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4WATER RESOURCES OF THE BUFFALO-NIAGARA FALLS REGIONTable 1. -Area and population of political subdivisions in the Niagara Frontier-ContinuedSubdivisionTowns, Niagara County-Continued:Lockport . .Newfane . .Niagara . .Pendleton . . .Porter . .Royalton . .Somerset . .Wheatfield . .Wilson . .Niagara County . .Land area(sq mi)Water area(sq ure in the Lake Ontario area is devotedchiefly to fruit farms, vineyards, and truck gardens.The Erie and Huron plains are used mostly for theproduction of hay, grain, and pasture. Poultry farming and dairying play prominent roles in the agricultural economy.Census data for the political subdivision within Erieand Niagara Counties are given in table 1.Natural ResourcesWater, with the power and navigation it provides,is the most important natural resource of the region.Other natural resources include the soils, natural gas,gypsum and limestone. There are many producingnatural gas wells in western New York, several ofwhich are in the Niagara Frontier. The number ofthe gas wells increases to the south. Over 1,000,000tons of gypsum are quarried or mined in New YorkState annually, and large reserves exist in the NiagaraFrontier. Four of the nine active gypsum quarries andmines in the State are situated within the area. TheLockport dolomite in the Buffalo-Niagara region is apossible source of magnesium. It is exposed in bedsthick enough to be quarried economically in the areaeast of the Niagara River.SOURCES OF WATERPrecipitation in the form of rain, snow, ice, anddew is the immediate source of all water on the earth'ssurface or underground. During a typical rainstormsome water is absorbed by the ground. If the rain fallsat a rate greater than that at which it can be absorbedby the earth, the excess immediately runs off and becomes part of the flow of streams. Part of the waterthat is absorbed is held in the soil by capillary actionand eventually evaporated from the ground surface ortranspired by growing plants. The remainder percolates downward and eventually becomes part of theground water. It may remain in the ground-water reservoir for long periods but eventually it may be withdrawn through wells although most of it escapes to thelakes and streams which drain to the sea. The flowfrom the ground-water reservoirs constitutes most ofthe dry weather flow of the small streams.1.6.8.26Population 1950Population density(people per sq mi)3,9455,8014,7291, 8154,2765,2972, 2274, 7203,6968410943865128755916674189, 992356The Niagara Frontier is not dependent on local precipitation for its principal water supply owing to thepresence of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. It has available the accumulated runoff from a 265, 095 sq miarea above Niagara Falls and the flow from approximately 30,000 sq mi tributary to Lake Ontario. Smallersupplies may be obtained also from small streams andfrom the ground. The most important small streamsare Buffalo Creek, Cayuga Creek, Tonawanda Creek,and Cazenovia Creek. In contrast to the surface-watersupply of Lake Erie with its vast drainage basin, theground-water supply of the area is dependent largelyupon local precipitation. Minor exceptions are someartesian waters having source areas beyond the regionof the report, and some recharge from the NiagaraRiver supplying wells adjacent to the river.SURF ACE WATERSurface water available within the area is sufficientfor all present uses and foreseeable needs. The storage capacity of Lake Erie, together with that of theother Great Lakes lying above it, regulates the flowin the Niagara River and for the most part obviatesthe need for water-supply reservoirs. The flow of theNiagara River is much greater than the present demand. The chemical quality of the surface waterthroughout the area is generally favorable for mostuses without costly treatment. Waste-disposal practices have had an adverse effect on the lower reachesof the smaller streams in the area and on the Tonawanda Channel of the Niagara River. The temperature ofwater in Lake Erie and Niagara River ranges from34 F to 75 F. Records of water temperature in smallstreams are not available but during summer, whenflows are at their lowest, water temperature in thestreams is presumed to exceed the temperature withinthe lake.Records of streamflow in the area, with the exceptionof that for Niagara River, are relatively short (12 yr orless). Therefore, the low-flow characteristics and theaverage flow for the period 1920-50 have been estimatedby correlation with records of Little Tonawanda Creekat Linden where records have been collected since1912. With the exception of Niagara River, the flow inthe streams has a wide range. Floods may be expectedto occur during any month of the year, but they are

5SURFACE WATER574-; c573 'af"1:1:;::c0 UE 572nJ\hJ vI"""Vi'J 'v U 0 .Q0(\ c 0 :!\ 1\J \v" v . 571 UIv(I YEARFigure 4.- Yearly mean elevation of Lake Erie (elevation above mean tide at New York City).most likely to occur during February, March, andApril.There are several graphic methods of showing theprobable flow variation. A flow-duration curve showsthe percentage of time during which a specified dailydischarge has been equaled or exceeded. It may betreated as a probability curve and used to estimate theprobable occurrence of a specified discharge. A second method of showing the low-flow characteristicsof a stream is by use of curves showing the longestperiod of time during which the discharge was lessthan a specified amount.In addition to giving graphically the general flowcharacteristics of the streams, these curves are valu-able for use in solving problems of plant location andoperation. For example, assume that it is desired tolocate a manufacturing plant on Buffalo Creek at apoint where the drainage area happens to be 150 sqmi. Construction of a storage dam is not contemplated.A flow of 7. 5 cfs, or 0. 05 cfs per sq mi, is required tooperate the plant. It is necessary to know the averagenumber of days each year when there will be a shortage of water. Using the curve based on the estimated1920-50 record (solid line, fig. 8) it is seen that aflow equal to or exceeding 0. 05 cfs per sq mi will prevail during 98 percent of the time. The estimatedcurve for the period 1920-50 is used because thatperiod iricluaed extreme droughts and floods and isconsidered to be more nearly representative of average conditions than the period of actual record,8070LIJ.Ja::i so/ (a::lLI0. , v 4030Jan.Feb.Mer.vb-:::::::::-. . I/Apr.MayJuneJulyAug.Sept.Figure 5. -Average seasonal temperature of Niagara River. 'Oct. Nov. Dec.

WATER RESOURCES OF THE BUFFALO-NIAGARA FALLS REGION61938-50. For an average year there would be sufficientwater 98 percent of 365 or 358 days, and a shortage foronly 7 days.The quality of water in Lake Erie is good. Its chemical composition is essentially constant throughout theyear except for localized contamination. Streamstributary to Lake Erie in the vicinity of Buffalo arehighly polluted within their estuaries and present athreat to water supplies along the shore toward theNiagara River. Industrial and domestic pollutionstudies have been evaluated by the International JointCommission in a report on the pollution of Internationalboundary waters of the Niagara River. The BuffaloSewer Authority also has studied the pollution problemand records of its findings are available.It may be possible to operate the plant for shortperiods on less than 7. 5 cfs. However, it is necessary to know the maximum number of consecutivedays, even in unusual years, when the flow will beless than 7. 5 cfs. Figure 9, based on the estimatedrecord for the period 1920-50, shows that the flow ofBuffalo Creek may be expected to be less than 0. 05cfs per sq mi for not more than 29 consecutive days.Figure 5 shows the average seasonal temperaturein the Niagara River at its head which should reflectthe average temperatures of water available in LakeErie in the area covered by this report. From information available at the Ward pumping station of thecity of Buffalo, the maximum temperature during thesummer months rarely exceeds 75 F.Lake ErieLake Erie, shallowest of the Great Lakes, has amean depth of 90 ft. The lake bottom in the vicinityof Buffalo slopes gradually to a depth of 30 ft abouta mile off shore and to a depth of 60 ft or less, 10miles off shore. The port area of Buffalo has beenimproved by harbor works which are protected bypiers and revetments, and by breakwaters in the lake.The harbor areas around Buffalo are maintained bythe Corps of Engineers at a nominal depth of 20 ft.The U. S. Lake Survey publishes a yearly bulletinwherein data relating to harbor use and navigationalinformation are detailed. For water-supply purposesthe lake acts as a huge and readily accessible storagereservoir.Lake OntarioLake Ontario has the least surface area of any of theGreat Lakes. From the Niagara River to Olcott depthsof 20 ft or more are found beyond five-eighths of amile offshore. East of Olcott the deep water is aboutone-fourth mile offshore. The shore along the lakeis being eroded at a rate varying from 1 ft to 5 ft peryear.Strong winds cause the lake level to fluctuate widely.A continuing east wind causes the lake level to dropbelow 570.5 ft (low-water datum), making it impossible for large ships to pass into the harbor. SinceH)QO the maximum range at Buffalo during one daywas 9 ft. The extreme range in lake elevations forthe period 1900-50 was 13. 7 ft. The records of annualstages for Lake Erie from 1870 to 1950 as recorded bythe U. S. Lake Survey are shown in figure 4.0. Like Lake Erie, Lake Optario serves as a storage· reservoir for water-supply purposes. The tributarydrainage area at the head of the St. Lawrence Riveris about 295, 000 sq mi. The average discharge of theSt. Lawrence River at Ogdensburg, N. Y., is about225,000 cfs. This discharge represents the amountof water available from Lake Ontario and from intervening tributary streams.EXPLAz00(/)cr:LLlo300 1 - - - - - - - - - Maximum.I LLlMinimumAverageLLlLLlLL.0iD52000z ((/)::: 0 100 LLl !)cr: (5 nnualFigure 6. -Maximum, average, and minimum monthly and annual discharge Niagara River at Buffalo.

SURFACE WATER7Table 2. -Chemical quality of surface water in the Niagara Frontier(parts per million)Silica (Si02) .Total Iron (Fe) .Aluminum (Al) .Manganese (Mn) .Copper (Cu) .Zinc (Zn) .Calcium (Ca) .Magnesium (Mg) .Sodium (Na) .Potassium (K) .Carbonate (C0 3 ) .Bicarbonate (HC03) .Sulfate (S04) .Chloride (Cl) .Fluoride (F) .Nitrate (N0 3 ) .Phosphate (P0 4 ) .Dissolved solids .Total hardness as CaC03 .Color .pH .Specific conductance(micromhos at 25 c .Temperature (F) .Discharge (cfs) 4.321817526-20-511.7.33000.254104.53.60159458.0.1 34146207.7158.0157.33397427Buffalo Creek at Gardenv1lle.Cayuga Creek near Lancaster.Cazenovia Creek at Ebenezer.Tonawanda Creek at Millersport.3527516362742446-20-514.2. 33000088158.32.4020210912.41.1 1366281257.558-8-510.2000.020406.49. 92.0011028200.6016412666-20-510.9. 30000 1388.38.62.0011025230 7017112957.6107. 5773587550(estimated)5 Treated Lake Erie water-Buffalo, N. Y.6 Raw Lake Ontario water-Rochester, N. Y.7 Treated Lake Erie water-Erie, Pa. --------------------------- UJa:EXPLANATION (;::) 6 1----------va:UJA.woe Za:041----------f' (U27.8Average:r:U.Iu(J)(/)a:OUJ0. 211.ua;;::)u Qa:.III.:IIIII-:.A.:UFigure 7. -Maximum, average, and minimum monthly and annual discharge Buffalo Creek at Gardenville.

WATER RESOURCES OF THE BUFFALO-NIAGARA FALLS REGION8The mean surface elevation is 245,8 ft. Harborsare maintained at Olcott and Wilson, N. Y. The annual U. S. Lake Survey bulletin gives detailed information about facilities relating to these harbors. Dueto the greater depths of the lake, strong winds do notcause rapid changes in lake elevation.The pollution from the Niagara River is dispersedradially into Lake Ontario. Eastward from the mouthof the Niagara River the quality of water is good, andhas about the same chemical composition as waterfrom Lake Erie. Several small streams drain.ing theOntario plain are dry during the summer months. Themore significant streams are noted in table 3.Niagara RiverThe Niagara River is the qutlet of Lake Erie. FromBuffalo it flows northward 33 miles where it emptiesinto Lake Ontario. It forms the boundary between theUnited States and Canada. Above Buffalo it has adrainage area of 263, 500 sq mi. The channel aboveNiagara Falls, which is 20 miles below Buffalo, isbroad, ranging in width from 1, 600 to 7, 500 ft andcontains sever

The Niagara Frontier The Buffalo-Niagara Falls region, locally called the Niagara Frontier, is defined as that area in Erie and Niagara Counties in New York bounded on the south by Eighteenmile Creek; on the west by Lake Erie and the Niagara River; on the north by Lake Ontario; and on the east by a line just east of the village of East