November 15, 2023 |
Photo – Flood alert beacons – Courtesy Carbon County Emergency Management
Carbon County Emergency Management has received flood alert beacons to place in the Mullen burn scar.
In September of 2020, the Mullen Fire burned approximately 176,000 acres of Wyoming and northern Colorado. The fire significantly impacted the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. Flames destroyed plant life in the area, increasing erosion and the possibility of severe flooding.
Carbon County Emergency Management is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, to install six emergency warning beacons in fire affected areas of the county.
During the November 7th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Emergency Manager Lenny Layman said he received the six flood monitoring beacons. Layman said he will set them up in the Mullen burn scar in the spring.
This past January, Layman petitioned the commissioners to allow him to apply for a grant to purchase flood monitoring stations for the burn scar.
The beacons will provide Carbon County Emergency Management with real-time information about the weather in the area.
The commissioners approved the grant request with the stipulation that Layman find a partner to help pay the data collection fees.
In June, Layman informed the board that NOAA was going to cover the entire cost of monitoring the beacons.
Speaking at the November 7th board meeting, Commissioner Travis Moore said the beacons will offer a great learning experience for Carbon County students. Commissioner Moore said his students will assist with the flood monitor project.
The flood warning beacons will be installed in remote sections of the Mullen burn scar. Once in place, the monitors will provide the county with more information about what is happening on the ground in the difficult to reach locations. The beacons will provide real-time information to Carbon County Emergency Management, allowing them to monitor ongoing flooding and make any necessary preparations.
