Return to Normal Streamflows and Water Levels: Summary of Hydrologic Conditions in Georgia, 2013 The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) emphasize the need for accurate, timely data Water Resources Internet Tools South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC) to help Federal, State, and local officials make Georgia office, in cooperation with local, informed decisions regarding the management Historically, hydrologic data collected State, and other Federal agencies, maintains and conservation of Georgia’s water resources by the USGS were compiled into annual data a long-term hydrologic monitoring network for agricultural, recreational, ecological, and reports; however, this method of publication of more than 340 real-time continuous-record water-supply needs and for use in protecting has been discontinued. Current and historical streamflow-gaging stations (streamgages), life and property. data are now available through the National including 10 real-time lake-level monitoring Drought conditions, persistent in the area Water Information System Web interface, or stations, 67 real-time surface-water-quality since 2010, continued into the 2013 WY. In NWISWeb, at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/ monitors, and several water-quality sampling February 2013, Georgia was free of extreme (U.S. Geological Survey, 2013a). programs. Additionally, the SAWSC Georgia (D3) drought conditions, as defined by the The USGS has several water resources office operates more than 180 groundwater U.S. Drought Monitor, for the first time Internet tools designed to provide users with monitoring wells, 39 of which are real-time. The since August 2010 due to extended periods current streamflow and groundwater data, wide-ranging coverage of streamflow, reservoir, of heavy rainfall (U.S. Drought Monitor, flood inundation maps, stream statistics, and and groundwater monitoring sites allows for a 2013). According to the Office of the State water-quality information (U.S. Geological comprehensive view of hydrologic conditions Climatologist, the city of Savannah recorded Survey, 2013b). Two of these Internet tools are across the State. One of the many benefits of 9.75 inches of rain in February 2013, the highest WaterNow and WaterAlert. WaterNow, avail- this monitoring network is that the analyses of monthly total in February out of 143 years of able at http://water.usgs.gov/waternow/, allows the data provide a spatially distributed overview record. Macon and Columbus also received users to request current data for a USGS site by of the hydrologic conditions of creeks, rivers, record rainfalls in February 2013. Above- using a mobile phone through text messaging reservoirs, and aquifers in Georgia. normal precipitation continued in June 2013, or by email. WaterAlert, available at http:// Streamflow and groundwater data and the cities of Augusta and Savannah recorded water.usgs.gov/wateralert/, will notify a user are verified throughout the year by USGS the wettest June on record. In July, precipitation by text message or email when a user-defined hydro graphers. Hydrologic conditions are for the entire State of Georgia was 3.53 inches threshold is exceeded at a real-time USGS site. determined by comparing the results of above normal (Dunkley, 2013). Above-normal statistical analyses of the data collected rainfall from February to September 2013 Selected USGS Water Resources Internet Tools during the current water year1 (WY) to increased streamflow and raised groundwater historical data collected over the period of levels, and lakes and reservoirs were raised USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) record. Changing hydrologic conditions to full-pool elevations. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis Quarterly Hydrologic Conditions in Georgia for 2013 WY, Based on Drainage Basin Runoff A. 10/01/12–12/31/12 B. 01/01/13–03/31/13 C. 04/01/13–06/30/13 D. 07/01/13–09/30/13 sample GEORGIA Augusta Macon Columbus Savannah USGS WaterNow http://water.usgs.gov/waternow/ These maps represent hydrologic conditions during the 2013 WY EXPLANATION compared to available historical data. Runoff, or flow per unit area, is Percentile classes a goodFigure indicator 1 of precipitation and streamflow conditions for a given Highest basin (Langbein and Iseri, 1960). Runoff was calculated for each basin Much above normal, >90 and is presented uniformly over the entire basin area. Only streamflow Above normal, 76 to 90 stations with a complete daily-flow dataset for the 2013 WY were used Normal, 25 to 75 USGS WaterAlert (U.S. Geological Survey, 2013c). For the first quarter of the 2013 WY Below normal, 10 to 24 http://water.usgs.gov/wateralert/ (October–December 2012, fig. 2A), the majority of the State was Much below normal <10 observing “below normal” (10 to 24 percentile class), “much below Lowest normal” (less than 10 percentile class), and “lowest” runoff conditions. FRM: [email protected] During the second quarter of the 2013 WY (January –March 2013, fig. 2B ), the majority of the State MSG: 144 cfs Streamflow, 2013-11-10 9:42:00 Scioto River below O’Shaughnessy Dam nr received above-normal precipitation, and runoff conditions returned to normal (25 to 75 percentile Dublin, OH h p://water.usgs.gov/bns? YUhd6:03221000 class) for the majority of the State. During the fourth quarter (July– September 2013, fig. 2D ), runoff (From U.S. conditions in the majority of the State were “above normal” (76 to 90 percentile class), “much Geological above normal” (greater than 90 percentile class), and “highest” on record. Survey, 2013b) U.S. Department of the Interior Fact Sheet 2015 –3024 U.S. Geological Survey March 2015 Figure 2. Daily Discharge and 7-Day Average Streamflow Conditions, 2013 Water Year CUMBERLAND PLATEAU 02398000 Chattooga River R BLUE EXPLANATION 02337000 Sweetwater Creek a g RIDGE SOUTH Chattooga River at Summerville, Ga. 02398000 at Summerville, Georgia o Sweetwater Creek near Austell, Ga. 02337000 o t [Map] near Austell, Georgia t CAROLINA a h 10,000 The Chattooga River flows 10,000 C 02398000 River basin boundary Sweetwater Creek is a major tribu- VALLEY Physiographic boundary tary of the Chattahoochee River from the northwestern corner AND Coosa– 02213000 1,000 of Georgia, in the Blue Ridge RIDGE Tallapoosa– Streamgage and number in the Piedmont Physio graphic Weiss Tennessee Physiographic Province, into Lake Sweetwater Provi nce (U.S. Geological Survey, 1,000 reek C PIEDMONT Savannah–Ogeechee 1975). For the first half of the 2013 WY, 100 Alabama where it flows into Sa Atlanta va 02337000 n n 7-day average streamflow conditions Weiss Lake (U.S. Geological Jackson a h r Lake e R were “below normal” to “much 10 Survey, 1975). For the majority v i i v e 100 R GEORGIA r below normal,” and record low 7-day in cubic feet per second of the 2013 WY, 7-day average in cubic feet per second 7-day average discharge, Ocmulgee–Altamaha 7-day average discharge, streamflow conditions were O average streamflows were observed 1 40 c 02213000 Oconee– o n in November and December. “normal” to “much above e e O 100,000 100,000 ge ec Steady precipitation in the area, normal.” Daily discharge for h e e R R starting in December, brought in 10,000 most of the 2013 WY was in the 10,000 iv e i e r v e O e much needed rainfall, and the 7-day “maximum” range. New record c r h m c COASTAL PLAIN o u 1,000 1,000 l average streamflows fluctuated high daily discharges were o g Altam h e r ah a e a t e v mostly between “normal” and observed in January, April, t Ri Ri a ve 100 100 h r “much above normal” for the rest May, June, and July. C n a e Satilla–Suwannee– c Daily discharge, Daily discharge, of the 2013 WY. New minimum daily 10 O 10 r St Marys–Ochlockonee Chattahoochee–Flinte c v i i t mean discharges were observed in in cubic feet per second in cubic feet per second R t n e a n e l 1 ALABAMA i t October, November, and December, 1 l h c A F o r OND JFMAMJJAS OND JFMAMJJAS o e c v followed by streamflows in the la i 2012 2013 h R 2012 2013 FLORIDA t i 02318500 “median” and “maximum” ranges W N for the remainder of the 2013 WY. 02213000 Ocmulgee River 02318500 Withlacoochee River Ocmulgee River at Macon, Ga. 02213000 EXPLANATION Withlacoochee River at US 84 near Quitman, Ga. 02318500 at Macon, Georgia [Graphs] at US 84, near Quitman, Georgia 50,000 50,000 The Ocmulgee River flows 7-Day Average Discharge The Withlacoochee River flows out of Jackson Lake and joins Hydrographs show the 7-day average discharge for 2013 as compared to in the Suwannee River Basin 10,000 the Oconee River to form the 10,000 historical 7-day averages. Data are categorized in percentile ranges from in the southern coastal plain of Altamaha River in the Coastal “much above normal” (greater than the 90th percentile)EXPLANATION to “much below Georgia (U.S. Geological Survey, 1,000 Plain Physiographic Province in normal” (less than the 10th percentile) (U.S. Geological[Graphs] Survey, 2013c). 1975). For much of the 2013 WY, 1,000 central Georgia (U.S. Geological Historical 7-day average discharge— 7-day average streamflow 100 Survey, 1975). At the start of Percentile in parentheses conditions were “normal” to the 2013 WY, streamflows were Much above normal (≥90) “much above normal,” and in cubic feet per second 7-day average discharge, 10 in cubic feet per second approaching a new record low. 7-day average discharge, 100 AboveEXPLANATION normal (76 to 89) record-high 7-day average 5 Normal (25 to 75) Starting in December 2012, [Graphs] streamflows were observed 100,000 Below normal (11 to 24) 100,000 daily discharge increased Historical 7-day average discharge— during March, July, and August.