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Hurricane Equipment Repair and Hardening and Data Restoration

By Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities

In FY 2023, USGS received disaster supplement funds (Public Law 117-43) to harden hurricane-damaged facilities and data communications equipment.

Hurricane equipment repair: tasks and benefits 2023

  • Before (left) and after (right) photos show the damage caused to a river by Hurricane Fiona
    Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
    A before-and after comparison of the water level and precipitation equipment at the site located at Rio Del La Plata blw Represa Comerio, Puerto Rico (50044210), illustrating the damage from Hurricane Fiona. The photo on the left was taken on July 11, 2022 when the site was installed. The photo on the right was taken on Sept. 20, 2022 after Hurricane Fiona.

    Hurricanes Fiona and Ian damaged or destroyed facilities, water gages, and seismic monitoring stations in Florida and Puerto Rico. Equipment reserves were depleted to return impacted gages to operational status. Funding will be used to repair and harden the USGS San Juan Magnetic Observatory facility; replenish equipment reserves and repair specific water gages and seismic stations; harden communications and backup power systems at seismic stations; and harden communications for the national magnetic observatory network.

  • Flooding caused channel alterations or service degradation at sites in Florida. Funding will be used to update hydraulic-modeling metrics to determine the impacts of flooding on infrastructure (bridges, dams, and levees) recovery activities. Flooding can also lead to saltwater intrusion into aquifers in Puerto Rico. Funding will be used to add an additional salinity monitoring well to the Puerto Rico network.
  • These data restoration efforts are critical to ensure proper and timely forecasts to protect lives and property and to track recovery of the storm-altered watersheds.

Return to 2023 Supplemental Appropriations Activities.