gage 

maintenance and installation usually remain the responsibility of the employee assigned to the gage. In 2005, Tallahassee 

Data Section employees spent 35 percent of their time on 

field activities, 52 percent on working and reviewing records, 

10 percent on special projects, and 3 percent on related work 

activities such as meetings and training.

File Folders for Surface-Water Stations

Files in the Tallahassee Data Section include a separate 

set of folders for each gaging station, organized by station 

number in downstream order. Separate folders for current 

year data and previous-year data, as well as gaging-station 

history and special studies such as indirect measurements, 

are kept in one main station folder. Extraneous items are 

removed from the current files after records are finalized 

each year. Station review folders keep about 5 years of final 

record data, the set for each year including mean daily and 

extreme discharge sheet, hydrograph, station analysis, station 

24  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
manuscript, measurements list, datum correction values, 

variable shift values, stage-discharge rating shift analysis, 

summary of extreme events, shift diagrams, annual statistics, 

station description, surface-water review notes, and any other 

pertinent items.

The set of current files for each station varies. For all 

stations, a current-year folder holds all measurement notes, 

preliminary primary-records computations, shift diagrams, 

ratings, datum and gage-height correction notes, and other 

current-year information. The technical folder contains continuously updated information like the station anal­ysis, historical list of measurements, station description, station statistics, 

and level notes, as well as items such as memorandums to 

the record, letters regarding the station, access information, 

old ratings, maps, photographs, and any historical data or 

information on the gage. Another folder contains any indirect 

measurements that had been made at the site. Current digital 

photographs of the gages and gaging activities are compiled 

and maintained on a laptop computer devoted to that purpose, with back-ups of the photographs on CDs, all of which 

is maintained by the Tallahassee Data Chief. Future plans 

include making CDs of photographs for individual stations and 

including these CDs with the station folder.

Historical records are filed in a variety of ways. Past-year 

primary record files, measurement notes, strip charts, ADR 

tapes, indirect measurement analyses, and CSG records are 

kept in historical files for each type of data and are filed by 

station number. Records over 20 years old are archived appropriately and records of their whereabouts are maintained in 

the station folder. However, original discharge measurements 

should not be archived, but maintained in files onsite. Some 

historic measurements prior to 1971 were archived, however, 

and are not in the Tallahassee Office files.

Field-Trip Folders

Tallahassee Office employees maintain a separate 

group of folders for each field trip area. The primary 

purpose of these folders is to compile driving logs, maps, 

station descriptions, station lists, and other pertinent information, allowing field personnel to run the trips effectively 

at a moment’s notice and with a minimum of time spent 

on last-minute preparations. The employee responsible for 

maintaining the station updates the folder for that station.

Levels

The Tallahassee Data Section files level notes in a central 

file. These data are not archived, but maintained in the files 

for the period of record of the station. All stations, current 

and discontinued, are included. Files are organized by station 

number in downstream order. 

Station Analyses and Descriptions

The most recent station analysis and station description 

files exist on the Tallahassee Office computer, and employees 

keep paper copies of these documents in the station folder. 

Current water year files contain copies of the previous year’s 

station analysis. Historical station analyses become part of the 

archived data.

Discontinued Stations

The Tallahassee Office has no special treatment for files 

from discontinued stations. Annual data from these stations is 

filed with historical data from active stations. Measurements 

are filed by station number with other stations, current or 

otherwise, in the Tallahassee Office’s measurement files. 

Map Files

The Hydrologic Studies Section in Tallahassee maintains files for USGS maps of Florida. Map scales include 

1:100, 1:250, 1:24,000 (7.5 min. series), and 1:62,500 (15 

min. series). The Tallahassee Office files the 1:100 and 1:250 

maps in separate drawers while they combine the 1:24,000 and 

1:62,500 maps and file them in alphabetical order by map title 

in a series of drawers. Any of these maps can be marked on 

and used as work maps. When the user takes the next-to-the 

last map, they must contact the Hydrologic Studies Section, 

which orders new maps to replace those used.

Archiving

The USGS directs all personnel to safeguard all original field records containing geologic and hydrogeologic 

measurements and observations (Water Resources Division 

Memorandum 77.83). Selected material not maintained in 

Tallahassee Data Section files are placed in archival storage. In 

the Tallahassee Office, the Administrative Section main­tains 

detailed information on what records have been removed to 

archival centers. This information includes detailed letters of 

transmittal and accession numbers, so the data can be retrieved 

when needed. Data targeted for archival include, but are not 

limited to, recorder charts and tapes, original data and edited 

data, observer’s notes and readings, station descriptions, 

analyses, and other supporting information (Water Resources 

Division Memorandum 92.59 and Hubbard, 1992, p. 12). 

At this time, an agreement between USGS and the Federal 

Records Centers (FRC) of the National Archives and Records 

Administration provides for archiving original-data records 

(memorandum from the Chief, Branch of Operational Support, 

May 7, 1993). 

Electronic data are archived on hard disks or CDs. All 

basic DCP data (gage height, discharge, and precipitation for 

example) are archived, while DCP performance data are only 

Processing and Analysis of Surface-Water Data  25
kept for the last 30 days. Any back-up record is included in the 

archive. 

The Tallahassee Office sends surface-water information 

from the Sections to the FRC in Atlanta, Georgia, every 

20 years on average. The Section Chiefs in Tallahassee decide 

what information is sent to the FRC and when that information 

is sent. The Administrative Sec­tion ensures that the information is properly packed and logged, and ascertains that the 

information is received by the FRC. In their office files, the 

Administrative Section maintains records of exactly what has 

been archived. For the Tallahassee Data Section, these data 

include original measurements for some stations prior to 1971, 

recorder charts, pri­mary sheets, gage-height books, rating 

tables, and observer notebooks and cards for most gages prior 

to 1990. In Tallahassee, measurements since 1971, and all 

level notes are maintained in files onsite. Discharge measurements prior to 1971 are maintained in the Data Section files 

for some stations. 

Questions concerning archiving procedures should be 

addressed to the Data Chief. Personnel who receive requests 

for information that require accessing archived records should 

notify the Tallahassee Office Data Chief. In some cases, the 

Data Chief can provide the information directly, in others, the 

Data Chief can guide the requester through the steps needed to 

fulfill their needs, and in other instances, the Data Chief must 

ask the Admin­istrative Section to make a special request to the 

FRC. 

Project Chiefs ensure that surface-water data collected 

as part of their project are appropriately archived. Pres­ently, 

no Tallahassee Office policy addresses archival of investigative surface-water data. However, all time-series surfacewater data should be included in the appropriate office files. 

Project-related streamflow data incorporated in ADAPS that 

are published in the annual data report are archived with other 

stations from the Tallahassee Data Section. However, it still 

remains the responsibility of the Project Chief to coordinate 

with the Data Section for proper archival and storage of charts, 

ADR tapes, streamflow measurements, indirect measurements, 

and other original data. Archiving procedures for specialized surface-water data, such as drainage area delineations, 

rainfall-runoff models, and other hydrologic models, or related 

information such as evapotranspiration, depend on programs 

set up by the Project Chief and the Information Technology (IT) Section. In most cases, Project Chiefs archive their 

own data on permanent media such as CDs. The Publications Section files, then archives, with other pertinent project 

information and data, all original technical review comments, 

letters of approval, and other original information related to 

the processing, review, and publication of the report.

Publication and Review of Surface-Water 

Data Reports

The text, “Suggestions to Authors of the Reports of the 

United States Geological Survey” (U.S. Geological Sur­vey, 

1991, p. 36-41), summarizes procedures for publication and 

requirements for manuscript review by USGS. All interpretive 

reports written by USGS scien­tists in connection with their 

official duties must be approved by the Center Director, or 

designated Deputy Center Director for the Director, an authority currently accomplished at the Regional level. 

Non-interpretive reports can be approved by a Deputy Center 

Director in the Science Center. The Water Discipline of the 

USGS requires at least two technical reviews of each report 

(U.S. Geological Survey, 1991, p. 36). Competent and thorough editorial and technical review is the most certain way to 

improve and assure the high quality of the final report (Moore 

and others, 1990, p. 24). Moore and others (1990, p. 24-49) 

present principles of editorial review and responsibilities of 

reviewers and authors. The Water Discipline of the USGS does 

not require editorial reviews for Open-File Reports, but they 

are reviewed for policy and reproducibility (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 1991, p. 36).

Types of Publications

Various types of book publications released by the USGS 

are available in which surface-water data and data analyses 

are presented. Publications of the formal series include the 

Professional Paper, the Circular, the Techniques of WaterResources Investigations, and other special reports. Publications in the informal series include the Scientific Investigations 

Report, Scientific Investigations Map, the Open-File Report, 

Data Series, Administrative Report, and Fact Sheet. Included 

in the Open-File Report series are data reports. Surface-water 

data collected by the Tallahassee Office are published each 

year in a hydrologic data report that is part of the annual “U.S. 

Geological Survey Water-Data Reports” series. Green (1991, 

p. 14) presents factors the Tallahassee Office should consider 

when deciding which form of publication to utilize in presenting various types of information.

Annual Data Report

The Tallahassee Office Annual Data Report receives 

several reviews and proofs before and after it is pub­lished. 

After all station reviews are completed, scripts are run and a 

Portable Document Format (PDF) is created for the report. 

This PDF is reviewed and edited, as needed, to afford Section 

508 compliancy and is maintained on a persistent URL at the 

following address: http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/wdr/#FL. Then, 

the pdf is formatted onto a CD and reproduced for distrbution. 

Since 2005, no hard copies (printed books) are procured or 

distributed; however, paper copies can be produced as needed 

from the online PDF or CD versions.

Publication Policy

The USGS has created specific policies pertaining to 

publication of data and interpretation of those data. All USGS 

26  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
personnel, including those of this Tallahassee Office, are 

required to abide by those policies. The Publi­cations Guide of 

the Water Discipline of the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey, 

1986, p. 4-37) summarizes publication goals, procedures, and 

policies. 

All information obtained through investigations and 

observations by the staff of the USGS or its contractors is 

provisional until made available to the public through USGSapproved formal publication or other means of public release, 

such as on-line publication. Provisional data may be released 

to the public after review by USGS personnel for accuracy; 

SW data from real-time gages on NWISWeb fall into this 

category.

All interpretive writings in which the USGS has a proprietary interest, including abstracts, letters to the editor, and 

all writings that show the author’s title and USGS affiliation, 

must be approved by the Director before release for publication. The objectives of the Director’s review are to perfom a 

final check of the scientific integrity and technical quality of 

the writing and to make certain that it meets USGS publication standards and is consistent with policies of the USGS and 

Department of the Interior. Director’s approval ensures that 

(1) each publication or writing is impartial and objective, 

(2) con­clusions that do not compromise the USGS’s official 

position, (3) an unwarranted advocacy position is not implied, 

and (4) statements do not criticize or intimate competition 

with other governmental agencies or the private sector (U.S 

Geological Survey, 1991, p. 10).

Safety

Performing work activities in a manner that ensures the 

safety of personnel and others remains the highest pri­ority 

for the USGS and the Tallahassee Office. Beyond the obvious 

negative impact unsafe conditions can have on personnel, such 

as accidents and personal injuries, they also can have a direct 

effect on the quality of surface-water data and data analysis. 

For example, errors may be made when an individual’s 

attention to detail is compromised when dangerous conditions 

create distractions. To ensure that personnel are aware and 

follow established procedures and policies that promote all 

aspects of safety, the Tallahassee Office communicates information and directives related to safety to all personnel through 

in-house and out-of-office training classes, memorandums, 

and videotape sessions. 

In the Tallahassee Office, a designated Safety Officer 

heads the Tallahassee Office Safety Committee, identifies 

and pro­vides direction on safety issues, manages the safety 

budget, coordinates safety training, prepares safety reports 

forthe Regional Office, and deals with new and ongoing safety 

issues. Currently, the USGS Safety Plan provides policy and 

guidelines for safety-related issues in the Tallahassee Office. 

The Tallahassee Office Safety Committee is working on a 

Safety Plan for the Tallahassee Office. The Tallahassee Office 

Safety Committee meets quarterly and con­sists of 6 members: 

the Tallahassee Office Safety Officer; one member from each 

of the three Sections; one member rep­resenting administration 

and management; and one specialist in boat safety. Until the 

Tallahassee Office Safety Plan is completed, specific policies 

and procedures related to safety reside in a series of letters, 

memorandums, and other documents kept and updated by 

the Tallahassee Office Safety Officer. Personnel who have 

questions or concerns pertaining to safety, or who have suggestions for improving some aspects of safety should direct 

those communications to their supervisor or the Tallahassee 

Office Safety Officer.

Training

Ensuring that personnel obtain knowledge of correct 

methods and procedures is a vital aspect of maintaining the 

quality of surface-water data and data analysis. By providing appropriate training to personnel, the Tallahassee Office 

increases the quality of work and eliminates the source of 

many potential errors.

In-house and out-of-town training sessions supplement 

the employee’s work experience and self-training. These 

sessions provide experience in areas where the employee is 

unfamiliar, or needs more practice to become proficient. The 

Section Chief or the designated supervisor arranges for the 

employee’s training. For most needs, however, “on-the-job” 

training is the most important aspect of the employees training 

experience in the Tallahassee Office. 

Summary

Information included in this Tallahassee Office 

Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan documents the policies 

and proce­dures of the Tallahassee Office that ensure high 

quality in the collection, processing, storage, analysis, and 

publi­cation of surface-water data. The roles and responsibilities of Tallahassee Office personnel for carrying out these 

policies and procedures are presented, as are issues related to 

management of the computer data base, including real-time 

data, and issues related to employee safety and training. In the 

Tallahassee Office, the employee responsible for operating and 

maintaining their assigned surface-water stations works with 

their fellow employees in a team effort to assure high quality 

data, analyses, reviews, and reports for cooperating agencies 

and the general public.

Summary  27
References Cited

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Manning’s roughness coefficients for natural chan­nels and 

flood plains: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 

2339, 38 p.

 Barnes, H.B, 1967, Roughness characteristics of natural 

channels: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 

1849, 213 p.

Benson, M.A., and Dalrymple, Tate, 1967, General field and 

office procedures for indirect discharge measurements: U.S. 

Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources 

Investigations, book 3, chap. A1, 30 p. 

Bodhaine, G.L., 1982, Measurement of peak discharge at 

culverts by indirect methods: U.S. Geological Survey 

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 3, 

chap. A3, 60 p. 

Buchanan, T.J., and Somers, W.P., 1969, Discharge 

measurements at gaging stations: U.S. Geological Survey 

Tech­niques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 3, 

chap. A8, 65 p. 

Carter, R.W., and Davidian, Jacob, 1968, General procedures 

for gaging streams: U.S. Geological Survey Tech­niques of 

Water-Resources Investigations, book 3, chap. A6, 13 p. 

Dalrymple, Tate, and Benson, M.A., 1967, Measurement of 

peak discharge by the slope-area method: U.S. Geolog­ical 

Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 

3, chap. A2, 12 p. 

Edwards, T.K., and Glysson, G.D., 1988, Field methods for 

measurement of fluvial sediment: U.S. Geological Sur­vey 

Open-File Report 86-531, 118 p. 

Fulford, J.M., 1994, User’s guide to sac, a computer program 

for computing discharge by the slope-area method: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 94-360, 31p.

Fulford, J.M., 1995, User’s guide to the culvert analysis 

program: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-137, 

69p.

Green, J.H., 1991, WRD project and report management 

guide: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 91-224, 

152 p.

Hubbard, E.F., 1992, Policy recommendations for 

management and retention of hydrologic data of the U.S. 

Geolog­ical Survey: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 92-56, 32 p.

Kennedy, E.J., 1983, Computation of continuous records of 

streamflow: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of WaterResources Investigations, book 3, chap. A13, 53 p.

Kennedy, E.J., 1984, Discharge ratings at gaging stations: 

U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources 

Investiga­tions, book 3, chap. A10, 59 p.

Kennedy, E.J., 1990, Levels at streamflow gaging stations: 

U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources 

Investi­gations, book 3, chap. A19, 31 p.

Kilpatrick, F.A., and Schneider, V.R., 1983, Use of flumes in 

measuring discharge: U.S. Geological Survey Tech­niques of 

Water-Resources Investigations, book 3, chap. A14, 46 p.

Knott, J.M., Glysson, G.D., Malo, B.A., and Schroder, L.J., 

1993, Quality assurance plan for the collection and processing of sediment data by the U.S. Geological Survey, 

Water Resources Division: U.S. Geological Survey OpenFile Report 92-499, 18 p.

Knott, J.M, Sholar, C.J., and Matthes, W.J., 1992, Quality 

assurance guidelines for the analysis of sediment concentration by the U.S. Geological Survey sediment laboratories: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 92-33, 22 p.

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measurements using broad band Acoustic Doppler Current 

Profilers: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-701, 

7 p.

Matthai, H.F., 1967, Measurement of peak discharge at width 

contractions by indirect methods: U.S. Geological Sur­vey 

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 3, 

chap. A4, 44 p.

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1990, Report planning, preparation, and review guide: U.S. 

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Profiler measurements of river discharge: U.S. Geo­logical 

Survey Open-File Report 95-4218, 37 p.

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Water-Resources Investigations, book 3, chap. C3, 66 p.

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1879-1989: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1050, 52 p.

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Water-Supply Paper 2175, 631 p.

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Survey Open-File Report 92-144, 21 p.

28  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
Schroder, L.J., and Shampine, W.J., 1992, Guidelines for 

preparing a quality assurance plan for the Tallahassee Office 

offices of the U.S. Geological Survey: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 92-136, 14 p.

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Integrating quality assurance in project work plans of the 

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Report 92-162, 12 p.

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maintenance of vertical-axis type current meters: U.S. 

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Investigations, book 8, chap. B2, 15 p.

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publications guide; Volume I, Publications policy and text 

preparation, 2d ed., revised by D.W. Alt and K.T. Iseri: U.S. 

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References Cited  29
30 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
APPENDIXES

References Cited  31
Appendixes

Appendix A. Water Resources Division Memorandums Cited

 The following memorandums were cited in the report; the text of these memos can be found on the Internet address: 

http://water.usgs.gov/osw/pubs/oswtechmemosum.html

 

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 97.02

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 97.01

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 96.01

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 95.03

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 93.07

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 93.12

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 93.07

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 92.11

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 92.10

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 92.09

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 92.04

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 90.01

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 89.08

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 89.07

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 88.18

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 88.07

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 87.05

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 85.17

 Office of Surface Water Memorandum 84.05

 Water Resources Division Memorandum 98.10

 Water Resources Division Memorandum 96.32

 Water Resources Division Memorandum 95.19

 Water Resources Division Memorandum 92.59

 Water Resources Division Memorandum 77.83

 Memorandum from the Chief, Branch of Operational Support, May 7, 1993.

32  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
Appendix B. Tallahassee Office Note Sheets for Recording Surface-Water Data

 B1. Form P-17, U.S. Geological Survey Gaging Station Safety and Maintenance Inspection 

 B2. Form 9-275-F, Discharge Measurement Notes

 B3. Form 9-275D, Miscellaneous Field Notes 

 B4. Form T-9335, Crest-Stage Gage Notes

 B5. Form 9-276, Level Notes 

 B6. Peg Test of Engineers Level

Appendix B. Tallahassee Office Note Sheets for Recording Surface-Water Data  33
42 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Washington District, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Discipline

Front Back

Appendix B1. Form P-17, U. S. Geological Survey Gaging Station Safety and Maintenance Inspection Appendix B1. Form P-17, U.S. Geological Survey gaging station safety and maintenance inspection.

34  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
 49

Inside Top Front

Appendix B Appendix B7. 2. Form 9-275-F, Discharge measurement notes. Form 9-275-F, Discharge Measurement Notes

Appendix B. Tallahassee Office Note Sheets for Recording Surface-Water Data  35
Appendix B4. Form T-9335, Crest-stage gage notes.

50 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Washington District, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Discipline

Back Inside Bottom

Appendix B7. Form 9-275-F, Discharge Measurement Notes—Continued

Appendix B2. Form 9-275-F, Discharge measurement notes--Continued.

36  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
 51

Back Front

Appendix B8. Form 9-275D, Miscellaneous Field Notes

Appendix B3. Form 9-275-D, Miscellaneous field notes.

Appendix B. Tallahassee Office Note Sheets for Recording Surface-Water Data  37
Appendix B9. Form T-9335, Crest-Stage Gage Notes Appendix B4. Form T-9335, Crest-stage gage notes.

38  Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
47

Appendix B5. Form 9-276, Level Notes Appendix B5. Form 9-276, level notes.

Appendix B. Tallahassee Office Note Sheets for Recording Surface-Water Data  39
48 Surface

Water QualityAssurance Plan for the Washington DistrictUSGeological SurveyWater Resources Discipline

Appendix B6. Peg Test of Engineer’s Level

Appendix B6. Peg test of Engineer’s level.

40 Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee Office, U.S. Geological Survey
S.A. Tomlinson—Surface-Water Quality-Assurance Plan for the Tallahassee, Office, U.S. Geological Survey—Open-File Report 2006-1021

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