Lab 8: Stream Flow

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In this lab, we will observe the impact of drought and excessive precipitation on stream flow and flooding. The practice and graded sequence of steps are similar. Please go through the following sequence of questions for the practice, check your answers in the Practice Lab, then take the Graded Lab when ready.

Practice Questions

River Height and Discharge

Using Google Earth, we will observe discharge (in cubic feet per second) for various points along the Mississippi during the devastating floods of 2011. Stream gages are planted in the middle of the river, and the gage measures the volume of water passing through a known volume during a known time. The units are in cubic feet per second.

Please load the Google Earth Mississippi River Stream Gages kmz file. Make sure you look at the dates correctly as well as the discharge axis scale. 

Questions

  1. What is the peak discharge (in cubic feet per second) at Bemidji Minnesota? (to nearest 1,000 cubic feet per second).  Just give a number. 
  2. What is the peak discharge (in cubic feet per second) at Brainerd, Minnesota? (to nearest 1,000 cubic feet per second).  Just give a number.
  3. What is the peak discharge (in cubic feet per second) at Winona, Minnesota (to nearest 50,000 cubic feet per second)? Just give a number.
  4. What is the peak discharge (in cubic feet per second) at McGregor, Iowa (to nearest 50,000 cubic feet per second)? Just give a number.
  5. Roughly when is peak discharge at McGregor, Iowa ? Give your answer in month date format (e.g. November 05 for November 5th).
  6. What is the peak discharge (in cubic feet per second) at Clinton, Iowa (to nearest 50,000 cubic feet per second)? Just give a number.
  7. Generally, is stream flow increasing up or down river? 
  8. Roughly when is peak discharge at Thebes, Illinois? Give your answer in month date format (e.g. November 05 for November 5th).
  9. Roughly when is peak discharge at Chester, Illinois ? Give your answer in month date format (e.g. November 05 for November 5th).
  10. Roughly when is peak discharge at St Louis, Missouri ? Give your answer in month date format (e.g. November 05 for November 5th).
  11. What is the peak discharge (in cubic feet per second) at St Louis, Missouri? (to nearest 50,000 cubic feet per second). Just give a number.
  12. Why does discharge increase so abruptly at the site considered in the last question?
    1. Because the Missouri river enters the Mississippi
    2. Because water flows up the Mississippi from the south
    3. Because runoff from St Louis adds water
  13. What is the peak discharge (in cubic feet per second) at Chester, Illinois? (to nearest 50,000 cubic feet per second). Just give a number.
  14. What is the peak discharge (in cubic feet per second) at Thebes, Illinois? (to nearest 50,000 cubic feet per second). Just give a number.
  15. Generally, is stream flow increasing up or down river?