ITEM TITLE:
Approval of a Cooperative Agreement with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for Annual Operations and Maintenance of a Stream Gage on the Lowe River and on the Valdez Glacier Stream
SUBMITTED BY: Bruce Wall, Senior Planner
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: $170,000
Unencumbered Balance: $170,000
Funding Source: 001-5500-43200
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the cooperative agreement with USGS for annual operations and maintenance of a stream Gage on the Lower River and on the Valdez Glacier Stream.
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
In 2016, the City entered into a five-year cooperative agreement with USGS for the operations and maintenance of a stream gage on the Lowe River and the Valdez Glacier Stream. This agreement ended on September 30, 2021. The stream gages are critically useful in monitoring water levels during potential flooding events of the Lowe River and of the Valdez Glacier Stream.
Each gage sends live data to a website that updates every 15 minutes and sends alarms to City staff when the stream levels rise above a specified threshold. This is immediate, relevant data for both individuals that live in the floodplain and emergency flood responders.
The City will contribute $34,000 annually for both gages. This amount was included in the 2022 Planning Department Budget request, as it has in past years. Attached to this agenda statement is the proposed agreement with USGS committing to the annual monitoring and maintenance costs of the gages. Also attached is a USGS cost evaluation document that explains the costs associated with maintaining stream gages.
It is staff’s recommendation that the City Council approve the five-year cooperative agreement for the USGS stream gages on the Lowe River and Valdez Glacier Stream.