Iowa Flood Center Doubles Number of Sensors

A flood sensor installed by the Iowa Flood Center is bolted to a bridge over Clear Creek Monday, March 28, 2011 near Oxford. 50 sensors, that monitor stream height, were installed statewide last fall as part of a joint project between the Iowa Flood Center and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. (Brian Ray/ SourceMedia Group News)

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By Belinda Yeung

Story Created: Jan 16, 2012 at 9:10 AM CDT

Story Updated: Jan 16, 2012 at 9:13 AM CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Flood Center has doubled the number of its flood sensors across the state.

Center engineer Dan Ceynar told the Iowa City Press Citizen the online database fed by the 100 sensors provides real-time monitoring of water levels in Iowa's rivers and streams.

Using an internal cell modem, the sensors update the database every 15 minutes. The sensors use sonar to determine how fast water levels are rising.

Ceynar says the sensors don't compete with the U.S. Geological Survey's 170 gauges that provide a similar service across Iowa.

Lori McDaniel is Iowa Department of Natural Resources supervisor of flood plain management and dam safety. McDaniel says there is a potential for a mixture of the two sensor arrays.

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