Floods, natural hazards:

• Are gage instrument shelf locations above the peak stage of the design flood? (NSIP calls for instruments to be placed above 200-year flood elevation.)
• Are the gage shelter and appurtenances located so as not to be vulnerable to bank erosion, damage from flood-borne debris, land slides, or falling trees?
• Can the gage shelter be safely accessed at all times and all stages?

Vandalism:

• Does the site have a history of vandalism, or are there telltale signs of potential for vandalism (shot-up signs, shell casings nearby, party litter, etc.)?
• If so, is the gage shelter appropriately "fortified" to withstand likely level of vandalism? Some options for consideration are:
• Bullet-proof/fire-proof shelter
• Bullet-proof instrument enclosure
• Steel doors
• Welded steel lock covers/anti-theft lock systems
• Antennas, solar panels protected
• Secured cable cars
• Fencing
• Security alarm systems
• As appropriate, enlist support of local observers who will contact the District and local law enforcement authorities if they observe vandalism.
• Use Visual Identity signage; include purpose of gage and office telephone number.
• Always report acts of vandalism to local law enforcement authorities.

Redundancy:

Evaluate the need for independent and redundant data streams, and the seriousness of the consequences of a break in the data stream. Depending on local site conditions, gage shelter vulnerability, and how important an uninterrupted flow of data is to the District, it.s cooperators, and the general public, a number of actions may be appropriate.
• Use multiple transmission systems (GOES; radio; microwave; land-line telephone; cellular telephone; satellite telephone)
• Have portable, temporary gage(s) ready for deployment (available from the HIF)
• Install backup or parallel instruments and sensors
• Install independent gage shelters
• Use uninterruptible power sources
• Arrange for independent or redundant data dissemination by other agency(s) (e.g. Corps of Engineers or National Weather Service)
• Arrange for observer(s) on call

Construction/instrumentation actions/choices:

• Steel or concrete structures mounted on concrete pads
• Increased reliability of orifice lines to the channel with use of new bubble gages (Design Analysis H-350/H-355 or Sutron Accubble).
• Electrical enclosures used rather than sheet metal
• Equipment inside shelter is secure (structure may vibrate during floods)
• Antenna placed inside the shelter to reduce vandalism and wind damage
• Pressure sensing lines underground
• Sound building practices used, such as using pressure treated lumber, galvanized nails, etc.
• Surge suppressors for protecting electronic and telecommunications equipment from lightning and line current spikes
• Proper grounding of electronic equipment