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New York State Flood Investigations

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By New York Water Science Center August 11, 2017

Flooding can be a serious problem in many parts of New York State. Information on floods and analyses of flood data are needed to aid in the design of bridges, culverts, dams, highways, and buildings, and for the prudent management of flood-prone areas. Documentation of floods and a more thorough understanding of flood hydrology and hydraulics will result in more effective management of flood plains and design of structures.

The New York Water Science Center (NYWSC) provides information on the magnitude and frequency of floods to agencies and individuals involved in flood-protection, planning, and design. The NYWSC also develops regional flood-frequency relations for streams in New York to allow flood-frequency determinations at locations without stream gages and conducts local site studies using hydrologic and hydraulic analyses.

 

New York Peak Flow Map

Media
map of New York with orange dots for recorded peak stage and discharge
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
This Interactive Map identifies locations (depicted as orange dots) in New York State where the New York Water ScienceCenter has records of maximum recorded stages and discharges. Many of the locations have flood frequency statistics computed.(Public domain.)

 

Crest-Stage Gage Network

Media
map of New York with green pins designating a network of crest-stage gages
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
Interactive Map In cooperation with the New York State Department of Transportation, the New York Water Science Centermaintains a network of crest-stage gages to improve flood frequency statistics generated at locations across the state.(Public domain.)

Peakfq software for flood frequency analysis

 

 

Below are publications associated with this project.

Maximum known stages and discharges of New York streams and their annual exceedance probabilities through September 2011

Maximum known stages and discharges at 1,400 sites on 796 streams within New York are tabulated. Stage data are reported in feet. Discharges are reported as cubic feet per second and in cubic feet per second per square mile. Drainage areas range from 0.03 to 298,800 square miles; excluding the three sites with larger drainage areas on the St. Lawrence and Niagara Rivers, which drain the...
Authors
Gary R. Wall, Patricia M. Murray, Richard Lumia, Thomas P. Suro
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

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...
Authors
Richard Lumia, Gary D. Firda, Travis L. Smith
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Flood of June 26-29, 2006, Mohawk, Delaware, and Susquehanna River Basins, New York

A stalled frontal system caused tropical moisture to be funneled northward into New York, causing severe flooding in the Mohawk, Delaware, and Susquehanna River basins during June 26-29, 2006. Rainfall totals for this multi-day event ranged from 2 to 3 inches to greater than 13 inches in southern New York. The storm and flooding claimed four lives in New York, destroyed or damaged...
Authors
Thomas P. Suro, Gary D. Firda, Carolyn O. Szabo
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Flood of April 2-3, 2005, Esopus Creek Basin, New York

On April 2-3, 2005, heavy rain moved into southern New York and delivered rainfall amounts that ranged from about 2 in. to almost 6 in. within a 36-hour period. Significant flooding occurred on many small streams and tributaries in the area, and extensive flooding occurred on the Esopus and Roundout Creeks in Ulster and Greene Counties, New York. The flooding damaged many homes, caused...
Authors
Thomas P. Suro, Gary D. Firda
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Magnitude and Frequency of Floods in New York

Techniques are presented for estimating the magnitude and frequency of flood discharges on rural, unregulated streams in New York, excluding Long Island. Peak-discharge-frequency data and basin characteristics from 388 streamflow-gaging stations in New York and adjacent states were used to develop multiple linear regression equations for flood discharges with recurrence intervals ranging...
Authors
Richard Lumia, Douglas A. Freehafer, Martyn J. Smith
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Flood of April 2-3, 2005, Neversink River Basin, New York

Heavy rain on April 2-3, 2005 produced rainfall amounts of 3 inches to almost 6 inches within a 36-hour period throughout the Delaware River basin. Major flooding occurred in the East and West Branches of the Delaware River and their tributaries, the main stem of the Delaware River and the Neversink River, a major tributary to the Delaware River. The resultant flooding damaged hundreds...
Authors
Thomas P. Suro, Gary D. Firda
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Flood of September 18-19, 2004 in the Upper Delaware River Basin, New York

The interaction between the remnants of tropical depression Ivan and a frontal boundary in the upper Delaware River basin on September 18-19, 2004, produced 4 to more than 6 inches of rainfall over a 5-county area within a 24-hour period. Significant flooding occurred on the East Branch Delaware River and its tributaries, and the main stem of the Delaware River. The resultant flooding...
Authors
Lloyd T. Brooks
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Development of a contour map showing generalized skew coefficients of annual peak discharges of rural, unregulated streams in New York, excluding Long Island

Flood-frequency relations that are developed by fitting the logarithms of annual peak discharges to a Pearson Type-III distribution are sensitive to skew coefficients. Estimates of population skew for a site are improved when computed from the weighted average of (1) the sample (station) skew, and (2) an unbiased, generalized skew estimate. A weighting technique based on the number of...
Authors
Richard Lumia, Yvonne H. Baevsky
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center, USGS Science in Long Island Sound and its Watershed

Flood of January 19-20, 1996 in New York State

Heavy rain during January 18-19, 1996, combined with unseasonably warm temperatures that caused rapid snowmelt, resulted in widespread flooding throughout New York State. Damages to highways, bridges, and private property exceeded $100 million. The storm and flooding claimed 10 lives, stranded hundreds of people, destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and businesses, and closed hundreds...
Authors
Richard Lumia

Flood of April 4-5, 1987, in southeastern New York State, with flood profiles of Schoharie Creek

No abstract available.
Authors
T. J. Zembrzuski, M. L. Evans

Flooding of December 29, 1984 through January 2, 1985, in northern New York State, with flood profiles of the Black and Salmon rivers

Precipitation, snowmelt, and resultant flooding throughout northern New York from December 28 through January 2, 1985, were investigated through a detailed analysis of 56 precipitation stations, 101 stage and/or discharge gaging stations, and 9 miscellaneous measurement sites. Flood damage to property and roads and bridges exceeded $5 million. Lewis and Oswego Counties were declared...
Authors
Richard Lumia, P. M. Burke, W. H. Johnston

Below are partners associated with this project.

New York State Department of Transportation

Flooding can be a serious problem in many parts of New York State. Information on floods and analyses of flood data are needed to aid in the design of bridges, culverts, dams, highways, and buildings, and for the prudent management of flood-prone areas. Documentation of floods and a more thorough understanding of flood hydrology and hydraulics will result in more effective management of flood plains and design of structures.

The New York Water Science Center (NYWSC) provides information on the magnitude and frequency of floods to agencies and individuals involved in flood-protection, planning, and design. The NYWSC also develops regional flood-frequency relations for streams in New York to allow flood-frequency determinations at locations without stream gages and conducts local site studies using hydrologic and hydraulic analyses.

 

New York Peak Flow Map

Media
map of New York with orange dots for recorded peak stage and discharge
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
This Interactive Map identifies locations (depicted as orange dots) in New York State where the New York Water ScienceCenter has records of maximum recorded stages and discharges. Many of the locations have flood frequency statistics computed.(Public domain.)

 

Crest-Stage Gage Network

Media
map of New York with green pins designating a network of crest-stage gages
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media Details
Interactive Map In cooperation with the New York State Department of Transportation, the New York Water Science Centermaintains a network of crest-stage gages to improve flood frequency statistics generated at locations across the state.(Public domain.)

Peakfq software for flood frequency analysis

 

 

Below are publications associated with this project.

Maximum known stages and discharges of New York streams and their annual exceedance probabilities through September 2011

Maximum known stages and discharges at 1,400 sites on 796 streams within New York are tabulated. Stage data are reported in feet. Discharges are reported as cubic feet per second and in cubic feet per second per square mile. Drainage areas range from 0.03 to 298,800 square miles; excluding the three sites with larger drainage areas on the St. Lawrence and Niagara Rivers, which drain the...
Authors
Gary R. Wall, Patricia M. Murray, Richard Lumia, Thomas P. Suro
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

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...
Authors
Richard Lumia, Gary D. Firda, Travis L. Smith
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Flood of June 26-29, 2006, Mohawk, Delaware, and Susquehanna River Basins, New York

A stalled frontal system caused tropical moisture to be funneled northward into New York, causing severe flooding in the Mohawk, Delaware, and Susquehanna River basins during June 26-29, 2006. Rainfall totals for this multi-day event ranged from 2 to 3 inches to greater than 13 inches in southern New York. The storm and flooding claimed four lives in New York, destroyed or damaged...
Authors
Thomas P. Suro, Gary D. Firda, Carolyn O. Szabo
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Flood of April 2-3, 2005, Esopus Creek Basin, New York

On April 2-3, 2005, heavy rain moved into southern New York and delivered rainfall amounts that ranged from about 2 in. to almost 6 in. within a 36-hour period. Significant flooding occurred on many small streams and tributaries in the area, and extensive flooding occurred on the Esopus and Roundout Creeks in Ulster and Greene Counties, New York. The flooding damaged many homes, caused...
Authors
Thomas P. Suro, Gary D. Firda
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Magnitude and Frequency of Floods in New York

Techniques are presented for estimating the magnitude and frequency of flood discharges on rural, unregulated streams in New York, excluding Long Island. Peak-discharge-frequency data and basin characteristics from 388 streamflow-gaging stations in New York and adjacent states were used to develop multiple linear regression equations for flood discharges with recurrence intervals ranging...
Authors
Richard Lumia, Douglas A. Freehafer, Martyn J. Smith
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Flood of April 2-3, 2005, Neversink River Basin, New York

Heavy rain on April 2-3, 2005 produced rainfall amounts of 3 inches to almost 6 inches within a 36-hour period throughout the Delaware River basin. Major flooding occurred in the East and West Branches of the Delaware River and their tributaries, the main stem of the Delaware River and the Neversink River, a major tributary to the Delaware River. The resultant flooding damaged hundreds...
Authors
Thomas P. Suro, Gary D. Firda
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Flood of September 18-19, 2004 in the Upper Delaware River Basin, New York

The interaction between the remnants of tropical depression Ivan and a frontal boundary in the upper Delaware River basin on September 18-19, 2004, produced 4 to more than 6 inches of rainfall over a 5-county area within a 24-hour period. Significant flooding occurred on the East Branch Delaware River and its tributaries, and the main stem of the Delaware River. The resultant flooding...
Authors
Lloyd T. Brooks
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center

Development of a contour map showing generalized skew coefficients of annual peak discharges of rural, unregulated streams in New York, excluding Long Island

Flood-frequency relations that are developed by fitting the logarithms of annual peak discharges to a Pearson Type-III distribution are sensitive to skew coefficients. Estimates of population skew for a site are improved when computed from the weighted average of (1) the sample (station) skew, and (2) an unbiased, generalized skew estimate. A weighting technique based on the number of...
Authors
Richard Lumia, Yvonne H. Baevsky
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New York Water Science Center, USGS Science in Long Island Sound and its Watershed

Flood of January 19-20, 1996 in New York State

Heavy rain during January 18-19, 1996, combined with unseasonably warm temperatures that caused rapid snowmelt, resulted in widespread flooding throughout New York State. Damages to highways, bridges, and private property exceeded $100 million. The storm and flooding claimed 10 lives, stranded hundreds of people, destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and businesses, and closed hundreds...
Authors
Richard Lumia

Flood of April 4-5, 1987, in southeastern New York State, with flood profiles of Schoharie Creek

No abstract available.
Authors
T. J. Zembrzuski, M. L. Evans

Flooding of December 29, 1984 through January 2, 1985, in northern New York State, with flood profiles of the Black and Salmon rivers

Precipitation, snowmelt, and resultant flooding throughout northern New York from December 28 through January 2, 1985, were investigated through a detailed analysis of 56 precipitation stations, 101 stage and/or discharge gaging stations, and 9 miscellaneous measurement sites. Flood damage to property and roads and bridges exceeded $5 million. Lewis and Oswego Counties were declared...
Authors
Richard Lumia, P. M. Burke, W. H. Johnston

Below are partners associated with this project.

New York State Department of Transportation

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