Tully water flow

[alatt]

I can't remember ever seeing the stream flow on the Tully @55 cuft/sec. Is the gauge right or is something else going on.

 

[Mike]

50’s are not all that unusual historically speaking. I think the low flow objective is around or exactly 55 cfs, but in an emergency they have been allowed to go lower on rare occasions and maybe it was just one time. They have done a much better job over the past decade or more of keeping the flow up around 90 cfs in response to a Tully tailrace specific PFBC study by Leroy Young that determined what flows should be to be more protective of habitat and biota.

 

[acesedgley]

seems pretty strange after a tropical storm.

 

[Mike]

Not at all. How else would a flood control reservoir absorb enough water to be protective of downstream communities until natural flows diminish (in the Schuylkill in this case)? Once the Schuylkill flow comes down, then you will see a release of pent up water from Blue Marsh if the water level in the lake is over the 290 ft elevation, which is the typical summer pool.

 

[LehighRegular]

Blue Marsh is operating for flood control reduction. During these times the Corps cuts back the release. The result is what you are seeing on the USGS gauge.

 

[salvelinus]

There was a big release a few days before Isaias because of four inches of rainfall around Reading area. Then with the predicted rainfall from Isaias, ACOE lowered the pool below the winter pool level. Now they want to fill it back up to the summer pool.

Blue Marsh

 

[acesedgley]

yeah...thought of that after I posted...silly me!

 

[timmyt2]

They did the same on the Lehigh