LOW-FLOW CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIANA STREAMS
Water-Resources Investigations
Report 96-4128
By KATHLEEN
K. FOWLER and JOHN T. WILSON
Abstract
The knowledge of low-flow characteristics
of streams is essential for the
management of water resources. Low-flow
characteristics are presented for 229
continuous-record, streamflow-gaging
stations and 285 partial-record stations in
Indiana. Low-flow-frequency characteristics
were computed for 210 continuous-record
stations that had at least 10 years of record,
and flow-duration curves were computed
for all continuous-record stations. The low-flow-
frequency and flow-duration analyses
are based on available streamflow records
through September 1993.
Selected low-flow-frequency curves
were computed for annual low flows and
seasonal low flows. The four seasons are
represented by the 3-month groups of March–
May, June–August, September–November,
and December–February.
The 7-day, 10-year and the 7-day,
2 year low flows were estimated for 285
partial-record stations, which are ungaged
sites where streamflow measurements
were made at base flow. The same low-flow
characteristics were estimated for
19 continuous-record stations where less
than 10 years of record were available.
Precipitation and geology directly influence
the streams in Indiana. Streams in the
northern, glaciated part of the State tend to
have higher sustained base flows than those in
the nonglaciated southern part.
The flow at several of the continuous-record
gaging stations is affected by some
form of regulation or diversion. Low-flow
characteristics for continuous-record stations
at which flow is affected by regulation are deter-mined
using only the period of record affected
by regulation; natural flows prior to regulation
are not used.
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