LOCATION.--Lat 44°40'54", long
73°28'16" referenced to North American Datum of 1983,
Clinton County, NY, Hydrologic Unit 04150406, on right bank at
Plattsburgh, 600 ft downstream from dam, 3.0 mi upstream from
mouth, and 5.5 mi downstream from Mead Brook.
DRAINAGE AREA.--608 mi².
PERIOD OF RECORD.--March 1903 to September 1930, October
1943 to current year. Prior to October 1943, published as
"near Plattsburgh".
REVISIONS HISTORY.--WSP 345: Drainage area. WSP 384:
1909-10 (monthly discharge only). WSP 1387: 1907-8. WSP 1437:
1908 (minimum daily only).
GAGE.--Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum
of gage is 155.74 ft above NGVD of 1929 and 155.40 ft above
NAVD 0f 1988. Prior to Nov. 12, 1919, nonrecording gage, and
Nov. 12, 1919 to Sept. 30, 1930, water-stage recorder, at site
1.5 mi upstream at different datum.
REMARKS.--Considerable diurnal fluctuation caused by
power and industrial operations. Slight regulation by storage
in Upper and Lower Saranac Lakes. The city of Plattsburgh
diverts annually an average of less than 10 ft³/s from Saranac
River and Mead and West Brooks, tributaries upstream from
station, for municipal supply. About 1 ft³/s diverted from
Great Chazy River basin into Saranac River for water supply of
State Institutions at Dannemora.
Water Years 2014-23: Records good except those for estimated
daily discharges, which are poor.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD.--Maximum discharge,
14,400 ft³/s, Nov. 9, 1996, gage height, 12.11 ft; maximum gage
height, 12.80 ft, Apr. 8, 1928, present datum, from floodmark
on right bank 560 ft upstream from gage; minimum discharge not
determined.