Pocono News Section

River Gauge Funding Extended into 2009

River Gauge Funding Extended into 2009 - Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 5:50PM EST

Reported by: Dave Skutnik
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 @ 05:50pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- Federal funding was set to dry up Tuesday for a number of vital river gauges along the Susquehanna River.

We told you Monday night that a meeting was being held in Harrisburg among federal, state and local officials to figure out just what to do about this funding flap.

In that meeting several agencies offered to step in with new funding to save these important river gauges.

The problem started when the federal government announced budget cuts that would stop funding the data feed from these river gauges. The National Weather Service says that would seriously jeopardize river forecast accuracy and could even eliminate river crest forecasts altogether.

Local emergency management officials warned that would affect their flood response, jeopardizing lives and properties during a flood.

But two things have changed, saving the river gauge data. First, Congress voted to continue the current funding until March. Second if that funding goes away as expected next spring, several other agencies have gotten together to come up with funding for these critical gauges to keep running through 2009.

However they also tell Eyewitness News that this is only a temporary fix, and that long-term funding problems still exist. Jim Brozena, Executive Director of the Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority, said, "I think that 2009 we can obviously address that situation. I think that 2010 is going to be a problem again when we're going to have to finally put this to bed and resolve this one and for all."

As for what that resolution is, nobody really knows at this point. But it’s safe to say this fight isn’t finished. Look for it to return next fall.