01583570 - Pond Branch at Oregon Ridge, Md.

Location - Lat. 39°28'49", long. 76°41'16", Baltimore County, Hydrologic Unit Code 02060003 on left bank 500 ft. upstream from pond, 600 ft. above mouth, 1.5 miles southwest of I-83 and Shawan Road interchange, and 2.3 miles west of Cockeysville.

Gaging station may be reached from intersection of I-83 and Shawan Road at Hunt Valley as follows:

Parking, on Ivy Hill Road

Proceed westbound on Shawan Road 1.0 mile to the intersection of Beaver Dam road. Turn left on Beaverdam Road and proceed 1.05 mile to the intersection of Ivy Hill Road. Turn right on Ivy Hill Road and proceed 1.0 mile to parking area on right. Park vehicle and walk, following the gravel access road, down hill about 1/4 mile (Road has cable and lock blocking vehicular traffic) to Pond Branch; proceed uphill at this point around the perimeter of the small pond about 550 feet to weir-plate and gage. See map for route to gage.

Establishment - January 6, 1983. Discontinued October 1986. Re-established April 15, 1998.

Drainage Area - 0.16 square miles (measured on USGS topographic maps).

Datum of Gage - 450 ft, from USGS topographic map.

Intake and static tube, from left bank

Gage - Steel shelter mounted on a 3" x 3 ft galvanized pipe mounted on a 6" x 6" x 30" pressure treated timber attached to the left upstream facing of the aluminum weir plate. Intake is perforations drilled in pipe 0.2 ft above streambed. Bucket flush through top of oil well is necessary. Well is winterized with 2 pints of mineral oil.

Pertinent elevations:	Gage Height (feet)
Bottom of well	0.0
Top of instrument shelf	3.26
Point of zero flow	1.04
Crest of weir plate	1.54

Equipment shelf

Equipment - Sutron 8400 electronic stage recorder (15 min. scan interval), with stage kit.

Staff gage

Outside staff gage (00.00-2.52) attached to the streamward face of 6" x 6" pressure treated timber.

A standard USGS 2" x 1.43 ft galvanized crest-stage gage is attached to the shoreward face of the 6" x 6" pressure treated timber.

Pertinent elevations:	Gage Height (feet)
CSG (base cap)	1.34
CSG (length of stick)	--
Maximum recordable stage	--

History

1. No continous recording gage operated by USGS at this site previously.

Vertical Controls

[BM = Bench Mark; RM = Reference Mark; RP = Reference Point]
RM-1	Chiseled square in top of rock outcrop on right bank 60 ft upstream from weir plate near right edge of water. Elevation, 7.968 ft (gage datum).
RP-1	Top of instrument shelf at 3" pipe. Elevation, 3.262 ft (gage datum).

Looking upstream from gage Looking downstream

Channel - The channel is relatively straight, steep and confined above and below the gage with insignificant overflow. The streambed is essentially gravel, cobbles and rock outcrops and is fairly stable.

Control

Control - The low and medium water control is a triple V-notch aluminium weir plate (1/4" x 24" x 8’ ft) with symmetrical 1-ft wide x 0.50 ft deep, 90° V-notches secured in concrete; total design capacity, approximately 1.3 cfs +/-.

Wading measurement

Discharge Measurements - Good measurements can be made at extremely low stages by volumetric means. At higher stages, channel improvements can be made 25 ft upstream to produce satisfactory results.

Floods - Flood of July 1, 1984 reached a stage of 2.19 feet, gage datum. Flood of August 20, 1999 reached a stage of 1.97 feet, gage datum.

Point of Zero Flow - 1.043 feet, gage datum (in right notch, based on levels from January 7, 1983).

Winter Records - Stage-discharge relation affected by ice at times during extensive cold periods.

Regulation - None.

Diversion - None.

Accuracy - Good records should be obtained.

Cooperation - Baltimore Ecosystem Study, Long-Term Ecological Research. University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Photographs - See station files.