A USGS hydrologic technician installs a Rapid-Deployment Gauge

Jim Duda, USGS hydrologic technician, installs a Rapid-Deployment Gauge near the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, Virginia, to monitor elevated water levels caused by Hurricane Jose. An RDG is a fully functional streamgage designed to be quickly deployed for real-time data monitoring of a stream or river in emergency situations. RDGs are indispensable tools used for flood forecasting by augmenting existing streamgage networks by adding temporary gauges to the network, providing situational awareness and support to emergency managers. Photo by Howard Ross, USGS.