Flood Detection and Warning
Chemung River Basin
Michael A. Sprague, Director
Steuben County Office of Emergency Services
&
President, Environmental Emergency Services
Environmental Emergency Services, Inc.
The Need For Real-Time Flood
Information
Where Are We ? One of the Sister Watersheds !
The Chemung Basin
Geographic features: The Chemung River is formed by the confluence of the
Tioga River, flowing northward from Pennsylvania, and the Cohocton River,
flowing southeast in New York. The Chemung joins the Susquehanna River at
Sayre, Pennsylvania.
Drainage area: 2,604 square miles
Major tributaries: Chemung, Tioga, Cohocton, Cowanesque, Canisteo
Population: 250,323 (6% of the total basin population)
Major population centers: Elmira, Corning, Hornell (all in NY)
Water Use:
59.8% Power Generation
22.4% Municipal
9.7% Industrial
4.2% Agricultural
3.9% Domestic
What Do We Have ?
June 1972 -- Hurricane Agnes, flood of
record, tops dikes, village of Painted
Post covered by 30 feet of water
 September 1975 -- Hurricane Eloise
 June 1976 -- “Fathers Day Flood”
 June 1984
 August 1984
 August 1994
 January 1996 -- 41 county flood
 November 1996 -- severe flash flooding
 June & September 2004 – 3 FF Events

Environmental Emergency
Services
 E.E.S. – A 3 county not-for-profit incorporation
(501-c 3) Chemung Schuyler and Steuben
Counties, Formerly the Chemung River Basin
Flood Warning Support Corporation
 To Advise and Inform the Populace of Chemung
and Steuben Counties of Severe Flooding,
Drought and Hazardous materials Incidents
which Contribute to Environmental Emergencies
A Self-Help Group
 Consensus for a self-help program – 1979 –
“How Can We Help Ourselves !”
 Steering committee formed
 Memorandum of Understanding developed
 Formed as Chemung River Basin Support
Corporation ---- 1981
 Automated data collection equipment
installed ----- 1984
Why a “LOCAL” System
 Interest - Repeated
Flooding
 Need - Repeated
Flooding
 Demand to “FIX”
 Loss of Outside Info
 Need for Education
 Tailored Information
 Ability to Foster
Better Community
Response
 Greater Lead Time
 Take Advantage of
Local Resources
 Create A Focus Group
 Coordinate,
Coordinate,
Coordinate!
Our Make-up





Local Industry
Counties
Cities
Towns
Villages
•County EMO’s – 3 counties
•NYS DEC Flood Personnel
•Southern Tier Regional Planning
•City of Corning
•City of Elmira
•City of Hornell
•Flood Operations Volunteers
•Motor Components, LCC
•Corning Inc.
•Town of Erwin
•SWCD – 3 Counties
•NWS
•USGS
Elements of A Successful
Local Flood Warning System
 Interest/need for a “LOCAL” system
 Cooperation/community involvement
 Local Funding and Support
 Grants
 Be Creative
 We Know “IT” Will Happen Again !
Budget – How We Make It Work
 Annual Budget:
 Counties
 Municipalities
$31,750
$18,400
$13,350
 Cities-$2,000
 Towns-$2,000-$250
 Villages-$500-$250
Annual Report to All Municipalities
Evolution of the Current System
• Emergency Operation Center - Staffed by Volunteers
• Consolidated Information Center
• Originally Based on “Long Term Flood Events”
• Simplified Flood Forecasting Computer Model - NWS Assistance
• ‘90’s Forced an Evolution to “Short Term-Flash Flood Events”
• EOC became a “Clearing House” for Basin-wide information
• Allows Emergency Management Offices, NWS and Corps
“Hands-Free” information exchange
• Became a Pilot Site for “IP” based IFLOWS deployment
• Challenge to evolve as NWS technology advances
Hydrologic Development and Verification
• Many Events - Lots of Data
• Local Involvement Provides Verification and Feedback
• Able to Identify Basin Issues - Particularly Troublesome Tributaries
Changes to the Basin
• Sitting of Additional Gauges - NWS Hydrologist Input
• Development of “Standard Ratings” for new gauges
• Cost Effective Approach
Help the Weather Service Help Us
www.highwater.org