The Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow Rivers Watershed Management Authority on Monday celebrated the installation of its 22nd water gauge.

 

Choc-Pea executive director Barbara Gibson explained that the newest water monitoring system is located on Hwy. 84 between Andalusia and Opp on the bridge at the Yellow River.

Gibson said the newest gauge measures river levels by radar and detects levels of approximately 1 ½ inches. Rainfall is measured in .01-inch increments. Data is then sent by radio signal to one of four repeaters which forward the data to one of the host computers located in New Brockton, Elba and Geneva. The data can disseminate real time to the Emergency Management Agencies, state and local officials, and the National Weather Service.

The Michelin Corp. awarded an environmental stewardship grant that funded the purchase.

The gauge system is designed to provide timely, reliable, and accurate warnings of potential flooding in areas experiencing threatening weather conditions and is the only and the largest basin-wide FWS in the State of Alabama.

Among those on hand for the dedication were Assistant Ag Commissioners Glen Zorn, who also was a charter member of the Choc-Pea Authority; Sen. Jimmy Holley; Rep. Mike Jones; state EMA Director Art Faulkner; and members of the Covington County Commission.