This flow-depth relationship may be used to calculate flow rates from some of the information we have collected from the staff gauge in the pool near the entrance area. This pool is about 1000' upstream from the ocean. The pool outlet topography has remained stable over the past 15 years and the relationship will be useful for back-calculating past flow rates. The series of measurements in is progress. Base lows for the creek are at about 1.2' to 1.3', but got as low as 1.1' during the drought years. Hence, a reading of between .7' and 1.0' should correspond to zero flow. The data plotted below seem to be consistent with such a prediction. Getting flow rates for gauge heights over 3' will be difficult owing to danger of standing in fast-flowing water, and we will need to develop another way to measure flow. The "crossing log" above the confluence, on Devil's creek, may work for flow up to 5' on that fork, but we need a high-water crossing over Big Creek, preferably near the gauge pool.

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During high flows it can be challenging to get this information. Here reserve manager John Smiley is standing in 1.2m of fast-flowing water, holding the top-setting rod and the flow metering equipment. 1-25-01	The only way to keep from being swept away is to lean against a rope. It is also important to wear a wet suit, as the water is very cold. We took 15 measurements, every 0.5m across the creek. 2-25-01
	A measuring tape is placed horizontally across the creek at right angles to the flow. We use an electronic flow-measuring device which consists of a electronic measurement bulb, a cable, and a data readout unit. The bulb is attached to a top-setting rod, which is adjusted to set the bulb 4/10 of the depth above the bottom. This is approximately the right position to measure average flow rate for a stream water column. We then record: position along horizontal tape, water depth, and flow rate. These data are then integrated to produce the estimated stream flow. This is as deep (3.0' on the staff gauge) as can be measured using these techniques. For deeper, faster water we will need a longer, heavier top-setting rod and a bridge or log crossing from which to make the measurements. 2-25-01