12/21/2023
WT Staff
HAPPENING NOW
Lake Champlain flooding
Oatka Creek spill at Warsaw
Up to the minute NY water news for Thursday, December 21 - last updated 729 pm EST
Floods and streamflow update from USGS WaterWatch
Lake Champlain is flooding north of Whitehall and at Port Henry Thursday, several inches above flood stage. SMS alerts have gone out to subscribers in the area. See the black tags on the map for details updated throughout the day.
Black River is no longer flooding at Watertown. Peak flow occurred at 3 am with the volume and depth dropping back down below flood threshold twelve hours later. Schroon River is still flooding, a little less than a foot and a half over flood stage, not much change since this morning. Housatonic River is still flowing 2 inches over flood stage near Gaylordsville, CT. Ouleout Creek, Mongaup River and Wanaque River, Croton River and Black River are still flowing in the 99th percentile or higher. See the map black tags for flood and blue tags for high flows, for the details.
Hazardous Spills the latest reports released from NY DEC as reported to the NY Emergency Spill Hotline 1-800-457-7362
The latest incident reports available Monday morning are spills that occurred on Monday, Dec 18.
Sheen from an unknown source was reported on tributaries east of the Hudson River at Schaghticoke over the weekend.
Oatka Creek received an unwelcome donation of waste motor oil Saturday, the incident is reported caused by human error at a commercial-industrial facility on West Buffalo Street in Warsaw. See the Spills button to the right of the map for a list of spills reported in NYS. Pink location tags on the map show the location of hazardous materials spills relative within the seventeen watersheds of the state, turn the arrows on to see the direction of surface water flow to show potential impact zone for spill events impacting water.
Note: WTNY reports all hazardous materials spills impacting water, petroleum spills of more than a barrel and regulated toxic materials spills of any amount, with a location tag on the map and listed by date on the right side spill button. Watch for our 2023 annual spill report by watershed area in the New Year.
Drought map from USGS WaterWatch
Thursday's drought map appears as yesterday, Niagara River - Lake Erie watershed, Lake Ontario minor tributaries west section and the entire Genesee River watershed, all below normal.
HABs update from NY DEC HABs Notifications Center
NY DEC HABs Program responded to our request for the 2023 HABs Summary, which we are currently reviewing. More to follow.
A statement provided by the program staff, "Exposure to any cyanobacteria HABs can cause health effects in people and animals when water with HABs is touched, swallowed, or when airborne droplets are inhaled. This is true regardless of toxin levels; some blue-green algae produce toxins, while others do not. Exposure to HABs and toxins can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea or vomiting; skin, eye or throat irritation and allergic reactions or breathing difficulties. People and pets should avoid contact with HABs, and should rinse off with clean water if contact occurs."
For more information go to: www.health.ny.gov/harmfulalgae.
Because HAB conditions change rapidly over time, the best prevention is to take steps to avoid waters with visible HABs.
Know it, Avoid it, Report it! To learn more go to: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/77118.html.
Drinking Water Advisories
Schaghticoke Water BWA applies for connections in Pleasantdale following repairs to a leaking water main valve.
Fonda and Mohawk water customers remain under a precautionary BWA until further notice.
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