USGS Water-Year Summary for Site 03155000

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	00010 Temperature, water(Min.,Max.,Med.)
	00060 Discharge(Mean)

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Water year 2023: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30

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USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

03155000 LITTLE KANAWHA RIVER AT PALESTINE, WV

LOCATION - Lat 39°03'32", long 81°23'23" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Wirt County, WV, Hydrologic Unit 05030203, on left bank at end of Washington Street in Elizabeth, 1.0 mi upstream from Tucker Creek, 2.3 mi northeast of Palestine, 2.4 mi upstream from old lock 3, and at mile 28.4.

DRAINAGE AREA - 1,516 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 953: 1940(M). WDR WV-97-1: Drainage area.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1915 to September 1922 (annual maximum gage height), July to September 1939 (fragmentary), October 1939 to September 1975 (daily discharge and peaks, monthly discharge only, October 1939 to September 1941, published in WSP 1305), October 1975 to current year (daily discharge and annual maxima).

GAGE - Water-stage recorder with satellite telemeter. Datum of gage is 584.8 ft above NAVD 88. Prior to Feb. 17, 1950, water-stage recorders or nonrecording gages at old locks 3 and 4 at various datums. Auxiliary water-stage recorder 3.0 mi upstream from base gage at old lock 4 in Palestine, WV, at datum 595.51 ft above NAVD 88 (596.08 ft above NGVD 29). Palestine auxiliary discontinued Mar. 3, 2011.

REMARKS - Prior to 1968, flow partially regulated by old dams 3, 4, and 5 that leak at variable rates. Flow partially regulated since 1968 by five floodwater-detention reservoirs affecting 49.5 mi². Flow regulated since March 1979 by Burnsville Reservoir at mile 124.2. Maximum peak flow of 48,100 ft³/s adjusted for backwater. Maximum peak stage of 40.04 ft backwater.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood of Apr. 17, 1939, reached a stage of 32.25 ft, from floodmarks at old lock 4 at datum 602.6 ft above COE 12; discharge, about 53,000 ft³/s. Flood of 1897 reached a stage of about 24.4 ft, at old lock 4 at datum 602.6 ft above COE 12.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Water Temperature: Maximum recorded, 32.9°C July 09, 2020. Minimum recorded, 0.0°C January 24, 2022.