Environmental Emergency Services, Inc. (EES) serving Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties, NY
EES is here to advise and inform the populace of Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties of severe flooding, drought, and hazardous materials incidents.
Environmental Emergency Services is a not-for-profit corporation that derives its funding from contributions made by Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties, as well as cities, towns, and villages within those counties. EES supports the following functions: flood detection and warnings; drought monitoring; Chemical Hazard Information Technical Support (CHIT); and Public Information and Education (PIE). The Flood Warning Service (FWS) provides a centralized point for data collection, analysis, and distribution for both flood and drought conditions in Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties. This mission is carried out in cooperation with the County Emergency Management Offices (EMOs), the National Weather Service (NWS), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the mutual benefit of all parties.
Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties function as a regional group in many ways. Our Emergency Management Offices constantly work together and are supported by Environmental Emergency Services, with the expressed goal of coordinating and facilitating emergency planning and preparedness activities. The regional planning entity, Southern Tier Regional Planning & Development Board, also represents our 3 counties and our 3 chief officials all serve on the board of directors. Our public transportation system covers the same area and the local media outlets are geared towards coverage of the same area. We believe that regional coordination is the best way for our area to be prepared.
Geographic features:
Streams and rivers in the region drain toward the Finger Lakes to the north, the Genesee River to the west, and the Susquehanna River to the east. Most of the region is drained by the Chemung River, which is formed by the confluence of the Tioga River, flowing northward from Pennsylvania, and the Cohocton River, flowing southeast in New York. The Chemung River joins the Susquehanna River at Sayre, Pennsylvania.
Chemung River Watershed:
- Drainage area: 2,595 square miles
- Major tributaries: Chemung, Tioga, Cohocton, Cowanesque, and Canisteo Rivers
- Population: 212,850
- Major population centers: Elmira, Corning, Hornell (all in NY)
Created in 1981, EES is a 3 county not-for-profit corporation (501(c)(3)) serving Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties in New York:
- 1979 — Consensus for a self-help program: “How Can We Help Ourselves!”
- Steering committee formed
- Memorandum of Understanding developed
- 1981– Formed as Chemung River Basin Flood Warning Support Corporation
- 1984 — Automated data collection equipment installed
- 1990s — increased focus on “short-term flash flood events” with installation of additional precipitation gauges
- The EES Emergency Operations Center became a “clearing house” for basin-wide information
EES currently operates 27 precipitation gauges, 10 river/lake level monitoring sites, and 10 full climate stations providing:
- Real-time flood information
- Local historical flood information
- Verification of past flood information
- Verification of NWS flood models
- Continued expansion of the gauge networks
- Data that allows for NWS/local development of small basin flood models
- Facilitates information exchange between Emergency Management Offices, DEC, NWS, and USACE