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5/31/2024

WT Staff

Streamflow Situation
 From the network of river flow monitors of USGS NY Water Science Center
Low flows back in the west


May 31, 2024 1026 pm EDT


Two extreme low flows have cropped up overnight in the west interior, one in Niagara - Lake Erie watershed and another in the Chemung River watershed. Chemung was recording much above normal flows yesterday, Friday morning the flow on Canisteo River at Arkport is 1st percentile. The highest flows in NYS are a 95th percentile flow recorded in the upper channel of Mohawk River below Delta Dam, this could be due to the daily release from the dam. 90th percentile flows register in the Chemung River watershed on Tioga River, on Long Island at Cold Spring Harbor on the north shore, and in the Ramapo River watershed. The area of Oswego River - Finger Lakes watershed rated below normal on the drought map has shrunk, the below normal rating holding on to Schuyler, Tompkins, Yates, Seneca, Cayugaand Onondaga Counties. St. Lawrence River's Raquette River channel has stepped down from severe hydrologic drought to moderate overnight. Oswegatchie River channel rated moderate drought yesterday is stepped down to below normal. As of this report, no active floodings are observed in NYS, no extreme high flows. Three stations record the extreme low flows, see below for details.

Flood stage breached
0 USGS streamflow gauges reporting above flood stage

Flows above 99th percentile
0 stations reporting extreme high flow

Drought Map from the USGS WaterWatch seven-day average streamflow compared with historic streamflow

Low flows - 1st percentile from the USGS WaterWatch network in New York
3 USGS streamflow gages rated extreme low
  • Swan River is flowing low at East Patchogue
  • Tonawanda Creek is flowing 1st percentile at Attica
  • Canisteo River is flowing low at Arkport
Moderate drought rated area:
  • St Lawrence River watershed - channel of the Raquette River through central St Lawrence County including southwest Franklin County

Below Normal rated area
  • St Lawrence River watershed - channel of the Oswegatchie River and all area not otherwise rated severe drought
  • Allegheny River watershed - central Chautauqua County
  • Oswego River - Finger Lakes watershed - Cayuga, Onondaga, Yates, Schuyler and Tompkins Counties
  • Lake Ontario minor tributaries west - west Monroe, Orleans, Niagara Counties
  • Upper Hudson River watershed - southwest Essex, central Hamilton and central Warren Counties
As sourced from USGS Waterwatch Current Streamflow
FLOOD SAFETY
 What is the difference between a Flood Watch and a Flood Warning issued by the National Weather Service?
  • Flash Flood Warning: Take Action! A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood prone area move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.

  • Flood Warning: Take Action! 

    A Flood Warning is issued when the hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.

  • Flood Advisory: Be Aware:

    A Flood Advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance.

    A Flood Advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.

  • Flood Watch: Be Prepared:

    A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur.

    A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.

Be prepared, stay safe through flood events

March 13, 2023

 

Did you know,

6 inches of moving water can knock an adult down

And 12 inches of flowing water can carry a car away!

(From ready.gov)

 

 

Stay safe during flood events, watch for flood alerts in your area, here in BLACK.

Avoid driving into flooded areas, and take caution trying to drive out of a flood zone.

Avoid using bridges over high flowing rivers.

If possible, move to higher ground, get uphill, or move to a higher floor in your building or home,

leaving yourself an exit to the roof if necessary. Do not become trapped in an attic!

 

Keep dry food, bottled water, flashlight and extra batteries, cell phone charger packed in go bags for all of your household and pets.

Have flotation devices accessible for every member of your household in case you need to evacuate on foot.

 

If you must drive to get out of a flood zone,

have a high-quality window breaking/seatbelt cutting device in your vehicle, secured to your rearview mirror for fast retrieval.

You may not be able to reach your car’s glove box in an emergency situation.

The contents of seat and door storage compartments and center console may become displaced in an emergency,

causing you to lose track of items that are not secured.

 

Even if your vehicle has rolled or tipped over, as long as you are still belted in, you should be able to reach the rear-view mirror to retrieve your emergency tool.

Keep your seatbelt on until the vehicle has made impact with the water body.  It will often float on the surface for a short time.

There is time to get out through an open side window.  Act calmly, deliberately and quickly, without hesitation.

 

Use your tool to cut your seatbelt if the buckle will not release in the normal way.

Use your window breaking device toward a corner of your side window to break the safety glass. 

Attempting to break the window at the center may not work.

Windshields and rear windows are reinforced and will not break as easily as the side windows.

If your vehicle is in any danger of becoming submerged, you need to get out before it goes underwater.

Submerged vehicles may roll over or invert underwater, disorienting you and others inside. 

 

Get familiar with your local streams and rivers, know your normal flow levels and check the USGS Waterwatch Current Streamflow for the real time flow volume and depth.

Find the monitoring sites upstream and downstream nearest your home and sign up for high flow alerts.

https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/
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