A Management Strategy for Oneida Lake and its ... - CNY RPDB Home

Managing Flooding and Water Levels
Program Goal
The program goal is to provide water level management recommendations to minimize flood
damage to properties along the Oneida Lake shoreline while maintaining levels that are
beneficial and necessary for navigation, water-based recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and
lake ecology. To accomplish this goal, the following objectives were developed: protect human
life, health, property, and public services such as water, sewer and gas systems; reduce the
intensity and duration of high water levels; minimize flood damage to existing flood control
structures such as dams, levees, breakwalls, riprap, and other channel improvements; reduce
flood damage to bridges, roads and culverts; protect aquatic resources from unnecessary impacts
from flooding or dewatering; and manage water levels to encourage water-based recreation,
maintain current fish and wildlife habitat, and protect the basic ecology of Oneida Lake.
Additional information compiled by this Working Group can be found in Appendix A.
page 38
Problem Identification
There are many (frequently conflicting) uses
of Oneida Lake. The question has been
repeatedly debated whether water level
management decisions should be made to
facilitate tourism, recreation, fisheries and
wildlife habitat, commercial navigation, boat
launch and marina profitability or, last but
certainly not least, flood control. Lake water
levels are perceived as either too high or too
low, depending on different interest groups.
Flooding occurs along the Oneida Lake
shoreline and in several areas throughout the
watershed, often after major storm events or
rapid winter thaws. Water level fluctuations
on Oneida Lake and within its watershed are a
naturally occurring phenomenon further
exacerbated by human factors, which is a
chronic concern along various portions of the
lake shoreline. The majority of the high water
levels occur during the spring runoff period
when rains and melting snow result in runoff
rates that exceed the combined storage and
outlet discharge capacity, resulting in rising
water levels. The majority of the annual high
water levels occur during the months of
March, April and May. It is unusual to observe
high water levels outside of the spring
runoff period. Consequently, the impact
associated with annual snowmelt runoff
phenomenon is a driving force on high water
levels observed on Oneida Lake.
Many upstream and downstream factors
contribute to lake shoreline flooding. The
Oneida River downstream of the Caughdenoy
Dam is also very flood prone and there is
considerable development in the Horseshoe
Island area that is susceptible to flooding.
Flood damages to this area could potentially
increase if high volumes of water were
released to reduce flooding along the Oneida
Lake shoreline. The entire region is hydrologically
connected. The upstream and
downstream areas and the impacts of water
level management, therefore, need to be
considered when any decisions are made for
Oneida Lake.
Water levels have been historically observed
and recorded on Oneida Lake. Water level
fluctuation has continued with the construction
of the New York State Barge Canal
System, where levels have risen above and
fallen below desired levels due to natural
hydrometeorological circumstances and
Chapter 3: Priority Areas