Water Resources Data—new York, 2004 Downstream Order and Station Number Numbering System for Wells and Miscellaneous Sites

Since October 1, 1950, hydrologic-station records in USGS reports have been listed in order of downstream direction along the main stream. All stations on a tributary entering upstream from a mainstream station are listed before that station. A station on a tributary entering between two mainstream stations is listed between those stations. A similar order is followed in listing stations on first rank, second rank, and other ranks of tributaries. The rank of any tributary on which a station is located with respect to the stream to which it is immediately tributary is indicated by an indention in that list of stations in the front of this report. Each indentation represents one rank. This downstream order and system of indentation indicates which stations are on tributaries between any two stations and the rank of the tributary on which each station is located. As an added means of identification, each hydrologic station, partial-record station, and miscellaneous site has been assigned a station number. These station numbers are in the same downstream order used in this report. In assigning a station number, no distinction is made between partial-record stations, miscellaneous sites, and other stations; therefore, the station number for a partial-record station or a miscellaneous site indicates downstream-order position in a list composed of all three types of stations. Gaps are consecutive. The complete 8-digit number for each station such as 09004100, which appears just to the left of the station name, includes a 2-digit part number " 09 " plus the 6-digit downstream order number " 004100. " In areas of high station density, an additional one or two digits may be added to the station identification number to yield a 9-or 10-digit number. The stations are numbered in downstream order as described above between stations of consecutive 8-digit numbers. Downstream order station numbers are not assigned to wells and often not to miscellaneous sites where only random water-quality samples are taken. The USGS well system is based on the grid system of latitude and longitude. The system provides the geographic location of the well and a unique number for each site. The number consists of 15 digits. The first 6 digits denote the degrees, minutes, and seconds of latitude, and the next 7 digits denote degrees, minutes, and seconds of longitude; the last 2 digits are a sequential number for wells within a 1-second grid. In the event that the …