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J. W. Gartner

Publications and source records attributed to J. W. Gartner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2012

Modeling and model validation of wind-driven circulation in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon

The hydrodynamics in the Upper Klamath Lake (UKL) plays a significant role in the water quality conditions of the lake. In order to provide a quantitative evaluation of the impacts of hydrodynamics on water quality in UKL, a detailed hydrodynamic model was implemented using an unstructured grid 3-D hydrodynamic model known as the UnTRIM model. The circulation in UKL is driven primarily by wind. Wind speed and direction time-series records were used as input, the numerical model reproduced the wind "set-up" and "set-down" at down wind and upwind ends of the lake, respectively. Of the two acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) records, the UnTRIM model reproduced the measured velocity at the deep station. At the shallow station, the model results showed diurnal patterns that correlated well with wind variations, but the measured velocity showed water velocity sustained at 3 to 5 cm/sec or above. Discrepancies between the model results and observations at the shallow ADCP station is discussed on the basis of correct physics. If the field measurements are inconsistent with the known physics, there exists the possibility that the field data are suspect or the field data are revealing some physical processes that are not yet understood. Copyright ASCE 2005.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2007

Constancy of the relation between floc size and density in San Francisco Bay

The size and density of fine-sediment aggregates, or flocs, govern their transport and depositional properties. While the mass and volume concentrations of flocs can be measured directly or by optical methods, they must be determined simultaneously to gain an accurate density measurement. Results are presented from a tidal cycle study in San Francisco Bay, where mass concentration was determined directly, and volume concentration was measured in 32 logarithmically spaced size bins by laser-diffraction methods. The relation between floc size and density is investigated assuming a constant primary particle size and fractal floc dimension. This relation is validated with measurements from several sites throughout San Francisco Bay. The constancy of this relation implies a uniform primary particle size throughout the Bay, as well as uniform aggregation/disaggregation mechanisms (which modify fractal dimension). The exception to the relation is identified during near-bed measurements, when adverted flocs mix with recently resuspended flocs from the bed, which typically have a higher fractal dimension than suspended flocs. The constant relation for suspended flocs simplifies monitoring and numerical modeling of suspended sediment in San Francisco Bay.

California↗
USGS2007

Errors in acoustic doppler profiler velocity measurements caused by flow disturbance

Acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) are commonly used to measure streamflow and water velocities in rivers and streams. This paper presents laboratory, field, and numerical model evidence of errors in ADCP measurements caused by flow disturbance. A state-of-the-art three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic model is validated with and used to complement field and laboratory observations of flow disturbance and its effect on measured velocities. Results show that near the instrument, flow velocities measured by the ADCP are neither the undisturbed stream velocity nor the velocity of the flow field around the ADCP. The velocities measured by the ADCP are biased low due to the downward flow near the upstream face of the ADCP and upward recovering flow in the path of downstream transducer, which violate the flow homogeneity assumption used to transform beam velocities into Cartesian velocity components. The magnitude of the bias is dependent on the deployment configuration, the diameter of the instrument, and the approach velocity, and was observed to range from more than 25% at 5cm from the transducers to less than 1% at about 50cm from the transducers for the scenarios simulated. ?? 2007 ASCE.

Journal of Hydraulic Engineering↗
USGS2006

Overview of selected surrogate technologies for continuous suspended-sediment monitoring

Surrogate technologies for inferring selected characteristics of suspended sediments in surface waters are being tested by the U.S. Geological Survey and several partners with the ultimate goal of augmenting or replacing traditional monitoring methods. Optical properties of water such as turbidity and optical backscatter are the most commonly used surrogates for suspended-sediment concentration, but use of other techniques such as those based on acoustic backscatter, laser diffraction, digital photo-optic, and pressure-difference principles is increasing for concentration and, in some cases, particle-size distribution and flux determinations. The potential benefits of these technologies include acquisition of automated, continuous, quantifiably accurate data obtained with increased safety and at less expense. When suspended-sediment surrogate data meet consensus accuracy criteria and appropriate sediment-record computation techniques are applied, these technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way fluvial-sediment data are collected, analyzed, and disseminated.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2004

Estimating suspended solids concentrations from backscatter intensity measured by acoustic Doppler current profiler in San Francisco Bay, California

The estimation of mass concentration of suspended solids is one of the properties needed to understand the characteristics of sediment transport in bays and estuaries. However, useful measurements or estimates of this property are often problematic when employing the usual methods of determination from collected water samples or optical sensors. Analysis of water samples tends to undersample the highly variable character of suspended solids, and optical sensors often become useless from biological fouling in highly productive regions. Acoustic sensors, such as acoustic Doppler current profilers that are now routinely used to measure water velocity, have been shown to hold promise as a means of quantitatively estimating suspended solids from acoustic backscatter intensity, a parameter used in velocity measurement. To further evaluate application of this technique using commercially available instruments, profiles of suspended solids concentrations are estimated from acoustic backscatter intensity recorded by 1200- and 2400-kHz broadband acoustic Doppler current profilers located at two sites in San Francisco Bay, California. ADCP backscatter intensity is calibrated using optical backscatterance data from an instrument located at a depth close to the ADCP transducers. In addition to losses from spherical spreading and water absorption, calculations of acoustic transmission losses account for attenuation from suspended sediment and correction for nonspherical spreading in the near field of the acoustic transducer. Acoustic estimates of suspended solids consisting of cohesive and noncohesive sediments are found to agree within about 8-10% (of the total range of concentration) to those values estimated by a second optical backscatterance sensor located at a depth further from the ADCP transducers. The success of this approach using commercially available Doppler profilers provides promise that this technique might be appropriate and useful under certain conditions in spite of some theoretical limitations of the method. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Marine Geology↗
USGS2003

Complete velocity distribution in river cross-sections measured by acoustic instruments

To fully understand the hydraulic properties of natural rivers, velocity distribution in the river cross-section should be studied in detail. The measurement task is not straightforward because there is not an instrument that can measure the velocity distribution covering the entire cross-section. Particularly, the velocities in regions near the free surface and in the bottom boundary layer are difficult to measure, and yet the velocity properties in these regions play the most significant role in characterizing the hydraulic properties. To further characterize river hydraulics, two acoustic instruments, namely, an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), and a "BoogieDopp" (BD) were used on fixed platforms to measure the detailed velocity profiles across the river. Typically, 20 to 25 stations were used to represent a river cross-section. At each station, water velocity profiles were measured independently and/or concurrently by an ADCP and a BD. The measured velocity properties were compared and used in computation of river discharge. In a tow-tank evaluation of a BD, it has been confirmed that BD is capable of measuring water velocity at about 11 cm below the free-surface. Therefore, the surface velocity distribution across the river was extracted from the BD velocity measurements and used to compute the river discharge. These detailed velocity profiles and the composite velocity distribution were used to assess the validity of the classic theories of velocity distributions, conventional river discharge measurement methods, and for estimates of channel bottom roughness.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2002

A preliminary evaluation of near-transducer velocities collected with low-blank acoustic Doppler current profiler

Many streams and rivers for which the US Geological Survey must provide discharge measurements are too shallow to apply existing acoustic Doppler current profiler techniques for flow measurements of satisfactory quality. Because the same transducer is used for both transmitting and receiving acoustic signals in most Doppler current profilers, some small time delay is required for acoustic "ringing" to be damped out of transducers before meaningful measurements can be made. The result of that time delay is that velocity measurements cannot be made close to the transducer thus limiting the usefulness of these instruments in shallow regions. Manufacturers and users are constantly striving for improvements to acoustic instruments which would permit useful discharge measurements in shallow rivers and streams that are still often measured with techniques and instruments more than a century old. One promising area of advance appeared to be reduction of time delay (blank) required between transmitting and receiving signals during acoustic velocity measurements. Development of a low- or zero-blank transducer by RD Instruments3 held promise that velocity measurements could be made much closer to the transducer and thus in much shallower water. Initial experience indicates that this is not the case; limitation of measurement quality appears to be related to the physical presence of the transducer itself within the flow field. The limitation may be the result of changes to water flow pattern close to the transducer rather than transducer ringing characteristics as a function of blanking distance. Results of field experiments are discussed that support this conclusion and some minimum measurement distances from transducer are suggested based on water current speed and ADCP sample modes.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1999

Estimates of bottom roughness length and bottom shear stress in South San Francisco Bay, California

A field investigation of the hydrodynamics and the resuspension and transport of particulate matter in a bottom boundary layer was carried out in South San Francisco Bay (South Bay), California, during March-April 1995. Using broadband acoustic Doppler current profilers, detailed measurements of turbulent mean velocity distribution within 1.5 m above bed have been obtained. A global method of data analysis was used for estimating bottom roughness length z o and bottom shear stress (or friction velocities u * ). Field data have been examined by dividing the time series of velocity profiles into 24-hour periods and independently analyzing the velocity profile time series by flooding and ebbing periods. The global method of solution gives consistent properties of bottom roughness length z o and bottom shear stress values (or friction velocities u * ) in South Bay. Estimated mean values of z o and u * for flooding and ebbing cycles are different. The differences in mean z o and u * are shown to be caused by tidal current flood-ebb inequality, rather than the flooding or ebbing of tidal currents. The bed shear stress correlates well with a reference velocity; the slope of the correlation defines a drag coefficient. Forty-three days of field data in South Bay show two regimes of z o (and drag coefficient) as a function of a reference velocity. When the mean velocity is >25–30 cm s −1 , the ln z o (and thus the drag coefficient) is inversely proportional to the reference velocity. The cause for the reduction of roughness length is hypothesized as sediment erosion due to intensifying tidal currents thereby reducing bed roughness. When the mean velocity is <25–30 cm s −1 , the correlation between z o and the reference velocity is less clear. A plausible explanation of scattered values of z o under this condition may be sediment deposition. Measured sediment data were inadequate to support this hypothesis, but the proposed hypothesis warrants further field investigation.

Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans↗
USGS1998

Results from the hydrodynamic element of the 1994 entrapment zone study in Suisun Bay

The entrapment zo as long been considered an important region of the San Francisco estuary. It has been the subject of several previous studies, and its location has been suggested as an index of condition of the estuarine ecosystem.A close correlate of this location, X2 1, is now used as a management objective on the basis that X2 is correlated with the abundance or survival of several estuarine-dependent species. X2 is a crude tool to use for this purpose, but it can be refined only through improved understanding of the various mechanisms underlying these correlations. These mechanisms probably differ among species, but for species resident in and near the entrapment zone, the correlation with X2 may be due to variations in intenSity oftrapping mechanisms with pOSition of the entrapment zone. Therefore, it is worthwhile to investigate these trapping mechanisms, the nature of the entrapment zone as habitat, and the responses of the entrapment zone to changes in X2 or outflow from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Studies ofthe entrapment zone ofthe San Francisco estuary have been conducted in springs of 1994, 1995, and 1996. These studies have been funded by the Interagency Ecological Program and conducted by scientists from IEP member agencies, the Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies, Bodega Marine Laboratory, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. This report presents results from 1994, a low-flow year. Subsequent reports will describe results from 1995 and 1996 and highlight differences among years. This report is organized in chapters that comprise more-or-Iess independent papers, with an introductory chapter for the entire study. This Executive Summary presents highlights of the overall study plan and summarizes the major findings.

California↗
USGS1998

Flow and suspended particulate transport in a tidal bottom layer, south San Francisco Bay, California

Field investigations of the hydrodynamics and the resuspension and transport of particulate matter in a bottom boundary layer were carried out in South San Francisco Bay, California during March-April 1995. The GEOPROBE, an instrumented bottom tripod, and broad-band acousti Doppler current profilers were used in this investigation. The instrument assemblage provided detailed measurements of 1) turbulent mean velocity distribution within 1.5 m of sediment-w interface; 2) characteristics of 3-D tidal current in the water column; 3) friction velocity u* or bottom shear stress and bottom roughness length zo; 4) hydrodynamic conditions conducive for s resuspension; and 5) circulation patterns which are responsible for transporting suspended particulate matter in South San Francisco Bay. An unusual flow event was recorded by the instruments during March 8-11, 1995. A 3-D numerical model was implemented which re qualitatively, the unusual observations and supported the hypothesis that the unusual flow event caused by a combination of wind driven circulation and weak neap tides.

California↗
USGS1985

Environmental setting of San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Bay, the largest bay on the California coast, is a broad, shallow, turbid estuary comprising two geographically and hydrologically distinct subestuaries: the northern reach lying between the connection to the Pacific Ocean at the Golden Gate and the confluence of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River system, and the southern reach (herein called South Bay) between the Golden Gate and the southern terminus of the bay. The northern reach is a partially mixed estuary dominated by seasonally varying river inflow, and the South Bay is a tidally oscillating lagoon-type estuary. Freshwater inflows, highest during winter, generate strong estuarine circulation and largely determine water residence times. They also bring large volumes of dissolved and particulate materials to the estuary. Tidal currents, generated by mixed semidiurnal and diurnal tides, mix the water column and, together with river inflow and basin geometry, determine circulation patterns. Winds, which are strongest during summer and during winter storms, exert stress on the bay's water surface, thereby creating large waves that resuspend sediment from the shallow bay bottom and, together with the tidal currents, contribute markedly to the transport of water masses throughout the shallow estuary. ?? 1985 Dr W. Junk Publishers.

Hydrobiologia↗
USGS1985

Subtidal sea level and current variations in the northern reach of San Francisco Bay

Analyses of sea level and current-meter data using digital filters and a variety of statistical methods show a variety of phenomena related to non-local coastal forcing and local tidal forcing in the northern reach of San Francisco Bay, a partially mixed estuary. Low-frequency variations in sea level are dominated by non-local variations in coastal sea level and also show a smaller influence from tidally induced fortnightly sea level variations. Low-frequency currents demonstrate a gravitational circulation which is modified by changes in tidal-current speed over the spring-neap tidal cycle. Transients in gravitational circulation induce internal oscillations with periods of two to four days.

California↗