U.S. River Conditions, October 2021 to September 2022

Video Description – Water Year: October 2021 to September 2022 

This is an animation showing the changing conditions relative to the historic daily of USGS streamgages from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022. The river conditions shown range from the driest condition seen at a gage (red open circles) to the wettest (blue closed circles). A purple outer ring around a gage indicates it is flooding.   

As drought conditions persisted for much of the West in October 2021, flooding conditions occurred in the Northeast and Midwest as the month came to a close. As the year ended, atmospheric rivers brought wet conditions to much of West including Washington and Oregon, while the Eastern U.S. experienced flooding conditions into the new year. 

In February, the Northeast and Midwest experienced frontal systems that brought flooding conditions in states such as Indiana and Illinois. Concurrently, the Pacific Northwest experienced an atmospheric river causing flooding. Through March and into April, drought conditions persisted for much of Western U.S. while a frontal system caused flooding in the Southeast. May brought heavy rain and snowmelt causing flooding in the Upper Midwest. In contrast, New England experienced a dry period as May ended.  

In June, an atmospheric river caused record flooding on the Yellowstone River and high waters to the Pacific Northwest from June 6 to June 25. Simultaneously, Puerto Rico, the South Cental U.S. and the West Coat experienced drought conditions. As lowflow conditions expanded across the nation into July, New England experienced drought conditions into August. Brief flash flooding occurred in Eastern Kentucky from July 28 – July 30. In early August, monsoon rains ameliorated drought conditions in much of Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.  

In September, an extratropical storm brought heavy rain and flooding to Alaska while Hurricane Fiona led to widespread flooding in Puerto Rico from September 17 -19. As September came to a close, Hurricane Ian caused significant flooding in Florida and the Atlantic Coast with damages to infrastructure, power outages, and fatalities.  

USGS gage height and National Weather Service flood stage levels are used to determine flood conditions and were available for 38% of gages Some gages are missing gage height even when they have flow.