USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

01356000 MOHAWK RIVER AT VISCHER FERRY DAM, NY

LOCATION - Lat 42°48'15.1", long 73°50'51.6" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Saratoga County, NY, Hydrologic Unit 02020004, on right bank 180 ft upstream from Vischer Ferry Dam at Lock 7 on Erie (Barge) Canal, 1.0 mi upstream from Stony Creek and Vischer Ferry, 7.0 mi downstream from Schenectady, and 12 mi upstream from mouth.

DRAINAGE AREA - 3,371 mi².

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - June 1913 to September 1919 (published in 1914 as "at Barge Canal lock 7"), October 1919 to January 1926 and November 2014 to current year (gage heights only).

GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is 199.46 ft above NAVD of 1988 and 200.00 ft above NGVD of 1929 (VERTCON). Prior to November 2014, at different sites and datums.

REMARKS - Considerable regulation of stage by Lock 7 on the Erie (Barge) Canal and Vischer Ferry Dam hydroelectric facility.
Water Years 2015-22: Records fair.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge, about 140,000 ft³/s, March 28, 1914, caused by breakup of upstream ice jam, gage height, 7.6 ft, datum then in use; maximum gage height, 15.04 ft, Feb. 22, 2018 (ice jam); minimum gage height, 7.74 ft, Dec. 31, 2017 (result of freezeup).

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD -

CHEMICAL DATA: 1952-53, 1972-75.

WATER TEMPERATURE: October 1951 to September 1975.

REMARKS - Twice daily water-temperature measurements were made at approximately 0800 and 1600 and furnished by New York State Department of Transportation.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum daily, 29.5°C, Aug. 5, 1955; minimum daily, 0.0°C on many days during winter periods.