U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
WATER-RESOURCES CONDITIONS IN NEW YORK
AUGUST 2009
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, WRD
New York District, Troy, NY
WATER RESOURCES REVIEW AND CURRENT CONDITIONS STATEMENT
FOR AUGUST 2009
Prepared September 1, 2009
Troy--Summary Report
Provisional streamflow conditions at all sites monitored and included in this report in
eastern New York varied within the region from normal to excessive during August with most
gages in the excessive range for the third consecutive month. The only sites in the normal
range of flow for the month of August were Hudson River near Newcomb, Canajoharie Creek near
Canajoharie, Sandy Creek near Adams, and Little Salmon River at Bombay. According to the
National Weather Service, 2009 has been the third wettest summer on record in Albany (monthly
precipitation records date back to 1826), with a total of 18.51 inches of rainfall for June
(5.02), July (9.91), and August (3.58).
The total New York City reservoir system was at 96.4 percent of capacity on August 31;
normal for this period is 81.5 percent of capacity.
Ithaca--Summary Report
Provisional streamflow conditions at all sites monitored and included in this report for
western New York were either in the normal or excessive ranges for the month of July, with
every gage in the excessive range with the exception of Flint Creek at Phelps, which was in
the normal range. Unadilla River at Rockdale and Susquehanna River at Conklin were in the
excessive range for the third consecutive month. Genesee River at Wellsville, Chemung River
at Chemung, Cattaraugus Creek at Gowanda, Tonawanda Creek at Batavia, and Oatka Creek at
Garbutt were in the excessive range for the second consecutive month. Streamflow at Fall
Creek at Ithaca, Allegheny River at Salamanca, Chenango River near Chenango Forks, and
Oneida Creek at Oneida was in the excessive range after being in the normal range last month
Flint Creek at Phelps was in the normal range after being in the excessive range last month.
The maximum monthly mean discharge for August for the period of record was recorded at one
site included in this report: Cattaraugus Creek at Gowanda (69 years).
Coram--Summary Report
Provisional streamflow at Connetquot Brook near Central Islip was in the normal range
after being in the excessive range for two consecutive months.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Provisional Data for August 2009
MEAN FLOW FOR SELECTED GAGING STATIONS
Period
of record Flow Percent
Station (to date) (cfs) Exceedence Conditions
01306460 Connetquot Brook nr Central Islip 1978 25.5 41 Normal
01312000 Hudson River at Newcomb 1925-87,2002 233 30 Normal
01318500 Hudson River at Hadley 1921 2,280 5 Excessive
01321000 Sacandaga River nr Hope 1911 1,120 2 Excessive
01334500 Hoosic River near Eagle Bridge 1910 1,520 2 Excessive
01349150 Canajoharie Creek near Canajoharie 1993 23.3 40 Normal
01350000 Schoharie Creek at Prattsville 1902 479 5 Excessive
01357500 Mohawk River at Cohoes 1917 4,250 4 Excessive
01371500 Wallkill River at Gardiner 1924 1,030 13 Excessive
01372500 Wappinger Cr nr Wappingers Falls 1928 204 10 Excessive
01387400 Ramapo River at Ramapo 1979 121 10 Excessive
01413500 E Br Delaware River at Margaretville 1937 312 3 Excessive
01420500 Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls 1913 1,030 2 Excessive
01423000 W Br Delaware River at Walton 1950 825 1 Excessive
01502500 Unadilla River at Rockdale 1930-95,2001 751 5 Excessive
01503000 Susquehanna River at Conklin 1912 3,160 4 Excessive
01512500 Chenango River nr Chenango Forks 1912 2,860 2 Excessive
01531000 Chemung River at Chemung 1903 1,200 16 Excessive
03011020 Allegheny River at Salamanca 1903 3,410 2 Excessive
04213500 Cattaraugus Creek at Gowanda 1940-98,2000 1,680 0 Excessive
04217000 Tonawanda Creek at Batavia 1944 167 4 Excessive
04221000* Genesee River at Wellsville 1916 346 6 Excessive
04230500 Oatka Creek at Garbutt 1945 107 8 Excessive
04234000 Fall Creek near Ithaca 1925 95.0 20 Excessive
04235250 Flint Creek at Phelps 1960-95,2002 12.7 29 Normal
04243500 Oneida Creek at Oneida 1950 69.2 21 Excessive
04250750 Sandy Creek near Adams 1958-95,2002 58.6 25 Normal
04256000 Independence River at Donnattsburg 1942 149 10 Excessive
04262500 W Br Oswegatchie R nr Harrisville 1916 386 7 Excessive
04270200 Little Salmon River at Bombay 1958-95,2002 39.6 49 Normal
04275500 Ausable River at Au Sable Forks 1910-68,1990 403 17 Excessive
* Includes 04221500-Genesee River at Scio (1916-72)
MONTHLY MEAN DISCHARGE FOR SELECTED STREAMFLOW STATIONS
Provisional Data for August 2009
INDEX OBSERVATION WELLS
Water levels in S1810 have been affected by changes in ground-water withdrawals or sewering. Water level in feet below
land-surface datum unless site noted with * which indicates reference to sea level or ** which indicates water level in
feet above land-surface datum. Statistics used for A-654(replacement) are from A-636 (adjusted) prior to 2003, for Cm-622
(replacement) are from Cm-46(adjusted) prior to 2003, and for U-1619(replacement) are from U-405(adjusted) prior to 2003.
All published data for A-654 prior to 2006 water year should be adjusted by +1.00 ft due to measuring point correction.
Record Percent
County Well No. begins Date Water Level Exceedence Conditions
Albany A-654 2002 8/31 8.41 7 Excessive
Albany A-666 2008 8/11 5.44 - --
Allegany Ag-261 2002 8/31 5.62 35 Normal
Allegany Ag-262 2002 8/31 -1.08 0 Excessive
Broome Bm-128 1980 8/31 25.09 44 Normal
Broome Bm-129 1985 8/31 67.57 6 Excessive
Cattaraugus Ct-121 1951 8/31 6.66 29 Normal
Cattaraugus Ct-2498 2009 8/31 27.67 - --
Cayuga Cy-7 1965 8/31 19.03 23 Excessive
Cayuga Cy-223 2005 8/13 12.68 - --
Chautauqua Cu-5 1949 8/31 1.29 0 Excessive
Chautauqua Cu-862 2009 8/31 34.83 - --
Chemung Cm-622 2002 8/31 24.10 23 Excessive
Chenango Cn-12 1975 8/31 8.29 3 Excessive
Clinton Cl-145 1992 8/31 23.52 56 Normal
Clinton Cl-242 2006 8/10 2.60 - --
Columbia Cb-1071 2004 8/31 9.93 - --
Columbia Cb-1072 2006 -- -- - --
Cortland C-586 2008 8/31 7.45 - --
Cortland C-998 2002 8/31 4.88 7 Excessive
Delaware D-503 2002 8/31 4.58 0 Excessive
Delaware D-522 2009 8/31 0.35 - --
Dutchess Du-321 1948 8/31 68.11 16 Excessive
Dutchess Du-1009 1967 8/31 15.17 20 Excessive
Erie E-1196 2004 8/31 12.71 - --
Essex Ex-150 2002 8/31 19.08 6 Excessive
Essex Ex-157 2006 8/12 18.07 - --
Franklin F-60 2005 8/31 4.76 - --
Franklin F-854 2005 8/31 33.22 - --
Fulton Fu-271 2002 8/31 14.72 46 Normal
Genesee Gs-190 1998 8/31 30.18 47 Normal
Genesee Gs-217 2008 -- -- - --
Greene G-644 2003 -- -- - --
Greene G-831 2006 -- -- - --
Hamilton H-3 1966 8/31 12.94 12 Excessive
Herkimer He-627 2004 8/31 29.41 - --
Herkimer He-1836 2009 8/11 62.64 - --
Jefferson J-176 2005 8/31 4.59 - --
Jerrerson J-178 2009 -- -- - --
Lewis L-174 2002 8/31 22.37 0 Excessive
Livingston Lv-330 2004 8/31 10.26 - --
Madison M-178 1975 8/31 8.98 30 Normal
Madison M-292 2009 -- -- - --
Monroe Mo-11 1984 8/31 8.48 55 Normal
Montgomery Mt-411 2004 8/31 33.33 - --
Niagara Ni-70 1973 8/31 4.34 7 Excessive
Niagara Ni-869 2003 8/31 0.90 - --
Oneida Oe-151 1926 8/31 24.39 15 Excessive
Oneida Oe-1457 2003 8/31 42.94 - --
Oneida Oe-1466 2007 8/12 3.56 - --
Onondaga Od-1825 2004 8/31 12.77 - --
Onondaga Od-1833 2004 8/31 13.86 - --
Ontario **Ot-900 1955 -- -- - --
Ontario Ot-1133 2002 8/31 2.92 0 Excessive
Orange O-2271 2002 8/31 6.49 18 Excessive
Orange O-2288 2007 8/31 4.13 - --
Orleans Ol-20 2004 8/31 19.44 - --
Orleans Ol-27 2009 8/31 41.48 - --
Oswego Ow-5013 2002 8/31 23.46 62 Normal
Oswego Ow-5014 2002 8/31 23.49 38 Normal
Otsego Og-23 1953 8/31 5.97 6 Excessive
Putnam P-1205 2007 8/19 2.78 - --
Putnam P-1217 2005 8/31 13.95 - --
Rensselaer Re-703 1983 8/31 36.44 29 Normal
Rockland Ro-18 1949 8/31 20.25 34 Normal
Rockland Ro-543 2005 8/31 7.47 - --
St. Lawrence St-40 1953 8/31 6.90 27 Normal
St. Lawrence St-404 1958 8/31 14.53 32 Normal
Saratoga Sa-529 1949 8/31 41.98 4 Excessive
Saratoga Sa-1285 2002 8/31 2.23 9 Excessive
Schenectady Sn-730 2004 8/31 6.29 - --
Schoharie So-602 2005 -- -- - --
Schoharie So-604 2006 -- -- - --
Schuyler Sy-706 2003 8/31 8.72 - --
Schuyler Sy-722 2009 -- -- - --
Seneca Se-532 2005 8/31 1.90 - --
Seneca Se-533 2005 8/31 1.83 - --
Steuben Sb-472 1965 8/31 9.94 41 Normal
Suffolk *S1810 1976 -- -- - --
Suffolk *S1812 1982 8/31 48.54 10 Excessive
Suffolk *S4271 1946 8/31 11.67 23 Excessive
Suffolk *S5517 1948 8/31 43.58 57 Normal
Suffolk *S8833 1951 8/31 17.20 55 Normal
Sullivan Sv-535 2001 8/31 8.87 12 Excessive
Tioga Ti-891 2003 8/31 22.08 - --
Tompkins Tm-985 2005 8/25 4.55 - --
Tompkins Tm-1968 2005 8/31 16.82 - --
Ulster U-1619 2002 8/31 15.75 1 Excessive
Ulster U-1620 2005 8/31 26.27 - --
Warren Wr-80 2005 8/31 18.77 - --
Warren Wr-84 2008 8/13 38.26 - --
Washington W-533 1974 8/31 6.30 5 Excessive
Wayne Wn-592 2004 8/31 9.00 - --
Westchester We-5020 2003 8/31 12.40 - --
Wyoming Wo-4 1974 8/31 13.00 22 Normal
Yates Ya-180 2004 8/31 5.61 - --
INDEX OBSERVATION WELLS
LAKES AND RESERVOIRS
Elevation & Storage at End of Month
Reservoirs (Storage in million cubic feet) Current Year Last Year Average
01314500 Indian Lake nr Indian Lake, NY 3,818 3,847 3,419
01323500 Great Sacandaga Lake at Conklingville 30,440 29,070 25,110
04295000 Richelieu River (Lake Champlain) at Rouses Point, NY - Elevation in ft
above sea level
August 31, 2009 96.48 August 31, 2008 97.71
Average (1939-2007) 95.29
Maximum daily 98.31 (1976) Minimum daily 93.39 (1949)
NOTES, DEFINITIONS, ETC.
Percent exceedence is, for example, the percentage of December monthly mean discharges for
period of record equal to or greater than the current December monthly mean discharge.
Median = 50th percentile, which means that, for the period of record included in the analysis,
50% of the values are greater than the median and 50% are less.
Deficient range = values below the 25th percentile - for the period of record included in the
analysis, 75% of the values are greater and 25% are less than this value.
Excessive range = values above the 75th percentile - for the period of record included in the
analysis, 25% of the values are greater and 75% are less than this value.
Normal range = values between the 25th and 75th percentiles.
