TROY — Recent National Weather Service (NWS) flood watches and warnings do not apply to the lands protected by the Miami Conservancy District (MCD).

“When a river gauge in one of our protected cities such as Troy or Hamilton hits a certain stage, that will trigger a flood watch or flood warning by the National Weather Service,” says Kurt Rinehart, MCD chief engineer. “But that watch or warning is for low-lying areas in floodplains located outside of MCD’s protected area. It is not a watch or warning for the cities and lands protected by MCD.”

Most of the gauges in the region are operated by MCD in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey, and provide important information that helps NWS determine when to issue a flood watch or warning.

“It can be very confusing for people, but we want to make it clear that the National Weather Service’s flood watches and flood warnings do not relate to the lands protected by MCD until we are at catastrophic flood levels,” Rinehart says.