You may have noticed some strange-looking contraptions on the side of the road adjacent to the Sanibel Slough recently.

These are new water level monitoring stations the SCCF Marine Lab installed in collaboration with the City of Sanibel.

“These stations measure the water level of the slough every 15 minutes using a radar level sensor,” said Marine Lab Manager A.J. Martignette.  “They also measure the amount of rain received, using the bucket-like device mounted on the top of the pole.”

The stations report data in near-real time, automating a process that had been done manually by the City’s Public Works staff in the past.

The new stations expand upon two existing stations located near each of the east and west basin weirs, that were established in 2015.

“The stations were added as part of a master stormwater management plan the City is in the process of updating,” said Martignette. “Data collected will help engineers working on the project better understand the dynamics of the slough.”

The stormwater management plan was last officially updated in 1992. The new plan will build upon an update conducted in 2018, but that never received final approval from the City Council.