3/28/2024
WT Staff
HAPPENING NOW
NWS: Hazardous Weather Outlook
Rain, strong storms coming to the southwest
Water news for Thursday, March 28, 2024 updated 1248 pm
National Weather Service Hazardous Weather Outlook issued 507 am EDT March 28
Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected over the course of the weekend, Monday, and Tuesday. Repeated rainfall could lead to flooding concerns, and there is also a chance of a few strong to severe storms, particularly on Monday and Tuesday.
Impacting Hardin-Mercer-Auglaize-Darke-Shelby-Logan-Delaware-Miami-Champaign-Clark-Madison-Licking-Preble-Montgomery-Greene-Pickaway-Fairfield-Butler-Warren-Clinton-Ross-Hocking-Hamilton-Clermont-Brown-Highland-Adams-Pike-Scioto Counties
Streamflow Situation provisional data supplied by USGS
Streamflows have settled back to normal and below normal for much of Ohio Thursday. Blanchard River is still recorded at extreme low, 1st percentile near Findlay on day 2 of the extreme drought rating in that watershed area.
Drought Map USGS 7-day average streamflow against seasonal average
Extreme hydrologic drought rating is applied to Blanchard River watershed again Thursday as Ohio River minor tributaries Raccoon-Symmes watershed area is gripped by severe drought. Moderate hydrologic drought ratings claim the area of Auglaize River watershed and Upper Wabash River watershed in the Lake Erie west drainage basin. East Ohio watersheds not rated Thursday include Upper Ohio River minor tributaries Shenango and Mahoning Rivers, Little Beaver Creek, Wheeling Creek and Little Muskingum River. In the Lake Erie basin, only the Black-Rocky watershed misses the drought map. All other area of Ohio is rated below normal, including the majority of Muskingum River basin, all of Scioto and Great Miami basins.
Flood Tracker provisional data from USGS streamflow monitors
Twenty-five streamflow gauges record flooding in the USA Thursday over the noon hour, up from twenty-three this morning. WT tracks the nation's most common natural disaster as a dynamic event in four states, New York, Ohio, Georgia and Louisiana. As of this report, ten monitors in these states indicate active flooding.
Ohio streamflows are back to normal in the east, below normal in the west. As of this report, no active flooding or high flows.
A new flood signal picked up around 230 am this morning on the Satilla River at Atkinson is the fifth station to record flow above flood stage in Georgia today. The Satilla River got into flood stage briefly at GA158 near Waycross, subsiding around midnight of March 27. A little more than a day later, Satilla runs over at Atkinson. Flooding in the south is the tail end of the event beginning with heavy rains March 6. Today is Day 22 of the March flood event in Georgia. Savannah River still runs three and a half feet over flood stage near Cylo, Altamaha River running nine to ten inches over near Baxley, Altamaha tributary Ohoopee River is running higher today, nine inches over flood stage near Reidsville. Little Satilla River is also higher overnight, running almost a foot over flood stage near Offerman.
Louisiana's east border Pearl River has breached flood stage near Bogalusa after a day off yesterday. As of around 730 am, Pearl was roaming out of the channel in Washington Parish, currently running an inch over. Downstream at the Town of Pearl River, flow is measured 11 inches over flood stage, this monitor is in St. Tammany Parish. In northwest LA, Bayou Dorcheat is slightly less than a foot over near Springhill. Bayou Bodcau is up six and a half feet above flood stage near Shreveport. On the west LA border, Sabine River is running four inches over near Ruliff, TX.
For New York, Long Island posts the highest streamflows, four high flow levels in the 96 to 98 percentile range Thursday, with three creeks flowing much above normal. No active flooding reported in NYS. Update on a flood signal reported here two weeks ago: provisional data indicating flooding in Reynolds Channel at the east end of Long Beach Barrier Island turned out to be erroneous. USGS New York Water Science Center Hydrology Chief Chris Gazoorian confirmed provisional data coming from the Reynolds Channel station was incorrect, the sensors were malfunctioning. An email yesterday confirms this station is repaired and back online.
See black tags on the map for active flood, blue for high flow, 99th percentile or more.
Drinking Water Advisories
Jefferson County: The Village of Rayland is under a BWA after a water main break at Adams Lane and State Route 150. The Village of Rayland water system serves a population of 417 residents from a groundwater purchased source.
Lucas County: A portion of the village of Whitehouse came under a boil advisory after a water main break at Waterville Street and Pelton Drive. Whitehouse Village water system serves 5200 residents from surface water purchased.
See yellow tags on the map for more boil water advisories.
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.
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 contributing to the growth of the Lake Erie HAB for the 2024 season. Rainfall during the critical condition stage March 1 to July 31 dislodges soluble phosphate from fields and streambanks into the Lake Erie west basin. In lock-step with the level of dissolved phosphate in the relatively shallow basin grows the ancient HAB mass, capable of producing toxins tainting the drinking water supply for three million Ohio residents. The spring season has been dry so far. This is Day 28 of the critical condition for the Lake Erie HAB, more to follow.
The latest satellite image supplied by the NCCOS was captured March 25 at surface wind speed 15 mph. The image is heavily cloud obscured with a clear view on the east side of the frame down to open water Lake Erie from Vermilion-on-the-Lake. A widespread HAB is visible at the edge of the cloud bank, approximately 5 nm off shore, moderate concentration, 100 thousand cells per 100 ml or less.
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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