USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

03512000 OCONALUFTEE RIVER AT BIRDTOWN, NC

LOCATION - Lat 35°27'41", long 83°21'13" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, Swain County, NC, Hydrologic Unit 06010203, 1500 ft upstream from bridge on Secondary Road 1359, 0.5 mile south of Birdtown, 0.6 mile downstream from Adams Creek, 0.6 mile upstream from Goose Creek, 2.2 miles southwest of Cherokee, and 3.1 miles above mouth. Reached by U.S. Highway 19 from Cherokee or junction of U.S. Highways 19 and 19A. 4.2 miles and turn left on Old #4 Road. Go 2.5 miles, gage house is on left above concrete stairway

DRAINAGE AREA - 184 mi². (measured by TVA from topographic maps, scale 1:24,000). A portion of the upper reaches of basin is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is covered with timber and dense undergrowth. Most of basin is on Cherokee Indian Reservation, with steep wooded slopes, a few small farms in the valleys of tributaries; commercial and public tourist facilities throughout the basin attract a large number of visitors, and the basin is heavily populated spring through fall except for steep slopes. Basin is in heavy rainfall area, 70-80 inches per year.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - July 1945 to September 1946, July 1948 to current year.

GAGE - Data collection platform. Datum of gage is 1,843.25 ft above NAVD of 1988. Prior to October 1, 1946, nonrecording gage at same site and datum. Satellite telemetry at streamgage.

REMARKS - Gage-height records are generally good. Discharge records are generally fair except for estimated discharges, which are poor. Additional details on the accuracy of the records can be obtained by contacting the USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center at gs-w-nc_nwisweb_data_inquiries@usgs.gov.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Floods of November 19, 1906, and March 27, 1913, reached stages of 18 and 14.5 ft, respectively, from studies by Tennessee Valley Authority; discharge not determined.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum gage height for period of record from floodmarks.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - Water Years 2015 to current year.

PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -

WATER TEMPERATURE: October 2014 to current year.
   
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: October 2014 to current year.

DISSOLVED OXYGEN: October 2014 to current year.

DISSOLVED OXYGEN, PERCENT SATURATION: October 2014 to September 2015.

PH: October 2014 to current year. 

TURBIDITY: October 2014 to current year.

NITRATE: October 2014 to current year.

INSTRUMENTATION - Water-quality monitors with satellite telemetry from October 2014 to current year.

REMARKS - Data collected year round. Dissolved oxygen, percent saturation data discontinued at the end of the 2015 Water Year since not required by cooperator. Dissolved oxygen, percent saturation, was computed using a barometric pressure of 713 mm Hg.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF DAILY RECORD -

WATER TEMPERATURE: Maximum recorded, 25.8°C, July 27, 2016; minimum recorded, 0.0°C, occasionally during winter months.

SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Maximum recorded, 106 microsiemens, January 07, 2017; minimum recorded, 11 microsiemens, February 06, 2020.

DISSOLVED OXYGEN: Maximum recorded, 14.4 mg/L, February 20, 2015; minimum recorded, 7.0 mg/L, July 29, 2015.

DISSOLVED OXYGEN, PERCENT SATURATION: Maximum recorded, 114%, August 02, 2015 and several other days in the 2015 Water Year; minimum recorded, 88%, July 27, 2015.

PH: Maximum recorded, 8.8 standard units, July 26, 2017 & Aug. 03,04,06 2017. October 4, 2019; minimum recorded, 5.4 standard units, Aug. 05, 2016.

TURBIDITY: Maximum recorded, 522 FNU, July 13, 2022; minimum recorded, 0.1 FNU, November 10, 2014.

NITRATE: Maximum recorded, 1.8 mg/L as N, September 09, 2015; minimum recorded, 0.05 mg/L as N, October 16, 2020, April 24, 25, 28, 2023