In an effort to alert first-responders, school districts and county residents of flooded roads in a timely manner, a Partners in Watershed Management Grant was obtained from Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) by the County Commissioners to purchase water level sensors for installation in four stream locations in Wayne County. The local match will consist of labor and materials supplied by the Wayne County Engineer’s Office (three sensors) and the City of Wooster (one sensor) to install supports for the sensors. The sensors – located in streams with large watersheds and/or near high traffic roads – will allow remote, real-time monitoring of the rise and fall of stream levels allowing local officials to anticipate when roads will be flooded and when water has receded and the roads are safe to travel again. The sensors will also provide data on how these significant tributaries respond to local rainfall events. Wayne SWCD has taken the lead in sensor and site location selection and grant implementation and has aided the Wayne County Planning Department and Wayne County Emergency Management Agency in the grant application process. The sensors were installed in May of 2021. Please contact our office for more information.