News Release

April 24, 2006

Great Sacandaga Lake Reduces Peak Hudson Flow by 70%

STATE’S RESERVOIR PREVENTED SIGNIFICANT FLOODING The Great Sacandaga Lake stored more than 2.07 billion cubic feet of water Sunday, significantly reducing the flow in the Hudson River and preventing flooding downstream of the reservoir from the Town of Hadley to Fort Edward.  The State’s largest river regulating reservoir stored 15,540,000,000 gallons of water on Sunday, reducing the average Hudson River flow by at least 24,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). 

The weekend’s heavy rainfall caused the flow in the Hudson River to climb to more than 12,000 cfs at Hadley Sunday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.  The Regulating District estimates Great Sacandaga Lake inflow peaked Sunday evening at more than 34,000 cfs, and averaged more than 26,000 cfs on Sunday.  Without the river regulation provided by the Great Sacandaga Lake, peak flow in the Hudson River would have exceeded 46,000 cfs from Hadley to Fort Edward.  At a flow of 46,000 cfs, the Hudson River would have exceeded the flood stage by more than 3.9 feet.  The Hudson River is considered above flood stage at Fort Edward when the flow exceeds approximately 23,600 cfs. 

According to National Weather Service information, Hudson River elevations more than 2 feet above the flood stage at Fort Edward inundates Route 9N, floods cellars in Corinth, and reaches the first floor of homes along Old Bend Road in the Town of Moreau.
 
“Unusual and sometimes extreme weather events appear to be more common in the Upper Hudson watershed,” says Regulating District Chief Engineer Robert S. Foltan, P.E.  “The importance of using the State’s reservoirs to their fullest potential to minimize flooding is easily realized following a rain event like this.  Unlike historic operation, the current operating plan for the Great Sacandaga Lake regularly takes full advantage of the reservoir’s storage capacity,” Foltan said.