NCG140495_Email RE 7Q10_20210517

Meloy, Michael
From: Gay Hank <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2021 7:28 AM
To: Meloy, Michael
Subject: FW: USGS response to DWR USGS Low Flows request # 2021-122 (dated 2021/05/12)
for UT Queen Creek Onslow County ... RE: [EXTERNAL] Low -flow request approval
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Hey Mike,
Below is the requested information. Please let me know when a determination has been made concerning this matter.
Regards,
Hank Gay
S&W Ready Mix
From: Weaver, John C <[e-mail]>
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2021 2:00 PM
To: Gay Hank <[e-mail]>
Cc: Hill, David A <[e-mail]>; [e-mail]; Montebello, Michael J
<[e-mail]>; Albertin, Klaus P <[e-mail]>; Weaver, John C
<[e-mail]>
Subject: USGS response to DWR USGS Low Flows request # 2021-122 (dated 2021/05/12) for UT Queen Creek Onslow
County... RE: [EXTERNAL] Low -flow request approval
Mr. Gay:
In response to your inquiry about the low -flow characteristics (7Q10) for a location on an unnamed tributary
to Queen Creek near Hubert in central eastern Onslow County, the following information is provided:
A check of the low -flow files here at the USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center (Raleigh office) does not
indicate a previous low -flow determination for the point of interest, identified by the lat/long coordinates
(34.7152,-77.2027) provided via email dated 05/12/2021 from the DWR USGS Low Flow portal following your
request submission
No USGS discharge records are likewise known to exist for the point of interest.
In the absence of site -specific discharge records sufficient for a low -flow analysis, estimates of low -
flow characteristics at ungaged locations are determined by assessing a range in the low -flow yields
(expressed as flow per square mile drainage area, or cfsm) at nearby sites where estimates have previously
been determined.

A basin delineation completed using the online USGS StreamStats application for North Carolina
(https://streamstats.usgs.gov/ss/) indicates the drainage area for the point of interest (StreamStats adjusted
coordinates 34.71521,-77.20352 NAD83) is 0.05 sgmi.
For the record concerning the point of interest: Information submitted as part of the low -flow request
describes the point of interest as being on Queen Creek and having a drainage area at 1.77 sgmi. Plotting the
point of interest at the above location coordinates places the stream location on an unnamed tributary to
Queen Creek adjacent to the facility. As noted above, the drainage area determined for this point of interest
is 0.05 sgmi. The drainage area for Queen Creek immediately upstream from the unnamed tributary is 18.9
sqmi. It is thus unclear as to the source of the 1.77 sgmi submitted as part of the request information. For the
purposes of response to this low -flow request, the point of interest defaults to the location coordinates
submitted with the low -flow request, which places the point of interest on the unnamed tributary to Queen
Creek.
For the record concerning Queen Creek: Visual inspection of the topographical map indicates that Queen
Creek at the mouth of the unnamed tributary is most likely tidally affected. The USGS South Atlantic Water
Science Center (Raleigh office) currently refrains from providing (or updating previously determined) low -flow
estimates for streams known or suspected of being tidally affected. There are currently no techniques that
allow for quantifying the effects of tides on low flows. Concerns that tides may possibly reduce low -flow
discharges (that is, relative to low -flow estimates for the same stream not tidally -affected) lead us to
speculate that any such estimates for these streams may be too high. Given the "back-n-forth" flow dynamics
associated with tidal effects, attempting to determine low -flow characteristics based on the assumption of
uni-directional flow characteristics is not meaningful.
For streams in Onslow County, low -flow characteristics published by the USGS are provided in the following
reports:
(1) The first is a statewide report completed in the early 1990's. It is USGS Water -Supply Paper 2403, "Low -
flow characteristics of streams in North Carolina" (Giese and Mason, 1993). An online version of the report is
available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/2403/report.pdf. The report provides the low -flow characteristics
(based on data through 1988) via regional relations and at -site values for sites with drainage basins between 1
and 400 sgmi and not considered or known to be affected by regulation and/or diversions.
(2) The second is a statewide report published in March 2015. It is USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2015-
5001, "Low -flow characteristics and flow -duration statistics for selected USGS continuous -record streamgaging
stations in North Carolina through 2012" (Weaver, 2015). The report is available online
at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2015/5001/. The report provides updated low -flow characteristics and flow -
duration statistics for 266 active (as of 2012 water year) and discontinued streamgages across the state where
a minimum of 10 climatic years discharge records were available for flow analyses.
Low -flow characteristics estimated for point of interest:
Visual inspection of the topographical map suggests the elevation of the stream channel at the point of interest
(approximately 20 feet above mean sea level) is likely sufficiently high enough that tidal influences are likely not
present at the point of interest. However, the very small drainage basin upstream from the point of interest leads
to the conclusion that no potentials exist for sustained base flows during extended dry conditions.
Inspection of the above reports indicates limited data for streams across Onslow County. Because of the
extremely small drainage area (0.05 sgmi) upstream from the point of interest, it was judged appropriate to
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only provide the 7Q10 discharge estimate. These reports indicate the presence of four (4) nearby selected
USGS partial -record sites in the general vicinity of the point of interest where low -flow characteristics were
published. Among these 4 sites, the low -flow discharge yields for the indicated flow statistics are as follows:
Annual 7Q10 low -flow yields =_> from 0.0028 to 0.017 cfsm (both average and median about 0.011 cfsm)
Annual 30Q2 low -flow yields =_> Not determined
Winter 7Q10 low -flow yields =_> Not determined
Annual 7Q2 low -flow yields ==> Not determined
Average annual discharge yields ==> Not determined
Application of the above range in yields to the drainage area (0.05 sgmi) for the point of interest results in the
following estimated low -flow discharges:
Annual 7Q10 low -flow discharges =_> from 0.00014 to 0.00085 cfs (average and median at zero flow)
Annual 30Q2 low -flow discharges =_> Not determined
Winter 7Q10 low -flow discharges =_> Not determined
Annual 7Q2 low -flow discharges ==> Not determined
Average annual discharge discharges ==> Not determined
Please note:
(1) The estimated flows are provided in units of cubic feet per second (cfs).
(2) The low -flow yields provided above are rounded to 2 significant figures. Estimated low -flow discharges less
than 1 cfs are rounded to 2 significant figures. If between 1 and 100 cfs, then rounded to 1 decimal place; if
greater than 100, then rounded to the nearest whole number (zero decimal places).
(3) The information provided in this message is based on a preliminary assessment and considered
provisional, subject to revision pending collection of future data and further analyses.
These provisional streamflow statistics are provided via the DWR USGS Low Flows cooperative agreement
between the USGS and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Resources.
Hope this information is helpful.
Thank you.
Curtis Weaver
J. Curtis Weaver, Hydrologist, PE Email. [e-mail]
USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center Online. httvs://www.uses.cov/centers/sa-water
North Carolina - South Carolina - Georgia
3916 Sunset Ridge Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
Phone. [phone] // Fax. [phone]

From: Albertin, Klaus P <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2021 9:28 AM
To: [e-mail]
Cc: Albertin, Klaus P <[e-mail]>; Hill, David A <[e-mail]>; [e-mail];
Weaver, John C <[e-mail]>; Montebello, Michael J <[e-mail]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Low -flow request approval
This email has been received from outside of DOI - Use caution before clicking on links, opening attachments, or responding.
Your request has been approved and will be forwarded to USGS. A response from USGS usually takes 7 - 10 business
days.
Request Flow Statistic Approval
Request ID: 122
Requestor: Hank Gay
Requestor e-mail:[e-mail]
Requestor Phone: [phone]
Local Government:
Public Water Supply:
Consultant:
Contact:
Reason: Permit
River/Stream: Queens Creek
Drainage Area (sq. mi.): 1.77 miles
Latitude: 34.7152
Longitude:-77.2027
Other Information: Site issued Storm water permit No. SW8 070210 February 27, 2007.
Statististics: ["7Q10"]
Approved by: Albertin, Klaus P
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