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Sediment transport monitoring of the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River near Stanley, Idaho, 2012–15

Open-File Report 2018-1189
Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation
By:
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181189

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Abstract

The Yankee Fork of the Salmon River is one of the larger watersheds in the upper Salmon River subbasin of central Idaho. Mining activities since the late 19th century, specifically placer mining and associated dredging from 1940 to 1953, have left the fluvial system in a highly altered and unnatural state. To improve aquatic and terrestrial habitat in the Yankee Fork, the Bureau of Reclamation and other stakeholders collaborated on the Dredge Tailings Restoration Project and Yankee Fork Rehabilitation Project. In conjunction with these rehabilitation efforts, the U.S. Geological Survey monitored suspended-sediment transport and discharge between 2012 and 2015 at three sites in the lower reaches of the Yankee Fork. Pseudo-hydrographs were developed for the Bonanza and Confluence sites using data from the streamgage site as a surrogate. Results showed a good fit between measured and calculated discharge with R2 values of 0.96 for the Bonanza site and 0.98 for the Confluence site. Both regressions have high hypothesis test statistics (t>23) and low probability values (p<0.0001), indicating a strong linear correlation. Suspended-sediment samples collected mostly during snowmelt runoff showed a positive correlation with stream discharge. Hysteresis in the sample results indicates a supply-limited suspended-sediment transport regime. Percent sand by weight of suspended-sediment samples identified a possible discharge threshold for sand suspension at about 400 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) at the Bonanza site and about 1,000 ft3/s at the Confluence and Gage sites.

Suggested Citation

Johnsen, J.W., 2018, Sediment transport monitoring of the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River near Stanley, Idaho, 2012–15: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2018-1189, 17 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181189.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Sediment Characteristics and Transport
  • Monitoring Approach
  • Results
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Sediment transport monitoring of the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River near Stanley, Idaho, 2012–15
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2018-1189
DOI 10.3133/ofr20181189
Year Published 2018
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Idaho Water Science Center
Description iv, 17 p.
Country United States
State Idaho
City Stanley
Other Geospatial Salmon River
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details