Flood monitoring upgrades strengthen early warning capability
Media release
West Coast Regional Council’s telemetry upgrade programme is now 62% complete, strengthening the monitoring and communications network providing vital information during floods.
The project, supported by the Government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund, improves how rainfall and river information reaches WCRC staff, Emergency Management (EM) and communities across the West Coast.
Telemetry sends measurements from remote monitoring sites back to WCRC. The upgrades include improved radio links, satellite communications pathways, river cameras and improvements at alpine rainfall and key flood monitoring sites.
WCRC Hydrology Manager Samwell Warren says the programme builds on three years of work to strengthen the flood monitoring network. It addresses a remaining vulnerability - keeping information flowing during severe weather.
“Our monitoring sites are our eyes and ears during a flood. Measuring rainfall and river levels is only part of the job. We also need that information to reach the people making decisions when they need it.”
“We've worked out how to make our monitoring sites more resilient during floods, strengthening the comms that carry their data is the next piece of the puzzle.”
Government funding has accelerated work already identified in WCRC's Long-term Plan, says Samwell Warren.
“The Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has enabled us to bring these upgrades forward. Improving communications and adding backup pathways reduces the risk of losing access to critical information during severe weather.”
Completed work includes the Karamea Link radio upgrade, restoring radio communications from northern monitoring sites for the first time since 2021, and relocation of the Cronadun Link site near Reefton.
The programme also includes new river cameras on the Waiho and Wanganui rivers and upgrades to alpine rainfall stations and other important flood monitoring sites.
The upgrades are already giving WCRC staff a clearer picture of conditions and providing more frequent updates from many monitoring sites.
“Conditions can change quickly on the Coast. This work strengthens our understanding of what's happening across our catchments and gives EM and communities useful information to act on.”
The West Coast project has a total budget of $400,000, comprising a $240,000 Government contribution through the RIF and $160,000 from WCRC’s Long-term Plan capital works budget.
It's part of a wider programme to install and upgrade flood early warning infrastructure across 10 regions. Environment Canterbury is coordinating the programme on behalf of the participating councils, with the Crown funding 60% of project costs and councils contributing 40%.
The RIF is administered by Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit.
