2. STORMS & WATER LEVELS Telling Hudson River Stories with Graphs
Radar images of Tropical Storm Lee remnants
(National Weather Service/Binghamton NY)
Telling Hudson River Stories with Graphs
2. STORMS & WATER LEVELS
How might major storms impact water levels in the Hudson estuary?
Hurricane Irene
Interpreting graphs:
What is the story that each graph tells?
Answer these questions when looking at each graph:
1. What time period is shown in this graph?
2. What is being measured in this graph?
3. Where was the information gathered?
4. What happens to it over the time period shown?
5. What is your hypothesis about what caused this to happen?
6. Measurements of what other parameters would help you test and verify your hypothesis?
If you have Internet access, you can go to the Hudson
Environmental Conditions Observing System website to check other parameters and test your hypothesis.
What caused this pattern of water levels in spring, 2011?
Source: Hudson River
Environmental Conditions
Observing System
Source: New York
Harbor Observing and
Prediction System
Image from National Weather Serivce/Binghamton
Runoff from heavy rains in the Hudson
River watershed caused flooding in the estuary near
Albany. The lower estuary remained at sea level.
USGS
North Creek
Gaging Station
Image from National Weather Serivce/Albany
Hudson River at North Creek hydrograph
What caused this pattern of water levels in October, 2012?
Source: Hudson River
Environmental Conditions
Observing System
Source: New York
Harbor Observing and
Prediction System
Flooding due to storm surge from Hurricane
Sandy extended all the way to Albany.
Wind speeds (average) & gusts at
Piermont on the Hudson River
Photo by Hudson River Park Naturalist Keith Michael
South Ferry subway station 10/30/12
Image credit: MTA
Marina in Rockland County
Image credit NYSDEC
What stories do these graphs tell?
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ’ s Hudson River Salt Front Data website
Tropical Storm Irene ’ s one-two punch:
Winds along the coast led to storm surge flooding, showing as a water level peak in
Poughkeepsie and at the start of the flooding in Albany.
Flooding in Poughkeepsie 8/28/11
Image credit NYSDEC
Runoff from heavy rain caused flooding in the watershed and at
Albany. Runoff even affected water levels at Poughkeepsie in the days following the storm.
Flooding in Schoharie County
Image credit Natural Resources Conservation Service
For more information, contact:
Steve Stanne, Education Coordinator
NYSDEC – Hudson River Estuary Program/New York
Water Resources Institute – Cornell University
21 South Putt Corners Road
New Paltz, NY 12561
845 256-3077 spstanne@gw.dec.state.ny.us
