USGS Water-Year Summary for Site 06461500

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	Available Parameters
	00010 Temperature, water(Mean,Min.,Max.)
	00060 Discharge(Mean)
	00065 Gage height(Mean)
	00095 Specific cond at 25C(Min.,Mean,Max.)
	00300 Dissolved oxygen(Mean,Min.,Max.)
	00400 pH(Min.,Med.)
	63680 Turbidity, Form Neph(Max.,Min.,Mean)

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Water year 2024: 2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30

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USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

06461500 Niobrara River near Sparks, Nebr.

LOCATION - Lat 42°54'07.48", long 100°21'45.10" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, in NW 1/4 SE 1/4 sec.22, T.34 N., R.26 W., Cherry County, NE, Hydrologic Unit 10150004, on left bank 18 ft downstream from highway bridge, 2.2 mi downstream from Big Beaver Creek, 5.5 mi downstream from Minnechaduza Creek, 6.0 mi Southwest of Sparks, and at mile 142.5.

DRAINAGE AREA - 7,150 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1209: 1947(M), 1948-50(P). WDR NE-94-1: Drainage area.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1945 to current year. Monthly discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1309.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder with satellite telemetry. Datum of the gage is 2,288.68 ft above North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88). October 01, 1945, to December 11, 1945: non-recording gage located at 42.9021, -100.3625 at a datum of 2,288.68 ft above to NAVD88. December 12, 1945, to present: water-stage recorder located at 42.9021, -100.3625 at a datum of 2,288.68 ft above NAVD88.

REMARKS - Accuracy of records for water years prior to 2014 are noted in the individual Annual Data Reports for those water years. For water years 2014 onward, records good except for estimated daily discharges, which are poor, unless otherwise noted. Natural flow of stream is affected by irrigation and power developments, storage in Box Butte Reservoir (Station 06455500); and since 1964, storage in Merritt Reservoir (06459300).

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum peak flow, 10,200 ft³/s, from rating curve extended above 3,800 ft³/s, March 5, 1949, gage height, 6.73 ft. Maximum peak stage, 12.17 ft, February 5, 2014, backwater from ice.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD - WATER TEMPERATURE: March, 2014 to November, 2014 SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: March, 2014 to November, 2014 pH: March, 2014 to November, 2014 DISSOLVED OXYGEN: March, 2014 to November, 2014

INSTRUMENTATION - Seasonal deployment of a continuous water-quality monitor during the 2014, 2017, and 2020 calendar years. Measured parameters included water temperature, specific conductance, pH, and dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen measurements were collected using a luminescent sensor.

REMARKS - For March to November 2014, water temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH records were rated as excellent; specific conductance record was rated as good.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD -

These extremes may have been exceeded during non-measured periods.

WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum, 32.3°C, July 21,2017; minimum, 0.0°C, several days during winter periods.

SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Maximum, 283 uS/cm, June 30, 2014; minimum, 151 uS/cm, September 22, 2023.

DISSOLVED OXYGEN: Maximum, 15.5 mg/L, November 10, 2017; minimum, 4.9 mg/L, July 28, 2020.

pH: Maximum, 9.3 standard units, June 23, 2017; minimum, 7.1 standard units, August 17, 2017.