Expanding Services to Meet Needs in the Finger Lakes Region By Michael Schaffner (WFO Binghamton, New York) Jeane Wallace and Thomas Econopouly (Northeast River Forecast Center)

1
Expanding Services to Meet Needs in the Finger
Lakes RegionBy Michael Schaffner (WFO
Binghamton, New York)Jeane Wallace and Thomas
Econopouly (Northeast River Forecast Center)
Abstract The Finger Lakes Region is situated in
north-central New York State. Ten lakes, with
seven of those within the Binghamton Hydrologic
Service Area, flow through the Oswego River
system and its tributary rivers prior to emptying
into Lake Ontario. Customers and partners vary
widely from canal navigation, hydroelectric power
generation, lakeshore residents, recreation, and
waste disposal. Lake level forecasting requires
accurate observations of lake inflow, lake level,
lake outflow, and precipitation gages vary widely
from lake to lake. Some lakes contain no
real-time sensors while others contain a variety
of sensor types. Lake level operations are
generally not coordinated between lakes. Such
disjointed lake operations can lead to backwater
effects and flooding along downstream points.
WFO Binghamton along with Northeast River
Forecast Center is pressing forward to identify
data voids, solicit lake discharge information
from local users, and expand lake and river
forecast points. This poster will provide an
overview of the current state of forecasting in
the Finger Lakes region and a vision for future
improvements.
Owasco Lake Watershed
Owasco Lake Enhancements Will allow City of
Auburn to provide planned discharges out through
24-hours
Oswego Basin Radar Coverage
Owasco Lake Rule Curve Management
Oswego Basin Forecast Capability
NWS Office Responsibility
Site Specific Modeling Sites under consideration
Source NY Canal Corporation
Oswego Basin Population Density

• Forecast challenges include
• Complete or partial data voids. Ideal forecast
  scenario requires real-time or near-real-time
  data for
• -Watershed rainfall and snow observations
• -Inflow data from largest tributaries
• -Lake level elevation
• -Lake discharge (planned)
• -Lake discharge (observed)
• Lack of real-time data.
• Inadequate coordination between numerous local
  lake regulators on lake level operation.
• Limitations of present hydraulic model
  inaccurately simulating complexity of canal
  system.

Source NY Canal Corporation
Ongoing / Planned Work

• Rule curve management
• Can vary from year to year
• Has been influenced by local issues (e.g. in
  2007, the lake was not drawn down far enough due
  to repairs that the City of Auburn was conducting
  at a given lake elevation)
• Consistent rule curve management is necessary.
  Otherwise, a means is needed for the lake
  operators to notify the RFC and WFO of changes to
  lake level / outflow discharge.

• Modeling of Onondaga Lake drainage.
• Implement site specific at upwards to six sites
• Increase COOP and gage observations.
• Expand prototype web interface for Owasco Lake to
  other lake operators.
• Increase coordination along lake operators.

Source NY Canal Corporation