Geology topics

Travis L. Smith

Publications and source records attributed to Travis L. Smith.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2025

Flood of July 2023 in Vermont

A major storm caused catastrophic flooding in many parts of Vermont on July 9–12, 2023, resulting in millions of dollars in damages. The high amount of rainfall caused several rivers to peak at record levels, in some cases exceeding records set during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, collected and analyzed data that characterized the flood in Vermont. The data collected included peak water-surface elevations, taken from high-water marks at bridges, dams, and roads, and peak streamflow and annual exceedance probabilities (AEPs) at streamgages, lake gages, and selected ungaged locations. At 11 of the 80 streamgages with 12 to 94 years of record, the July 2023 peak streamflow was the peak of record. Ten streamgages recorded a peak streamflow with an AEP of less than or equal to 1 percent (greater than or equal to a 100-year recurrence interval). The July 2023 flood affected many of the same communities as the historical flood caused by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Twenty of the 45 continuous-recording streamgages running during both events recorded greater peak streamflows during the July 2023 flood than during Tropical Storm Irene in 2011. Four of the 11 U.S. Geological Survey streamgages with period-of-record maximum peak streamflows observed during the July 2023 flood had previously recorded their maximum period-of-record peak streamflows during Tropical Storm Irene. There were 17 rivers in Vermont that were surveyed for high-water marks during both Tropical Storm Irene and the July 2023 flood. On those 17 rivers, a total of 103 sites contained surveyed high-water marks for both events. Thirty-two of these sites had higher surveyed elevations for the July 2023 flood than Tropical Storm Irene, including Black River in Newport, Black River in Springfield, Jewell Brook, Middlebury River, Missisquoi River, Ottauquechee River, Otter Creek, Wells River, Whetstone Brook, and Winooski River. Peak water-surface elevations were not collected on the Lamoille River in 2011. Federal Emergency Management Agency flood insurance studies were evaluated in the context of the July 2023 flood. Peak streamflows at streamgages and nearby locations were assessed to determine the influence of the July 2023 flood on the AEPs used in past studies. Overall, 21 of 26 streamflow-computation locations in the flood insurance studies had more than a 10 percent difference in the 1-percent AEP streamflow. A hydraulic evaluation of surveyed water-surface elevations following the July 2023 flood was compared with the AEP profiles from past studies. Four of the 10 streamgages analyzed had poor alignment between the AEPs of the observed streamflows and the AEPs of the observed peak water-surface elevations as computed from flood insurance studies.

Vermont↗

USGS2024

Evaluation of the lakes and impoundments drought index for the Massachusetts Drought Management Plan

The condition of surface water storage in lakes and impoundments is used as an index of drought in the Massachusetts drought management plan. The U.S. Geological Survey visited 28 of these lakes and impoundments at 14 single and multiple waterbody systems to evaluate their appropriateness for characterizing drought. The data collection and computation methods at each system were then reviewed and checked for consistency. The types of historical monthly data available varied by system and included water surface elevation, depth of water below the spillway, volume, or reservoir capacity (percent full). For this analysis, water surface elevations and reservoir capacities were converted to volumes to assess the interannual variability in lake volumes. As a second level of assessment, analysis was also done on water surface elevation variability. Systems that did not have enough differentiation in monthly values between lake volume or water surface elevations to clearly demarcate drought levels were identified as unsuitable for use in the drought index for that month. This report discusses the limitations of using the reviewed lakes and impoundments as a drought index, as well as a list of best practices for data collection techniques to improve the confidence and reliability of the data collected.

Massachusetts↗

USGS2024

Flood of October 31 to November 3, 2019, in the East Canada Creek, West Canada Creek, and Sacandaga River basins in central New York

Between October 31 and November 3, 2019, historic flooding in localized areas of the Mohawk Valley and southern Adirondack region in central New York State resulted in one fatality and an estimated $33 million in damages. Flooding resulted from high-intensity, hyperlocal rainfall in the region within a 24-hour period between October 31 and November 1, 2019, at the end of a much wetter than average October. In that 24-hour period, rainfall amounts largely ranged from 2 to 5 inches in the most heavily affected parts of the region, but a maximum rainfall amount for the region of 7 inches was recorded in Speculator, New York. This rainfall total for a 24-hour period for this location is estimated to have between a 200- and 500-year recurrence interval. The most severe flooding to result from the rainfall was mainly in the Sacandaga River basin, which is within the upper Hudson River basin, and in the East and West Canada Creek basins, which are within the Mohawk River basin. Streamflow, stage, and reservoir elevation data, collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, are documented in this report. Flooding resulted in new peak streamflow records at five of six U.S. Geological Survey streamgages in the region that have periods of record of at least 20 years, including at three streamgages that have been in operation for about 100 years. At the sixth streamgage, this flooding resulted in the second highest peak streamflow in its 71-year period of record. For all six streamgages, estimates of flood magnitudes for selected annual exceedance probabilities were updated using the peak streamflows from the flooding. Additionally, the annual exceedance probabilities for the six respective peak streamflows were all estimated to be less than 1 percent (greater than a 100-year recurrence interval). At three of those six streamgages, however, previous annual peak streamflows of comparable magnitudes (within 10 percent) have also happened within the past 20 years.

New York↗

USGS2024

Flood of October 31 to November 3, 2019, East Canada Creek, West Canada Creek, and Sacandaga River Basins

Between October 31 and November 3, 2019, historic flooding in parts of the Mohawk Valley and southern Adirondack region resulted in one fatality, an estimated $33 million in damages, and the declaration of a state of emergency for 13 New York counties. Flooding resulted from high-intensity rainfall within a 24-hour period between October 31 and November 1, 2019, at the end of an October that had much higher rainfall than normal. In that 24-hour period, rainfall amounts in the most heavily affected parts of the region largely ranged from about 2 to 5 inches, but a maximum rainfall amount of 7.00 inches was recorded in Speculator, NY in Hamilton County. In this location, a rainfall of 7.00 inches in a 24-hour period is estimated to have between a 200- and 500-year recurrence interval or between a 0.5- and 0.2-percent chance of happening or being exceeded in any given year. The most severe flooding from October 31 to November 3, 2019, was mainly in the East and West Canada Creek basins, which are within the Mohawk River basin, and the Sacandaga River basin, which is within the upper Hudson River basin. Flooding resulted in new peak streamflow records at eight of nine selected U.S. Geological Survey streamgages from the region, including at three streamgages that have been in operation for about 100 years. At East Canada Creek at East Creek, NY (01348000), flooding resulted in the second highest peak streamflow in its 71-year period of record. National Weather Service major flood stages were exceeded at the three streamgages in the region where National Weather Service flood stages have been established and were exceeded at Hinckley Reservoir at Hinckley, NY (01343600). Hinckley Reservoir has a drainage area of 372 square miles and regulates West Canada Creek streamflow about 31 miles upstream of West Canada Creek at Kast Bridge (01346000) and 3 miles downstream of West Canada Creek near Wilmurt, NY (01343060). In West Canada Creek, downstream of Hinckley Reservoir, a distinct double peak of streamflow happened during the 2019 flood and was recorded at West Canada Creek at Kast Bridge, NY (01346000). A similar, but less distinct, double peak was recorded at Mohawk River near Little Falls, NY (01347000), which is located 14.8 miles downstream of West Canada Creek at Kast Bridge, NY (01346000). The first peak of the double peak was likely caused by inflows to West Canada Creek from unregulated tributaries downstream of Hinckley Reservoir, such as Cincinnati Creek, which drains a relatively large area of 48.5 square miles in the northwest corner of the West Canada Creek watershed. Cincinnati Creek was ungaged at the time, but in response to the flood, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New York State Canal Corporation, installed a gage at Cincinnati Creek at Barneveld, NY (01344795) that has been in operation since November 2022. The second peak of the double peak, which happened about a day after the first peak, likely resulted from regulated streamflow that passed through Hinckley Reservoir. At the other streamgages upstream of Hinckley Reservoir, single peak streamflows were recorded during the flood. More details on the nature of the flood of October 31 to November 3, 2019, including the historic context of the flood, and the results from flood-frequency analysis of six selected streamgages in the Mohawk Valley and southern Adirondack region, are discussed in Graziano and others (2024).

New York↗

USGS2014

Floods of 2011 in New York

Record rainfall combined with above-average temperatures and substantial spring snowmelt resulted in record flooding throughout New York during 2011. Rainfall totals in eastern New York were the greatest since 1895 and as much as 60 percent above the long-term average within the Catskill Mountains area and the Susquehanna River Basin. This report documents the three largest storms and resultant flooding during the year: (1) spring storm during April and May, (2) Tropical Storm Irene during August, and (3) remnants of Tropical Storm Lee during September. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the cost of these three storms exceeded $1 billion in Federal disaster assistance. A warm and wet spring in northern New York resulted in record flooding at 21 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) active streamgages during late April to early May with the annual exceedance probabilities (AEPs) of 11 peak discharges equaling or exceeding 1 percent. Nearly 5 inches of rain during late April combined with a rapidly melting snowpack caused widespread flooding throughout northern New York, resulting in many road closures, millions of dollars in damages, and 23 counties declared disaster areas and eligible for public assistance. On May 6, Lake Champlain recorded its highest lake level in over 140 years. Hurricane Irene entered New York State on August 28 as a tropical storm and traveled up the eastern corridor of the State, leaving a path of destruction and damage never seen in many parts of New York. Thirty-one counties in New York were declared disaster areas with damages of over $1.3 billion dollars and 10 reported deaths. Storm rainfall exceeded 18 inches in the Catskill Mountains area of southeastern New York with many other areas of eastern New York receiving over 7 inches. Catastrophic flooding resulted from the extreme rainfall in many locations, including Schoharie Creek and its tributaries, the eastern Delaware River Basin, the Ausable and Bouquet River Basins in northeastern New York, and several other stream basins throughout southeastern New York. Downstream reaches of the Mohawk River also had substantial flooding. Sixty-two USGS streamgages throughout eastern New York documented record high stream flows and elevations with AEPs of 25 peak discharges equaling or exceeding 1 percent. The USGS streamgage for the Schoharie Creek at Prattsville recorded its greatest peak discharge in 109 years of record at 120,000 cubic feet per second (greater than the 0.2-percent AEP discharge) on August 28. The peak water-surface elevation at the streamgage in Prattsville was 5 feet higher than its previous record in 1996. USGS personnel surveyed 184 high-water marks (HWMs) at 30 locations along an 84-mile reach of Schoharie Creek and compared the elevations to those published by FEMA for the 10-, 2-, 1-, and 0.2-percent AEP floods. Elevations in the lower reaches of the basin exceeded published elevations for the 0.2-percent AEP flood. Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee brought a third major storm to New York in September 2011. Moisture from Lee began moving into New York on September 7 and intensified over the already saturated Susquehanna River Basin. Most of the rain fell on September 8 with storm totals nearing 13 inches in some areas (12.73 inches at Apalachin in Tioga County). Major disaster declarations were issued for 15 counties in and around central New York, making them eligible for individual or public assistance. Ten USGS streamgages within the Susquehanna River Basin documented record-high stream discharges and elevations on September 8, and all were greater than the 1-percent AEP discharge. USGS personnel surveyed 20 HWMs at 18 locations along a 114- mile reach of the Susquehanna River and compared the elevations to those published by FEMA for the 10-, 2-, 1-, and 0.2-percent AEP floods. Several of the surveyed HWMs exceeded published elevations for the 0.2-percent AEP flood.

New York↗