County commissioners in Thurston County, Wash., recently authorized a one-year, $300,000 contract for the use of handheld GPS devices.

The technology will aid workers beset with residents' storm water drainage and flooding concerns address these issues. Staff will use GPS to map drainage structures and ascertain water flow paths.

The contract, funded through $225,000 in state grants and the remainder via storm water fees, may be extended for up to five years. Tetra Tech Inc. was awarded the contract. Work is set to begin in the Nisqually and Henderson shellfish areas and at Cooper Point peninsula; eventually the GPS devices will be used countywide.

Source: The Olympian