Marine Traffic Monitoring System funding approved

The POA Board of Directors approved funding on Oct. 1 in the amount not to exceed $102,875.37 plus a four percent contingency to come from the Capital Improvement Fund for a new Marine Traffic Monitoring System.

The system itself is $86,500. The balance of the costs is for additional computers, network cabling, Operations staff time and a new electric meter at Diamond Point Park.

The POA has worked with two vendors to develop a customized system for Canyon Lake that will be comprised of two Furuno radar arrays, four cameras and the Proprietary Coastal Monitoring Software.

With this system, the POA will be able to track all vessels at all times. Should a boat be exceeding the speed limit night or day, the radar arrays and software will track and target that boat and trigger the cameras to record their motion and CF number.

The system will be similar to the use of the POA radar speed trailers that monitor and ticket speeders on the streets, only for boats on the lake. A speeding boat at 2 a.m. can be tracked, targeted, photographed and cited.

The system will alert Marine Patrol staff to speeders they can’t see and allow the POA to track and monitor its own Marine Patrol boats.

The system will provide coverage for the vast majority of the lake and provide 24/7 Marine Patrol coverage. For more information about the Timezero Coastal Monitoring System, visit coastalmonitoring.com.