12/27/2023
WT Staff
HAPPENING NOW
Lithium spill in Muskingum River watershed
Sheen reported on Muskingum River
Up to the minute water news for Wednesday, December 27, 2023 - last updated 305 pm EST
Streamflow Situation from USGS Waterwatch based on real-time flow monitors across Ohio
Much above normal streamflows in the northeast Wednesday with an indication of relief for severe drought-rated Meigs County, Shade River today flowing much above normal near Chester. Current streamflows in the southwest Great Miami River basin remain below normal with two stations reporting much below normal.
There are no stations sending extreme low or high flow signals as of this update.
Drought situation from USGS Waterwatch 7-day average streamflow compared with historic flow for today's date
Severe drought has loosened its grip on Ohio this week. The chronically dry Auglaize River watershed shifted away from severe drought to match the adjacent watersheds of the Lake Erie west basin in a below normal rating yesterday. One area remains in severe drought, Shade River watershed, Meigs County. Given the current streamflow situation, the severe drought appears to be breaking off here also.
South of the drainage divide on the east side, Mahoning River jumps back on the map today at below normal status, matching adjacent Upper Ohio minor tributaries Shenango River, Little Beaver Creek and Wheeling Creek watersheds. Skipping over the Little Muskingum River watershed which has maintained a seasonal normal average flow and avoided a drought rating for many weeks, we land on the Shade River watershed, described above at the severe drought rating. Next door to Shade River watershed is the adjacent Raccoon-Symmes watershed, rated below normal. Moving west along the Ohio River, the Scioto River basin has a minor tributary watershed called Tygarts, this area has taken on the moderate hydrologic drought rating overnight. Moving along west, we see the Ohio minor tributary called Brush- Whiteoak rated below normal, the Scioto Paint River watershed below normal and the entire Great Miami River basin with its major and minor tributaries all rated below normal to the west state line.
Harmful Algal Bloom update based on the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) satellite monitoring program
A new image released this morning from NCCOS was captured on December 26 at surface wind speed unknown. The image is mostly cloud obscured, one hole in the cloud over Lake Erie reveals clear water with no HAB activity detected around the international border midlake. >br>
The latest clear view of Lake Erie was taken Dec 20, showing a spectacular band of HABs approximately four miles wide and moderate concentration 100 to 200 thousand cells per 100 ml. Cloud cover prevents us from visualizing the HAB today, however we expect to see the HAB again when the clouds break. More to follow. See the bluegreen tags on the map for an interpretation of the HAB activity of Dec 20.
The height-of-land divide in Ohio runs from Mercer County in the west angling northeast up to Ashtabula County on the east state border. Streamflows north of the divide feed Lake Erie, flows south of the divide run to the Ohio River, part of the Mississippi River basin that drains the majority of interior North America to the Gulf of Mexico.
As the drought conditions shift and change in the Ohio River basin, track the effects south down the Mississippi River into to Louisiana, rated "Exceptional Drought", the highest category on the National Drought map. Visit WTLA.us for more information on downstream effects.
Hazardous Spills Hotline records as reported to OEPA 1-800-282-9378
Organic sheen reported yesterday on the Muskingum River at Tuscarawas Township off Clow Lane and South 2nd St. According to the coordinates given in the report and a lookup of the industrial facilities in the area, Coshocton Sewage Treatment Plant, a body shop, a truck shop and other industrial processor are within a block of the reported sheen. More to follow.
A spill of elemental alkali metals is reported off Pershing Road in Springfield Township, Muskingum County yesterday. An unknown amount of soft, silvery-white metal beryllium, the Royal Society of Chemistry says is used in gears and cogs in the aviation industry is reported discharged along with unknown amount of lithium. Of lithium, the Royal Society of Chemistry says, "The most important use of lithium is in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and electric vehicles. Lithium is also used in some non-rechargeable batteries for things like heart pacemakers, toys and clocks. Lithium metal is made into alloys with aluminium and magnesium, improving their strength and making them lighter. A magnesium-lithium alloy is used for armour plating. Aluminium-lithium alloys are used in aircraft, bicycle frames and high-speed trains." Lithium is said to reacti vigorously with water, fortunately this spill incident does not include an impact to water.
See the pink tags on the map for more hazardous material spills reported in Ohio.
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