Court backs planning for USGS stream gauges and EDA-funded disaster sirens

Craig presented the court with a proposal to expand stream monitoring and to link gauges into a planned disaster-siren network funded by the Economic Development Administration. He said the USGS radar stream gauges, which include a camera and data link, cost about $16,000 each and would provide public, real-time river-stage information alongside the siren system.

The court heard that while several agencies have committed to buying gauges, maintenance funding was the outstanding issue until two local organizations agreed to cover ongoing upkeep. Craig asked the court for recommendations on possible sites and said the gauges would be mounted high above typical debris lines so they would remain operational through storms.

Court members and staff also discussed coordinating the sensor data with the EDA-funded sirens so that automatic alerts could be issued to municipalities. Craig asked the court to forward potential gauge locations to the USGS and said he would present a fuller plan to the county disaster meeting the next day.

“As long as it has a stream gauge, anyone can see the levels,” Craig said, describing the public-data benefits and the mitigation value if the gauges feed directly into the siren network.

The court expressed support for the concept and offered limited logistical help for a volunteer river cleanup the presenter said they hoped to schedule in the third week of July. The court asked staff to follow up on maintenance commitments and to provide site recommendations ahead of final procurement decisions.

The presentation leaves timing dependent on final contracts and maintenance pledges; the court did not vote on procurement at this meeting.