September 2008

Precipitation was above normal at all three index stations. Newark reported 7.14 inches, which is 178 percent of normal.  Atlantic City reported 5.30 inches, which is 169 percent of normal.  Trenton reported 6.43 inches, which is 188 percent of normal. Total precipitation over the past 12 months was: 47.92 inches at Newark, which is 1.67 inches above normal; 45.16 inches at Atlantic City, which is 4.57 inches above normal; and 44.22 inches at Trenton, which is 2.83 inches above normal.

Combined storage in the thirteen major water supply reservoirs as of September 30 was 59.93 billion gallons (74.5 percent of capacity), which is more than the average September contents for the reference period 1961-1990.  The storage was 3.16 billion gallons more than one month ago and 11.46 billion gallons more than one year ago.  The thirteen major water supply reservoirs are as follows: Lake Tappan, Woodcliff Lake, Oradell Reservoir, DeForest Lake, Splitrock Reservoir, Boonton Reservoir, Canistear Reservoir, Oak Ridge Reservoir, Clinton Reservoir, Charlottesburg Reservoir, Echo Lake, Wanaque Reservoir and Spruce Run Reservoir.            

Streamflow remained below normal at all three index stations. The monthly-mean discharge at South Branch Raritan River near High Bridge was 53.9 ft3/s, 65.3 percent of normal.  The monthly-mean discharge of the Great Egg Harbor River at Folsom was 37.6 ft3/s, 66.9 percent of normal.  The monthly mean discharge of the Delaware River at Trenton was 4,448 ft3/s, 69.2 percent of normal. The observed daily mean discharge of the Delaware River at Trenton on September 30 was 9,060 ft3/s. 

Ground-water levels, as measured in water-table observation wells for the month of September, increased from last month at all three index wells. At the Readington School 11 well, levels remained below normal, and were lower than one year ago. At the Vocational School 2 well, levels only slightly increased from last month, remained below normal, and were lower than one year ago. At the Morrell 1 well, levels increased dramatically from last month, were above normal, and were higher than one year ago.

Water quality parameters collected from the Delaware River at Trenton were within recorded historical monthly extremes. Water temperature ranged from 18.0 to 27.2 degrees Celsius. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 6.7 to 10.6 milligrams per liter. Specific conductance ranged from 194 to 269 microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C.

Note: The preceding data is preliminary and subject to revision.

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Combined Storage in the 13 Major Water Supply Reservoirs

Monthly precipitation at three selected sites

Ground-water levels in selected Water-table observation wells

Streamflow at selected sites

Water quality for the Delaware River at Trenton