Birmingham Gage Station EarthCache
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This Earthcache is designed to show the how today’s rivers are regulated. The above co ordinance will take you to a USGS Gauge Station. USGS is the United States Geological Survey. These gauging stations are used for water resources, specifically the Rouge River in this case. The station here is continuously measuring the depth and the amount of flow of the river.
It is very important to monitor, and control the river’s flow for several reasons. We can start with the control of flooding or at least the warning of flooding. This gauging station relays the information to do this regulating. Another important reason for this gauging and regulating of the river is to limit erosion of the river banks. Though erosion will always take place, it can be held to a minimal. Ground water also depends on these regulated flows. Ground waters include some small lakes, marshes and wetlands.
More than 50 miles of the Rouge River flows through public parklands, making the Rouge River one of the most publicly accessible rivers in the State. The Rouge River Watershed, located in southeast Michigan, runs through the most densely populated and urbanized land area in the state. The watershed is approximately 438 square miles in size and includes all or part of 48 municipalities in three counties. There are over 400 lakes, impoundments, and ponds in the watershed. The Rouge River has a total of 126 river miles and is comprised of four major branches: the Main, Upper, Middle and Lower.
You are standing near the Main Branch of the Rouge River. It begins approximately 6 miles north of this location. The Main Branch flows through the western portion of Birmingham, which then empties into the Detroit River and Lakes St. Clair and Erie. There is a dam here that is intended to slow the river flow to reduce the erosion and prevent flooding. Walking to these coordinates, N 42°32.807 W 83°13.359, you are at the top of the dam and what is now Quarton Lake. It is a 12 acre lake that is the result of the impoundment of the Rouge River.
Glacial retraction created a Moraine here which created elevation changes. Note the height of the land to the North and then to the South, you can visually see the difference in the elevation along the river at this location. You will see in the question to be answered how quickly the elevation drops here.
To view in real time the flow and height of this river click on this link. This is also where you will find some of the information that you will need to log this cache.
The requirements to log this cache must be completed as follows. Please do not post your answers to your log. E-mail me with your answers to get credit for this cache.
1. Take a picture of your team in front of the Gauging Station Building and post it on the log page.
2. Take a river height reading from the gauging stick. Go to the USGS website to compare your reading with the real time collector and email it to us, along with the highest possible measurement on the stick.
3. Looking in the glass window of the station, email us the name of the company whose Data Recorder Transmitter is mounted on the wall.
4. Take an elevation reading at the posted coordinates (The Gauging Station) and another reading at the top of the Dam (N 42°32.807 W 83°13.539) and email us the difference in the height.
PLEASE NOTE: I will not be sending follow up requests for answers. If you do not complete the requirements,your log will be deleted. In order to claim this Earth Cache, you must follow through with the requirements, not just visit the site.
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