SRA Annual Report 2024-25: Community flood warning systems
In 2024-25 this project went well. Since it began in 2019, with SRA officers working together with communities and Environment Agency specialists, its purpose has been to create very localised early flood warning systems, beyond the scope of mainstream alerts. Why? Because in ‘rapid response’ catchments where water levels can soar with heavy rain, subsequent flooding can endanger people’s lives. Carefully selected sites have therefore been kitted out with flood gauges and other equipment linked to online dashboards so that people in vulnerable areas can monitor what is going on, get alerts and get prepared.
In 2024-25, the network continued to expand. River level gauges were fitted in the catchments of the Sheppey (Kilver Court) and Cam (West Camel, Bridgehampton and Yeovilton), to complement existing installations in Mendip, south Somerset and west Somerset.
A new web platform has been developed to host data from all these gauges – and more. It allows for the addition of official Environment Agency – and community-based – rainfall gauges and other instruments. This facility opens up opportunities for better community emergency plans, better understanding of catchments and better identification of possible measures that could reduce flood risks.
Twenty-eight flood wardens and community representatives have been trained on this new online platform – which has in its turn spurred further initiatives. Local people have developed spin-off projects to add further rain gauges; used a data driver approach to improve flood forecasting from rainfall intensity gauges alone; created WhatsApp channels to share data with a wider audience; and taken steps towards a collaboration with an app provider which could enable individual households to set their own bespoke alerting levels.
Sample feedback: “even though it’s going to rain tonight, I’m going to be able to sleep, because I can trust the gauge to alert me if need be”, and “when I look back over the year since we flooded, I can’t believe how far we’ve come”.
Usually staff at SRA partners are ineligible for awards but the most nominations sent in to the 2024 Somerset Prepared Community Resilience Conference were for the Environment Agency officer responsible for the technical delivery of this project: Gareth Varney (pictured below with Somerset’s Deputy Lord Lieutenant Robert Drewitt). Gareth was given a Certificate of Recognition and Appreciation for his outstanding contribution to community resilience in Somerset.
