Bringing flood alerting into 2025
Traditional flood alerting systems have their limits, which is why we’ve been exploring new technologies that offer a smarter, more reliable approach. In 2023, we partnered with Divirod – a company taking a fresh look at how we manage water-related risks.
Divirod uses an AI-powered platform that draws on both public datasets and its own network of non-contact sensors. These sensors, installed above waterways, use satellite reflectometry and other advanced sensing methods to monitor rainfall, water levels and related data in real time.
One of the things that sets Divirod apart is its fully integrated system – from hardware and deployment to data management and ongoing monitoring. Its cloud-based platform offers real-time insights, early warnings and predictive alerts, helping communities and organisations stay ahead of the risks.
Some of the key benefits of the technology include:
- Sensors are mounted above the waterway, significantly reducing the risk of damage from debris during floods
- Continuous internal self-calibration helps prevent drift errors that can occur with other technologies
- Even in remote areas, the system has achieved more than 99.8% uptime – without the need for complex telemetry infrastructure
- It often removes the need for costly repeater stations, which can help keep project costs down
Divirod’s technology is already being used across more than 100 sites in North America and Europe, and a pilot is now underway in regional Victoria, Australia.
That site, located at a lake used for recreation – including water-skiing when levels are high enough – monitors water levels without any cabling or equipment needing to be placed in the water itself. Data from the system is easily accessible via a secure dashboard on web or mobile, offering clear, real-time insights.
Here in Aotearoa New Zealand, GHD and Divirod have worked together to assess where this kind of technology could have the most impact.
We focused our analysis on:
- Areas upstream of major population centres where gauging is limited
- Locations where large waterways intersect state highways
The findings highlight thousands of potential sites across the country where Divirod could be deployed. There’s also potential to extend this work to sites like marae and schools, which are often located in flood-prone areas, along with other critical infrastructure such as rail lines, power stations and roads where the stakes are high if systems fail.
If this sounds like something that could support your community or operations, we’d be keen to have a conversation about what a local deployment could look like.