International Upper Great Lakes Study
Proposal for Locating the
Niagara River International Flow Gauging Station
(Revision October 26, 2009)
Submitted by: P. J. McCurry P.Eng
Canadian Co-Chair
IUGLS Surveys & Monitoring Technical Working Group (SMTWG)
on behalf of the SMTWG
Niagara Gauge Proposal (Revision Oct 26, 2009)
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International Upper Great Lakes Study
Proposal for Locating the Niagara River International Flow Gauging Station
(Revision of October 26, 2009 to indicate estimated operational costs)
Need:
The Surveys & Monitoring Technical Working Group is seeking IUGL Study Board approval of
its recommendation that the new Niagara River IGS flow gauge be located on the same property
as the former Fort Erie Canada Customs Dock water level gauge site (Water Survey of Canada
station #02HA013). The new gauge is proposed to be housed in a different building on the same
property, with new instrumentation, and the addition of flow data to its data collection record.
Background:
Under the original goals of the IUGLS, a flow monitoring gauge was to be installed on the
Niagara River, and be instrumented with an Acoustic Doppler Velocity Meter. During the fall
and winter of 2007/2008, technical experts from Environment Canada, US Army Corps of
Engineers, USGS, and NOAA discussed possible sites that might be suitable for an ADVM, and
concluded that such technology would not produce significant gains over well-located traditional
instrumentation. A document to this effect was developed and presented to the Study Directors
in February 2008, and was accepted.
Subsequent to that decision, during 2008 no attention was put to the Niagara River gauge as
efforts of the Technical Working Group focused on the reconnaissance, site selection, and
installation of the new ADVM-equipped flow gauges on the Detroit, St. Clair and St. Marys
Rivers. In March 2009, as part of restarting the focus on the Niagara River, a meeting was held
between Environment Canada personnel (Boundary Water Issues Unit (EC-BWUI), Water
Survey of Canada-Ontario Region (EC-WSC/OR)) to familiarize the Canadian Co-Chair with the
numerous gauges that have been operated over the years along the upper Niagara River, and the
hydraulic and environmental conditions that are encountered along the river.
The meeting produced the following findings:
1) Area Gauges:
Buffalo Harbour:
 a NOAA gauge, currently operating, measures lake water levels every 6 minutes
 these levels are used with flow measurements at International Railway Bridge for Niagara
River Board of Control activities
Fort Erie
 an Ontario Power Generation gauge, measures river water levels
 rated with flow measurements at International Railway Bridge, but missing Black Rock
canal
Squaw Island
 a USGS gauge; now gone
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Bird Island Pier (downstream of Peace Bridge)
 a USACE gauge; now gone
Below Peace Bridge
 a Canadian Hydrographic Service gauge, measures river water levels
 recently resurrected as part of study for planned bridge expansion
 well intake problems, needs cleaning annually
 not rated, but could be
Canadian Customs Dock at Fort Erie
 a former EC-WSC/OR water level gauge location, currently an EC-operated International
Water Quality Gauging Station
 close to International Railway Bridge, and established flow measurement cross sections
 building is good, site is good, easy and secure access
 easily restarted as a water level and flow gauge
Other Sites Briefly Discussed
 Frenchmans Creek – Ontario Power Generation gauge
 Huntley Station – US gauge (USACE?)
 Black Creek – Ontario Power Generation gauge
 Slater’s Point - Ontario Power Generation gauge
2) Other Factors



in theory, backwater effects from Grass Island Pool regulation extend upstream.
Attempts to measure the effects at the International Railway Bridge section using
Leading Edge Flowmeter (mid-1970’s) and Acoustic Velocity Meter (1987) methods
were unsuccessful.
there are high wind effects and ice effects in the upper reaches of the river. There is also
seasonally varying vegetative and ice retardation/backwater effect.
there is limited hydraulic modelling available for upper Niagara River: HEC-RAS model
developed by Buffalo District USACE; there was also 2D hydrodynamic modelling
(FESWMS) developed for the area immediately upstream and downstream of the Peace
Bridge as part of environmental assessment work; also, New York Power Authority’s
major ice study of the late 80’s/early 90’s included mathematical modelling of the upper
Niagara River and associated bathymetry data. No new or additional model development
is anticipated for the upper Niagara River in the immediate future.
Proposed Location
Of the sites discussed in the March 2009 meeting, and subsequently endorsed by the broader
Surveys & Monitoring TWG, the Canadian Customs Dock location is seen to be the best option
for the following reasons:
 a building is in place that:
 is already owned by the Canadian Government, hence no permits or permissions will be
required;
 is currently used by Environment Canada for water quality sampling;
 has been used for many years by Environment Canada for testing equipment;
Niagara Gauge Proposal (Revision Oct 26, 2009)
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


to bring the new gauge on-line would be simply a matter of installing the instrumentation
(data logger, GOES transmitter, pressure transducer, and power supply) and commencing
rating measurements using the long-established nearby International Railway Bridge sections
that have been used for many years to establish the rating used by the Niagara River Board of
Control (see Figures 1, 2, 3);
there is the potential that past ratings could be related to the new gauge, and historical flow
data produced;
there is the potential that this site could be related to the NOAA Buffalo lake gauge for
redundancy.
Figure 1: EC Buildings at Fort Erie
Canada Customs Dock Immediately
Downstream of International Railway
Bridge (background)
Figure 2: Overview of Site Property
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Figure 3: Cross Sections Above and
Below Gauge and International
Railway Bridge
International Railway Bridge
Proposed Installation
It is proposed to install a Sutron SatLink logger/high data rate transmitter, and a Tavis
Submersible pressure transducer. The instrumentation is proposed to initially be installed inside
of the existing building already used by Environment Canada for its water quality monitoring
(see Figures 4 & 5), permission for which has been received from Sean Backus of EC Water
Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Division, Science and Technology Branch (see Appendix
1).
Costs for establishing this new gauge are very low due to the existence of a gauge house.
Another benefit to using this site is that the EC Water Quality personnel will be the negotiators
with the Niagara Parks personnel (the landowners) for all items related to this gauge property.
Additionally, the EC Water Quality personnel are considering placing an information board on
the outside of this building, which would provide an excellent opportunity for publicizing the IJC
and the participating agencies. A point of consideration however, is that the EC Water Quality
personnel advise that an upgrade is imminent for this location (see letter B, Appendix 1) to
accommodate safety and operational efficiency for EC personnel and third party personnel that
the EC Water Quality personnel often take on tours of the sites on the Niagara River.
Given the benefits to the IJC as noted above, if the IUGL Study Board endorses the use of this
location for the new Niagara IGS, the EC-WSC/OR requests that the IUGL Study Board
consider contributing to the required upgrade.
Niagara Gauge Proposal (Revision Oct 26, 2009)
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Figure 4: View into Shelter and Lab
Figure 5: Proposed in-water instrumentation
tucked in behind the ladder, wires bundled out of the
way, attached to ladder for safety
Gauge Operations
In May 2009, the multi-agency group met to review procedures for making discharge
measurements, which for 2009 will coincide with the 3-year cycle of measurements under the
Niagara River Board of Control. An analysis of the work conducted by the group is to be
summarized, and any flow measurement issues specific to this reach of the Niagara River will be
addressed. As often as possible for the first year, all agencies will attempt to participate when
discharge measurements are made. The number of discharge measurements will be curtailed
during the winter months; emphasis should be placed on obtaining a measurement as late as
possible before the onset of ice in the river and as soon as possible after ice is entirely out of the
river.
The EC-WSC/OR will take the coordinating lead in both of the above efforts. Additionally, its
computing system will provide for real-time acquisition of the raw water level data, the storage
of data, the computation software for the quality assurance/quality control and computation of
water level and discharge data, and for the delivery of the raw, provisional and final product to
the internet. Raw water level data will be sent from the gauge on an hourly interval to the GOES
satellite and downloaded through the NOAA/NESDIS Wallups Island facility to the ECWSC/OR server. The raw water level data will initially be posted to the Water Survey of
Canada’s real-time web site (http://scitech.pyr.ec.gc.ca/waterweb/), but mechanisms will be
explored to provide raw and preliminary flow data to the common web site used for all 4 of the
interconnecting channels flow gauges data.
During the fall of 2009, the group will meet to review procedures for the processing of data and
the computation of discharge. Any flow computation issues specific to this site will be
addressed.
Niagara Gauge Proposal (Revision Oct 26, 2009)
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Proposed Costs and Timetable
If this proposal is approved, EC-WSC/OR could have instrumentation installed and the gauge
operational within days. As summarized below, it is estimated that the equivalent of 5 person
days would be required for reconnaissance, preparation, and installation, plus travel expenses
and equipment procurement, for a total start-up cost of $13,360 Cdn.
2009 Initial Startup:
Labour (5 pdays):
Travel expenses:
Instrumentation:
Total Start-up:
$ 3,080.00
$ 280.00
$10,000.00
$13,360.00
2010 Facility Upgrade:
Currently the EC Water Quality group is seeking $40K for 2010/2011 for the facility
upgrade, with $5K of O&M fit-up. If the IUGL Study Board supports contributing to the
upgrade of the facility, an estimate of paying 25% of the upgrade costs has been used for
calculation purposes.
25% of proposed cost:
$10,000.00
Operational Costs:
The following operational costs are estimated by EC-WSC/OR (based on the 2009/10
estimate of $10,600.00):
2009/10:
2010/11:
2011/12:
2012/13:
2013/14:
Beyond:
$ 5,300.00 (for Oct-Mar, 50% of annual estimate)
$10,800.00 (2% increase to 2009/10 estimate)
$11,000.00 (2% increase to 2010/11 estimate)
$11,250.00 (2% increase to 2011/12 estimate)
$11,475.00 (2% increase to 2012/13 estimate)
estimate of 2% increase/year
For 2009/10, extra involvement of all agencies is expected as part of the initial operation
of the new gauge, but going into the future, the level of involvement of each agency will
be established as per the (to be updated) International Gauging Station Protocol and the
local Boards of Control and Coordinating Committee’s protocols.
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Appendix 1 – Exchange of Letters Regarding Customs Dock Gauging Station
A) Letter from EC-Water Survey/Ontario Region
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B) Letter from EC Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance Division:
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