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Francis T. Schaefer

Publications and source records attributed to Francis T. Schaefer.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Report of the River Master of the Delaware River for the period of December 1, 1980 to November 30, 1981

Water supply conditions at the beginning of the year were marginal in marked contrast to those for the preceeding nine years. Discharge of the Delaware River at Montague, New Jersey, was only 72% of median as compared to 68% in excess of median the previous year. In December, with reservoir storage again declining, further reductions in both diversions and releases were imposed. With consent of all the parties, reductions were effected on December 20 limiting New York City diversions to 560 mgd, New Jersey to 65 mgd, and the required discharge at Montague was targeted at 1550 cfs. To conserve supplies, additional reductions were imposed in January when the Delaware River basin Commission formally declared a drought. New York City 's limitations was set at 520 mgd and that for New Jersey at 62 mgd. Montague flows were targeted between 1100 cfs, depending upon the location of the salt front in the estuary. Water quality of the Delaware River and Estuary was monitored on a continuous basis at eight sites for most of the year and on a monthly basis at ten sites to accurately locate the salt front. Highest concentrations observed at the Benjamin Franklin Bridge site was 133 mg/l (milligram per liter) on February 2. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

Report of the River Master of the Delaware River for the period December 1, 1981, to November 30, 1982

The Amended Decree of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1954 established the position of Delaware River Master to administer provisions of the decree relative to diversions from the Delaware by the City of New York and the State of New Jersey , and releases from reservoirs of the City of New York designed to maintain stipulated rates of flow in the river. Reports to the Court, not less frequently than annually, with copies to the Governors and the Mayor, were stipulated. Water-supply conditions at the beginning of the year were under a status of emergency resulting from drought, which had been declared by the Delaware River Basin Commission. With the filling of the reservoirs, the emergency was lifted April 27. Runoff of Delaware River at Montague, New Jersey, was 19 percent below median during the year as compared to 28 percent below median the previous year. By November, with reservoir storage again declining, reductions in both diversions and releases were imposed. To conserve supplies, reductions were effected on November 13 limiting New York City diversions at 680 mgd and New Jersey to 85 mgd, and the required discharge at Montague was targeted at 1,655 cfs. Water quality of the Delaware River and Estuary was monitored on a continuous basis at six sites for most of the year and on a monthly basis at ten sites to accurately locate the salt front. Highest chloride concentration observed at the Chester, PA, site was 870 mg/l November 4. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

Streamflow measurement network review for hydroelectric power applications in Brazil

This review of selected segments of the stream-gaging network of Brazil was undertaken by the writer in March and April, 1973, pursuant to an agreement between Companhia de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais (CPRM) and Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. (ELETROBRAS) as a part of the cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and CPRM under the auspices of the Ministerio das Minas e Energia (MME) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Its primary purpose is to provide an evaluation of the adequacy of streamflow data on streams which are being considered for or are already being utilized for hydroelectric power sources. Some comments are included pertaining to the general coverage hydrologic network. These comments were generated by the examination of the streamflow data useful for power purposes because all gaging stations form a part of the total network for hydrologic investigations. Present plans are that the entire network will eventually be operated by or under the jurisdiction of the MME through the Departamento National de Aguas e Energia Eletrica (DNAEE). Brazil is a large country, larger than the conterminous United States, and it has been engaged in hydrologic investigations for more than 50 years. The network has been maintained by Federal agencies, State agencies, power companies, and consulting firms and until recently no organizational mechanism existed to coordinate the various activities or to establish uniform standards of data collection, computation, and publication. It is estimated that stage and/or discharge data have been collected at 2,500 or more sites in Brazil. Because there has been no centralized publication system, it has not been possible to locate with assurance all measurement sites or to ascertain precisely the types and quality of the data collected or available. For these reasons the suggestions outlined in this report are expected to be modified on the basis of local need and site information, which may not have been evident at the time of the review. For example, specific suggestions have been made to discontinue some stations which appear superfluous or which essentially duplicate other stations. In other instances additions to the network have been proposed. There may be reasons for the continued operation of a given station which cannot be discerned from the available literature. Also coverage may have been established in an area but the evidence has not yet appeared in print. DEAEE is currently (1973) working diligently to overcome a backlog of data computation and publication. Brazil is currently developing at a rapid rate with electric power demands increasing at a 12% annually, a reflection of the tremendous growth of the economy. With this rate of increase likely to continue for the foreseable future, it goes without saying that hydrologic information needed tomorrow must be collected today.

Open-File Report↗