River Flow Gauge on Youghiogheny River Above Deep Creek Nexus

Our next objective is to accrue donor funding of $21,750 in capital costs and a commitment of $17,970 for annual operation and maintenance for the gauge on the river upstream of where Deep Creek joins the Youghiogheny. The existing flows at that point subtracted from the flows measured at the Hoyes Run gauge will indicate the discharges from the Deep Creek watershed, including flows from the power plant and groundwater discharges.

The Completed Water Budget Model will be able to account for precipitation, groundwater recharge, flows through the power plant plus the discharges around the dam, factoring in the discharges required through the power plant by the Water Appropriation Permit. An apparently simple relationship determines the water levels in the lake: Water In – Water Out = Change In Water Level.

A recent bathymetric survey of Deep Creek Lake confirmed the Stage-Storage relationship determined when the lake was built by Youghiogheny Hydro-Electric Company. The project partially fulfills Goal 1 of the Watershed Management Plan.

The new USGS flow gauge upstream of the Swallow Falls Bridge on the Youghiogheny River will measure the river flows upstream of the power plant. The difference in flows, adjusted for travel time, will afford an indication of the discharges from the Deep Creek Watershed.

The discharge from the watershed (Water Out) is a component in the analysis of the groundwater recharge and the precipitation (Water In). The other component is a record of lake water levels.The public doing recreational boating and swimming in the river reach from Swallow Falls to the Sang Run Bridge will be safer because the river flow rate is conveniently available on the USGS
website.