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Summary of November 2010 Monthly Hydrologic Conditions

Compiled in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Provisional assessment of hydrologic conditions in New Jersey

November 2010

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection lifted the statewide drought watch for all but Monmouth and Ocean Counties on October 26, 2010. The drought watch for Monmouth and Ocean Counties was lifted on November 9, 2010, “Evidence of a return to more normal rainfall, cooler temperatures, and diminished water supply demands led to the decision to rescind the drought watch designation in this region ”.

Precipitation was below normal at all three index stations. Newark reported 1.83 inches, which is 47.2 percent of normal. Atlantic City reported 2.10 inches, which is 64.4 percent of normal. Trenton reported 2.01 inches, which is 60.2 percent of normal. Total precipitation over the past 12 months was: 46.73 inches at Newark, which is 0.48 inches above normal; 48.45 inches at Atlantic City, which is 7.86 inches above normal; and 41.77 inches at Trenton, which is 0.38 inches above normal.

Combined storage in the thirteen major water supply reservoirs as of November 30 was 55.21 billion gallons (68.3 percent of capacity), which is less than the average November contents for the reference period 1961-1990. The storage was -1.223 billion gallons less than one month ago and -11.118 billion gallons less 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, Charlotteburg Reservoir, Echo Lake, Wanaque Reservoir and Spruce Run Reservoir.

Streamflow was below the long-term monthly-mean for the reference period 1971-2000 at all three index stations. The monthly-mean discharge at South Branch Raritan River near High Bridge was 57.1 ft³/s, 46.8 percent of the long-term mean. The monthly-mean discharge of the Great Egg Harbor River at Folsom was 65.1 ft³/s, 84.3 percent of the long-term mean. The monthly mean discharge of the Delaware River at Trenton was 9,643 ft³/s, 87.5 percent of the long-term mean. The observed daily mean discharge of the Delaware River at Trenton on November 30 was 10,300 ft3/s.

Groundwater levels, as measured in water-table observation wells for the month of November, were below normal at the Readington School 11 and Morrell 1 index wells, and above normal at the Vocational School 2 index well. Levels decreased from last month at the Readington School 11 and Vocational School 2 index wells and increased from last month at the Morrell 1 index well. Levels were lower than one year ago at all three index wells.

Water-quality parameters collected from the Delaware River at Trenton were within recorded historical monthly extremes. Water temperature ranged from 4.5 to 11.2 degrees Celsius. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 11.2 to 13.8 milligrams per liter. Specific conductance ranged from 135 to 204 microsiemens per centimeter at 25°C. The range in water temperature was lower than one year ago, dissolved oxygen was higher, and specific conductance was the same.

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

All of the files listed below are in Portable Document Format (PDF) which can be viewed/printed with the Adobe Acrobat® Reader, freely available for most computer platforms.

• Combined Storage in the 13 Major Water Supply Reservoirs
• Monthly precipitation at three selected sites
• Groundwater levels in selected Water-table observation wells
• Streamflow at selected sites
• Water quality for the Delaware River at Trenton