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#           Under-Ice: Computing Real-time Discharge      

  Completed

      By Colorado Water Science Center      January 1, 2018    

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Under-ice discharge is estimated using open-water reference hydrographs; however, the ratings for ice-affected sites are generally qualified as poor.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, conducted a proof-of-concept to develop an alternative method for computing under-ice discharge using hydroacoustics and the Probability Concept.

 

 

Six conventional discharge measurements were collected concurrently with Probability Concept-derived discharges with percent differences (%) of -9.0%, -21%, -8.6%, 17.8%, 3.6%, and -2.3%.

This proof-of-concept demonstrates that riverine discharges can be computed using the Probability Concept for a range of hydraulic extremes (variations in discharge, open-water and under-ice conditions) immediately after the siting phase is complete, which typically requires one day. The Probability Concept and conventional methods such as index-velocity ratings offer water-resource managers and decision makers alternatives for computing real-time discharge for open-water and under-ice conditions.

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### Contacts

#### John W Fulton

##### Research Hydrologist

Colorado Water Science Center

jwfulton@usgs.gov

303-236-6890

### Explore Search

                      - Hydraulics
                      - Water Availability
                      - Surface Water
                      - Water

View All **

May 31, 2018

####                 Computing under-ice discharge: A proof-of-concept using hydroacoustics and the Probability Concept              

Water Resources Mission Area, Colorado Water Science Center

Below are partners associated with this project.

Under-ice discharge is estimated using open-water reference hydrographs; however, the ratings for ice-affected sites are generally qualified as poor.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, conducted a proof-of-concept to develop an alternative method for computing under-ice discharge using hydroacoustics and the Probability Concept.

 

 

Six conventional discharge measurements were collected concurrently with Probability Concept-derived discharges with percent differences (%) of -9.0%, -21%, -8.6%, 17.8%, 3.6%, and -2.3%.

This proof-of-concept demonstrates that riverine discharges can be computed using the Probability Concept for a range of hydraulic extremes (variations in discharge, open-water and under-ice conditions) immediately after the siting phase is complete, which typically requires one day. The Probability Concept and conventional methods such as index-velocity ratings offer water-resource managers and decision makers alternatives for computing real-time discharge for open-water and under-ice conditions.

View Media Details

 

### Contacts

#### John W Fulton

##### Research Hydrologist

Colorado Water Science Center

jwfulton@usgs.gov

303-236-6890

### Explore Search

                      - Hydraulics
                      - Water Availability
                      - Surface Water
                      - Water

View All **

May 31, 2018

####                 Computing under-ice discharge: A proof-of-concept using hydroacoustics and the Probability Concept              

Water Resources Mission Area, Colorado Water Science Center

Below are partners associated with this project.