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1/4/2024
WT Staff
HAPPENING NOW
Region 7 St John the Baptist in severe drought
Slidell BWA
Water news for Thursday, January 4, 2024 - last updated 321 pm CST
Streamflow Situation from USGS real time streamflow monitoring stations around the eight watersheds of the state
The number of monitoring stations recording extreme low flows in Louisiana has eased overnight, indicating potential relief coming. Though there are no NWS hazardous weather statements specifically for LA Thursday morning, this general statement appears to apply:
Showers and thunderstorms will begin in the warm air southeast of the low track across Texas and into southern Oklahoma late Thursday afternoon and into Thursday night. As the upper-level trough approaches the western Gulf of Mexico, a second area of low pressure will develop, organizing and
strengthening into the primary surface low pressure/frontal system and traversing eastward just to the south of the Gulf Coast. Further enhanced southerly, moist flow overrunning a frontal boundary along the Gulf Coast
will lead to more widespread shower and thunderstorms producing moderate to locally heavy rainfall, from the western Gulf overnight Thursday and along the central Gulf Coast and into the Southeast Friday.
Nine of the twelve stations reporting extreme low yesterday remain low today. As of this update, there are the same 3 sites flowing low in Region 3, down to 4 low flows today in Region 4 and the same 2 sites still extreme low in Region 7.
See the red-brown tags on the map for the low flow details.
Drought Map from USGS 7-day average streamflows compared to historic averages
Through the day Thursday, the west half of Region 7 including St John the Baptist Parish descends from moderate into severe drought. Tangipahoa Parish remains in extreme drought.
Saline Bayou channel in Region 1 has escalated from moderate drought into severe drought overnight. Region 2 Grant and LaSalle Parishes remain steeped in severe drought, with two areas of extreme drought still registering upstream in Region 3 on both sides of Tensas River, extending downstream to the northeast Catahoula Parish line.
In Region 1, all surface area is now drought-rated with no exceptions. The majority of Region 1 area is rated below normal broken by two areas of moderate drought along Bayou Pierre and along the Saline Bayou channel.
Watersheds Region 4 and 5 persist in severe drought in all but Evangeline and Acadia Parishes, which are rated moderate drought.
Watershed regions 6 and 8 remain clear of the drought map, unrated.
Note WaterToday reports day-to-day changes recorded by USGS streamflow monitors on rivers and tributaries located in Louisiana, along with monitors upstream in the Mississippi River basin: Ohio, Georgia and southwest New York state. USGS creates a drought map from 7-day average streamflow readings, by comparing the average with the historic weekly normal flow value for each location. The drought ratings are below normal, moderate hydrologic drought, severe drought and extreme drought.
HABs Report from National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) satellite monitoring program
NCCOS image captured Jan 3 is mostly clear, taken at a high wind speed 14.1 mph. This image shows no activity in Lake Pontchartrain, though the high wind speed could be fooling us. Lake Maurepas appears clear of HAB activity as usual. Lake Verret is completely cloud obscured and Lake Palourde bloom is not visible in this latest image. Lac des Allemands and Bayou Fortier HAB shows between clouds at moderate concentration, 200 thousand cells per 100 ml. Lake Cataouache is cloud obscured, Lake Salvador presents with extensive open water HABs in the south half at 300 to 400 thousand cells per 100 ml. Lake Lery is completely covered by clouds in this image. Check back daily for our interpretation of the latest satellite image of the southeast water bodies.
Boil Water Advisories:
Slidell precautionary BWA applies to customers connecting at 1019 – 1040 St. Mary Street following a water main repair and resulting loss of pressure Tuesday.
Refer to yellow tags on the map for more BWAs in effect in the state of Louisiana. Also see the latest EPA Safe Drinking Water Act list of Serious Violators under the SDWA button to the right of the map.
Note about hazardous spill incident reporting, from LDEQ: Information contained in the Field Interview form is the preliminary observation of the inspector. This should not be construed as a final determination of LDEQ, its officers or personnel as to any matter, including compliance or non-compliance with statutes, regulations and permits.
Each day of non-compliance is considered a separate violation of the Louisiana Environmental Quality Act.
See the pink tags on the map with the watershed layer turned on, showing the potential impact zone of hazardous spills in the environment. Refer to the Spills button on the right of the map for more incident reports filed this year.
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