Yough Flows : Deep Creek Watershed Science

USGS Youghiogheny River Data

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has several river monitoring stations along the Youghiogheny river as part of the nation-wide flood alert system. These gages monitor discharge, same as flow-rate, in cubic feet per second (CFS) and gage height, basically the level of the river, in feet. The data can be extracted from the USGS National Water Information System.

The gage stations of importance to the Deep Creek watershed issues are:

Hoyes Run => 03076100
Poland Run => 03075800
Cherry Creek => 03075905
Bear Creek => 03076600
Oakland => 03075500
Friendsville => 03076500

The river data for the past week for several locations can be found here:

For convenience the data has been extracted from 2010 and forward, although there is a lot more historical information. The data can be accessed from the links in the following table and a graph of the same can be accessed also. The data is as obtained from the website except that the two rows of data that define the column headers have been commented out to facilitation graphing the data with R. In general, discharge and height are available. In recent years water temperature, in degree C, have been added.

Hoyes: Lat 39°31'32.9", long 79°24'38.7"; DRAINAGE AREA.--250 mi²; PERIOD OF RECORD.--July 2011 to current year; GAGE.--Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 2,017.47 ft
Poland Run: Lat 39°29'11.1", long 79°16'35.8"; DRAINAGE AREA.--0.50 mi²; PERIOD OF RECORD.--October 2007 to current year; GAGE.--Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Elevation of gage is 2,480 ft
Cherry Creek: Lat 39°32'16.8", long 79°18'56.8"; PERIOD OF RECORD.--October 2007 to current year.; DRAINAGE AREA.--13.1 mi²; GAGE.--Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 2,465.0 ft.
Bear Creek: Lat 39°39'22.1", long 79°23'38.8"; DRAINAGE AREA.--48.9 mi²; PERIOD OF RECORD.--October 1964 to current year; GAGE.--Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 1,550.83 ft
Oakland: Lat 39°25'17.7", long 79°25'25.1"; DRAINAGE AREA.--134 mi²; PERIOD OF RECORD.--August 1941 to current year; GAGE.--Water-stage recorder, crest-stage gage and concrete control. Datum of gage is 2,353.14 ft
Friendsville: Lat 39°39'13.0", long 79°24'29.9"; DRAINAGE AREA.--295 mi²; August 1898 to December 1904, October 1940 to current year; Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 1,486.82 ft

Other Important Data

Travel Time Characteristics of Deep Creek Lake Hydropower Releases

This document, in section B, 1989, (other sections of this report can be found under "Resources" below) describes the river flow characteristics, meaning the travel time and shape of the wave that flows down the Youghiogheny when a release is made by the hydroelectric facility.