An analysis of the intensity of precipitation, total suspended solid and stage height for stream gauging sites 9 and 11 within the Goodwin Creek experimental watershed, northern Mississippi, for the year 2000

Scope and Method of Study. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the intensity of precipitation and the total suspended solids, and between the intensity of precipitation and stage height for each rainfall. The data for the study were collected from the Goodwin Creek Experimental Watershed in Northern Mississippi at gauging sites 9 and 11 in 2000. The data sets consisted of 418 data points from gauging site 9 and 115 data points from gauging site 11. The precipitation data were collected per rainfall, from precipitation station 35 located in drainage area 9 and precipitation station 57 located in drainage area 11. The sediment and stage height data were collected on a daily basis, as the stage height increased or decreased. Pearson's product- moment correlations were used to test two null hypotheses.;Findings and Conclusions. Two hypotheses examined the relationship between the intensity of precipitation and suspended solids. In both analyses the intensity of precipitation yielded no significant difference in relation to total suspended solids. Therefore, no significant correlation exists between the intensity of precipitation and the total suspended solids data collected at gauging sites 9 and 11. Two hypotheses examined the relationship between the intensity of precipitation and stage height. In both analyses the intensity of precipitation yielded no significant difference in relation to stage height. Therefore, no significant correlation exists between the intensity of precipitation and stage height data collected at gauging sites 9 and 11. Based on the findings from this study the following conclusions can be drawn: (1) No significant difference exists between intensity of precipitation and the amount of suspended solids in a stream. (2) No significant difference exists between intensity of precipitation and the stage height of a stream. (3) At each gauging station, the relationship between intensity of precipitation and the amount of suspended solids in a stream and between intensity of precipitation and the stage height of a stream show a similar pattern at gauging sites 9 and 11. Last, it is recommended that the intensity of precipitation to predict sediment amounts in mathematical or computer models should either not be used or used with caution.