Surface Water:
Readings

TEXTBOOK READINGS:

• The focus areas of the surface water lesson are floods, water supply monitoring, and flood safety. You should keep these topics in mind while you are reading from the textbook and also from the websites. These are very important topics that have an impact upon all of us.

• You should begin your studies by reading Chapter 7 in your textbook. Your goal is to understand the behavior of streams during rain events, how streams are monitored and the effects of flooding. While you are reading pay attention to the key terms and the topics that are posted in the Study Question Conference.

• The Weather Channel:   Education center for floods - learn about flood "warnings" and "watches;" how to determine if you are at risk; what to do before, during, or after a flood; and, finally about flash floods.

• About Flood Insurance: Learn why the National Flood Insurance Program was started and who is required to purchase flood insurance.

• Flood Insurance Myths and Facts:   Who can purchase flood insurance, who needs it, what homeowners insurance will pay.

• Tioga River at Mansfield:  The US Geological Survey maintains a gaging station right across the river from Mansfield University. It continuously monitors the stage and discharge of the Tioga and sends that information to the internet via satellite, modems, and computers. Make a set of charts that shows the behavior of the river for the past 30 days and see if you can understand it. Take advantage of this site now before Dr. King wears it out!

• USGS Real-Time Water Data System:   You can check the stage and discharge of thousands of streams and rivers across the United States. Try it! You will probably be surprised when you find that a stream that you cross, fish, swim, or boat has a gaging station that sends a continuous stream of data to the internet.

• Optional site to visit.   Pine Creek at Cedar Run:  Similar to the Tioga River at Mansfield site, but the data is for Pine Creek, near the community of Cedar Run.

• Optional site to visit.   Susquehanna River at Harrisburg:  Similar to the site above, but the data is for the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg.

• Optional site to visit.   Tioga River Hydrographs:  This site allows you to access the historic stream-discharge database for the Tioga River at Mansfield and plot hydrographs for a range of dates that you specify. You will have to wait a couple minutes for the results, but the hydrographs can show a lot of interesting details. Try making one for the month or year of your choice. Notice how precipitation and/or snowmelt cause abrupt peaks that decline gradually over time.