Drones Used for Routine Hydrology Surveys

Every year NWS Louisville does routine hydrology surveys to check river gauge equipment and USGS or flood reference marks at river gauges across central Kentucky and southern Indiana. Up until now, we've done these on foot documenting what we can see at ground level.

Pictured below is the river gauge at South Fork Licking River at Cynthiana, KY.

Last week, the first routine hydrology survey using drones gave a unique bird's eye view of the river gauge as well as the area along the river upstream and downstream of the gauge. This survey information at regular river levels is helpful in documenting what areas could be impacted along the river when flood waters rise. These "impacts" are inserted directly into NWS River Flood Warnings.

The video below shows the river gauge at South Fork Licking River at Cynthiana, KY as well as the area upstream and downstream of the gauge.