Abstract: Rainfall simulation studies were conducted in conjunction with the Denver Regional Urban Runoff Program to: (1) Compare runoff quantity and quality from two different intensities of rainfall on impervious plots having identical antecedent conditions, (2) document a first flush of constituent loads in runoff from 1,000-square-foot streetsurface plots, (3) compare runoff characteristics from a street surface subjected to simulated rainfall with those from a 69-acre urban basin of mixed land use subjected to natural rainfall, (4) perform statistical analysis of constituent loads in the runoff with several independent variables, and (5) compare the quantity and quality of runoff from 400-square-foot plots of native grasses used for pasture and subjected to simulated rainfall with that from a 405-acre basin covered with native grasses used for pasture and sub-jected to natural rainfall. The rainfall simulations conducted on the street surface showed that higher intensity simulated rainfall produced a higher percentage of runoff than lower intensity rainfall. A first flush of constituent loads occurred for most constituents in the runoff from most rainfall simulations on the street surface; however, a first flush did not occur in the runoff from simulated rainfall on the pasture. The event mean concentrations of constituents in the …

Purposes of study and report: This report presents the results of a continuing study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Denver Board of Water Commissioners. Purposes of the study are: (l) To define the amounts of net evaporation losses from the Denver storage reservoirs; and (2) to conduct experiments for improving methods for measuring evaporation, particularly at reservoirs at high elevations.

Abstract: The U.S. Geological Survey maintains a quality-assurance program based on the analysis of reference samples for its two water-analysis laboratories located in Atlanta, Georgia, and Denver, Colorado. Reference samples containing inorganic constituents are prepared at the U.S. Geological Survey's Ocala, Florida office and disguised as routine samples, and sent daily to each laboratory through other U.S. Geological Survey offices. The results are permanently stored in the National Water Data Storage and Retrieval System (WATSTORE), the U.S. Geological Survey's data base for all water data. These data are analyzed statistically for precision and bias. The results of these statistical analyses are presented for data collected during the 1981 calendar year. In addition, one sample containing known concentrations chlorophyll a were analyzed in both laboratories, and these results also are presented.

From abstract: This report describes a refined, two-dimensional graph-plotting program that was developed for use on Tektronix 4050-series graphics computers.

From purpose and scope: The purpose of this report is to present an analysis of the August 14, 1980, rainstorm in Denver, Colorado, and describe its effects on the South Platte River and six of its tributaries (figure 1).