New flood mapping technology coming to Lanark County
Posted Apr 15, 2021 01:31:00 PM.
Lanark County council has approved just over $110,000 for new flood mapping technology.
The funds will go toward the purchase of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for the region.
Both the Mississippi and Rideau Valley Conservation authorities asked for this technology in a November 2020 meeting.
The county already uses Digital Raster Acquisition Project Eastern Ontario (DRAPE) imagery, but Lanark CAO Kurt Greaves says LiDAR data is four times more detailed.
The total cost for the project is $358,000, with the county's contribution coming from its reserve.
Council hopes the rest of the money will come from the federal government and local conservation authorities.
LiDAR is a remote-sensing method that uses a pulsed laser to measure variable distances to Earth. It's described as an accurate and cost-effective alternative to traditional surveying.
The proposed new data gathering system has a 10- to 12-year life span.
