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Restoration efforts in Pennsylvania and Maryland will benefit from the results of a newly-released report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The report is titled “Development of Regional Curves Relating Bankfull-Channel Geometry and Discharge to Drainage Area for Streams in Pennsylvania and Selected Areas of Maryland.” The study maintains that mathematical equations that relate drainage area to bankfull discharge and channel dimensions at gaged sites are important tools in the design of stream restoration projects. The equations, called Regional Curves, are needed to estimate a channel geometry and discharge that is expected to effectively transport sediment at sites where restoration is considered. The study's author claims that the equations are easy to use since drainage area and rock type underlying the stream basin are the only variables needed. However, there are limitations to the methodology because the equations were developed primarily in rural settings and are not applicable to urban areas. http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2005/5147/
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