New York State on Sept. 16 launched 'FloodSafe NY,' a project to expand and modernize its network of stream-level monitors statewide. The state Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Geological Survey will collect real-time hydrologic data to improve the accuracy of flood forecasts and evacuation warnings and to create flood-risk maps. Funding comes from the $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act.
New York State on Sept. 16 launched 'FloodSafe NY,' a project to expand and modernize its statewide network of stream-level monitors. The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has contracted with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to add streamgages that measure water levels in streams and rivers in near real time. The data will help local governments understand flooding patterns and issue flood warnings. Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed the project in her State of the State address earlier this year.
Existing streamgages will be fitted with cameras, backup communication lines and two-way remote control. The goal is to keep data flowing even when equipment fails while reducing maintenance costs. New streamgages will be installed first at locations where flood warnings are especially needed, and in areas where equipment is difficult to place, 'virtual streamgages' that combine observational data with models will be used.
Data to Be Used for Flood Mapping, Too
The data collected will be used not only for flood forecasting but also for drought monitoring, drinking water source management and water quality policy. Based on the data, the state plans to set priorities by watershed and produce flood maps showing which areas will be inundated and by how much. This corresponds to the next phase of Resilient NY, an existing stream study program.
Funding comes from the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, approved by voters in a 2022 referendum, and from matching funds from the USGS. Separately, earlier this year the state allocated nearly $100 million in grants for projects that reduce flood risk through nature-based infrastructure. The money is divided into two tracks: the Resilient Watershed Grants (RWG) and the Community Resilience and Flood Risk Reduction grants.
DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said the project provides data to flood-prone municipalities without increasing the burden on residents. Rob Breault, director of the USGS New York Water Science Center, said that using streamgages together with a statewide model gives New York forecasting capabilities it has never had before, and that it will serve as a model for other states to follow.