Howard County supervisors agree to river gauge at Lime Springs

Howard County officials have agreed to allow a new river gauge to be installed on the Upper Iowa River at Lime Springs.

City of Decorah Water Superintendent Dave Pahlas and Winneshiek County Emergency Government Director Bruce Goetsch made the request because of their desire to get mre river stage information from upstream of Decorah.

Goetsch and Pahlas estimate that putting in a river gauge at Lime Springs would give the city of Decorah 12 hours advance notice of any flood crest that was heading towards the city.

The river gauges would be installed in cooperation with the US Geological Service.  Pahlas says the $3,500 cost quoted by USGS was "a pretty good price."

Winneshiek County supervisors earlier agreed to spend $3,500 on getting a new river gauge installed on the Upper Iowa River at Kendallville.

Pahlas says Howard County Board members did not immediately agree to pay money towards the project, but encouraged him and Goetsch to return in January to renew their request for funding.