The Stream Team was formed to develop a common method of taking stream morphology measurements among Michigan agencies and to assemble a database of that information in order to create regional reference curves for the entire state.  For more information, see also the Stream Team presentation to DEQ management (540 KB).

Through the support of the respective agencies, a graduate student research assistantship was funded that will coordinate the regional reference curves and conduct some of the field measurements needed to develop those curves. Many agencies have also committed staff time to conducting field measurements in support of this project.  The project began with the 2006 field season and is expected to last three years, with progress reports provided yearly.

The document that serves as the procedural protocol to collect regional reference curve field data is the "Protocol for Field Surveys of Stream Morphology at Gaging Stations in Michigan" document.  This document was completed on December 7, 2005, by the Stream Team.  It is divided into two main sections: 1) reconnaissance survey and 2) full field survey. The purpose of the reconnaissance survey is to evaluate and select gage stations for the full field survey. The purpose of full field survey is to collect all the field data necessary to develop the regional curves and classify the channel using the Rosgen Stream Classification System (Rosgen 1996). The most recent version of the document is available as a Word document (1,200 Kb, rev. 3/2008) or PDF document (900 Kb, rev. 3/2008).  Additional revisions to this document are likely as the regional reference curve project progresses.

In support of the regional reference curve procedural protocol, two documents have been prepared by MDEQ.

• Peak Flow Analysis of Michigan USGS Gages (2005) is available as a Word document (690 Kb) or PDF document (480 Kb) and fulfills step B4 of the protocol.  An updated peak flow analysis (2007) includes gages with shorter records, but provides only channel-forming flow estimates.
• Application of the Richards-Baker Flashiness Index to Gaged Michigan Rivers and Streams is available at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/lwm-hsu-rb-flashiness_204776_7.pdf (3,100 KB).  It reports calculated flashiness values and assessed trends for 279 USGS gages in Michigan based on methodology developed by Pete Richards and David Baker in 2004.  It is intended to help the Stream Team select reference reach sites.

Additional Information:

• USGS Station Status Summary (60 KB) as of July 2007
• 2006 Field Work Summary (23 Kb PDF)
• Menominee River Reference Curve Report (1,000 Kb PDF)