3/20/2024
WT Staff
HAPPENING NOW
Streamflows slowing statewide
Lake Erie HAB awakens
Water news for Wednesday, March 20, 2024 1209 pm EDT
Harmful Algal Blooms - Lake Erie HAB from National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) satellite monitoring program
Ohio EPA cites spring rains as the main factor dislodging and transporting nutrients off the landscape of Maumee River watershed into the Lake Erie west basin. To the degree that we have rain, we can expect to see the mobilization of dissolved phosphate toward Lake Erie, which in turn feeds cyanobacteria resident in the lake. WTOH has kept a watchful eye on the sleepy HAB over the winter, with localized dribs and drabs popping up from time to time, all at moderate to low concentration.
After the storms last week and reported flooding of Portage and Tiffin Rivers over the weekend, more HAB activity is showing up in Lake Erie, it looks like the HAB may be stirring from its winter slumber.
In a recent satellite image supplied by the NCCOS dated March 17, we see HAB activity in open water off Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge, along shore at Magee Marsh and Metzger Marsh wildlife areas, up in the Portage River channel upstream of the outlet at Port Clinton, and along the shoreline between Vermilion River and Huron River outlets. The flurry of new HAB activity is notable. So far, all HABs have the appearance of moderate concentration, 100 thousand cells per 100 ml or less.
Streamflow Situation provisional data supplied by USGS
Streamflows head below normal midweek, an even mix of normal and below normal ratings with a handful of much below normal ratings recorded Wednesday. Much below normal values show in The Upper Ohio River minor tributaries basin, two stations Tuscarawas watershed of the Muskingum River basin, one in the Scioto River basin and one in the Great Miami basin. As of this report, there are no active floods, no extreme high or low-rated flows.
As many Ohio drinking water facilities are supplied from surface water bodies including lakes, rivers and reservoirs, the streamflow situation is pertinent to both drinking water supply and quality. High flows can stir up sediment and cause turbidity in the raw source water, requiring additional treatment to render the water potable. Low flow volume is linked to shallower conditons and warmer temperatures in surface water bodies, which can be an issue for water quality where HABs are present.
WTOH.us tracks current streamflow conditions with an eye to the impacts on drinking water supply and quality in 32 watersheds of the state's 5 drainage basins. Check the watershed layer on the map to see the high and low streamflows that may be impacting drinking water water in Ohio today.
Drought Map USGS 7-day average streamflow against seasonal average
Ashtabula-Chagrin River watershed has emerged on an otherwise empty drought map Wednesday with a below normal rating.
Flooding in the USA provisional data from USGS streamflow monitors
Twenty-four stream gauges record flood stage in continental USA today, down from twenty-seven yesterday.
WT tracks flooding and drinking water quality in four states. As of this report, no flooding is reported in the networks in New York or Ohio.
Heavy rains through north and central Georgia beginning March 6 set creeks and rivers overflowing. As of this report, five major veins are still flooding in the south, as recorded on nine USGS streamflow monitors. Ocmulgee River has retracted back into its channel overnight. Ohoopee River is nearing the end of flooding midmorning Wednesday, Ogeechee and Satilla are currently three to four inches over flood stage. Altamaha and Savannah remain well above flood stage.
See black tags on the map for flood levels updated daily and a running timeline of the March 2024 flood event here: WaterToday Georgia
Louisiana added fourth river flood overnight, up from three yesterday. Sabine River got out of the channel near Ruliff, TX between 8 and 9 pm last night, currently running a fraction of an inch over flood stage at ten thousand cubic feet per second. This latest round of flooding in LA kicked up March 17 when heavy rains hit southern Arkansas, Texas and north central Louisiana. Bayou Dorcheat is flooding near Springhill and downstream Minden, Bayou Bodcau is over near Shreveport, Pearl River is roaming out of the channel near Bogalusa and downstream station called Pearl River.
See the updated flood flow values for Louisiana at WaterToday Louisiana https://www.wtla.us
Drinking Water Advisories
Logan County Health District has issued a BWA for the village of Lakeview until further notice. Lakeview is a community of 1100 people along the west shore of Indian Lake, northwest of Bellefontaine.
Hazardous Spills
Spills in Ohio are reported to the 24 hour emergency spill hotline with response handled by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency 24/7 at 1-800-282-9378 or 614-224-0946. Anyone with knowledge of a spill of hazardous material is to make a report. Refer to the Spill button to the right of the map for more details on the latest incidents reported to OEPA.
USGS Provisional Data Statement
Data are provisional and subject to revision until they have been thoroughly reviewed and received final approval. Current condition data relayed by satellite or other telemetry are automatically screened to not display improbable values until they can be verified.
Provisional data may be inaccurate due to instrument malfunctions or physical changes at the measurement site. Subsequent review based on field inspections and measurements may result in significant revisions to the data.
Data users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of the information before using it for decisions that concern personal or public safety or the conduct of business that involves substantial monetary or operational consequences. Information concerning the accuracy and appropriate uses of these data or concerning other hydrologic data may be obtained from the USGS.
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