Flathead Beacon | Comments

By Lucky on 05-12-08

Becky,

“The National Weather Service River Forecast Center takes its reading....” The Weather Service doesn’t take ANY readings. All the data reported by NOAA is generated by streamgages operated by the U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division. All of the data you see on the NOAA website comes from USGS. To get the data from the horse’s mouth, go to;

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/current?type=flow

It is the job of NOAA to interpret the data and make predictions but the guys who will be out there next week making the flood measurements and getting wet are from USGS. It just irks me when the Weather Service takes credit for the data.

Oh, and the Whitefish gage is on West Evergreen, not at the mouth, for hydraulic reasons. The Whitefish and Stillwater are always slower to react because much of their water comes from high snowpack and because of very flat slopes in the lower reaches.

If you get a chance, give an attaboy to the guys at USGS who collect all the streamflow and water quality data that others always take credit for.

Lucky
Kalispell, MT