Every two months or so, you may see someone standing on the bridge at Frametown, Pisgah or Queen Shoals with what appears to be a yellow floating device tied to a rope and you may ask yourself what in the world are these people doing. The answer to that question is testing the water flowing through the mighty Elk River. The U.S. Geological Survey team uses sonar equipment, like the one pictured here, to test the depth and flow of waterways all across the state. The water resource information is monitored continuously by an extensive satellite network of stream-gaging stations and periodically tested for accuracy by sonar. On the Elk River, the depth and flow of the water is monitored and reported. This data is used by the Army Corp of Engineers to assist in managing water flow from the Sutton Dam. This information is crucial is developing flood-warning systems and stabilizing the levels of the river.
