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The USGS rain gage and stream-flow network provides critical data for federal and local emergency response agencies in Puerto Rico. The network provided information to mitigate against additional flooding and landslides from the continued rainfall in the days and months following Hurricane Maria making landfall on Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico officials made emergency response decisions for water, electricity, and infrastructure repairs (bridge reconstruction, highway repair, and flood mitigation) using USGS real-time network data such as reservoir elevation, precipitation, and discharge stations. These decisions prioritized the health and safety of the Puerto Rico public. For example, gages above, below, and at the reservoir Lago Guajataca were prioritized for repair by USGS crews post-landfall because they were critical to providing potential warning for the dam failure to about 70,000 residents living below the reservoir.

Repairs of the the USGS stream gage networks damaged by Hurricane Maria are complete. The repaired gages have allowed for continued monitoring of their flood control network to make decisions during post-hurricane recovery, for water distribution throughout the island for human consumption, agriculture, electricity generation, and emergency evacuations.

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Learn more about the benefits of USGS Streamgaging Program.