Is the driveway flooded?

[BobsXTension at comcast.net]

I'd use something like an xBee or arduino with several water sensors and 
a solar charger.

Bob


On 2/18/22 11:43 AM, Chad Gard wrote:
> Ok, looking for some creative thinking here…
>
> Is our driveway flooded? How deep?  How about the intersection to the east?
>
> We have a river across the road, and the drive from the house to the road is 1/3 of mile, through woodsy swamp, and past our pond.  It floods every now and again.  More frequently, a key intersection about 2 miles down the road does.  Usually, we can get around that flooded intersection by going “the long way ‘round,” but if we forget and go the wrong way, sometimes we end up late to our destination.
>
> Using USGS/NWS data doesn’t work so well.  Nearest sensor is about 9 miles downstream.  I know that when our drive floods, it reaches >= 14.1 feet, but it’s usually about 4-6 hours behind.  Also, sometimes the source of our floods is a ditch that is our Eastern property line. If the culvert gets clogged (usually beavers, this morning ice), the ditch will rise up to the level of the road, then flow over the road. At that point, the driveway is about 8” deep. This morning, the intersection was impassable, and we were about 3” from the water coming over the drive, but that’s because of an ice dam at the culvert, as well as on the river at a nearby bridge.  It’s 12.4 feet at the downstream gauge (flood stage is 11.6).
>
> So, I’d like a way to determine if the driveway Is flooded directly, so we can be notified and take appropriate action if any is needed.  Ideally, we’d get a depth, too: if it’s <6”, no biggie.  If its 6-15”, only take the truck (unless it’s rapidly rising, in which case the current is likely too dangerous and there may be a deep washout in the drive, too).  If it’s 15-34”, notify the neighbor to the north we’ll be walking through for any emergency travel (so he doesn’t shoot us) and cancel all nonessential departure plans.  If it’s 34-46”, deploy sandbags.  If it’s >51” (the highest we’ve ever seen, a "250 year flood” 4 years ago) consider evacuation.  Really, if the driveway is over ~24”, we’re focused on little else (and the power will be out), so there’s not much need for any automation beyond that…
>
> So, thoughts on inexpensive ways to do that?
>