Letter to Marcia McNutt, Director United States Geological Survey

Letter

Today, in the face of reports that the U.S. Geological Survey is considering switching off more than 30 stream gauges across New York, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the USGS to continue operating them, as they are a key component in New York's flood warning system. The flood gauges, located in New York's Southern Tier, Hudson River, and Champlain Valley, are frequently used to warn residents and business owners in low-lying areas of potential flooding, and help communities throughout the state plan evacuations and flood responses. In the wake of Tropical Storms Irene and Lee, Schumer argued that these gauges are vitally important to prepare for and prevent flooding in New York, and strongly urged the USGS to abandon plans to switch off the gauges. Instead, Schumer wants to see New York's gauges placed towards the top of USGS's priority list.

"Removing stream gauges on flood-prone bodies of water is like rebuilding a home after a fire and switching off the smoke detectors -- it makes absolutely no sense, especially after getting hammered by floods following Tropical Storms Lee and Irene," said Schumer. "These stream gauges are in constant use, helping first responders and local leaders make minute-by-minute decisions; which sections of town should be evacuated, where should we put the sandbags, where should we release water, and where should we hold it back. Switching off these gauges would tie a hand behind our back during huge rain storms and during the spring when the snow melts. I'm going to fight tooth and nail to make sure it doesn't happen, and that New York has every resource available to fight the threat of floods."

Flood gauges are essential to New York communities for a variety of reasons. In the hours preceding floods and during floods themselves, gauges help first responders and community officials keep the public abreast of the current threat. Officials can predict when rivers will crest, how much water is expected to spill into certain flood plains, and have access to a wealth of other data that helps them manage the disaster. Additionally, flood gauges help provide data for future flood maps, monitor water quality, and help transportation planners determine the appropriate support structures for bridges, based on the water flow beneath them. The USGS manages 7,800 gauges across the country, and plans to shut down 580 nationwide.

While Schumer understands that budget cuts have forced the USGS to scale down their stream gauge management, he believes that Irene and Lee demonstrate the importance of New York's gauges, and that they should be listed as high priority that will continue to operate. The list of gauges scheduled to be switched off in March of next year by county appears below:

Orange County

· Hudson River at South Dock at West Point

Rockland

· Hudson River at Piermont

Otsego

· Susquehanna River southwest of Oneonta

Chenango

· Unadilla River at Rockdale

· Susquehanna River at Bainbrdige

· Chenango River at Sherburne

· Chenango River at Route 23 Bridge at Norwich

· Crest stage gage Chenango River at Norwich

· Chenango River at Oxford

· Chenango River at Greene

Broome

· Susquehanna River at Windsor

· Susquehanna River at Binghamton

· Susquehanna River at Vestal

Tioga

· Susquehanna River at Owego

· Owego Creek near Owego

Steuben

· Tioga River at Lindley

· Canisteo River at West Cameron

· Tuscarora Creek above South Addison

· Cohocton River at Bath

· Chemung River at Corning

Chemung

· Chemung River at Elmira

Clinton

· Great Chazy River at Perry Mills

· Little Chazy River near Chazy

· Salmon River at South Plattsburgh

· Little Ausable River near Valcour

· Ausable River near AuSable Forks

Essex

· Bouque River at Willsboro

· Putnam Creek east of Crown Point Center

Washington

· Lake Champlain north of Whitehall

· Mettawee River near Middle Granville

A copy of Senator Schumer's letter to the U.S. Geological Survey appears below:

December 6, 2011

Marcia McNutt

Director

United States Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20192, USA

Dear Ms. McNutt:

I write with great concern regarding the proposed cessation of funding for stream gauges located in New York State. These gauges are relied upon by a variety of federal, state, and local agencies for regional flood forecasts, local disaster planning, and to assess the environment impact of water flowing throughout New York waterways and I urge you to maintain their operation.

I am aware that difficult choices must be made in allocating federal resources but we cannot shortchange programs that our communities rely on to keep their citizens safe and well-informed. Earlier this year, New York State was struck by tropical storms Irene and Lee which caused significant flooding and devastated communities throughout the state. As these and other disasters have shown, funding the gauges in New York is a critical and comparatively minor investment relative to the cost of dealing with a flood for which a community did not have time to prepare. I urge you to reevaluate your priorities for federally supported stream gauges and prioritize those gauges in New York which are slated to lose funding.

The New York flood gauges that are set to be switched off cost only $430,000 annually to operate, compared with an estimated price tag that reaches over $1 billion in damages from Tropical Storms Irene and Lee. Our local communities use the data they provide to plan emergency evacuations, make watershed management decisions, and make smart decisions about rebuilding following flooding that destroys homes and businesses. Surely the recent storms demonstrate the relative importance of New York's flood gauges, and show that they should be among the roughly 7,200 gauges that USGS will maintain going forward.

Once again, I am concerned about plans to discontinue funding for New York stream gauges. I urge you to reverse this decision and work with New York State and watershed communities to maintain the gauges. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator

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