7/18/2024
WT Staff
 HAPPENING NOW
Thursday, July 18 2024
Drought spreading through the south
July 18, 2024 updated 637 pm EDT
Streamflow Situation from the network of monitors of USGS GA Water Science Center
Central Ohio remains in below normal to much below normal streamflow conditions with an expansion of the drought map to match. North of the drainage divide, streamflows continue to run at seasonal normal to above normal, the odd station reporting below normal. South of the divide, the Great Miami basin continues to record seasonal normal levels, the Scioto River basin is seeing some below and much below normal values on our way to the next summer weekend. Muskingum River and Ohio minor tributaries watersheds continue to experience flow volume below and much below normal for this date in water recording history. No active flooding or action stage flows recorded, no extreme lows recorded. All parts of Lake Erie basin are cleared from the drought map Thursday. Moderate drought is called for Muskingum basin's Wills Creek, Ohio tributaries Shade River and Laughery, Scioto Basin's Paint Creek and Tygarts watersheds. Below normal is applied wholesale throughout the south, Ohio River minor tributary Shenango all the way around to the Little Miami River watershed to Hamilton County.
WT HAB Tracker from state sources and where available, the satellite monitoring program of the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
New York
The latest upload of Lake Champlain was snapped by Copernicus-Sentinel III satellite July 17 showing partially cloud obscured Baie Missisquoi HAB from the north shore to the Alburg-Swanton Bridge at a high concentration 900 thousand to 1 million cells per 100 ml.
From the NYS HABs reporting center, ninety-four HABs are confirmed in the interior freshwater lakes Thursday evening, one new HAB is confirmed on Putnam Lake, Seven Hills Lake has been cleared of HABs. See bluegreen tags on the map, the full list of water bodies impacted is found here.
Louisiana: The latest upload from the NCCOS was caught July 17 at surface wind speed 3.8 mph. This image is mostly cloud obscured showing a new widespread HAB developing in Chandeleur Sound. An open water HAB is visible in Lake Pontchartrain 5 nm from the north shore near Mandeville at a moderate concentration. Most other water bodies are cloud obscured in this latest upload. The previous clear image captured July 15 also reveals HABs in Lake Pontchartrain off the shore of Manchac Wildlife Management Area west shore. Hot spots visible in the last clear image are Wetland Watchers Park and the water between Bayou Shaffer and the Avoca Island cutoff, concentration matches the color scale for 2 million cells per 100 ml. Southeast LA water bodies at are captured in a wide angle pass by the Copernicus-Sentinel III satellite, with Lake Pontchartrain to Avoca Cutoff to Black Bay and Chandeleur Sound in frame. The last HAB report for Louisiana is available here.
California: A media announcement yesterday from the Lahontan Water Board and Nevada Division of Environmental Protection shows toxin levels for South Lake Tahoe Eldorado Beach "non-detect", from water samples taken July 8 and 10th. Nevada Beach samples also indicated HAB toxins at "non-detect" level. On the Nevada side of the border, a shallow pond in the vicinity of Nevada Beach, not connected with Lake Tahoe tested positive for the neurotoxin "saxitoxin". The pond is partially fenced off with plans to complete the fencing to prevent access by people with their dogs. The latest weekly report from California Water Boards has Danger and Warning HAB alerts posted for multiple sites in Discovery Bay and Clear Lake, for Lake Temescal, San Antonio Lake and Forbes Creek. Beach signage for HAB DANGER or HAB WARNING feature the caption "Toxins from the algae in this water can harm humans and kill animals", followed by a string of safety measures. For the latest report, click here.
Ohio: Lake Erie west basin HABs latest image from NCCOS was captured July 17 at a surface wind speed 5.8 mph. This image is mostly cloud obscured, taken at a lower wind speed we can once again see the Lake Erie bloom in open water. The previous two images were clear, however with extremely high high wind conditions the open water part of the HAB could not be seen. The Sandusky Bay bloom appears 900 thousand to 1 million cells per 100 ml, clouds obscure the open water past Cedar Point. Updates to the map tags and report are in progress. The latest Ohio HAB report is available here.
Georgia: Jekyll Island's South Dunes Beach has been posted for elevated bacteria levels. Samples taken on July 15 have returned elevated enterrococcus levels, 100 colony forming units per 100 ml. The advisory is temporary, Coastal Health Region will update the results as follow up testing is performed. Scant information is available information on the presence of HABs in Georgia. USGS HAB research indicates GA is one of six states with no known anecdotal reports of HAB poisonings. Georgia Environmental Protection Division takes reports on suspicious algal blooms from the public and from the Shoreline Managers of the Power Lakes. One HAB report was made to Georgia EPD in all of 2023. The Georgia Healthy Beaches program of Coastal Public Health tests beaches for bacteria, posting permanent and temporary advisories to warn the public. The latest Georgia beach advisories are available here.
See the North American drainage basin map here, scroll all the way down to see how surface water moves across the continent into the Pacific, Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Arctic Oceans. WT Media Group tells the story of water in three countries, Canada, USA and Mexico. See the drinking water advisories, hazardous spills, floods, drought and harmful algal blooms plotted on the maps, as the water flows. Check out the CrimeBox for historic prosecutions under the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act box for details on public drinking water facilities, interviews with the scientists and tech developers on the leading edge of clean water technology here.
As many drinking water facilities are supplied from surface water reservoirs, the streamflow situation is pertinent to both drinking water supply and quality. High flows can stir up sediment and cause turbidity in the reservoirs, requiring additional treatments to render the water potable. Low flow volume is linked to warmer temperatures in the reservoir and can be an issue for water quality where HABs are present. WT tracks streamflow trends with an eye to the impacts on drinking water supply and quality in each of the state's watersheds. Check the watershed layer on the map to see the direction of flow and streamflows that may be impacting drinking water today.
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.
Harmful Algal Blooms: WT follows the movement and growth of harmful algal blooms (HABs) as provided by the satellite monitoring program of the NCCOS for New York's Lake Champlain, Ohio's Lake Erie and Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain and surrounding area. Interpretation of satellite images is best in clear conditions at wind speed less than 4 mph, where the appearance and extent of HABs is reliably matched to a color scale for concentration. HABs are known to produce algal toxins of concern for raw drinking water sources and recreational water bodies. Plan beach access to avoid HABs and consider carrying a rapid test kit to detect the toxin microcystins.
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