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At least 1,225 records · Page 68Linked to original sources

Coliform contamination of a coastal embayment: Sources and transport pathways

Fecal bacterial contamination of nearshore waters has direct economic impacts to coastal communities through the loss of shellfisheries and restrictions of recreational uses. We conducted seasonal measurements of fecal coliform (FC) sources and transport pathways contributing to FC contamination of Buttermilk Bay, a shallow embayment adjacent to Buzzards Bay, MA. Typical of most coastal embayments, there were no direct sewage discharges (i.e., outfalls), and fecal bacteria from human, domestic animal, and wildlife pools entered open waters primarily through direct deposition or after transport through surface waters or groundwaters. Direct fecal coliform inputs to bay waters occurred primarily in winter (December-March) from waterfowl, ~33 x 1012 FC yr-1 or ~67% of the total annual loading. Effects of waterfowl inputs on bay FC densities were mitigated by their seasonality, wide distribution across the bay surface, and the apparent limited dispersal from fecal pellets. On-site disposal of sewage by septic systems was the single largest FC source in the watershed-embayment system, 460 x 1012 FC yr-1, but due to attenuation during subsurface transport only a minute fraction, < 0.006 x 1012 FC yr-1, reached bay waters (<0.01% of annual input to bay). Instead, surface water flows, via storm drains and natural streams under both wet- and dry-weather conditions, contributed the major terrestrial input, 12 x 1012 FC yr-1 (24% of annual input), all from animal sources. Since most of the surface water FC inputs were associated with periodic, short-duration rain events with discharge concentrated in nearshore zones, wet-weather flows were found to have a disproportionately high impact on nearshore FC levels. Elution of FC from shoreline deposits of decaying vegetation (wrack) comprised an additional coliform source. Both laboratory and field experiments suggest significant elution of bacteria from wrack, ~3 x 1012 FC yr-1 on a bay-wide basis (6% of annual input), primarily by periodic tidal flooding and possibly by major rain events. Release of coliforms during resuspension of subtidal sediments was estimated to be a minor source in this system (<1.5 x 1012 FC yr-1 or < 3% of annual input), primarily associated with large storm events in the fall and winter. Based upon the relative source strengths and the spatial and temporal patterns of FC input to Buttermilk Bay, it appears that management practices in similar settings should account for migratory waterfowl, but remediation efforts should focus on the redirection of stormwater runoff through the groundwater transport pathway.

Environmental Science & Technology↗

The consequences of landscape change on ecological resources: An assessment of the United States mid-Atlantic region, 1973-1993

Spatially explicit identification of changes in ecological conditions over large areas is key to targeting and prioritizing areas for environmental protection and restoration by managers at watershed, basin, and regional scales. A critical limitation to this point has been the development of methods to conduct such broad-scale assessments. Field-based methods have proven to be too costly and too inconsistent in their application to make estimates of ecological conditions over large areas. New spatial data derived from satellite imagery and other sources, the development of statistical models relating landscape composition and pattern to ecological endpoints, and geographic information systems (GIS) make it possible to evaluate ecological conditions at multiple scales over broad geographic regions. In this study, we demonstrate the application of spatially distributed models for bird habitat quality and nitrogen yield to streams to assess the consequences of landcover change across the mid-Atlantic region between the 1970s and 1990s. Moreover, we present a way to evaluate spatial concordance between models related to different environmental endpoints. Results of this study should help environmental managers in the mid-Atlantic region target those areas in need of conservation and protection.

Ecosystem Health↗

Arroyo channel head evolution in a flash-flood-dominated discontinuous ephemeral stream system

We study whether arroyo channel head retreat in dryland discontinuous ephemeral streams is driven by surface runoff, seepage erosion, mass wasting, or some combination of these hydrogeomorphic processes. We monitored precipitation, overland flow, soil moisture, and headcut migration over several seasonal cycles at two adjacent rangeland channel heads in southern Arizona. Erosion occurred by headward retreat of vertical to overhanging faces, driven dominantly by surface runoff. No evidence exists for erosion caused by shallow-groundwater&ndash;related processes, even though similar theater-headed morphologies are sometimes attributed to seepage erosion by emerging groundwater. At our field site, vertical variation in soil shear strength influenced the persistence of the characteristic theater-head form. The dominant processes of erosion included removal of grains and soil aggregates during even very shallow (1&ndash;3 cm) overland flow events by runoff on vertical to overhanging channel headwalls, plunge-pool erosion during higher-discharge runoff events, immediate postrunoff wet mass wasting, and minor intra-event dry mass wasting on soil tension fractures developing subparallel to the headwall. Multiple stepwise linear regression indicates that the migration rate is most strongly correlated with flow duration and total precipitation and is poorly correlated with peak flow depth or time-integrated flow depth. The studied channel heads migrated upslope with a self-similar morphologic form under a wide range of hydrological conditions, and the most powerful flash floods were not always responsible for the largest changes in landscape form in this environment.

Arizona↗

Cloud water interception in Hawai‘i: Developing capacity to characterize the spatial patterns and effects on water and ecological processes responses in Hawai‘i

Cloud-water interception (CWI) is the process by which fog or cloud water droplets are captured and accumulate on the leaves and branches of plants, some of which drips to the ground. Prior studies in Hawai'i indicate that CWI is highly variable and can contribute substantially to total precipitation. In this study, we monitored CWI and other processes at five mountain field sites on the Islands of Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi to explore how CWI (1) varies with different climate and vegetation characteristics, (2) affects plant water use and growth, and (3) contributes to water resources. Results show that annual CWI varied from 158 to 910 mm, accounting for 3-34% of total water input at individual sites. This large variation was caused by differences in the quantity of cloud water, wind speed, and vegetation structure between sites. We developed a model to predict CWI using both climatic and forest canopy characteristics. On average, the model underestimated annual CWI by 18%, but reproduced the site differences relatively well. Plant water use decreased during periods of fog events mainly because of associated higher humidity. This new CWI model can be used to assess impacts of climate and land cover change on CWI and provide valuable information for resource management in Hawai‘i, which was not previously possible. At one field site, we explored the impacts of fog water on hydrological and ecological processes. Fog effects on native plant growth were indirect, primarily buffering effects of solar radiation. Removal of grass allowed natural regeneration of seedlings but did not alter soil moisture values. A soil data-collection program was initiated to help evaluate the role CWI has in providing moisture for plants, reducing wildfire risk within the fog zone, and contributing to groundwater recharge to aquifers that supply drinking water and groundwater discharge to streams.

Hawaii↗

Effects of Historical Coal Mining and Drainage from Abandoned Mines on Streamflow and Water Quality in Newport and Nanticoke Creeks, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, 1999-2000

This report characterizes the effects of historical mining and abandoned mine drainage (AMD) on streamflow and water quality and evaluates potential strategies for AMD abatement in the 14-square-mile Newport Creek Basin and 7.6-square-mile Nanticoke Creek Basin. Both basins are mostly within the Northern Anthracite Coal Field and drain to the Susquehanna River in central Luzerne County, Pa. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Earth Conservancy, conducted an assessment from April 1999 to September 2000 that included (1) continuous stage measurement at 7 sites; (2) synoptic water-quality and flow sampling at 21 sites on June 2-4, 1999, and at 24 sites on October 7-8, 1999; and (3) periodic measurement of flow and water quality at 26 additional sites not included in the synoptic sampling effort. Stream water and surface runoff from the unmined uplands drain northward to the valley, where most of the water is intercepted and diverted into abandoned underground mines. Water that infiltrates into the mine workings becomes loaded with acidity, metals, and sulfate and later discharges as AMD at topographically low points along lower reaches of Newport Creek, Nanticoke Creek, and their tributaries. Differences among streamflows in unmined and mined areas of the watersheds indicated that (1) intermediate stream reaches within the mined area but upgradient of AMD sites generally were either dry or losing reaches, (2) ground water flowing to AMD sites could cross beneath surface-drainage divides, and (3) AMD discharging to the lower stream reaches restored volumes lost in the upstream reaches. The synoptic data for June and October 1999, along with continuous stage data during the study period, indicated flows during synoptic surveys were comparable to average values. The headwaters upstream of the mined area generally were oxygenated (dissolved oxygen range was 4.7 to 11.0 mg/L [milligrams per liter]), near-neutral (pH range was 5.8 to 7.6), and net alkaline (net alkalinity range was 2.0 to 25.0 mg/L CaCO3), with relatively low concentrations of sulfate (6.40 to 24.0 mg/L) and dissolved metals (less than 500 ug/L [micrograms per liter] of iron, manganese, and aluminum). In contrast, the AMD discharges and downstream waters were characterized by elevated concentrations of sulfate and dissolved metals that exceeded Federal and State regulatory limits. The largest AMD sources were the Susquehanna Number 7 Mine discharge entering Newport Creek near its mouth (flow range was 4.7 to 19 ft3/s [cubic feet per second]), the Truesdale Mine Discharge (Dundee Outfall) entering Nanticoke Creek about 0.5 mile upstream of Loomis Park (flow range was 0.00 to 38 ft3/s), and a mine-pit overflow entering near the midpoint of Newport Creek (flow range was 4.0 to 6.9 ft3/s). The three large discharges were poorly oxygenated (dissolved oxygen concentration range was <0.05 to 6.4 mg/L) and had elevated concentrations of sulfate (range was 710 to 890 mg/L) and low concentrations of dissolved aluminum (less than 25 ug/L), but they had distinctive concentrations of net alkalinity and dissolved iron and manganese. Effluent from the Susquehanna Number 7 Mine was near-neutral (pH range was 5.9 to 6.6) and net alkaline (net alkalinity range was 12.0 to 42.0 mg/L CaCO3) with elevated concentrations of sulfate (718 to 1,170 mg/L), dissolved iron (52,500 to 77,400 ug/L), and manganese (5,200 to 5,300 ug/L). Effluent from the Truesdale Mine also was near-neutral (pH range was 5.9 to 6.3) but had variable net alkalinity (-19.0 to 57.0 mg/L CaCO3) with elevated concentrations of sulfate (571 to 740 mg/L), dissolved iron (30,500 to 43,000 ug/L), and manganese (3,600 to 5,200 ug/L). Effluent from the mine-pit overflow in Newport Creek Basin was acidic (pH range was 4.3 to 5.0; net alkalinity range was -42 to -38 mg/L CaCO3) with elevated concentrations of sulfate (800 to 840 mg/L), iron (13,000 to 16,000 ug/L), and manganese (6,800 to 7,000 ug

Scientific Investigations Report↗

Use of real-time sensors to temporally characterize water quality in groundwater and surface water in Mason County, Illinois, 2017–19

The persistence of high nitrate concentrations in shallow groundwater has been well documented in the shallow glacial aquifer of Mason County, Illinois. Nitrates in groundwater can be a concern when concentrations exceed 10 milligrams per liter in drinking water. Additionally, nitrate in groundwater can contribute to surface water nitrogen loads that can cause increased algal growth. Algal growth increases oxygen consumption causing anoxic conditions as observed in the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxic Zone. From March 8, 2017, to March 31, 2019, groundwater level, continuous nitrate, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, water temperature, and pH data were collected in a monitoring well to temporally assess changes in water quality using high frequency data. During this same period, instantaneous field measurements of water quality and groundwater levels were made in surface water and groundwater in and near Quiver Creek in the presumed groundwater flow path about 0.6 mile from the continuous monitoring well. Groundwater nitrate concentrations continuously measured in the aquifer during this time ranged from 14.7 to 23.2 milligrams per liter, whereas instantaneously measured nitrate concentrations in Quiver Creek ranged from 0.9 to 6.4 milligrams per liter. Nitrate concentrations measured by piezometer varied laterally and vertically in the Quiver Creek floodplain and beneath the stream. Irrigation and fertigation for agriculture is widely practiced in Mason County. This may seasonally affect the groundwater flow and movement as well as the persistence of nitrate in this area. Continuously and instantaneously measured nitrate concentrations and groundwater levels indicate that during the irrigation season, discharge to Quiver Creek from the shallow groundwater system may be limited. During and following periods when estimated irrigation use is highest, the low-nitrate deeper groundwater may be the dominant contributor to the Quiver Creek surface water, whereas during recharge events and when the system is not under the stress of irrigation, there is more contribution from the local and higher-nitrate shallow groundwater.

Illinois↗

Groundwater flux estimation in streams: A thermal equilibrium approach

Stream and groundwater interactions play an essential role in regulating flow, temperature, and water quality for stream ecosystems. Temperature gradients have been used to quantify vertical water movement in the streambed since the 1960s, but advancements in thermal methods are still possible. Seepage runs are a method commonly used to quantify exchange rates through a series of streamflow measurements but can be labor and time intensive. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a thermal equilibrium method as a technique for quantifying groundwater flux using monitored stream water temperature at a single point and readily available hydrological and atmospheric data. Our primary assumption was that stream water temperature at the monitored point was at thermal equilibrium with the combination of all heat transfer processes, including mixing with groundwater. By expanding the monitored stream point into a hypothetical, horizontal one-dimensional thermal modeling domain, we were able to simulate the thermal equilibrium achieved with known atmospheric variables at the point and quantify unknown groundwater flux by calibrating the model to the resulting temperature signature. Stream water temperatures were monitored at single points at nine streams in the Ozark Highland ecoregion and five reaches of the Kiamichi River to estimate groundwater fluxes using the thermal equilibrium method. When validated by comparison with seepage runs performed at the same time and reach, estimates from the two methods agreed with each other with an R 2 of 0.94, a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.08 (m/d) and a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of 0.93. In conclusion, the thermal equilibrium method was a suitable technique for quantifying groundwater flux with minimal cost and simple field installation given that suitable atmospheric and hydrological data were readily available.

Oklahoma↗

Timescales for migration of atmospherically derived sulphate through an alpine/subalpine watershed, Loch Vale, Colorado

Sulphur 35, a cosmogenically produced radioisotope with a short half‐life (87 days), was measured in snowpack during 1993–1997 and at four locations within the Loch Vale watershed during 1995–1997. The four sites include the two main drainages in the watershed, Andrews Creek and Icy Brook, a small south facing catchment flowing into Andrews Creek (Andrews Spring 1), and a similar north facing catchment flowing out of a scree field into Icy Brook (Spring 19). Concentrations ranged from a high of almost 50 mBq/L for a sample from Spring 19 in June 1996 to a concentration near the detection limit for a sample from Andrews Creek in April 1997. Sulphur 35 concentrations were normalized to sulphate (as mBq/mg SO 4 −2 ) and were decay‐corrected to a Julian day of 90 (April 1) for each year. Snowpack had the highest 35 S concentration with an average concentration of 53 mBq/mg SO 4 −2 . Concentrations in the streams were much lower, even when corrected for decay relative to JD 90. The large 35 S concentrations found in Spring 19 were the result of increases in concentration due to sublimation and/or evapotranspiration and were lower than snowpack when normalized to sulphate. Using 35 S concentrations found in snowpack as of JD 90 as a beginning concentration, the fraction of sulphate in streamflow that was derived from atmospheric deposition within the prior water year was estimated. For Icy Brook and Andrews Creek the fraction of the sulphate in streamflow derived from that year's snowpack and precipitation was low prior to the beginning of the main spring melt, reached a maximum during the period of maximum flow, and decreased as the summer progressed. A calculation of the seasonal flux indicated that about 40% of the sulphate that flowed out of the watershed was derived from atmospheric sulphate deposited during the previous year. This suggests that more than half of the sulphate deposited in the watershed by atmospheric processes during the previous year was removed during the following summer. Thus sulphate retention in alpine watersheds like Loch Vale is very limited, and changes in sulphate deposition should be quickly reflected in stream chemistry.

Colorado↗

Using piecewise regression to identify biological phenomena in biotelemetry datasets

1. Technological advances in the field of animal tracking have greatly expanded the potential to remotely monitor animals, opening the door to exploring how animals shift their behavior over time or respond to external stimuli. A wide variety of animal-borne sensors can provide information on an animal’s location, movement characteristics, external environmental conditions, and internal physiological status. 2. Here, we demonstrate how piecewise regression can be used to identify the presence and timing of potential shifts in a variety of biological responses using GPS telemetry and other biologging data streams. Different biological latent states can be inferred by partitioning a time-series into multiple segments based on changes in modeled responses (e.g., their mean, variance, trend, degree of autocorrelation) and specifying a unique model structure for each interval. 3. We provide six example applications highlighting a variety of taxonomic species, data streams, timescales and biological phenomena. These examples include a short-term behavioural response (flee and return) by a trumpeter swan Cygnus buccinator following a GPS collar deployment; remote identification of parturition based on movements by a pregnant moose Alces alces ; a physiological response (spike in heart-rate) in a black bear Ursus americanus to a stressful stimulus(presence of a drone); a mortality event of a trumpeter swan signalled by changes in collar temperature and overall dynamic body acceleration; an unsupervised method for identifying the onset, return, duration and staging use of sandhill crane Antigone canadensis migration; and estimation of the transition between incubation and brood-rearing (i.e. hatching) for a breeding trumpeter swan. 4. We implement analyses using the MCP package in R, which provides functionality for specifying and fitting a wide variety of user-defined model structures in a Bayesian framework and methods for assessing and comparing models using information criteria and cross-validation measures.

Journal of Animal Ecology↗

Operational evapotranspiration mapping using remote sensing and weather datasets: A new parameterization for the SSEB approach

The increasing availability of multi-scale remotely sensed data and global weather datasets is allowing the estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) at multiple scales. We present a simple but robust method that uses remotely sensed thermal data and model-assimilated weather fields to produce ET for the contiguous United States (CONUS) at monthly and seasonal time scales. The method is based on the Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEB) model, which is now parameterized for operational applications, renamed as SSEBop. The innovative aspect of the SSEBop is that it uses predefined boundary conditions that are unique to each pixel for the "hot" and "cold" reference conditions. The SSEBop model was used for computing ET for 12 years (2000-2011) using the MODIS and Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) data streams. SSEBop ET results compared reasonably well with monthly eddy covariance ET data explaining 64% of the observed variability across diverse ecosystems in the CONUS during 2005. Twelve annual ET anomalies (2000-2011) depicted the spatial extent and severity of the commonly known drought years in the CONUS. More research is required to improve the representation of the predefined boundary conditions in complex terrain at small spatial scales. SSEBop model was found to be a promising approach to conduct water use studies in the CONUS, with a similar opportunity in other parts of the world. The approach can also be applied with other thermal sensors such as Landsat.

Journal of the American Water Resources Associatio↗

Semi-quantitative evaluation of fecal contamination potential by human and ruminant sources using multiple lines of evidence

Protocols for microbial source tracking of fecal contamination generally are able to identify when a source of contamination is present, but thus far have been unable to evaluate what portion of fecal-indicator bacteria (FIB) came from various sources. A mathematical approach to estimate relative amounts of FIB, such as Escherichia coli , from various sources based on the concentration and distribution of microbial source tracking markers in feces was developed. The approach was tested using dilute fecal suspensions, then applied as part of an analytical suite to a contaminated headwater stream in the Rocky Mountains (Upper Fountain Creek, Colorado). In one single-source fecal suspension, a source that was not present could not be excluded because of incomplete marker specificity; however, human and ruminant sources were detected whenever they were present. In the mixed-feces suspension (pet and human), the minority contributor (human) was detected at a concentration low enough to preclude human contamination as the dominant source of E. coli to the sample. Without the semi-quantitative approach described, simple detects of human-associated marker in stream samples would have provided inaccurate evidence that human contamination was a major source of E. coli to the stream. In samples from Upper Fountain Creek the pattern of E. coli , general and host-associated microbial source tracking markers, nutrients, and wastewater-associated chemical detections—augmented with local observations and land-use patterns—indicated that, contrary to expectations, birds rather than humans or ruminants were the predominant source of fecal contamination to Upper Fountain Creek. This new approach to E. coli allocation, validated by a controlled study and tested by application in a relatively simple setting, represents a widely applicable step forward in the field of microbial source tracking of fecal contamination.

Water Research↗

Salinity yield modeling of the Upper Colorado River Basin using 30-meter resolution soil maps and random forests

Salinity loading in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) costs local economies upwards of $300 million US dollars annually. Salinity source models have generally included coarse spatial data to represent non‐agriculture sources. We developed new predictive soil property and cover maps at 30 m resolution to improve source representation in salinity modeling. Salinity loading erosion risk indices were also created based on soil properties, remotely sensed bare ground exposure, and topographic factors to examine potential surface soil erosion drivers. These new maps and data from previous SPARROW models were related to recently updated records of salinity at 309 stream gauges in the UCRB using random forest regressions. Resulting salinity yield predictions indicate more diffuse salinity sources, with slightly higher yields in more arid portions of the UCRB, and less overall load coming from irrigated agricultural sources. Model simulations still indicate irrigation to be the major human source of salinity (661,000 Mg, or 12%), but also suggest that 75,000 Mg (1.4%) of annual salinity in the UCRB is coming from areas with excessive exposed bare ground in high elevation mountain areas. Model inputs allow for field scale screening of locations that could be targeted for salinity control projects. Results confirm recent studies indicating limited surface erosional influence on salinity loading in UCRB surface waters, but impacts of monsoonal runoff events are still not fully understood, particularly in drylands. The study highlights the utility of new predictive soil maps and machine learning for environmental modeling.

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming↗

Analysis of the deconstruction of Dyke Marsh, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Virginia-Progression, geologic and manmade causes, and effective restoration scenarios

This report is a synthesis of the latest findings from an ongoing study of Dyke Marsh, an eroding freshwater tidal wetland that is scheduled for federal restoration. Its purpose is to provide an accurate and up-to-date temporal and geological framework for the marsh, of which most is new information (plus a compilation of historical and recent information), that is directly relevant to the restoration effort and also is relevant to short-term and long-term land management decisions regarding this natural resource. Analysis of field evidence, aerial photography, and published maps has revealed an accelerating rate of erosion and marsh loss at Dyke Marsh, which now appears to put at risk the short term survivability of this marsh. The destabilization of Dyke Marsh is outlined here, spanning an approximately 70-year time interval (1940-2010). This freshwater tidal marsh has shifted from a semi-stable net depositional environment (1864-1937) into a strongly erosional one, during a time when it currently is in early-phase planning for comprehensive restoration. The marsh has been deconstructed over the past 70 years by a combination of manmade and natural causes. The marsh initially experienced a strong destabilizing period between 1940 and 1972 by direct dredge mining of the marsh surface. By 1976 the marsh had entered a net destructive phase, where it remains at present. Photoanalysis of time-sequence aerial photographs of Dyke Marsh enabled us to calculate shoreline erosion estimates for this marsh over 19 years (1987-2006), as well as to quantify overall marsh acreage for 6 calendar years spanning an ~70 year interval (1937-2006). Photo overlay of a historic map enabled us to extend our whole-marsh acreage calculations back to 1883. Both sets of analyses were part of a geologic framework study in support of current efforts by the National Park Service (NPS) to restore this urban wetland. Two time intervals were selected for our shoreline erosion analyses, based on image quality and availability: 1987 to 2002, and 2002 to 2006. The more recent time interval shows a marked increase in erosion in the southern part of Dyke Marsh, following a wave-induced breach of a small peninsula that had protected its southern shoreline. Field observations and analyses of annual aerial imagery between 1987 and 2006 revealed a progressive increase in wave-induced erosion that presently is deconstructing Hog Island Gut, the last significant tidal creek network within the Dyke Marsh. These photo analyses documented an overall average westward shoreline loss of 6.0 to 7.8 linear feet per year along the Potomac River during this 19-year time interval. Additionally, photographic evidence documented that lateral erosion now is capturing existing higher order tributaries in the Hog Island Gut. Wave-driven stream piracy is fragmenting the remaining marsh habitat, and therefore its connectivity, relatively rapidly, causing the effective mouth of the Hog Island Gut tidal network to retreat headward visibly over the past several decades. Based on our estimates of total marsh area in the Dyke Marsh derived from 1987 aerial imagery, as much as 12 percent of the central part of the marsh has eroded in the 19 year period we studied (or ~7.5 percent of the original ~78.8 acres of 1987 marshland). Shoreline loss estimates for marsh parcels north and south of our study area have not yet been analyzed, although annual aerial photos from 1987 to 2002 confirm visible progressive shoreline loss in those areas over this same time interval.

Open-File Report↗

Flood of June 1972: Genesee River near Mount Morris, New York

In June 1972, tropical storm Agnes caused severe flooding in Pennsylvania and southern New York. The floods on many major streams were the highest known since the river valleys were sattied. Maximum discharges were as much as twice the discharge of a 50-year flood. In southern New York, large areas in Corning, Bimire, Wallsville, Salamanca, and in many smaller communities were immersed to depths of several feet. Levels of all of the Finger Lakes were higher than any previously recorded, and extensive flooding of lakeside properties resulted. The extent of flooding shown on the map was delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey from serial photography and limited field surveys. The investigation was conducted in cooperation with the State of New York and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

New York↗

Flood of June 1972: Genesee River at Portageville, New York

In June 1972, tropical storm Agnes caused sever flooding in Pennsylvania and southern New York. The flood, on many major streams were the highest known since the river valleys were settled. Maximum discharges were as much as twice the discharge of a 50-year flood. In southern New York, large areas in Corning, Elmire, Wellsville, Salamanca, and in many smaller communities were inundated to depths of several feet. Levels of all of the Finger Lakes were higher than any previously recorded, and extensive flooding of lakeside properties resulted. The extent of flooding shown on the map was delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey from earlier photography and limited field survey. The investigation was conducted in cooperation with the State of New York and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

New York↗

Flood of June 1972: Onondaga Lake and Ley Creek at Syracuse, New York

In June 1972, tropical storm Agnes caused sever flooding in Pennsylvania and southern New York. The flood, on many major streams were the highest known since the river valleys were settled. Maximum discharges were as much as twice the discharge of a 50-year flood. In southern New York, large areas in Corning, Elmire, Wellsville, Salamanca, and in many smaller communities were inundated to depths of several feet. Levels of all of the Finger Lakes were higher than any previously recorded, and extensive flooding of lakeside properties resulted. The extent of flooding shown on the map was delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey from earlier photography and limited field survey. The investigation was conducted in cooperation with the State of New York and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

New York↗

Flood of June 1972: Genesee River at Fillmore, New York

In June 1972, tropical storm Agnes caused sever flooding in Pennsylvania and southern New York. The flood, on many major streams were the highest known since the river valleys were settled. Maximum discharges were as much as twice the discharge of a 50-year flood. In southern New York, large areas in Corning, Elmire, Wellsville, Salamanca, and in many smaller communities were inundated to depths of several feet. Levels of all of the Finger Lakes were higher than any previously recorded, and extensive flooding of lakeside properties resulted. The extent of flooding shown on the map was delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey from earlier photography and limited field survey. The investigation was conducted in cooperation with the State of New York and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

New York↗

Flood of June 1972: Genesee River at Houghton, New York

In June 1972, tropical storm Agnes caused sever flooding in Pennsylvania and southern New York. The flood, on many major streams were the highest known since the river valleys were settled. Maximum discharges were as much as twice the discharge of a 50-year flood. In southern New York, large areas in Corning, Elmire, Wellsville, Salamanca, and in many smaller communities were inundated to depths of several feet. Levels of all of the Finger Lakes were higher than any previously recorded, and extensive flooding of lakeside properties resulted. The extent of flooding shown on the map was delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey from earlier photography and limited field survey. The investigation was conducted in cooperation with the State of New York and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

New York↗