HF020
A Study of Hyporheic Characteristics Along a Longitudinal Profile of Lookout Creek, Oregon, 2003

CREATOR(S): Roy Haggerty, Jeffery J. Ninnemann

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S): Roy Haggerty

ORIGINATOR(S): Jeffery J. Ninnemann

OTHER RESEARCHER(S): Michael N. Gooseff, Steven M. Wondzell

DATA SET CONTACT PERSON: Roy Haggerty

METADATA CONTACT: Jeffery J. Ninnemann

DATA SET CREDIT:

This work was partially supported by the National Science Foundation through grant nos. EAR 99-09564 and DEB 0218088

METADATA CREATION DATE:

13 Jul 2007

MOST RECENT METADATA REVIEW DATE:

4 Mar 2013

KEYWORDS:

geology, geomorphology, hydrology, water, hyporheic zone

PURPOSE:

The primary goal of this research project is to quantitatively measure the temporal scales of hyporheic exchange along a stream network. Our goal is to examine how hyporheic exchange varies with increasing stream size. Many previous studies focus on single stream reaches or on several reaches of similar sized streams, whereas we examined the residence time of water in the hyporheic zone over increasing length scales in a single stream. Prior work with tracer data and analysis using a transient storage model with an exponential residence time distribution (RTD) suggests that hyporheic parameters, primarily volume and mean residence time, are both spatially and temporally scale-dependent. However, recent work hypothesizes that the scale-dependence may be partially addressed by using a power-law RTD (Haggerty et al., 2002). Our research tests this hypothesis with several multi-scale tracer tests in a single stream.

METHODS:

Experimental Design - HF020:

Description: Stream discharge at the injection sites during the injections for the longitudinal tracer test and the inter-order tracer tests were measured by wading, using a Marsh-McBirney model 200 flow meter (Marsh-McBirney, Inc., Fredrick, MD, USA). Stream discharge during the duration of the tracer tests was measured at the USGS gauge house at the below headquarters on Lookout Creek. Hydrograph regressions were used with gauged watersheds within the H.J. Andrews to estimate a continuous discharge for all sites. Turner DesignTM model 10-AU fluorometers (Turner Designs, Inc, Sunnyvale, CA) were used to monitor concentrations at some sites. All samples collected with ISCO auto samplers (ISCO, Inc., Lincoln, NE) were analyzed with the same Turner Designs fluorometers (Turner Designs, Inc, Sunnyvale, CA). Four continuous injection tracer experiments were performed over various lengths of Lookout Creek in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest.

Field Methods - HF020:

Description:

The Longitudinal Tracer Test was conducted along the main stem of Lookout Creek. The injection site was located ~30 m downstream of the upper old growth trail bridge. There were eight monitoring sites below the injections site. Three fluorometer sites were stationed on Lookout Creek just up stream of Cold Cr., Mack Cr., and McRae Cr.. The fluorometers were 1032 m (Site 2), 4145 m (Site 6), and 8,907 m (Site 11) downstream of the injection site (as shown in Figure 1). One ISCO sampler was located 84 m below the injection site (not shown on map). Four additional ISCO monitoring sites were established below each of the confluences and near the base of the basin. The ISCO monitoring sites were 1,137 m (Site 4), 5,126 m (Site 7), 9,327 m (Site 12), and 14,274 m (Site 14) (Figure 1).

Three additional tracer tests were also conducted between each major confluence within Lookout Creek. These inter-order tracer tests encompassed changes in stream scale from a 3^rd-order drainage basin to a 5^th-order drainage basin.

The first inter-order tracer test was a conducted between the confluence of McRae Creek and the H.J. Andrews headquarters. The injection site was located ~150 m downstream of the McRae Creek confluence (site 11). This tracer test was monitored 5,367 m downstream at the H.J. Andrews headquarters with a fluorometer (Site 14). The concentration of dye was also monitored 1,465 m downstream by an ISCOtm sampler at a position in the stream where the geomorphology changes from a floodplain to a constrained valley (Site 13). An additional ISCO sampler was located 420 m below the injection site (Site 12).

The second inter-order tracer test was a conducted between the confluence of Mack Creek and McRae Creek. The injection site was located ~25 m downstream of the Mack Creek confluence (site 7). This tracer test was monitored 3,457 m downstream above the McRae Cr. confluence with a fluorometer (site 10). It was also monitored 1,001 m downstream by an ISCOtm sampler at the largest tributary between Mack and McRae Cr (site 9). An additional ISCO sampler was located 25 m below the injection site (Site 8).

The third IOTT was a conducted between the confluence of Cold Creek and Mack Creek. The injection site was located ~10 m downstream of the Cold Creek confluence (site 3). This tracer test was monitored 3,054 m downstream at a site above the Mack Cr. confluence with a fluorometer (site 6) and 2,105 m downstream by an ISCO sampler at Longer Cr. (site 5), the largest tributary between Mack and McRae Cr.. An additional ISCO sampler was located 46 m below the injection site (Site 4).

Longitudinal Tracer Test (tracer test 1), June 14, 2003

• 1603.8 grams of Rhodamine WT (RWT, Fomulabs, Piqua, OH) was injected into the upper reaches of Lookout Creek for 78 h.
• Stream flow was measured by wading, using a Marsh-McBirney model 200 flow meter ~40 m downstream of the injection site, 7 hours prior to the tracer experiment, and daily for three consecutive days.
• RWT fluorescence data was collected at three downstream sample points using Turner Designs model 10 AU field fluorometers. All fluorometers were set up with a flow-through cell. Samples were also collected with programmable field auto samplers at additional sites.
• Data was collected on a 30-second interval for the first 8 to 10 days depending on the site. For the remainder of the experiment, stream water samples were collected with programmable field auto samplers for an additional 23 to 144 days.

Cold Creek Inter-Order Tracer Test (tracer test 2), July 8, 2003

• 224.3 grams of Rhodamine WT (RWT, Fomulabs, Piqua, OH) was injected into Lookout Creek, below McRae Creek for 17 h.
• Stream flow was measured by wading, using a Marsh-McBirney model 200 flow meter ~40 m downstream of the injection site, 24 hours prior to the tracer experiment.
• RWT fluorescence data was collected at a downstream sample point using Turner Designs model 10 AU field fluorometer, set-up with a flow-through cell. Samples were also collected with programmable field auto samplers at additional sites.
• Data was collected on a 30-second interval for the first 2.3 days. For the remainder of the experiment, stream water samples were collected with programmable field auto samplers for an additional 12 days.

Mack Creek Inter-Order Tracer Test (tracer test 3), August 7, 2003

• 321 grams of Rhodamine WT (RWT, Fomulabs, Piqua, OH) was injected into Lookout Creek, below Mack Creek for 26 h.
• Stream flow was measured by wading, using a Marsh-McBirney model 200 flow meter ~10 m downstream of the injection site, 24 hours prior to the tracer experiment.
• RWT fluorescence data was collected at a downstream sample point using Turner Designs model 10 AU field fluorometer, set-up with a flow-through cell. Samples were also collected with programmable field auto samplers at additional sites.
• Data was collected on a 30-second interval for the first 3 days. For the remainder of the experiment, stream water samples were collected with programmable field auto samplers for an additional 12 days.

Cold Creek Inter-Order Tracer Test (tracer test 4), September 11, 2003

• 296 grams of Rhodamine WT (RWT, Fomulabs, Piqua, OH) was injected into Lookout Creek, below Mack Creek for 24 h.
• Stream flow was measured by wading, using a Marsh-McBirney model 200 flow meter ~46 m downstream of the injection site, 2 hours prior to the tracer experiment.
• RWT fluorescence data was collected at a downstream sample point using Turner Designs model 10 AU field fluorometer, set-up with a flow-through cell. Samples were also collected with programmable field auto samplers at additional sites.
• Data was collected on a 30-second interval for the first 4 days. For the remainder of the experiment, stream water samples were collected with programmable field auto samplers for an additional 41 days.

Instrumentation - HF020:

Description: The longitudinal tracer test and McRae Creek inter-order tracer test was facilitated by a Fluid Meter Inc. (FMI) DC injection pump (model # RHB1). The Mack Creek and Cold Creek inter-order tracer tests were conducted using a new Fluid Meter Inc. AC injection pump (model # QG150, with a Q1CKC pump head). The discharges in the streams were measured using a Marsh-McBirney, Inc Flo-MateTM flow meter. The concentration of RWT was measured using a Turner DesignTM model 10-AU fluorometers and Teledyne ISCOTM samplers.

Processing Procedure - HF020:

Description: In order to calculate flux breakthrough curves we needed to have a continuous record of discharge for each site. The discharge hydrographs of each site was estimated using a linear hydrograph regression from gauged watersheds within the H.J. Andrews. The hydrograph watershed regression was accomplished using point discharges gathered by Jeff Ninnemann and Charles Fardy throughout the summer and matched with one of the 10 gauged watersheds for a best fit linear regression. The linear relationship established between individual site discharges and watershed gauge datum was then used to estimate a discharge for each individual monitoring site.

SITE DESCRIPTION:

This study was conducted along the main stem of Lookout Creek in the H.J. Andrews. Monitoring sites included sites below the upper old growth trail bridge, above and below the Cold Cr. confluence, above and below the Mack Cr. confluence, above and below the McRae Cr. confluence, at the first valley constriction below the concrete bridge, and at the Headquarters.

The Longitudinal Tracer Test was conducted along the main stem of Lookout Creek. The injection site was located ~30 m downstream of the upper old growth trail bridge. There were eight monitoring sites below the injections site. Three fluorometer sites were stationed on Lookout Creek just up stream of Cold Cr., Mack Cr., and McRae Cr.. The fluorometers were 1032 m (Site 2), 4145 m (Site 6), and 8,907 m (Site 11) downstream of the injection site (as shown in Figure 1). One ISCO sampler was located 84 m below the injection site (not shown on map). Four additional ISCO monitoring sites were established below each of the confluences and near the base of the basin. The ISCO monitoring sites were 1,137 m (Site 4), 5,126 m (Site 7), 9,327 m (Site 12), and 14,274 m (Site 14) (Figure 1).

Three additional tracer tests were also conducted between each major confluence within Lookout Creek. These inter-order tracer tests encompassed changes in stream scale from a 3^rd-order drainage basin to a 5^th-order drainage basin.

The first inter-order tracer test was a conducted between the confluence of McRae Creek and the H.J. Andrews headquarters. The injection site was located ~150 m downstream of the McRae Creek confluence (site 11). This tracer test was monitored 5,367 m downstream at the H.J. Andrews headquarters with a fluorometer (Site 14). The concentration of dye was also monitored 1,465 m downstream by an ISCOtm sampler at a position in the stream where the geomorphology changes from a floodplain to a constrained valley (Site 13). An additional ISCO sampler was located 420 m below the injection site (Site 12).

The second inter-order tracer test was a conducted between the confluence of Mack Creek and McRae Creek. The injection site was located ~25 m downstream of the Mack Creek confluence (site 7). This tracer test was monitored 3,457 m downstream above the McRae Cr. confluence with a fluorometer (site 10). It was also monitored 1,001 m downstream by an ISCOtm sampler at the largest tributary between Mack and McRae Cr (site 9). An additional ISCO sampler was located 25 m below the injection site (Site 8).

The third IOTT was a conducted between the confluence of Cold Creek and Mack Creek. . The injection site was located ~10 m downstream of the Cold Creek confluence (site 3). This tracer test was monitored 3,054 m downstream at a site above the Mack Cr. confluence with a fluorometer (site 6) and 2,105 m downstream by an ISCO sampler at Longer Cr.(site 5), the largest tributary between Mack and McRae Cr.. An additional ISCO sampler was located 46 m below the injection site (Site 4).

TAXONOMIC SYSTEM:

None

GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT:

Lookout Creek Catchment

ELEVATION_MINIMUM (meters):

426

ELEVATION_MAXIMUM (meters):

1036

MEASUREMENT FREQUENCY:

a range of every 30 seconds to monthly

PROGRESS DESCRIPTION:

Complete

UPDATE FREQUENCY DESCRIPTION:

notPlanned

CURRENTNESS REFERENCE:

Ground condition