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No River Gauges In Our Future???

By Doug Peters
July 22, 2010 Updated Mar 20, 2009 at 10:42 AM EDT

If you've been watching WBNG Action News over the last couple of weeks, you may have heard of a story regarding the stream and river gauges. The U.S. Geological Survey has decided to eliminate more than 50 stream and river gauges in New York, due to a lack of funding. Click here to see a listing of the gauges and which ones will be shut down and when, including those in the Twin Tiers.



This is very concerning from my point of view. These gauges provide us with up to the minute reports on what is happening on our local waterways. By looking at hydrographs (click here for an example using the Vestal gauge), we can see if the river is rising or falling. If we see a spike in the level during river ice season, we can infer an ice jam and warnings can be issued if necessary. We can also see if there is a flash flood scenario occurring on some of the smaller streams and rivers, as well as flood levels on the main stem rivers (how can we forget the floods of 2006?). What I'm getting at here is that this information is critical when issuing warnings to help protect life and property. Without these gauges, another disaster could result.



Congressman Maurice Hinchey has written a letter to the Geological Survey to ask it to reconsider its decision, and says he will continue to work to get funding restored.



We'll keep you updated on the progress and let you know if any or all of the gauges will be spared from being shut down.

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