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Elk River Basin - Hydrology Precipitation | Gaging Stations | Losing Streams | Major Lakes | Dams Precipitation -- In the Elk River Basin, the average annual precipitation is 41-42 inches, and the average annual runoff is 12 inches. Runoff occurs when precipitation does not infiltrate (enter into) the soil, and it flows overland directly into a stream. Water may not infiltrate the soil because the soil is already saturated, or because the pore space (amount of air between soil particles) is extremely small in the soil. Soils with small pore space include fine clays and silts. Gaging Stations -- The United States Geological Survey (USGS) maintains several gaging stations that measure water flow in rivers and streams. They have several water quality monitoring stations. Real-time gage data can be found on the USGS website at http://www.usgs.gov The table below shows all gages and water quality monitoring stations that have been operated throughout the Elk River basin. There is currently one gage operating within the basin. Gage sites:
Losing Streams -- Permanent streams flow all year round usually by relying on input from groundwater sources. When a stream flows at normal discharge, this is called ‘base flow’. When runoff flows into streams and it rises to full capacity, this is called ‘bankfull capacity’. You can actually see the bankfull level on the banks of streams that are running at baseflow. When the streams’ flow exceeds the bankfull capacity, this is termed a ‘flood’. The streams’ water spills over into the river’s ‘floodplain’. Flooding occurs regularly in non-managed streams and provides an important connection between the river and its floodplain habitats. The floodplain is a very productive area and provides nutrients to the river. Small wetlands and backwaters are also found in floodplains, and these often provide habitat for amphibians and fish to lay their eggs. When the river spills into its floodplain, the fish eggs that have hatched and matured are released back into the river to live. There are 169 miles of permanent streams in the Elk River Basin . Not all streams flow all year long. These are called “intermittent streams”. They are usually streams of a lower order (smaller), and they are found at higher elevations within the watershed. Because of their elevation, they are not able to rely on groundwater sources to keep flowing. Within the Elk River Basin , there are 17 miles of intermittent streams. Some of these, while not flowing, maintain permanent pools of water along their length. Losing streams within the Elk River Basin in Missouri :
Major lakes in the Elk River basin in Missouri and Arkansas
Dams -- The Missouri portion of the Elk River Basin does not contain any major dams. A small dam on the Elk River near Noel, MO, creates Lake St. Clair . In Oklahoma , the Elk River flowing out of Missouri forms the Elk River Arm of the Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees. |
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Elk River | James River | Sac River | Spring River | North Fork Salt River |
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Missouri Watershed Information Network (MoWIN) |
Page last updated August 26, 2008 |
