Standards and guidelines - Flood Warning Infrastructure Network (FWIN)
Rain and River gauges
All National Disaster Warning Network assets must conform to the Bureau of Meteorology's National Flood Warning Infrastructure Standard and align with the National Arrangements for Flood Forecasting and Warning:
(External link to Bureau of Meteorology's National Flood Warning Infrastructure Standard webpage at http://www.bom.gov.au/water/standards/floodwarning.shtml)
(External link to Bureau of Meteorology's National Arrangements for Flood Forecasting and Warning (PDF) at http://www.bom.gov.au/water/floods/document/National-Arrangements.pdf)
Flood cameras and signs
Flood camera and sign infrastructure should conform to the relevant TMR technical specification (MRTS) for cameras, road signs or road condition information signs. In some instances these may be mandated, for example those assets installed in the state-controlled road corridor or as a condition of grant funding. It is anticipated that cameras can be incorporated into both the Queensland Traffic website and council disaster dashboards. The TMR website publishes TMR technical specification (MRTS) as PDFs (external link) for cameras, road signs or road condition information signs.
Alternative flood warning infrastructure
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the availability and deployment of alternative flood warning infrastructure by various local governments, State government departments and other utilities.
Alternative flood warning infrastructure has the potential to complement the existing Flood Warning Infrastructure Standard gauge network to deliver substantial benefits to not only the asset owner, but to all stakeholders within the flood risk management space.
The QRA have established a set of minimum requirements through a Guideline to support all future asset owners to procure quality, fit for purpose assets that meet their identified flood warning needs.
FAQs - Alternative flood warning infrastructure
Q. What is alternative flood warning infrastructure?
A. Alternative flood warning infrastructure assets are innovative, low cost, readily deployable devices that can complement the existing Flood Warning Infrastructure Standard gauge network to help inform flood warnings for our communities and planning for response and recovery from flood events.
Alternative flood warning infrastructure level gauges usually consist of non-contact sensors that utilise technologies such as radar, ultrasonic and LiDAR to measure water level. These technologies work by measuring the distance from the sensor to the target object (water surface in this instance). The tipping bucket rain gauge is the most common type of rain gauge used for meteorological monitoring. Using a range of wireless technologies, data from the gauges is then transmitted to a cloud-based data platform where it can be processed, analysed and accessed by the data user/s.
Q. Why are we seeing an increase in alternative flood warning infrastructure?
A. The high capital and operational investment involved in installing and maintaining Flood Warning Infrastructure Standard compliant gauges, coupled with an increase in demand for timely and accurate flood warning in flash flood environments, has led to a focus of innovation on low power protocols that enable battery or solar-operated devices to send small amounts of data for years at a time.
Q. What are the benefits of alternative flood warning infrastructure?
A. The benefits of alternative flood warning infrastructure assets are that they are readily deployable, demonstrate a high degree of accuracy and reliability, and can be installed for a fraction of the cost of Flood Warning Infrastructure Standard compliant gauges.
Q. Why is there a need for guidance for alternative flood warning infrastructure?
A. There is currently no standard which applies to alternative flood warning infrastructure. The purpose of this guideline is to assist Queensland’s local governments to understand the recommended minimum requirements for the supply, installation, operation and maintenance of alternative flood warning infrastructure (rain and level gauges).
Q. What does the guideline cover?
A. This guideline looks at the minimum requirements for alternative flood warning infrastructure (rain and level gauges) in relation to communications, data, power, installation and reporting, and further considerations.
Q. Is the guideline mandatory?
A. Whilst the guideline is non-mandatory, organisations and practitioners are encouraged to consider these requirements when investing in alternate flood warning infrastructure. Future grant funding approvals for flood warning infrastructure may be conditional upon these requirements.
Q. What has informed the minimum requirements in the guideline?
A. The minimum requirements set out in the guideline have been informed by a technical review which involved a detailed assessment of alternative flood warning infrastructure against the Bureau of Meteorology’s Flood Warning Infrastructure Standard 2019 as well as extensive stakeholder engagement with asset owners (local governments and State agencies), suppliers of alternative flood warning infrastructure, the Bureau and providers of flood intelligence products.
