Training and Development Opportunity – USGS Office of Organizational and Employee Development (OED) - National Training Center (NTC)
Course Title: Surface Water Records Computation
Course Number: SW1286
Date: October 17-21, 2011
Start: Monday,October 17th1:00 pm
End:Friday, October 21st12:00 noon
Location: OED-NTCDenver, COEarth ClassroomD2610/D2612
Need to take this training course and can’t make the physical trip? “Live virtual classroom” could be your answer! You will need to be at a USGS office location to experience being a part of the classthe same as the students that are in the classroom, ask questions of the instructors and have those questions responded to on a “chat screen”, view presentation slides from your office computer. Please contact the course developer listed below to see if this class is being offered as aremote “live virtual classroom” service.
Course Registration Deadline Date: August 26, 2011
Course Developer:
Jim Kolva703-648-5225
(for course related questions, please contact Jim Kolva)
Tuition: USGS: $956Non USGS: $956
Payment Line: 888-390-4447
Course Description:
This hands-on workshop will assist field and office personnel in the computation and analysis of surface-water records. The workshop will emphasize physical interpretation of measured data, as an aid in analyzing the surface-water record. Computer processing will be used but the workshop is not designed as an ADAPS training course. Topics include levels and datum corrections, rating-curve analysis (emphasizing physical interpretation), shift corrections, estimation of missing data, preparation of the station analysis, and the record review process.
Course Attendees:
Hydrologic technicians and hydrologists who currently compute surface-water records or are expecting to do so soon.
Maximum number of students is 18
Course Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites for this class.
OED-NTC Primary Contact:
Gloria Armstrong - - 303-445-4676or
the NTC email address at: GS-COden
DOI REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS:
ALL DOI CLASS REGISTRATON MUST BE COMPLETED IN DOI LEARN
DOI LEARN – A Department-wide Learning Management System (LMS)
If you have never logged into DOI LEARN, please first visit the DOI LEARN Portal Page for detailed information:
If you do not know if you have an Account, or have forgotten your Username and/or Password, please contact the DOI LEARN Help Desk at:
866-466-1998 or
To learn more about the system as a whole, see FAQs and How-to Tutorials; please visit the Human Capital Training Website at:
If you still have DOI LEARN questions, please send an email to:
for assistance.
DOI LEARN Class Registration Instructions:
- Go to the DOI LEARN Portal Page at:
- Click on “Have an Account? Login Here” on the right side of the screen and enter your username and password.
- Once logged in, first verify your Profile is set up correctly, including your Time Zone and Assigned Supervisor(s). Under your “My Home” tab, you would click on “Settings and Preferences” then click on “My Profile” and update as needed. Click “Save” if any changes were made and then click on “Close Record.”
- While still under your “My Home” tab, continue to the “Learning and Metrics” area and click on “Catalog” on far left side of the screen.
- The New Catalog Page appears and you must now click on “Click here to continue on to the Catalog.” NOTE: this area changes as new changes are made to the system; therefore, please be aware that wording and links may be different at this step than described.
- Once you are in the Catalog, in the “Search For:” field, enter the exact Course Title and click “Go” . . . . . the Advanced Search option is also available if you need to do a more specific search on the Course Code, Description, etc.
- If more than on Course appears, scroll down through the list until you find the one you are looking for. NOTE: there may be multiple pages.
- Click on the “Details” tab for general Course Information. Click on the “Scheduled Classes” tab for specific Class Information and to “Enroll” when ready. If Supervisor Approval is Required, you must select the Schedule Class that you want, click on “Submit Request” and then click “Begin” to go to the Learning Request form. Fill it out and click “Submit.” An auto-generated email will be sent to the Supervisor listed in your profile asking them to approve it using the Approval Manager. If Supervisor Approval is not Required, simply select the Scheduled Class you want to attend and click on “Enroll in this Class.” NOTE: In both situations, an auto-generated email is sent to you and your Assigned Supervisor(s) with detailed information. If you did not have the correct Supervisor(s) assigned, the auto-generated email cannot be resent and you must then update your Profile and verbally notify the correct Supervisor(s) that you need a Learning Request handled. NOTE: if you are not seeing any Scheduled Classes to Enroll in, please go back to the “Details” tab and see who is listed under “Contact” so that you can get further information.
- To check the status of your Learning Request(s) or to see what Classes you have self-enrolled in, please go to your “My Requests” area and/or your “My Elective Learning” area. If you or your Supervisor(s) are unsure on how to complete any of these processes, please visit our FAQs and How-to Tutorials at the Human Capital Training Website:
Non DOI, OFA, and Cooperator Registration Information/Instructions:
Some classes are available to non-USGS persons who may attend on a space available basis. Non-DOI attendees include Other Federal Agencies (OFAs), State/Local Agencies, American/Alaska Tribal Governments, and Cooperators. Private companies/consultants are not permitted to attend OED classes unless they meet the status of a cooperator and this can be verified by the host USGS office.
A cooperator is defined as one who has a current Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), or a current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), or is currently working on a Joint Funding Agreement (JFA) with a USGS office. Class approval steps for a cooperator are as follows:
- Agreement verification and attendance approval sent to OED via from the partnering USGS Office
- A completed non DOI registration form which can be accessed at the following URL: Email to gjarmstr@usgs or fax to OED, Attn: Gloria Armstrong, 303-445-4665.
After the above two requirements have been received, the course developer is afforded the final selection of class participants.
If students are requested to bring personal laptops to the class and additional software is required, students have the responsibility to contact their local IT staff to request that a privileged created user account ID be placed on their laptop BEFORE traveling to the class.
For information regarding:
-Additional class information
-Local transportation,
-Lodging information
-Non DOI, OFA, and Cooperator registration information/instructions,
-Student class tuition policy
Go to:
Surface-Water
Records Computation
SW1286
October 17-21, 2011
Agenda:
Monday (1:00 PM) – Welcome and Introduction –Kolva
- (1:45 – 2:15 PM) ADAPS Overview -Kenney
Break (2:15 – 2:30 PM)
- (2:30 – 3:15 PM) Discharge Measurement data –Jacobson
Discharge measurement notes and SWAMI
Site Visit
Exercise: NitPik discharge measurement
Exercise: Review and enter measurements for ProvoRiver near Hailstone, Utah
- (3:15 – 4:30 PM) Gage Datum–Jacobsen
Maintaining gage datum
-Overview of levels at gaging stations
-Leveling exercise
Tuesday – Surface-Water Records Computation
- (8:00 – 9:45 AM) Stage Record–Jacobson
Maintaining gage datum
Measurement of stage
Unit values
Hydra unit values
Exercise: Assessing unit values for ProvoRiver near Hailstone, Utah
Correcting measured stage record
Exercise: Observations at a stilling well: data corrections
Application of data corrections
Break (9:45 – 10:00 AM)
(10:00 – 11:30 PM) Exercise: Determine and enter data corrections for Provo River near Hailstone, Utah
Lunch (11:30 AM – 12:30 PM)
- (12:30 – 2:30 PM) Open-Channel Hydraulics and the Basic Governing Equations – Kolva
Break (2:30 – 2:45 PM)
- (2:45 – 3:30 PM) Open-Channel Hydraulics –Kolva
Classification of Flow in Open Channels
Types of flow
States of flow
Regimes of flow
- (3:30 – 4:00 PM) Stage-Discharge Controls at Stream-flow Monitoring Stations – Kolva
Types of Control (natural and artificial)
Attributes of a satisfactory control
- (4:00 – 5:00 PM) Stage-Discharge Rating Curves: Introduction and Definitions – Kenney
Rating curves and gaging-station controls
Basis for rating curve development
Analysis in log space
Transform to log space
Form of the equations
Interpretation of lines in log space (Exercise 1)
Recognizing the scale offset (Exercise 2)
Wednesday – Surface-Water Records Computation
- (8:00 – 9:30 AM) Importance and use of offsets –Kolva
Defining the offset for a simple control (Exercise 3)
Effect of incorrect offsets (Exercises 4) GRSAT
Rating development and multiple offsets (Exercise 5 and 6) GRSAT
Break (9:30 – 9:45 AM)
- (9:45 – 11:00 AM) Importance and use of offsets –Kolva
Exercise 5 (continued)
Exercise 5 and 6 Review/Wrapup
Lunch (11:00 – 12:00 M)
- (12:00 – 2:00 PM) Stage-Discharge Rating Curves:
Extrapolation and Extension –Kenny
Low-flow and high-flow extrapolation
Slope-conveyance
Other extension techniques
GRSAT for extensions (Exercise 7)
Break (2:00 – 2:15 PM)
- (2:15 – 4:30 PM) Shifting Controls –Kenney
Shifts with time and stage; general concepts and guidelines
Variable stage-shift diagrams and analysis using ADAPS
Shifted (“temporary”) rating curves
Exercises on Shifts GRSAT (Exercise 8 and 9)
Thursday – Surface-Water Records Computation
(8:00 – 9:30 AM) Shifting controls continued –Kenny
Break (9:30 – 9:45 AM)
- (9:45 – 11:00 AM) Primary Computations in ADAPS –Jacobson
Primary computations
Gage height corrections
Daily values
Min, max, mean
Primary flags
Exercise: Run primary computations for Provo River near Hailstone, Utah
- (11:00 –12:00 PM) Estimating Missing or Faulty Data –Kenney
Ice affected record
Missing Record
Hydra for daily values
Using MISTE for daily value estimates
Exercise: DV estimation
Lunch (12:00 – 1:00 PM)
- (1:00 –2:30 PM) Hydrographs – Jacobson
Daily value plots
Hydrograph comparisons
Unit values plots
Exercise: Plot hydrograph for ProvoRiver near Hailstone
Break (2:30 – 3:00 PM)
- (3:00 – 3:30 PM) Extremes for Period of Record –Kolva
- (3:30 – 4:45 PM) Station and Record Documentation –Jacobson
Station Analysis
Station Description
Station Manuscript
Friday – Surface-Water Records Computation
- (8:00 – 9:30 AM) Summary of the Records Computation Process:
–Kolva
Procedural outline for records computation
Additional training resources
OSW Overview and Online references
- (9:00 – 10:00 AM) Review and approval of Record –Kolva
Break (10:00 – 10:15 AM)
- (10:15 – 11:00 PM) Discussion, review, and wrap-up –All