The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About20051457 Ver 1_USGS streamflow and ground-water conditions in NC through Monday July 23 2012.msg_20120724Strickland, Bev From: John C Weaver Dcweaver @usgs.gov] Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2012 11:13 AM To: Jackson, Donna Cc: Ashley. E.Hatchell @usace. army. miI; brian.cullen @noaa.gov; Brian. Hai nes @ncdenr.gov; david.lane @ncdenr.gov; debra.owen @ncdenr.gov; eric.seymour @noaa.gov; gagalleh @duke - energy.com; garry_grabow @ncsu.edu; george.mathews @noaa.gov; harold.m.brady @ncdenr.gov; jamie.kritzer @ncdenr.gov; jcweaver @usgs.gov; Jeff.Orrock @noaa.gov; jim.prevette @ncdenr.gov; jucilene.hoffmann @ncdenr.gov; Lara.Pagano @noaa.gov; Linwood Peele; Michael .A.Young @saw02.usace. army. miI; michael.moneypenny @noaa.gov; mike.orbon @ncdenr.gov; neelufa.sarwar @ncdenr.gov; Patricia. Tanner @noaa.gov; Peter. Corrigan @noaa.gov; richard.neuherz @noaa.gov; ryan_boyles @ncsu.edu; sarah.young @ncdenr.gov; todd.hamill @noaa.gov; Tom.Fransen @ncdenr.gov; tom.reeder @ncdenr.gov; tony_dorn @nass.usda.gov; Torey_Lawrence @nass.usda.gov; Vernon. Cox @ncagr.gov; Wayne.Munden @ncdenr.gov; woody. yonts @ncdenr.gov; Brian Fuchs; Allison.Wash @va.usda.gov; Kathleen Carroll; Darin Figurskey; Glenn Carrin; Yonts, Woody; wly Subject: USGS streamflow and ground -water conditions in NC through Monday, July 23, 2012 NC Drought advisory group, Inspection of precipitation maps for North Carolina showing rainfall totals during the past week (http:/ /water.weather.gov /precip/ or http : / /www.nc - climate.ncsu.edu /mpe departure) indicate good widespread coverage across the state. While precipitation totals for much of the state are 0.5 inch or higher, amounts higher than 2 inches are noted across most of the central eastern and northeastern Coastal Plain region. Further, totals exceeding 5 inches are scattered across the eastern half of the state, including a large area across Hyde County where totals are indicated in the range of 6 to 8 inches. Areas indicated as having received less than 0.5 inch rainfall during the past week include extreme southern Coastal Plain, part of the upper Yadkin River basin near the Triad region, and other small areas scattered across the western Piedmont and southern mountains. Streamflow conditions are depicted on the real -time streamflow map (http:Hwaterwatch.usgs.gov / ?m= real &r =nc &w= real %2Cmap) in the normal ranges across much of the state, reflective of last week's widespread rainfall coverage. Echoing the higher rainfall totals in the central eastern and northeastern Coastal Plain region, streamflow conditions are depicted in the above normal ranges at many USGS streamgages in this region. Areas of below - normal conditions (including some "less than 10th percentile" conditions) continue to be indicated for parts of the southern Piedmont in the Broad River and lower Yadkin River basin. As of July 22 (Sunday), streamflow conditions indicate 20 percent of sites across North Carolina have percentiles for 7- day average flows falling below the 25th percentile for the calendar date (see graph below). This percentage suggests mixed changes in overall streamflows relative to 14 percent just a week ago. Water levels at the Blue Ridge, Piedmont, and Sand Hills observations wells in the Climate Response Network in North Carolina (http: / /ogw01.er.usgs.gov /crn /StateMaps /NC.html) are depicted in the above - normal range for 1 well in Cherokee County (http: // qroundwaterwatch .usgs.gov /AWLSites. asp ?S = 351121083545002 &ncd =crn), the normal range for 4 wells, below normal for 3 wells, much below - normal for the Marston well in Scotland County (http: // qroundwaterwatch .usgs.gov /AWLSites.asp ?S= 345812079313401 &ncd =crn), and continued record low for the calendar month at the Chapel Hill well in Orange County. A stark contrast is depicted in the water levels for the six Coastal Plain observation wells, again reflective of where the higher rainfall totals were observed. Water levels across the central eastern and northeastern Coastal Plain are depicted in the above - normal range at 2 wells and "record high for the month" for 2 wells. Water levels for the well near Grantham in southwestern Wayne County (http: // qroundwaterwatch .usgs.gov /AWLSites.asp ?S= 351849078163901 &ncd =crn) are depicted in the below - normal range despite the rainfall coverage in the surrounding areas. Water levels for the well at Southport in Brunswick County (http: // qroundwaterwatch .usgs.gov /AWLSites.asp ?S= 335631078003606 &ncd =crn) continue to be in the much below normal range. This well is located in one of the few areas that did not benefit from the widespread rainfall coverage occurring in other parts of the state. Changes made to the USDM depiction for North Carolina in last week's release included a reduction in the D1 coverage across the northeastern Piedmont region as well as some minor DO trimming in the southern mountains. Given the current precipitation patterns during the past week, improvements in the D1 and DO drought classifications appear warranted. For much of the central and eastern Piedmont, the NC group should consider a 1- category improvement. Elsewhere, rainfall totals during the past week for the extreme southern Coastal Plain as well as much of the mountains and western Piedmont region do not appear to have been sufficient to justify the removal of the DO. Therefore, the use of "status quo" in these regions may be appropriate for this week's release. Comments and opinions welcome... Thanks. JCWeaver ****************************** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** J. Curtis Weaver, Hydrologist, PE USGS North Carolina Water Science Center 3916 Sunset Ridge Road Raleigh, NC 27607 Phone: (919) 571 -4043 H Fax: (919) 571 -4041 Mobile: (919) 830 -6235 E -mail address -- jcweaver @usgs.gov Internet address -- http: / /nc.water.usgs.gov/ ****************************** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** -- USDM draft (if available) -- As of Monday evening, draft 3 for this week's version was available with no changes yet indicated for North Carolina. Richard Heim, climatologist with the NOAA National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina, is again the USDM author for this week's release. USDM archive (you can select North Carolina from the drop -down box near the top, a quick way to see the last two USDM releases): http: / /drought.unl.edu /dm /archive.html -- Observed precipitation -- Sources of precipitation totals are available from the following: (1) USGS rainfall totals (sorted by county) for the last 7 days at http : / /waterdata.usgs.gov /nc /nwis /current ?tvpe = precip &group kev= county cd (2) State Climate Office of North Carolina at http : / /www.nc - climate.ncsu.edu /mpe departure/ (3) NOAA NWS's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http: / /water.weather.gov /precip/ OYU T }5 k ( t S E y � S S Y` � 4 E %' ff- » l i1 �,'' E �` pl y USDM archive (you can select North Carolina from the drop -down box near the top, a quick way to see the last two USDM releases): http: / /drought.unl.edu /dm /archive.html -- Observed precipitation -- Sources of precipitation totals are available from the following: (1) USGS rainfall totals (sorted by county) for the last 7 days at http : / /waterdata.usgs.gov /nc /nwis /current ?tvpe = precip &group kev= county cd (2) State Climate Office of North Carolina at http : / /www.nc - climate.ncsu.edu /mpe departure/ (3) NOAA NWS's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http: / /water.weather.gov /precip/ Image shown below pulled from the NOAA NWS's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at http : / /water.weather.gov /precip/ North Carolina: Current 7 —Day Observed Precipitation Valid at 7/23/2012 1200 UTC— Created 7/23/12 23:56 UTC -- Streamflow -- Focusing on current streamflow conditions... Current conditions are depicted as real -time, 7 -day, 14 -day, and 28 -day flows available in the WaterWatch series of maps at: http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/classic/?m=real&r=nc&w=real%2Cmap Current conditions... 4 Tuesday, July 24, 2012 08 :30ET WIM MUSIGS Last week's conditions... Monday, July 16, 2012 23 :30ET i When viewing the USGS WaterWatch streamflow information, you can hover your cursor over a site and a pop -up box Explanation - Percentile classes ....... Lew <10 1 5 -7 r 6 -90 > � ............ - Ali I�ol- ranked[ jl` N� bed ur w Belbwl P trr�al Al y g %'asU) a, ov , mar€ -- normal When viewing the USGS WaterWatch streamflow information, you can hover your cursor over a site and a pop -up box appears with various pieces of information, including the percentile for the current streamflow AND the current percentage of mean and median for the calendar date. Highlighting current flows (July 24 morning) at some selected gaging stations (obtained from http : / /waterdata.usgs.gov /nc /nwis /current / ?type =flow ): Site number Site name (and County) Flow Jul 10 Current flow (% of) Median Jul 24 02053200 Potecasi Creek near Union (Hertford) -- 7.5 cfs 1,150 cfs 7,2000 16 cfs 02106500 Black River near Tomahawk (Sampson) -- 42 cfs 306 cfs 1420 215 cfs 02085500 Flat River at Bahama (Durham) -- 4.3 cfs 24 cfs 1090 22 cfs 02096960 Haw River near Bynum (Chatham) -- 101 cfs 499 cfs 2330 214 cfs 02115360 Yadkin River at Enon (Yadkin) -- 1,080 cfs 2,510 cfs 1600 1,570 cfs 02152100 First Broad River near Casar (Cleveland) -- 84 cfs 30 cfs 600 50 cfs 03451500 French Broad River at Asheville (Buncombe) -- 748 cfs 1,270 cfs 980 1,300 cfs 03550000 Valley River at Tomotla (Cherokee) -- 83 cfs 74 cfs 760 98 cfs Focusing on the 7-day average flows... Visit the WaterWatch pages at http: / /waterwatch.usgs.gov /classic / ?r =nc to get the most recent data for sites of interest. Durations plots for selected individual USGS stations can be accessed at http: / /nc.water.usgs.gov /drought /duration.html The OVERALL 7 -day average flows by HUC map (http:Hwaterwatch.usgs.gov /classic / ?m= pa07d &r= nc &w =pa07d nwc %2Cmap) are depicted in the image below: Monday, July 23, 2012 I, SGS 6 To help provide more detail by major basin, the BELOW NORMAL 7 -day average flows by HUC map (http: / /waterwatch.usgs.gov /classic /index.php ?map type =drvw &state =nc) are depicted in the image below: Monday, July 23, 2012 As of July 22 (Sunday), the graph of 7 -day flow percentiles shown below indicates 20 percent of sites across North Carolina have percentiles for 7 -day average flows falling below the 25th percentile for the calendar date. And 4 percent of sites across North Carolina are shown as having 7 -day average flows below the 10th percentile or reaching new minimum for calendar date. Compared to July 15 (Sunday), the current values indicate mixed changes in overall streamflow conditions during course of the past week, considering 14% of sites across the state were below the 25th percentile and 4% of sites were below 10th percentile and /or reaching new minimum for the calendar date. Below is a graph developed from the 7 -day average flow summary table available at: http: / /waterwater.usgs.gov/ classic / ?m= pa07d &r= nc &w= paO7d %2Ctable in 1 5 !0 70 S 9 inn N Less than 25th percentile Less than 10th percentile New min forthe clay Percentage of sites in North Carolina with 7 -day indicated percentile range or love IN NN Na Date Another measure of the streamflow conditions is available from maps of median percentiles for 7 -day average flows for the previous 7 -, 14- 30 -, 60 -, and 90 -day periods updated through July 23 (Monday). These maps are intended to provide some kind of "long- term" index of the streamflow conditions (not available through the USGS WaterWatch pages) that is mapped according to the classification scheme for streamflow used by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Map images (via the above URL) showing the median percentiles for 7 -day average flows for previous 7 and 30 days are shown below. http: / /nc. water. usgs .gov /drought/dm- streamflow.html 8 M1 M Previous 7 days Monday, July 2, 2012 i$ Previous 30 days Monday, July 2, 2012 Explanation Unregulated Regulated No - No Drought ( >30 percentile) DO - Abnormally Dry (21 to 30 percentile) D ❑ D1 - Moderate Drought (11 to 20 percentile) D2 - Severe Drought (6 to 10 percentile) r s' D3 - Extreme Drought (3 to 5 percentile) D4 - Exceptional Drought (0 to 2 percentile) n/d - Not determined ❑ 0 The following ArcMap screenshot shows the change in the median percentiles of 7 -day average flows for 7 -day period from last week (with last week's U.S. Drought Monitor in the background). In other words, at a given site, take last week's median percentile and compare it to this week's median percentile. Sites in red indicate a decrease in the median percentile from last week to this week (suggesting a decline in streamflow). Sites in blue indicate an increase in the median percentile from last week to this week (suggesting an improvement decline in streamflow). The size of the circles indicates the general range in percentile increase or decrease (note legend to left of the map). File Edit View Bookmarks Insert Selection Tools Window Help El Layers 0 automated DIVI maps (short string) Ej ❑] �%eeekly change in 7 -day median percen <all othervalues> 10 to 25 percentile increase 25 to 50 percentile decrease Greater than 50 percentile decrease rrr r Display Source I Selection Catalog 1' Drawing - k ❑ W oriel 1G B I U I A Editor " Create N &iv Feature -- Ground Water -- 10 �KQ �., 5 to 10 percentile increase B to,5 percentile increase No percentile change J to,5 percentile decrease 5 to 10 percentile decrease 10 to 25 percentile decrease 25 to 50 percentile decrease Greater than 50 percentile decrease rrr r Display Source I Selection Catalog 1' Drawing - k ❑ W oriel 1G B I U I A Editor " Create N &iv Feature -- Ground Water -- 10 �KQ �., Please visit the North Carolina Real -Time Network page at http: / /groundwaterwatch. usqs. gov /StateMapsNet.asp ?ncd= rtn &sc =37 (map shown below) for more information on ground -water conditions at selected USGS observation wells in North Carolina. Shown below are the hydrographs at four selected wells across North Carolina... real -time page for USGS ground water data in NC is available at http: / /waterdata.usgs.gov /nc /nwis /current ?tvpe =qw (MOUNTAINS) NC -144 at Blantyre in Transylvania County (http: / /waterdata.usgs.gov /nc /nwis /dv / ?site no= 351808082374302 &agency cd =USGS &referred module =sw) 11 New <f 1024 . ..................................... ................................ X25 7 75 9 >0 New ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . ............ Not Low Mich Below Below -- Normal Above hrluoh Above' High Ranked Normal Normal Normal Normal Shown below are the hydrographs at four selected wells across North Carolina... real -time page for USGS ground water data in NC is available at http: / /waterdata.usgs.gov /nc /nwis /current ?tvpe =qw (MOUNTAINS) NC -144 at Blantyre in Transylvania County (http: / /waterdata.usgs.gov /nc /nwis /dv / ?site no= 351808082374302 &agency cd =USGS &referred module =sw) 11 12 USES 351 080823 '430 TR-065 (NC-144) AT BLANTYRE, NC (REGOLITH) 28.00 - 2119.00 41 CU Q. 28.50 - 2118.50 29.00 4J 2118.00 0 z 29.50 2117.50 0 5 Q.- .0 (U L 30.00 m L 2117.00 CU (U 4J D 30.50 2116.50 L CU 4J m 4J 31.00 2116.00 C CL 1 31.50 1 L 0 Jun Jul Jul Jul 30 07 14 21 2012 2012 2012 2012 ---- Provisional Data Subject to Revision ---- 12 (WESTERN PIEDMONT) NC -193, Piedmont RS near Barber in Rowan County (http: / /waterdata .usgs.gov /nc /nwis /dv / ?dd cd =01 72019 00003 &format =imq default &site no= 354057080362601 &set to qscale v =0 &begin date = 20070319) 13 USES 351 0808237430 TR -065 (SIC -144) AT BLANTYRE, HC (RE OLITH a 27.9 212919 m Q Q. .0 28.0 2119.9 4 4 2919 2118.9 S d Duo 39.9 2117.9 z Q0 31.9 2118.9 0 32.9 211519 } 33.0 2114.9 L C6 Q cu G 34.0 211319 M J H C � a 35.0 L Sep Now Jan Mar May Jul 2911 2911 2912 2912 2912 2912 — Daily nean depth to water level Period of provisional data Period of approved data (WESTERN PIEDMONT) NC -193, Piedmont RS near Barber in Rowan County (http: / /waterdata .usgs.gov /nc /nwis /dv / ?dd cd =01 72019 00003 &format =imq default &site no= 354057080362601 &set to qscale v =0 &begin date = 20070319) 13 14 USES 354057080362801 FAO -149 (NC-193) PIEDMONT FMS 1 NR BARBER ( E OLITH) 4J +�0 7.80 670.20 � o � 8.ee 670.00 4J d z 8.20 669.80 (U , m L (U 8.40 669.60 CU A Qy L O *' 8.60 669.40 Gi s L C � C CL G] d O 8.80 669.20 L 0 Jun Jul Jul Jul 30 07 14 21 2012 2012 2012 2012 - - -- Provisional Data Subject to Revision - - -- 14 (EASTERN l T) Local number WK -284, NCDENR Lake Wheeler Research Station at Raleigh in Wake County (http: // groundwaterwatch .usgs.gov /AWLSites.asp ?S= 354404078403101 &ncd =rtn) USES 354057080362801 FAO -149 (NC-193) PIEDMONT FMS 1 NR BARBER ( E OLITH) a 672 +9 1 6 +9 0LITHWELL) 0 ICU 26 +99 Q Q. .0 6.5 671 +5 4J 348 +19 26 +95 7 +9 671 +9 G 348 +95 °} } L) z ' C 7 +5 679 +5 L 4 348 +99 Z M -0 8 +9 679 +9 C 27 +95 (} �} L 8 +5 669 +5 +. 347 +95 Ly L y L C6 Gi Q +} ° 9 +9 347 +9$ 669 +9 s 27 +15 J r-I r H 347 +85 � 0 9 +5 668 +5 Sep Now Jan Mar May Jul +} +4 CL7 +29 2911 2911 2912 2912 2912 2912 — Daily nean depth to water level Period of provisional data CL c Period of approved data (EASTERN l T) Local number WK -284, NCDENR Lake Wheeler Research Station at Raleigh in Wake County (http: // groundwaterwatch .usgs.gov /AWLSites.asp ?S= 354404078403101 &ncd =rtn) 15 USES 3 544040 78403101 WK -284 LAK E' HEELER RS MW-3 S (RE G 0LITHWELL) 348 +15 26 +99 m ^i 348 +19 26 +95 y GF 348 +95 °} 27 +99 a 348 +99 Z 27 +95 0 DO 347 +95 Ly L y 27 +19 M 347 +9$ } +0 27 +15 r-I 347 +85 � 27 +} +4 +29 347 +89 CL c 27 +25 O 347 +75 L �^ Jun Jul Jul Jul 3$ $7 14 21 2912 2912 2912 2912 - - -- Provisional Data Subject to Revision - - -- 15 UPS 3 544040 78403101 WK -284 LAK E' HEELER RS MW-3 S (RE G 0LITH'W at) �y �y�y 26 +99 +} �y �y�y 349 +99 y 26 +59 348 +59 --I 27 +99 348 +99 �} L C 2ry �y 7.59 347.59 a 28.99 347.99 C6 Gi G: a= G M >- 28,5$ N Sep Now Jan Mar Nay Jul r- 0 2911 2911 2912 2912 2912 2912 0 ca — Daily naxinun depth to water level Daily nininun depth to water level --Daily nean depth to water level Period of approved data Period of provisional data Lowest recorded water level prior to MY2911 (27.89 ft Dec 12, 2998) (COASTAL PLAIN) NC -160 near Simpson in Pitt County ( http:/ /waterdata.usgs.gov /nc /nwis /dv/ ?site no= 353219077153801 &agency cd =USGS &referred module =sw) 16 17 USES 353219077153801 PI-532 (NC-160) NR IMP ON, NC (SURFICIAL,) 2.0 54.0 .0 'U CU Q. 2.5 53.5 3.0 53.0 z 3.5 (U 52.5 (U L 4•0 m L CU (U 52.0 4.5 L O 51.5 CU -P 5.0 m CL C 0 51.0 0 5.5 L 0 Jun Jul Jul Jul 30 07 14 21 2012 2012 2012 2012 ---- Provisional Data Subject to Revision ---- 17 18 USGS 353 19077153801 PI -532 (NC-160) NR SIMPSON, N URFI IAL) O 4ti 1.O 55.0 Q- 0 2.0 54 *O S o% 3.0 #$ 52.0 41 0 5.0 51.0 �- #0ilti! CU } �} r - 7.0 49.0 rl L C6 Q 8 +0 Gi 48.0 s N 9.0 0 o Sep Now Jan Mar May Jul 0 2911 2911 2912 2912 2912 2912 0 — Daily nean depth to water level Period of approved data Period of provisional data — Lowest recorded water level prior to MY2011 (8.97 ft Oct 23,24, 2007) 18