Correct Answer!

This is the correct answer because the spotter is looking at the reference gage. The pressure transducer is only an estimate of what the reference gage measures. Furthermore, during high flows, pressure transducers are prone to being damaged by floating and submerged debris. Note that at gaging stations that use pressure transducers, outstaffs are almost always used for reference gages. There is a chance that the spotter was taking a false reading and therefore, additional inquiry is probably warranted to validate one of the measurements and invalidate the other (for more information, see the section regarding quality control of stage data). With no other information, however, the reference gage should be assumed to be more accurate.