SEDIMENT DISCHARGE FROM HIGHWAY CUT-SLOPES IN THE LAKE TAHOE BASIN, CALIFORNIA, 1972-74

Streamflow and fluvial-sediment discharge data were collected at selected streams and highway gutters in the Lake Tahoe basin to determine the extent of erosion from highway cuts and to attempt to evaluate the effects of various land-treatment practices to reduce erosion. Estimate of long-term annual sediment discharge from six streams into the lake is 7,100 tons, of which 2,300 tons is finer than 62 micrometres. During 1972-74, snowmelt runoff (April-July) accounted for 65 percent of the water and sediment discharge. Approximately 90 percent of the sediment is transported in suspension. Sediment measured at 16 gutterflow stations at the base of highway cut-slopes indicates that less than 100 tons of fine sediment per year are contributed to the lake from all California State highway cuts.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared in cooperation with California State Div. of Highways, Sacramento.
• Corporate Authors:

  U.S. Geological Survey

  F Street Between 18th and 19th Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20244

  California Division of Highways

  1120 N Street
  Sacramento, CA  United States  95814
• Authors:
  • Kroll, C G
• Publication Date: 1976-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 91 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drainage; Embankments; Erosion; Erosion control; Estimating; Flow; Highways; Measurement; Performance evaluations; Runoff; Sedimentation; Sediments; Slopes; Soils; Streamflow; Streams; Tables (Data); Water quality
• Uncontrolled Terms: Sediment transport
• Geographic Terms: California; Lake Tahoe Basin
• Old TRIS Terms: Discharge
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00143788
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: USGS/WRI-76-19, USGS/WRD/WRI-76/042
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 17 1977 12:00AM