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<br />o Ou'l b 1_ <br /> <br />Texas. -Major flooding occurred in the Nueces. and <br />lower Guadalupe, Colo'rado, and Brazos River basins, <br />following heavy rainfall over central, south, and .south- <br />west Texas beginning about Feb. 20. Although no his- <br />torical flood maxima are known to have been exceeded, <br />the floods on a number of streams were the greatest <br />since 1936 and 1942. Peak discharges at lower main- <br />stem gaging stations from the Nueces River across to <br />the Brazos River generally ranged between 50,000 and <br />80,000 efs. Except for west Texas total usable content <br />in major reservoirs was at or above average. <br /> <br />WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION <br /> <br />Runoff was in the deficient range throughout the States <br />bordering Ohio River. <br /> <br />Wisconsin.-In southern and west-central Wisconsin <br />runoff increased sharply on small drainage basins Feb. <br />22-26 as a result of abnormally high temperatures; <br />smaller streams lost their ice cover and heavy ice flow <br />with some jamming occurred on the medium sized <br />streams. <br /> <br />lllinois.-Runoff was deficient as a result of unusu- <br />ally cold weather and low precipitation. Ice jams in <br />Illinois River waterway hindered barge traffic between <br />Chicago and the Mississippi River. Contents of Lake <br />Bloomington was 10 percent above the 23 -year average. <br /> <br />THE SOUTHEAST <br /> <br />Runoff was mostly in the median range, and ground- <br />water levels were about the same as last month except <br />for counterseasonal declines in eastern North Carolina <br />and western Kentucky. <br /> <br />Tennessee. -Streamflow was deficient throughout <br />most of Tennessee as the resul t of continued below <br />normal precipitation and extremely cold weather. Stor- <br />age in principal tributary reservoirs in Tennessee <br />River basin increased seasonally but the increase was <br />somewhat less than usual; total usable contents was <br />about 90 percent of average. <br /> <br />Alabama.~Local flash floods occurred in-small <br />streams "in Coosa and Tallapoosa Counties on the 6th, <br />damaging some couQ-ty highways and bridges. Storage <br />in Lake Martin was 29 percent above the 3D-year <br />average. Ground-water levels generally rose but the <br />level in the key well in the heavily pumped Selma area <br />was record low for February. <br /> <br />Georgia.-Streamflow ranged f~om about 15 percent <br />below median in northwest Georgia to about 50 percent <br />above median in the southern and eastern Piedmont <br />sections. Minor flood stages were reported in Chat- <br />tahoochee River below West Point. Storage in three <br />major reservoirs ranged from 17 to 37 percent above <br />the 28 -year average. <br /> <br />THE NORTHEAST <br /> <br />Runoff was excessive throughout the Maritime Prov- <br />inces and Maine and in parts of Quebec, and local flood- <br />ing occurred in eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, <br />and New York. Ground-water levels at key wells <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br />generally were in the average range except in western <br />Massachusetts, and part of Pennsylvania and upstate <br />New York where they were at or near record-low stages. <br /> <br />Pennsylvania. -Lowland flooding and medium high <br />stages occurred in many areas at end of month as a <br />result of rains and warm weather that melted the heavy <br />snow cover in the valleys. A snow cover of 10 to 20 <br />inches remained in the upper reaches of the Delaware <br />and Susquehanna Rivers. The level in the key well at <br />Clarion rose to a stage well above average, whereas <br />the level in the key well at Gaines declined to a record- <br />low stage for February. <br /> <br />New Jersey.-Moderate flooding occurred throughout <br />the State at end of month but no serious damage was <br />reported. Usable contents of Wanaque Reservoir in- <br />creased to 123 percent of average. <br /> <br />New York.-Streamflow declined notwithstanding <br />above-normal precipitad:ion most of which was snow. A <br />snow' survey-in' mid...Pebrua'ry'i-ndicated'a.6 -inch'water <br />content in some sections. Slight flooding of some low <br />areas occurred during the storm of Feb. 28 in upstate <br />New York, and high stages were recorded on many <br />Long Island streams. Combined storage in index res- <br />ervoirs amounted to 15,259 mef, an increase of slightly <br />more than 9 percent over that of a year ago. Ground- <br />water levels in upstate New Yo.rk generally declined <br />and were below average. A record-low level for <br />February was measured in the key well near Castile. <br /> <br />Connecticut.-Runoff remained above median as a <br />result of carryover from January and melting of the <br />generally heavy snow cover the lilst few days of the <br />month. The outlook for March is continued high run- <br />off. Ground-water levels generally were about average <br />and higher than last year; in New Haven, however, <br />levels in the cold-storage area were record high and <br />levels in the industrial area were record high for <br />February. <br /> <br />Central New England., Runoff was slightly above <br />median as a result of antecedent conditions as tem- <br />peratures were below average and practicaily all <br />precipitation fell as snow. Water content of the snow <br />cover was above average and was record high for <br />February in some areas at high elevations in upper <br />Connecticuf and Deerfield River basins. Ground-water <br />levels generally declined. They were above average in <br />eastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire <br />but were below average in Rhode Island and central and <br />western Massachusetts. <br /> <br />Maine.-Streamflow continued excessive and although <br />storage decreased seasonally it was well above average. <br />Snow cover over the State varied from 100 to 175 per- <br />cent of average, and in the major storage areas the <br />water content ranged from 9 to 11. 5 inches. Ground- <br />water levels declined seasonally but generally remain- <br />ed somewhat above average. <br /> <br />Nearly all reservoirs should fill this year if normal <br />temperatures and precipitation occur during March <br />and April. The moderate to high water content of the <br />snow and the generally unfrozen conditions of the ground <br />make the outlook favorable for high ground-water levels <br />during March and April. <br />