3/25/2024
WT Staff
HAPPENING NOW
GA, LA continue to flood, NY on coastal flood watch tonight
Moderate drought hits Blanchard and Shade watersheds
Water news for Monday, March 25, 2024 4 pm EDT
Streamflow Situation provisional data supplied by USGS
A dozen streamflow gauges are still recording normal values after the weekend as the surface area of Ohio falls under drought rating. Much below seasonal normal streamflows dominate the USGS WaterWatch current streamflow dashboard Monday. Blanchard River is still flowing at 1st percentile near Findlay, as is Loramie Creek flowing at extreme low level at Newport, and Paint Creek flowing 2nd percentile at Mount Sterling. The shift from normal to much below normal has occurred over the course of the last seven days with corresponding ratings on the drought map.
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
Lake Erie basin low flow of the Blanchard River measured at Findlay is showing up on the drought map Monday as moderate hydrologic dought, meaning the 7-day average streamflow is much below seasonal normal. Upper Ohio minor tributary Shade River has likewise declined over the weekend into a moderate hydrologic drought rating.
Area rated below normal includes northeast Lake Erie basin watersheds, Ashtabula-Chagrin, Grand and Cuyahoga River drainage area. Black-Rocky Rivers drainage area remains unrated. In the west Lake Erie drainage area, Huron-Vermilion, Sandusky Tiffin River and Auglainze River watersheds are rated below normal.
For the Ohio River side of the divide, Upper Ohio minor tributaries are represented from the topmost part of the drainage basin down to the Scioto River Tygarts watershed. This includes Mahoning and Shenango River watersheds, Little Beaver Creek, Wheeling Creek, Shade River and Raccoon-Symmes watersheds all ranked on the drought map. Of these, Shade River watershed is at moderate drought, the rest below normal. Muskingum River basin is entirely rated below normal, Upper Scioto River and Tygarts watersheds in the Scioto basin are below normal, leaving Paint Creek and Lower Scioto unrated for the time being. A low flow value in Paint Creek today promises to send Paint Creek watershed to the drought map soon. Great Miami River basin is still unrated at the Upper basin, coming on below normal in the Lower and Little Miami River watersheds.
Flood Tracker provisional data from USGS streamflow monitors
Thirty-one streamflow gauges record flood stage in continental USA Monday, up from twenty on Saturday.
WT tracks flooding at thirteen of these locations, eight located in Georgia and five in Louisiana. As of this report, NY and OH are not seeing active flooding in the USGS network. More to follow as coastal flood advisory is in effect for New York from 8pm to 11 pm this evening.
One streamflow gauge indicates 99th percentile flow in NYS. Cazenovia Creek in the Niagara River - Lake Erie watershed appears to be running high at Ebeneezer, this provisional data to be verified. More to follow.
Flooding has picked up in Georgia overnight. Satilla River is flooding at GA-158 near Waycross, Alabaha River is flooding near Blackshear, Little Satilla River is back to flooding near Offerman and Ohoopee River is flooding again near Reidsville. Altamaha River is still flooding near Baxley and Everett City. Savannah River is still flooding at Burtons Ferry Road near Millhaven and near Cylo.
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 records flooding on five monitors Monday. In Region 1 watershed in the northwest, Bayou Dorcheat stopped flooding at Minden overnight, still flooding near Springhill. Bayou Bodcau still floods near Shreveport. In Region 4 in the southwest, Sabine River is flooding near Ruliff, TX. In the east, Region 7 Pearl River is flooding near Bogalusa and Pearl River.
See the black tags on the map for updated flood flow values at WaterToday Louisiana https://www.wtla.us
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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