By BRETT R. WHITLING
Clarion News writer
Clarion County is looking for volunteers to be rain gauge readers and report rainfall amounts to the National Weather Service.
Clarion County and the Clarion County Department of Public Safety received a $1,000 donation from the Walmart Foundation to develop an in-county volunteer group of “rain gauge readers.”
Randall Stahlman, Clarion County Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director, said the total cost for the rain gauges is approximately $1,100; the remaining $100 will be covered with hazmat funds leaving no cost to the county.
A press release from Clarion County stated, “The current system of reporting rainfall amounts is through a National Weather Service system called IFLOWS. This system is over 40-years-old and is no longer being serviced by the National Weather Service.
“With this donation from Walmart, Clarion County will be purchasing rain gauges and setting up locations throughout the county, covering all three (Allegheny River, Clarion River and Redbank Creek) of the watersheds within the county.”
Denny Logue, Clarion County Emergency Management Agency Operations and Training Officer, said the county is looking for possibly 25 volunteers to be rain gauge readers throughout the county.
Logue said the county’s goal is to get the rain gauge program running by January.
Anyone interested in being a rain gauge reader should contact Randall Stahlman at (814) 297-7910 or EMA operations and training officer Denny Logue at (814) 297-7905.