U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
WATER-RESOURCES CONDITIONS IN NEW YORK
DECEMBER 2005
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, WRD
New York District, Troy, NY
WATER RESOURCES REVIEW AND CURRENT CONDITIONS STATEMENT
FOR DECEMBER 2005
Prepared January 4, 2006
Troy Subdistrict--Summary Report
Provisional streamflow conditions at sites monitored and included in this report in
eastern New York were in the normal to excessive range during December. Adjustments
were made to flows at many sites due to ice affect. Streamflow at Sacandaga River near
Hope, Schoharie Creek at Prattsville, East Branch Delaware River at Margaretville, West
Branch Delaware River at Walton, and Sandy Creek near Adams was in the normal range after
being in the excessive range for at least two consecutive months. Streamflow at Wallkill
River at Gardiner and Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls remained in the normal range for the
second consecutive month. Streamflow at all other sites was in the excessive range for
December.
The total New York City reservoir system was at 93.0 percent of capacity on December
30; normal for this period is 77.4 percent of capacity.
Ithaca Subdistrict--Summary Report
Provisional streamflow conditions at sites monitored and included in this report
for western New York ranged from normal to excessive during December. Streamflow at
Chenango River at Chenango Forks, Chemung River at Chemung, Oneida Creek at Oneida,
and Susquehanna River at Conklin continued to be in the excessive range for the third
consecutive month. Streamflow at all other sites was in the normal range for December.
Coram Subdistrict--Summary Report
Mean flow at Connetquot Brook near Central Islip was in the excessive range for the
third consecutive month.
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Provisional Data for December 2005
MEAN FLOW FOR SELECTED GAGING STATIONS
Period
of record Flow Percent
Station (to date) (cfs) Exceedence Conditions
01306460 Connetquot Brook nr Central Islip 1978 36.4 7 Excessive
01312000 Hudson River at Newcomb 1925-87,2002 496 14 Excessive
01318500 Hudson River at Hadley 1921 3,870 13 Excessive
01321000 Sacandaga River nr Hope 1911 1,280 25 Normal
01334500 Hoosic River near Eagle Bridge 1910 1,560 16 Excessive
01349150 Canajoharie Creek near Canajoharie 1993 124 19 Excessive
01350000 Schoharie Creek at Prattsville 1902 698 25 Normal
01357500 Mohawk River at Cohoes 1917 9,310 15 Excessive
01371500 Wallkill River at Gardiner 1924 e1,600 32 Normal
01372500 Wappinger Cr nr Wappingers Falls 1928 673 5 Excessive
01387400 Ramapo River at Ramapo 1979 352 16 Excessive
01413500 E Br Delaware River at Margaretville 1937 476 26 Normal
01420500 Beaver Kill at Cooks Falls 1913 645 37 Normal
01423000 W Br Delaware River at Walton 1950 876 30 Normal
01426000 Oquaga Creek at Deposit **1941-73,2002 unavailable
01502500 Unadilla River at Rockdale 1930-95,2001 1,250 31 Normal
01503000 Susquehanna River at Conklin 1912 5,160 23 Excessive
01512500 Chenango River nr Chenango Forks 1912 3,640 20 Excessive
01531000 Chemung River at Chemung 1903 4,190 15 Excessive
03011020 Allegheny River at Salamanca 1903 3,860 29 Normal
04213500 Cattaraugus Creek at Gowanda 1940-98,2000 896 54 Normal
04217000 Tonawanda Creek at Batavia 1944 284 43 Normal
04221000* Genesee River at Wellsville 1916 470 25 Normal
04230500 Oatka Creek at Garbutt 1945 270 35 Normal
04234000 Fall Creek at Ithaca 1925 258 25 Normal
04235250 Flint Creek at Phelps 1960-95,2002 116 31 Normal
04243500 Oneida Creek at Oneida 1950 303 16 Excessive
04250750 Sandy Creek near Adams 1958-95,2002 440 38 Normal
04256000 Independence River at Donnattsburg 1942 298 13 Excessive
04262500 W Br Oswegatchie R nr Harrisville 1916 753 20 Excessive
04270200 Little Salmon River at Bombay 1958-95,2002 e170 24 Excessive
04275500 Ausable River at Au Sable Forks 1910-68,1990 e860 11 Excessive
** Statistics used based on record for 1941-1973 water years
* Includes 04221500-Genesee River at Scio (1916-72)
e Estimate
MONTHLY MEAN DISCHARGE FOR SELECTED STREAMFLOW STATIONS
Provisional Data for December 2005
INDEX OBSERVATION WELLS
The observation-well network generally reflects conditions in water-table sand and gravel aquifers and does
not necessarily reflect conditions in confined and bedrock aquifers. 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 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.
Record Percent
County Well No. begins Date Water Level Exceedence Conditions
Albany A-654 2002 12/29 6.58 1 Excessive
Allegany Ag-261 2002 12/28 5.20 - --
Allegany Ag-262 2002 12/28 -0.28 - --
Broome Bm-128 1980 12/28 22.98 22 Excessive
Broome Bm-129 1985 12/30 68.06 38 Normal
Cattaraugus Ct-121 1951 12/30 6.62 49 Normal
Cayuga Cy-223 2005 12/29 13.13 - --
Chautauqua Cu-10 1939 12/30 22.25 29 Normal
Chemung Cm-622 2002 12/30 22.57 9 Excessive
Chenango Cn-12 1975 12/28 8.53 23 Excessive
Clinton Cl-145 1992 12/31 22.49 27 Normal
Columbia Cb-1071 2004 12/28 9.47 - --
Cortland C-998 2002 12/29 4.63 - --
Delaware D-503 2002 12/31 3.89 - --
Dutchess Du-321 1948 12/31 67.87 4 Excessive
Dutchess Du-1009 1967 12/31 12.46 5 Excessive
Erie E-1196 2004 12/30 11.86 - --
Essex Ex-150 2002 12/31 19.26 - --
Franklin F-60 2005 12/31 2.94 - --
Franklin F-854 2005 12/31 110.44 - --
Fulton Fu-271 2002 12/29 15.84 - --
Genesee Gs-190 2002 12/29 29.10 - --
Greene G-644 2003 12/06 7.09 - --
Hamilton H-3 1966 12/31 12.25 38 Normal
Herkimer He-627 2004 12/29 29.36 - --
Jefferson J-176 2005 12/14 1.65 - --
Lewis L-174 2002 12/14 21.73 - --
Livingston Lv-330 2004 12/29 10.47 - --
Madison M-178 1975 12/30 5.24 6 Excessive
Monroe Mo-11 1984 12/29 8.10 21 Excessive
Montgomery Mt-411 2004 12/29 32.98 - --
Niagara Ni-70 1973 12/30 1.89 9 Excessive
Niagara Ni-869 2003 12/30 -0.20 - --
Oneida Oe-151 1926 12/31 20.17 13 Excessive
Oneida Oe-1457 2003 12/31 43.96 - --
Onondaga Od-1825 2004 12/29 11.40 - --
Onondaga Od-1833 2004 12/29 12.95 - --
Ontario **Ot-900 1955 12/29 8.23 40 Normal
Ontario Ot-1133 2002 12/29 2.63 - --
Orange O-2271 2002 12/31 5.95 - --
Orleans Ol-20 2004 12/30 20.97 - --
Oswego Ow-5013 2002 12/30 21.89 - --
Oswego Ow-5014 2002 12/30 22.27 - --
Otsego Og-23 1953 12/28 5.10 22 Excessive
Putnam P-1217 2005 12/22 13.25 - --
Rensselaer Re-703 1983 12/29 36.72 2 Excessive
Rockland Ro-18 1949 12/31 14.10 10 Excessive
Rockland Ro-543 2005 12/31 5.80 - --
St. Lawrence St-40 1953 12/23 5.57 17 Excessive
St. Lawrence St-404 1958 12/15 13.40 36 Normal
Saratoga Sa-1285 2002 12/23 1.95 - --
Schenectady Sn-730 2004 12/29 5.68 - --
Schoharie So-602 2005 12/08 22.60 - --
Schuyler Sy-706 2003 12/29 5.48 - --
Seneca Se-532 2005 12/29 0.13 - --
Se-533 2005 12/29 -0.76 - --
Steuben Sb-472 1965 12/23 8.31 37 Normal
Suffolk *S1810 1976 12/27 52.75 14 Excessive
Suffolk *S1812 1982 12/19 48.97 6 Excessive
Suffolk *S4271 1946 12/28 12.95 3 Excessive
Suffolk *S5517 1948 12/08 43.30 7 Excessive
Suffolk *S8833 1951 12/31 17.76 4 Excessive
Sullivan Sv-535 2001 12/29 9.06 - --
Tioga Ti-891 2003 12/28 17.16 - --
Tompkins Tm-985 2005 12/29 2.56 - --
Tm-1968 2005 12/29 15.25 - --
Ulster U-1619 2002 12/31 15.75 2 Excessive
U-1620 2005 12/28 26.32 - --
Warren Wr-80 2005 12/13 16.68 - --
Washington W-533 1974 12/13 5.71 16 Excessive
Wayne Wn-592 2004 12/29 8.79 - --
Westchester We-5020 2003 12/22 10.43 - --
Wyoming Wo-4 1974 12/30 12.65 38 Normal
Yates Ya-180 2004 12/29 3.45 - --
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 4,125 3,273 2,867
01323500 Great Sacandaga Lake at Conklinville 31,150 27,350 19,170
04295000 Richelieu River (Lake Champlain) at Rouses Point, NY - Elevation in ft
above sea level
December 31, 2005 97.67 December 31, 2004 96.52
Average (1939-2004) 95.53
Maximum daily 100.02 (1984) Minimum daily 93.25 (1954)
Provisional Data for December 2005#
INDEX STREAMFLOW STATIONS
(Reference period 1971-2000)
## Reference period is 1978-2000
** Excessive
# Note: Flow statistics based on data collected through December 31, 2005.
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.
Statistics for the "Index Streamflow Stations" table are for the 30-year reference period
1971-2000. All other statistics used in report are based on the period of record at the site.
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.
