Pinellas County Flood Camera Network Faces Funding Cliff as $1.5M Grant Ends

Riverview residents and others across Pinellas County rely on a network of flood monitoring cameras developed by University of South Florida (USF) researchers. This innovative system, which includes a 'WAZE for flooding' app, now faces an uncertain future as its primary funding source, a $1.5 million National Science Foundation grant, concludes this year.

USF Professor Barnali Dixon spearheaded the project, which utilizes static cameras to capture images every 15 minutes, monitoring water levels 24/7. This continuous data collection helps validate and calibrate flood maps and models. The system also features the Flood Report app, allowing residents to upload real-time flood photos and warn neighbors about affected areas. Dixon stated, "Our goal over here is to collect people’s lived experience as a photograph, then use machine learning algorithms to make data out of it, so we can further validate and calibrate maps and models."

Most of the 37 cameras are concentrated in the St. Petersburg area. Researchers installed a camera in Clam Bayou earlier this month, a placement recommended by the city of St. Petersburg due to its low-lying coastal nature. Alec Colarusso, a PhD student working on the project, noted, "It’s usually a nice coastal low-lying area. There are flood protections in place, but most of the time they don’t always ideally work as well." The team will install another camera in Riviera Bay.

Dixon received the $1.5 million National Science Foundation grant for the project in 2023. This funding is set to end in 2026. Dixon hopes the city and county will assume the operating costs for the cameras to ensure the network's continued operation. She said, "The contract is going to be ending in 2026, and then the city and county hopefully will assume the operating costs for those cameras."

The potential loss of funding raises questions about the long-term viability of this local flood monitoring tool. Residents can continue to use the Flood Report app, available on Google, to report real-time flood conditions. The future of the camera network depends on local government decisions regarding ongoing operational support.