{"id":1383,"date":"2018-10-19T10:12:42","date_gmt":"2018-10-19T17:12:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/?p=1383"},"modified":"2023-06-26T13:35:11","modified_gmt":"2023-06-26T20:35:11","slug":"leverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/2018\/10\/19\/leverage\/","title":{"rendered":"Leverage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Archimedes is quoted as saying \u201cGive me a lever long enough, and I shall move the world.\u201d\u00a0 While I am not looking to move the world, I am interested in leveraging our resources to better serve our residents.\u00a0\u00a0 Whenever I read reports of natural disasters like Hurricane Michael, my thoughts immediately turn to Pierce County and the potential disasters we may face, with winter storms and flooding being foremost in my mind.<\/p>\n

I am a strong advocate for using technology as a lever to make our work better, faster, less expensive, and safer. A perfect example of this is the County\u2019s use of drone technology. One look at the devices in action and you can quickly realize the potential benefits of using the \u201ceyes in the sky.”<\/p>\n

I recently joined our drone pilots at Planning and Public Works and had the opportunity to learn more about how drone technology is revolutionizing some of their tasks – in this case, around ensuring our levees are ready to head off potential flooding.<\/p>\n

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From left to right: Bruce Wagner, Matt George, Dave Sarver, Bruce Dammeier, Toby Rickman, Mike Johnson,\u00a0Bryan Chappell and Jamison Stephenson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our Surface Water Management team must pay close attention to the condition of the levee including carefully inspecting them for any changes in its condition. We must report those findings to the Army Corps of Engineers.<\/p>\n

Previously, these inspections were very challenging, risky and limited.\u00a0 Our employees had to scramble the banks of the levee, through vegetation, weather and other obstacles.\u00a0 In many cases, a thorough inspection for the Corps meant we would need to severely cut back vegetation to improve visibility of the levee and its condition.<\/p>\n

But, here lies the rub.\u00a0 That very same foliage and vegetation enhance the salmon’s ability to survive and spawn in the river.\u00a0 The overhang supports an optimal water temperature that sport fishermen and the Puyallup Tribe depend on.<\/p>\n

How do we resolve this dilemma? One smart way to do this is by having our PPW pilots fly a drone over the levee.<\/p>\n