Indicator 2. Water Quantity

1. Indicator 2: Water Quantity
Ukraine Polyana Workshop July 2018
Raha Hakimdavar, Presidential Management Fellow in Hydrology, USDA Forest Service

2. Overview of indicator
Purpose:
Addresses changes to the
natural streamflow with
respect to the magnitude,
duration, or timing of
natural streamflow
hydrographs.
Attributes:
1. Flow characteristics

3. Streamflow hydrographs

4. What is a natural hydrograph?
Natural hydrograph:
A hydrograph representing the natural seasonal flows of a river without
influence of human-created features (ex. Dams and canals) or management
actions.

5. What is an altered hydrograph?

6. Measuring streamflow

7. Measuring streamflow

8. Map of streamflow gauges in US

9. Proxy features of changes to natural hydrograph

10. Condition rating rule set
Water Quantity … is MINOR. … is MODERATE.
… is HIGH with recognized
changes in the magnitude,
duration, and/or timing of
annual extreme flows
Assess the relative impact of proxy features in the watershed
9.1 Flow
characteristics
• No diversions/
dams/ reservoirs
• Free flowing rivers
• Limited ground
water withdrawals
• Dams and reservoirs
mimic natural
hydrographs
• Annual extreme flows
are not affected
• Some changes to
timing and duration
of mid-flows
• Dams and reservoirs DO
NOT mimic natural
hydrographs
• Annual extreme flows
are significantly affected
• Seasonal changes to
streamflow have been
changed
Good (rating = 1) Fair (rating = 2) Poor (rating = 3)
Amount of departure of current streamflow hydrographs from natural conditions

11. Condition rating rule set