NWDTW 2024: Full Schedule

8:00am CDT

Continuous Water-Quality: Best practices for Calibrations and Field Procedures

Calibrations, Field Procedures and Demos, Oh My! Are you interested in best practices for Continuous Water Quality? This course will go over fundamentals of continuous water-quality calibrations and field procedures and include on-site demos and exercises. Students should bring a laptop.

Speakers

Cory Kavan

Hydrologist, USGS

Taylor Camper

Hydrologic Technician, USGS: Western WA Field Office

I have been with the Survey since 2017, the first 6 years with the VA-WV WSC and 1 year with the Western WA Field Office. During my career, I have worked primarily in QW, focused on continuous and discrete water-quality work. I have made plenty of mistakes, but they have all been... Read More →

Ernie McCoy

Hydrologic Technician, USGS-Dakota WSC

Hydrotech at the Grand Forks field office in North Dakota. I started as a student the summer of 09, graduated from UND with a bachelors degree in Environmental Geoscience. I stream gage, collect discrete samples and run continuous monitors collecting the big five.

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS

Kimberly Shaffer has a degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey for the past 26 years. As a hydrologist, she has collected and published streamflow, water-quality, and water-use data. In 2021, Kim became the Continuous... Read More →

Justin Krahulik

Hydrologic Technician, USGS

Brent Hall

Hydrologist, USGS

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Midway 5

WATER QUALITY, COURSE

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 4 Hours

8:00am CDT

Writing Format Statements for Decoding Time-Series Data (Break at Noon for Lunch 1 Hr))

Become proficient with format statements used in DECAP! We will cover skip, check, scan, dates, times, format labels, data types, delimiters and more! The pace will be for beginners, but content will also serve as a comprehensive overview and refresher for those with experience as well.

Speakers

Laura Flight

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS

ShortLaura began her USGS career in 1995 as a summer student and was hired full-time in 1997 as a Hydrologic Technician running surface water and groundwater field trips and computing records. Over time she started doing LDM duties, teaching courses, and testing NWIS applications... Read More →

Amarys Acosta

Hydrologic Technician, USGS

Amarys started her career in 2008 as a Hydrologic Technician in Ft. Lauderdale, FL with the USGS Florida Water Science Center (now Caribbean Florida Water Science Center). Her work involved construction, programming, monitoring, calibrating, and maintenance of remote tidal index-velocity... Read More →

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Midway 3+4

DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS), COURSE

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 6 Hours

1:00pm CDT

Sediment Acoustics Workshop

During this sediment acoustics workshop we'll be unveiling the Surrogate Analysis and Index Developer (SAID) 2.0 software, we'll also work though the development of a sediment acoustic surrogate model, how to implement the model for computation in Aquarius, and how to publish the model using the Model Archive Summary. The workshop will also include exercises in processing ADCP files though the Sediment Transect Acoustics (STA) software for computation of SSC from ADCP transects and generation of Cross-Section 2-D concentration plots.

Speakers

Colleen Barr

Paul Diaz

Hydrologist, USGS

Justin Boldt

Hydrologist, USGS

Monday July 15, 2024 1:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Midway 11

SEDIMENT, COURSE

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Intermediate
Duration 4 Hours

1:00pm CDT

Continuous Water-Quality Records Refresher

The USGS maintains a large network of real-time continuous water-quality instruments to assess conditions in surface and groundwater. Throughout the country, there are over 2,500 sites where the big 5 parameters (temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity) are monitored. These continuous water-quality data are available to the public (WaterQualityWatch, National Water Information System, and USGS National Water Dashboard). USGS data are known for the high quality and accuracy, which means that staff must apply data corrections consistently. Staff often need instruction on records corrections, computation, and processing using AQUARIUS Time Series (TS). This refresher presents concepts and procedures for record computation outlined in Techniques and Methods Report Book 1, Section D3 titled "Guidelines and Standard Procedures of Continuous Water-Quality Monitors Station Operation, Record Computation and Data Reporting." Staff that are involved in the collection and processing of continuous water-quality monitoring data and interested in better understanding continuous water-quality monitoring records computation are encouraged to attend. This is not intended to replace QW2298, but to offer staff an opportunity to get hands-on training and assistance in water-quality records. Staff should bring questions!

Speakers

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS

Monday July 15, 2024 1:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Midway 5

WATER QUALITY, COURSE

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 4 Hours

1:00pm CDT

The 411 on Continuous Water-Quality (CWQ): Find out the latest on CWQ efforts, resources, and updates

The USGS Continuous Water-Quality community maintains a large network of real-time instruments. Throughout the country, the USGS is collecting over 6,000 continuous water-quality datasets at over 2,500 sites and measuring more than 8 water-quality parameters (temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrate, chlorophyll, and Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter (fDOM)). Discover what CWQ resources are available for staff, who to contact with questions or suggestions, and what efforts are in progress. This is the 411 on Continuous Water Quality.

Speakers

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A

WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 20 minutes

1:00pm CDT

Developing a New Unified Field Data Collection Application

Do you use SVMAQ/SVMobileAQ, Superfly, QRev, RIVRS, or SedFF to collect surface water, groundwater, water quality, or meteorological data? Do you manage field crews that use these applications? Are you a Local Data Manager that configures these applications for field users? If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, please come to this listening session with your likes, gripes, and ideas.

Speakers

Laura Flight

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Grand Ballroom C

COMPUTER TOOLS, LISTENING SESSION

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 80 minutes

1:00pm CDT

Rating Review Toolbox (RRT) Demo and Q&A

The Rating Review Toolbox (RRT) is expected to fully replace the Rating Development Toolbox within the AQUARIUS Time-Series software around the time of the workshop. Basic functionality and common tripping points will be demonstrated followed by a questions and answers session where presenter and attendees can share available knowledge.

Speakers

Wade Walker

USGS AQ-TS Product Owner, USGS

Current USGS AQUARIUS Time-Series product owner who represents the USGS stake in the software and helps enable new USGS work within it. Spent 20 years as a Hydrologic Technician in Pueblo, CO, doing just about all types of data collection we have and developing grassroots software... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A

COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 80 minutes

1:00pm CDT

Joint HNB-OQA Listening Session on Field Support Needs

Staff from the Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB) and Office of Quality Assurance (OQA) will present their respective roles and expertise in field support and let attendees describe their support needs, ask questions, etc. This is an open house style event, where attendees can come and go. In HNB, participants include staff in the HNB Field Support and Research to Operations Team. In OQA, participants include the Technical Quality Assurance Advisors.

Speakers

Jeffery East

Technical Quality Assurance Advisor, USGS

Terry Kenney

Michelle Sneed

Technical Quality Assurance Advisor for Groundwater Science, Office of Quality Assurance

Tim Straub

Field Support and Research to Operations Supervisor, Hydrologic Networks Branch, Observing Systems Division, WMA

Molly Wood

Hydrologic Networks Branch Chief, USGS WMA

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 10

LEADERSHIP, LISTENING SESSION

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 110 minutes

1:30pm CDT

Continuous Water-Quality Community - Networking/Meet your Peers Session

Learn more about the USGS Continuous Water-Quality Community at this facilitated networking session. Meet your colleagues, make contacts, and discuss parameters and processes. Ever wish you had more time to ask peers about equipment or a challenge? Great ideas often come by having conversations with people about a shared problem or interest. During this session, employees will get the opportunity to share perspectives with a subset of peers working on the same topics.

Speakers

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A

WATER QUALITY, LISTENING SESSION

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

2:00pm CDT

Equipment Tracking in the Field with NOMS InTrac

Come learn about the latest in field equipment tracking! This presentation will introduce InTrac, a mobile-friendly and offline-capable application designed to unify instrument tracking efforts across the Water Enterprise. A product of the Network Operations Management System (NOMS) project, InTrac will allow you to update the status and location of your equipment with the scan of a barcode. Tune in to see a preview of the application and provide feedback about current and future features.

Speakers

Travis Adams

Computer Scientist, USGS - SAWSC

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 5

COMPUTER TOOLS, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 20 minutes

2:00pm CDT

Data collection and management issues for the National Water Quality Network - Groundwater

This presentation will cover the essential issues for those involved in the groundwater sampling effort for the National Water Quality Network. Some field sampling issues will be discussed. However, the focus will be on the cycle of management and the importance of the steps needed to maintain the networks at optimal size, provide timely flow of data, and how the various forms and data provided by the sampling crews are used. The presentation will discuss these issues from the user's perspective so that the sampling crews have a better understanding of the essential steps to ensuring the health and longevity of the network to evaluate groundwater quality trends in the nation.

Speakers

Bruce Lindsey

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 1+2

GROUNDWATER, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Intermediate
Duration 20 minutes

2:00pm CDT

Exploring New Methods for Measuring Discharge Under Ice

The Colorado WSC is exploring new methods to calculate real time discharge under the ice which hopefully leads to safer and more accurate data collection. We are also looking at discrete discharge measurement techniques that require only a few holes to be drilled in the ice. Techniques include tracer measurements (i.e. salt dilution), and the PC method which only requires a stage-area rating and few holes drilled around the y-axis to record a maximum instream velocity with a current meter or ADCP, and in this case an upward looking ADVM and streamside edge computing.

Speakers

Matt Nicotra

Tony Trease

USGS

Riley Swanson

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 8

SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 20 minutes

3:00pm CDT

NWIS Time-Series and Discrete Data Workflows

Come learn about the NWIS Time-Series and Discrete Data Workflows! This presentation on the NWIS Workflows Assessment and Improvement Project will show how the establishment of a "national consensus" workflow will help both the Water Science Centers and the NWIS Modernization program. Time-series workflows have recently been shared as standardized workflows capturing the "national consensus" workflow. Let's work together to find the "national consensus" workflow for discrete data. WSCs and YOU will benefit from Water Enterprise solutions that support more efficient, lean tools associated with "national consensus" workflows. NWIS Modernization will gain focus and energy behind key investments identified with the help from our WSCs and this project team.

Speakers

Mike Colombo

Hydrologist, USGS

Like many in the USGS, I began my career as a summer student learning stream gaging, discrete water-quality sampling, sediment sampling, and lake sampling. Upon completing graduate school, I continued with the USGS as a Hydrologist performing investigative, water-quality studies... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:20pm CDT
Midway 9

COMPUTER TOOLS, LISTENING SESSION

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Intermediate
Duration 20 minutes

3:00pm CDT

Superfly: Updates and Modifications to the National Version

An overview of Superfly, the nationally supported electronic field form. The Superfly team will explain the new versions of superfly and how it has been adapted to fit new systems, such as AQS+. The Superfly team will demo how to modify the output of Superfly, review and output Superfly batch files, and customize Superfly for individual projects. Users will be able to see the form in action for common workflows, ask questions and learn about the future of Superfly. A Q&A session will occur at the end for suggestions for future improvements of Superfly.”

Speakers

Erin Coenen

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A

COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Intermediate
Duration 50 minutes

3:00pm CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - Overview of the USGS PFAS Sampling Strategy-

This session will cover various aspects of the USGS PFAS sampling strategy.
It will include the development of the strategy and results from preliminary evaluations in cleaning protocols, material selection and techniques.
Target audience: Staff who are collecting discrete water-quality samples for PFAS analysis.

Speakers

Lee Bodkin

I am the water-quality specialist for the south-Atlantic water science center (GA/NC/SC - aka SAWSC) and sit in the Raleigh, NC office.I started with the USGS in 2007 as a hydro-tech in the Gulf Coast program office of the OK-TX WSC, became a hydrologist in 2009 and became the QW... Read More →

Andrea Tokranov

Jerry Casile

Joe Duris

Water-quality Specialist, USGS-PAWSC

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A

WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Intermediate
Duration 50 minutes

3:00pm CDT

Aquarius Station Analysis (AQSA)

The team will provide an overview of the AQSA (Aquarius Station Analysis) process that integrates AQTS data and entered information with SIMS/RMS to generate Station Analysis. This Automated Records project work will be released sometime in August 2024.

Speakers

Sonya Vasquez and Automated Records group members

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 10

COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 110 minutes

3:00pm CDT

All Things Datum: Establishment, Storage, and Policy - An interactive Discussion

This discussion will offer short presentations related to best practices for datum establishment and error analysis - along with metadata, storage, and datum revisions. Discussion drivers will be interspersed among this session to promote interaction among those participating.

Speakers

Arthur Lilienthal

Hydrologist, USGS

Paul Rydlund

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 11

GNSS/SURVEYING, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 110 minutes

3:30pm CDT

State of the Science for Sediment Acoustics

Acoustic instrumentation can be used to accurately and cost-effectively provide time-series and discrete estimates of suspended-sediment concentration, load, and sediment particle sizes, which are essential for creating informed solutions to many sediment-related environmental, engineering, and land management concerns. Historically, scientists have developed relations between suspended sediment characteristics and other parameters, most commonly measured streamflow, to estimate sediment information when physical sediment samples can’t be collected. Approaches using streamflow can have substantial accuracy limitations because of hysteresis effects, however. As a result, the use of more direct surrogate methods such as acoustic methods have become increasingly important. Interagency efforts in recent years have advanced the testing, methods development, operational guidelines, and training on acoustic methods for measuring suspended sediment. Scientists and technicians interested in using these methods are faced with many decisions on type of application and deployment: horizontal profiling, vertical profiling, or point acoustic instruments; single or multi-frequency instruments; continuous or discrete sediment measurements; and fixed or mobile instrument deployments. To promote cost effective, accurate, and high-resolution fluvial sediment data for the Nation, the interagency Sediment Acoustic Leadership Team (SALT) develops technical guidance and training for using acoustic instruments to measure aquatic sediment. Even though acoustic instrumentation has been used successfully to measure suspended-sediment characteristics through the world, some deployments have been unsuccessful because of limited technical guidance and selection of an inappropriate method. To guide decisions on method selection, the SALT has compiled the state of the science for the main types of acoustics-based suspended-sediment measurement methods in development, testing, and use, and has created a flowchart to guide method selection.

Speakers

Paul Diaz

Hydrologist, USGS

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:30pm - 3:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom C

SEDIMENT, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 20 minutes

4:00pm CDT

Indirect Measurements: Best Practices

This session will provide an overview of various indirect measurement methods (slope-area, culvert flow, contracted openings) and guidance on identification of high-water marks, field survey procedures, and computing and analyzing indirect measurements of peak flow.

Speakers

Karl Winters

National Flood Coordinator, USGS

Karl serves as the National Flood Coordinator, and a Surface-Water Specialist in the Hydrologic Networks Branch. He provides operational support and coordination of USGS flood response, as well as training and support for flood documentation and modeling, and computation of streamflow... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom C

SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

4:00pm CDT

Graphing and Synthesizing Continuous and Discrete Water-Quality Data

Join us to give input on water-quality graphs!  The project, A National Tool for Graphing and Synthesizing Continuous and Discrete Water-Quality Data, was one of eleven Community of Data Integration (CDI; https://www.usgs.gov/centers/community-for-data-integration-cdi/news/congratulations-2024-cdi-awarded-projects) awarded projects in Fiscal Year 2024. The prototype tool will consist of an interactive user interface for generating advanced visualizations of water-quality parameters to compare with past data, and other parameters and locations. The proof-of-concept will result in a prioritization of graphics and plot types and a reusable tool and codebase. Learn more about the project, the programming progress, and have an opportunity to provide recommendations and suggestions to graphs!

Speakers

Laura DeCicco

Julia Prokopec

Hydrologist/FIM Coordinator/Assistant Flood Coordinator, USGS

Julia Prokopec is a hydrologist in the Web Informatics & Mapping Team (WIM) in the Upper Midwest Water Science Center in St Paul, MN. She works with partners and lead developers to coordinate development and project management within WIM. She is also the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping... Read More →

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS

Amber Jones

Physical Scientist/Product Owner, USGS

Harper Wavra

Matthew Diebel

Stewart Rounds

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A

WATER QUALITY, LISTENING SESSION

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

8:00am CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - (part 1 of 3) What to do before discrete water-quality samples are collected

This session will cover the various aspects of what is typically done before a discrete water-quality sample can be collected and options for project management.
It will include a general overview of the discrete water-quality sampling process, how to look up lab codes/schedules, what bottles are needed for what analysis, equipment blanks, filling out ASR's and other laboratory paperwork, site selection, assessing equipment needs, establishing field folders and various project related documents.
Target audience: Staff who are interested or new(er) to collecting a discrete water-quality sample or will be in the future.

Speakers

Lee Bodkin

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom B

WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 50 minutes

8:00am CDT

Automated Time-Series Records Status and Future

What is the current status of Water Mission Area time-series record automation work and what does the future hold for available tools and research?

Speakers

Wade Walker

USGS AQ-TS Product Owner, USGS

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 9:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom A

COMPUTER TOOLS, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 80 minutes

8:30am CDT

Results from the Water Temperature Thermistor Field Test, 2022-2024

Learn more about the completed field evaluation of three commercially available water temperature thermistors (Sutron AquaTemp, Forest Technology Systems (FTS) Digitemps, and Instrumentation Northwest (INW) T1 SDI-12), findings, and future steps. The three temperature thermistors were installed side-by-side at 6 different locations from Water Science Centers that volunteered for the study (locations include Hawaii, New York, Nevada, Indiana, North Carolina, and South Dakota) and operated for 18 months. Data and more information are available at Water Temperature Thermistor Field Test Sharepoint (https://doimspp.sharepoint.com/sites/usgs-Continuous-Water-Quality/SitePages/Water-Temperature-Thermistor-Field-Test.aspx).

Speakers

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS

Brian McCallum

National Streamgage Network Coordinator, USGS-WMA-OSD

Brian McCallum is currently the National Streamgage Network Coordinator within the USGS Water Mission Area, Observing Systems Division. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelors (1991) and master’s degrees (1992) in civil engineering. He started full-time... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:30am - 9:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom A

WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

9:00am CDT

What’s new with the NOMS Water Data Exploration System (WADERS)?

This course will be of interest for field personnel across the Water Enterprise that have to daily QA/QC their real-time data. This product of the Network Operations Management System (NOMS) project is the planned replacement support tool for field personnel to use in lieu of NWISWeb for all sites, but particularly for sites coded with internal or cooperator-only access. This presentation will go over the latest improvements to WADERS based upon user feedback and look to gain additional user feedback for future releases.

Speakers

Cary Carman

San Angelo, Texas, USGS

Chuck Hansen

Hydrologist, USGS

Chuck Hansen is a Hydrologist with the California Water Science Center in Sacramento. He leadsa team of software and hardware engineers focusing on remote sensing and data delivery.

Colin Keating

Physical Scientist, USGS California WSC

Colin joined the USGS in 2021 as a software developer and has contributed to numerous data dissemination and mapping products including the National Water Dashboard-internal and WADERS.

James Merges

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom C

COMPUTER TOOLS, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 20 minutes

9:00am CDT

The National Flood Plan

An overview of the 2024 USGS National Flood Plan, which serves to document the National level perspective of the organizational framework, decision processes, resources, and responsibilities of riverine flood response.

Speakers

Karl Winters

National Flood Coordinator, USGS

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 8

SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 20 minutes

9:00am CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - (part 2 of 3) Techniques and Methods for Discrete Sample Collection (SW & GW)

This session will cover the various techniques and methods used to collect a discrete water-quality sample.
It will include an overview of various discrete sampling equipment, conditions the equipment is appropriate for, techniques for using the equipment, introduction to sample processing and sample preservation.
Target audience: Staff who are interested or new(er) to collecting a discrete water-quality sample or will be in the future.

Class will Break from 9:30 to 10 am.

Speakers

Lee Bodkin

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 10:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom B

WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 50 minutes

10:00am CDT

3D scanning and 3D design software for field equipment.

This presentation will cover how to use 3D CAD modeling software for designing of field equipment. There will be a discussion on the different types of 3D CAD modeling software, as well as demos. The second part of the presentation will be use of a 3D scanner and importing into CAD software.

The demo will be with Fusion 360, Free trials can be found here: F360 free trial.

Caution: Using the free trial or hobbist trial for government work or products is against the terms of service. Our use is for training purposes only. Do not install the free trial too early, or time may elapse before the class period.

We will be using an Einstar 3D scanner, and scanning equipment and inserting them into digital space.

Check out the Innovation Depot for cool things going on with design and testing!

Speakers

Bryce Redinger

Hydro Tech, USGS

I am a HydroTech out of the Carson City, NV office. I have been working for the USGS for just over 16 years. I have a passion for design and development of equipment and teaching. I am the training coordinator for the state of Nevada, and stream gage remote locations in Nevada as... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 9

COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 80 minutes

10:00am CDT

Give Feedback to Your Software Product Lead

Do you use any of these software applications? DECAP, MLR, Go2, AQUARIUS Time-Series, NWIS Reporting Application, QRev, RIVRS, Superfly, SVMAQ, SIMS/RMS, SLAP, WADERS. If you answered "yes" to any of them, please come to this listening session to meet the "Product Owner" (PO). The PO's job is to hear your needs and prioritize work on the application accordingly (within the constraints of budgets, of course...). So, please come meet your PO and share your feedback, ideas and concerns.

Speakers

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB

Pete Ruhl

Laura Flight

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS

Wade Walker

USGS AQ-TS Product Owner, USGS

Sonya Vasquez and Automated Records group members

Amber Jones

Physical Scientist/Product Owner, USGS

Melissa Riskin

National Water Quality Network Coordinator

Colleen Barr

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom B

COMPUTER TOOLS, LISTENING SESSION

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 80 minutes

10:30am CDT

Q&A on Policies, Procedures, and Methods with HNB and OQA

During the plenary talks, attendees will hear about OQA and OCOO efforts to advance policies, procedures, and methods (PPM) development to support the Water Enterprise. This joint session, offered by the Hydrologic Network Branch (HNB) and Office of Quality Assurance (OQA), will allow attendees to ask questions about the new PPM Function, the PPM development process, and current priorities for PPM development in the coming year.

Speakers

Mike Rehmel

Tim Straub

Field Support and Research to Operations Supervisor, Hydrologic Networks Branch, Observing Systems Division, WMA

Molly Wood

Hydrologic Networks Branch Chief, USGS WMA

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:30am - 11:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom A

LEADERSHIP, LISTENING SESSION

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

10:30am CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - (part 3 of 3) What Happens After a Discrete Water-Quality Sample has been Collected

This session will cover what has to be done after a discrete water-quality sample has been collected.
It will include sample processing methods and order, sample preservation, overview of sample shipping, completing paperwork and an introduction to data review options.
Target audience: Staff who are interested or new(er) to collecting a discrete water-quality sample or will be in the future.

Speakers

Lee Bodkin

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:30am - 11:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom B

WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 50 minutes

3:00pm CDT

Telemetry Ingest and Dataflow for Non-Satellite Data Collection

The telemetry ingest dataflow (TID) project is part of the overall NWISmod initiative that is updating internal NWIS systems to meet with current technology. The objectives of the TID project are to provide Water Science-Centers with a centralized method and infrastructure to ingest non-satellite water-data into NWIS (Cellular and machine-to-machine). The goal of the system is to eliminate the burden on Science Centers that use various methods and workarounds to publish non-satellite telemetered data into the NWIS dataflow. This presentation will introduce the TID services and include discussions and examples of field logger setup, connection to the TID service, and modifications in DECAP that will accommodate new data sources.

Speakers

Jon Wilson

Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey

Laura Flight

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS

Erich Kessler

Erich Kessler is a hydrologist within the Western Data section of the Upper Midwest Water Science Center. He is a technical point of contact for all things surface water related within his center. On a daily basis, he performs various LDM tasks related to data collection, such as... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 11

DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS), ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience LDMs
Duration 110 minutes

8:00am CDT

Getting the Most out of the NOMS National Water Dashboard-internal product

This course will be of interest for personnel at all levels of the Water Enterprise—from WMA coordinators down to field technicians. Using an interactive approach with attendees regarding the National Water Dashboard-internal (NWDi) operational tool, the goal is to highlight its available data resources and functionality to support field operations, and what is planned for the future. This product of the Network Operations Management System (NOMS) project is already changing the game when it comes to real-time water network awareness and assessment, and getting user feedback during this session will help to improve the product moving forward.

Speakers

Sonya Vasquez and Automated Records group members

Brian McCallum

National Streamgage Network Coordinator, USGS-WMA-OSD

Chuck Hansen

Hydrologist, USGS

Chuck Hansen is a Hydrologist with the California Water Science Center in Sacramento. He leadsa team of software and hardware engineers focusing on remote sensing and data delivery.

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 10

COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

8:00am CDT

Operation and best practices for using the LISST-ABS as a suspended sediment surrogate.

This training course will be offered in the format of an interactive workshop. The focus will be to address topics such as: optimal conditions for the LISST-ABS, installation and maintenance, calibration verification processes, results from USGS pairing factor studies (if you intend to use the LISST-ABS in conjunction with a turbidity sensor), and future work. There will be formal presentations of materials, but the atmosphere will be flexible to accommodate open discussion and questions.

Speakers

Jeb Brown

Hydrologist, USGS

Jeb Brown is a hydrologist who has been with the USGS in Albuquerque, NM since 2005. His research has focused on fluvial sediment transport, lake sediment coring, sediment surrogate technology, and research and development of emerging technology for application in hydrology studi... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 8

SEDIMENT, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

8:00am CDT

Operationalizing the Dynamic Rating Method

A dynamic rating method called DYNPOUND, which accommodates compound and compact channel geometry, was developed to model hysteresis. From a pure hydrodynamics perspective, all rivers and streams have some form of hysteresis (loop effect) in the relation between stage and discharge because of unsteady flow as a flood wave passes. This dynamic rating method is capable of capturing hysteresis caused by variable energy slope, which is a result of unsteady momentum and pressure. The method and graphical user interface (GUI), which were written in the Python programming language, will be demonstrated. The GUI is intended for use by hydrographers to develop and validate ratings for complex sites. This presentation will briefly discuss the background, application, and workflow to operationalize the dynamic rating method for a gage.

Speakers

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB

Elizabeth Heal

Hydrologist, USGS LMG WSC

I am a hydrologist with the Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center. I began my career in the Baton Rouge office in 2012 as a student. I am a Louisiana State University alumnus. Geaux Tigers! My background is environmental engineering and computer science.

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom C

SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Intermediate
Duration 50 minutes

8:00am CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - Information on the NWQL ASRs, cooler packing, and Information related to Contract Labs

This session will cover various aspects of shipping discrete water-quality samples to the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL).
It will include how to look up information on the NWQL internal website, LIMs v11, ASRs, and general information on contract labs.
Target audience: Staff who are sending discrete water-quality samples to the NWQL or will be in the future.

Speakers

Lee Bodkin

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom B

WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 50 minutes

8:00am CDT

Quality issues and troubleshooting of water-quality monitors

Do you use water-quality monitors and want to learn more about troubleshooting? This course will look at common problems with water-quality monitors and will demonstrate how to identify problems and fix them.

Speakers

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS

Diana Phillips

Hydrologist, USGS NYWSC

Diana Phillips has a Bachelor of Science in both Environmental Science with a specialization in Sustainability Science and Policy and in Criminal Justice from the University at Albany, SUNY. Diana has a range of streamgaging experience including surface water, groundwater, water quality... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom A

WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

9:00am CDT

USGS National Water Quality Network (NWQN-SW): Overview on collection and reporting

Understanding the water quality of U.S. streams and rivers requires consistent data collection and analysis over decades. The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Quality Network (NWQN) was established to facilitate national-scale understanding of surface-water quality conditions through the collection of comparable data in large rivers and small streams in different geographic and land-use settings. Data collected by the NWQN support the needs of Federal, State and local stakeholders tasked with managing our Nation’s water resources. This talk will provide an overview of the history of national-scale, surface-water quality monitoring in the USGS, current network objectives and scope, data collection and reporting methods, sampling resources as well as published products utilizing NWQN data.

Speakers

Melissa Riskin

National Water Quality Network Coordinator

Thursday July 18, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom B

WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 20 minutes

10:00am CDT

3D design and rapid prototyping in Hydrologic science

From concepts to reality. In a few short key strokes an idea can be converted into a reality. This presentation will go over creation, prototyping, and field testing process for several hydrologic pieces of equipment.

Check out the Innovation Depot for cool things going on with design and testing!

Speakers

Bryce Redinger

Hydro Tech, USGS

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 9

COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

10:00am CDT

Sediment Records Office Hours (and any other sediment related questions)

This "office hours" block of time is intended to help answer questions about your sediment records. Have a question about a site that's been bugging you? Let's talk. Want a fresh set of eyes on your sediment record? Bring it by! Never understood coefficients but didn't want to sound ignorant by asking your boss? Your secret is safe with me! The focus will be on GCLAS based sediment records, but please stop by with any sediment related questions. If I don't know it, I'll pass you off to another subject matter expert.

Speakers

Jeb Brown

Hydrologist, USGS

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 8

SEDIMENT, LISTENING SESSION

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 80 minutes

1:00pm CDT

NuGo2 Release Update and Training

NuGo2 is ready for release! NuGo2 replaces legacy Go2, which will be decommissioned, to alert hydrographers and data managers about potential site issues and the need for site visits. This session will give an update and overview of functionality in NuGo2 followed by a training on setting up configurations. NuGo2 is a modernized version of Go2 with improved code, centralized and supported infrastructure, and broad accessibility. NuGo2 is implemented on a national level, making it available to all WSCs and supportive of broad scale diagnostics and situational awareness. NuGo2 accesses all telemetry methods, incorporates different data sources, centralizes configurations, and allows for customization including flexible parameter selection.

Speakers

Amber Jones

Physical Scientist/Product Owner, USGS

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 6

DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS), TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 50 minutes

1:00pm CDT

Aquarius Station Analysis (AQSA)

Speakers

Sonya Vasquez and Automated Records group members

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 9

COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 80 minutes

1:00pm CDT

Uncertainty in Discrete Groundwater-Level Measurements

All methods of taking groundwater-level measurements have uncertainty associated with them, and these uncertainties can be numerous and compounded. Uncertainty sources can be the instrument used for measuring the groundwater level, the equipment used to validate the measured groundwater level, conditions in and near the well, environmental conditions, and even the person measuring the water level. Variables that can affect uncertainty can include temperature, measurement depth, tape stretching or other irregularities like kinks, and well access and construction. Some sources of uncertainty are identified and quantified through testing and laboratory analysis however, some uncertainty can be subjective and require a hydrographers best judgement when in the field. In this brief presentation, various sources and variables of uncertainty will be presented with a discussion to follow on other experiences with uncertainty in groundwater-level data collection.

Speakers

Jason Fine

National Groundwater Networks Coordinator, USGS

Jason graduated from East Carolina University in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in geology. He began working with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1995. During his career with the USGS, he has focused on groundwater and surface-water studies and data collection efforts, mostly... Read More →

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS

Lance Gruhn is a Hydrologist stationed in Iowa City, Iowa and is the groundwater technical and field support lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branck of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Lance coordinates the Groundwater Data Processing class and the Groundwater Field Techniques... Read More →

Michelle Sneed

Technical Quality Assurance Advisor for Groundwater Science, Office of Quality Assurance

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 7

GROUNDWATER, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 80 minutes

1:30pm CDT

Evapotranspiration and the new Li-Cor 710

Evapotranspiration (ET) is the largest flux in the water balance after precipitation. Direct measurements of ET using micrometeorology and eddy covariance are expensive and require a lot of staff time for station maintenance and data processing making it cost-prohibitive for the USGS. Last fall, Li-Cor introduced the LI-710 as a simpler and more economical one-dimension ET sensor. Through the Next-Generation Water Observing Systems R&D program, the USGS and Desert Research Institute have been evaluating the LI-710 against traditional eddy covariance measurements. The presentation and demonstration will highlight some of our current results and provide hands-on look at the sensor.

Speakers

Todd Caldwell

Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:30pm - 1:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A

WATER USE, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 20 minutes

2:00pm CDT

SHARE-DLS, an advanced datalogger and script programming depot.

A presentation on the Datalogger scripts and programming depot. Where a repository of scripts and training material for programming of dataloggers and wiring of complex gage structures to support the custom programming.

Use the Script tracker 9000 and discover scripts and code that can make your field data a breeze.

USGS Internal SharePoint: Script Tracker 9000

Speakers

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB

Bryce McClenney

hydro tech, USGS-South Atlantic

I am presenting on both the GNSS and Storm Response tracks. I have been involved with both GNSS and storm response campaigns all over the country and hope to convey some of my lessons learned as well as learn from others.

Bryce Redinger

Hydro Tech, USGS

Thursday July 18, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Grand Ballroom B

COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience General Audience
Duration 20 minutes

2:00pm CDT

Overview of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program

The USGS-National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) has been an NADP partner agency since 1981. USGS is one of many Federal and State agencies of the National Trends Network (NTN) and provides funding for 82 out of a total of 263 NTN sites, the largest Federal funding contributor of all participating agencies. Weekly precipitation samples are collected and shipped to a central laboratory that analyzes the amount and type of atmospheric constituents in the precipitation sample. The NTN provides scientists, resource managers, and policymakers with long-term, high-quality atmospheric deposition data used to support research and decision-making in the areas of air quality, water quality, agricultural effects, forest productivity, materials effects, ecosystem studies, watershed studies, and human health.

Speakers

Ryan McCammon

USGS-NADP Coordinator

Thursday July 18, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom B

WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

Presented By Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB)
Intended Audience Introductory
Duration 20 minutes