Decrease in funding for stream gauges could put public at risk

Officials, emergency responders and citizens in waterside communities across the Southern Tier and Central New York rely on stream and river level information to make decisions affecting public safety in the event of a potential flood.

Yet in recent years, government funding for the critical devices has become as fickle and unpredictable as the waters themselves.

Losing the equipment leaves forecasters in the dark, unable to put out advance warnings to those who could be in harm’s way.