(St. Joseph County, IN) - A new Kankakee River monitoring system to guard against flooding is now in place.

 

A device keeping an eye on water levels is near the Crumstown Highway bridge over the river in St. Joseph County.

 

The Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission made the investment to monitor the levels closer to the headwaters of the river southwest of South Bend.

 

“Despite our existing fleet of flood monitors, the Commission has identified the need for real-time information about water levels near the Kankakee River’s source,” said Commission Executive Director Scott Pelath.

 

Pelath said the closest monitoring device was previously in La Porte County. The need for being closer to the headwaters is from major economic development happening near South Bend, he said.

 

The device’s measurements are now publicly viewable on both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website at water.noaa.gov and the Hydromet Cloud website at www.hydrometcloud.com.

 

Commission Treasurer Bill Crase from Starke County said the gauges are needed to reduce and respond to flooding.

 

“Not only do they contribute to public safety, but they develop a clearer picture of the Kankakee River’s behavior in response to heavy precipitation and snow melt. The data will also help local officials and engineers plan for regional development within the Kankakee watershed,” he said.