The North Fork Shenandoah River, Virginia

Site Features:

Transect (Cross Section) Selection & Field Data Collection

Transect Selection

A transect (also called a cross-section) is a section across the stream channel that is perpendicular to the direction of flow.

Transects were placed within the specific habitat types (riffle, run, pool, pocket run) present at each study site. To see photos of the study sites, please visit Habitat Mapping and Selection of Study Reaches.

Once transects were chosen, survey pins were placed along the left and right bank (identified looking downstream) to mark transect locations. Transects were numbered consecutively in the upstream direction. Temporary benchmarks were established at each site to serve as a vertical reference datum for the pins. Using a level and stadia rod, a closed-loop survey through all pins linked the transect elevations and distances to the benchmarks at each study site.

With our transects established, we were able to begin data collection of:

 

 

Illustrations created by W. Scott Chappell