After the 2009 floods, Lowndes County agreed to help USGS fund a stream
gauge on the Little River west of Hahira.
It’s time to renew that.
They vote tonight about what was proposed
at the
26 August 2013 Work Session of the Lowndes County Commission.
6.b. USGS Funding Agreement for Hwy 122 Stream Gauge
This time Emergency Director Ashley Tye said it’s on the Little River.
He said during ihe 2009 floods the county only had a gauges on the
Withlacoochee River at Skipper Bridge and US 84, and no way to
monitor the level of the Little River,
so he contacted USGS, who supplied and installed the equipment.
The county since then pays for the maintenance.
If something breaks, USGS comes and fixes it.
He’s also worked with the National Weather Service to establish flood stages
for better warning for residents.
It’s time to renew the funding.
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall wanted to know how many inspections were carried out by USGS.
Answer: Once a month, or more frequently if they see something odd in the data.
Marshall said he was wondering because in a storm the water’s going to rise.
Answer: Yes, and during the floods in 2009 they came out 2 and 3 times a week. The gauge at Skipper Bridge was underwater, and there are pictures of guys in boats at US 84 taking readings. This is one way the calibrate it. The closest office is Tifton, and they have to deal with all the surrounding counties.
The last time the river stream gauge funding came up was I think
10 September 2012.
At that time I thought Emergency Director Ashley Tye was referring
to the Withlacoochee River, but he actually didn’t say which river,
and USGS only lists a gauge on the Little River at GA 122,
not on the Withlacoochee.
If the county put agenda packet information online with the agenda,
like
for example Augusta-Richmond County and Glynn County do,
that sort of confusion wouldn’t be so easy.
Here’s the video:
Gauging the Little River west of Hahira
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 26 August 2013.
-jsq
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