United States Geological Survey ice jam monitoring network on the Mohawk River in Schenectady, NY

Abstract

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has continuously monitored the Mohawk River between Lock 7 and Lock 9 of the New York State Barge Canal since 2011. There was a brief period, from 1914 to 1919, when a streamgage was operated at Vischer Ferry Dam (Lock 7), however, frequent damage to the gage from ice-jam related flooding in 1914 (figure 1) and 1916 resulted in establishing the Mohawk River streamgage at Cohoes, NY (USGS station ID 01357500) in 1917 and discontinuing the Vischer Ferry streamgage in 1919. The current monitoring network includes measurements of gage height (water level) and water temperature at various points within the reach, streamflow at Freeman’s Bridge, and realtime imagery from multiple pan-tilt-zoom web cameras, all of which provide situational awareness to the public, emergency managers, and other stakeholders during periods of ice-jam flooding. The USGS operates and maintains these stations in cooperation with the New York Power Authority, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Union College, and Brookfield Renewable Power.