Experiments and Documentation Performed to Predict the Depths of Rivers: Determining the Amount of Time Elapsed for Water to Flow Through the Watershed

The study of the Burnt Swamp Brook in Wrentham, MA and the Gale River in Franconia, NH took place in the summer and fall of 2003. Physical observations were made on the river to better understand the river and what affects it. A hypothesis was made on what may affect the depth of the river. Studies continued by involving the gathering of maps and the creation of a watershed map for the Burnt Swamp Brook Watershed. Information and samples of every soil type in the watershed were collected and examined. Further analysis was also made on surface and physical aspects of the watershed. A composite map of how water flows through the watershed and how it affects the river was created using information gathered from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) and the NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service). Data collected during the experiment was compiled into a FORTRAN program to create a mathematical simulation of how water flows through the watershed. In conclusion, a combination of surface and subsurface data can create models to outline the movement of water in a watershed.