While such records may be indicative of current conditions, we wish to avoid the question of whether the computational algorithm might disguise the effects of climate. We do not mean to exclude stations for which the effect of diversions, etc., are easily and routinely corrected. A comment to this effect should be included for these records. These lists were described at the end of OSW Technical Memorandum 88.05. We want to clarify in the report why a Benchmark or Current Conditions station not in the final list is not suitable for climate analysis.
Most reasons are straightforward.
For example, Crater Lake, Oregon, is a Benchmark station but is not a discharge station. Similarly, the Sacramento River at Verona, California, is a Current Conditions station but is highly regulated. The original compilation was provided to the Office of Long Range Planning and Assessment as a help in getting the State reports for the 1988-89 National Water Summary started. The NWS had its own objectives and criterion. Some stations which were not in our original list nor were suggested to us for inclusion in the HCDN by the District in commenting on the original list have been used for the NWS study.