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September 7, 2024

WT INTERNATIONAL

6/5/2024

WT Staff

Streamflow Situation
From the network of river flow monitors of USGS NY Water Science Center
Five stations record extreme low flows

June 5, 2024 301 pm EDT

The drying trend continues Wednesday with an increasing number of flow monitoring stations rated below normal and much below normal statewide. The below normal trend now extends into the northeast Lake Champlain watershed where the Ausable, Salmon and Chazy Rivers and tributaries run below seasonal normal. Five stations record 1st percentile record low flows, including Ramapo River near Mahwah, NJ. watershed has tilted away from seasonal normal overnight, presenting The highest flow level recorded today is a single above normal rating on the Neversink River, a tributary of the Delaware, running 85th percentile toward the outlet Chesapeake Bay.

Lake Ontario minor tributaries west section remains at moderate hydrologic drought rating Wednesday. Allegheny River watershed is off the drought map at Chautauqua County, swapped for Cattaraugus County, matching interior Oswego River - Finger Lakes watershed at below normal. St. Lawrence River watershed remains below normal, rejoined by the Upper Hudson Saratoga, Washington and north Rensselaer Counties. Persistently dry conditions contribute to increased wildfire risk and an elevated stress level in the watershed. Low transpiration, low rainfall leads to low or no surface runoff, leading to lower water levels and higher water temperatures, increasing the concentration of any dissolved contaminants spilled or leaching from the landscape. All these factors contribute to increased HAB growth, lower dissolved oxygen levels and increasing stress on the aquatic environment, including negative impacts to the quality of raw drinking water sourced from surface reservoirs.

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
4 USGS streamflow gages rated extreme low

Ramapo River is flowing low near Mahwah, NJ
Tonawanda Creek is flowing low at Attica
Allen Creek is flowing low at Rochester
Swan River is flowing low at East Patchogue
Canisteo River is flowing low at Arkport

Moderate drought rated area:

Lake Ontario minor tributaries west - west Monroe, Orleans, Niagara Counties

Below Normal rated area

Allegheny River watershed - Cattaraugus County
Upper Hudson River watershed - Hamilton, Essex, Warren, Saratoga, Washington, north Rensselaer Counties
St Lawrence River watershed = Franklin and St. Lawrence Counties
Oswego River - Finger Lakes watershed - Cayuga, Onondaga, Yates, Schuyler and Tompkins 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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