Fast flowing water (3 m/sec) just 15 cm deep can cause a small passenger vehicle to become unstable and be forced from the road.

In Australia, close to 50% of all flood fatalities and 31% of flash flood fatalities are vehicle related.

Government campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of the dangers of driving on flooded roads, such as “If it’s flooded, forget it!”,  have not significantly reduced the number of vehicle/flood related fatalities.

Rather than having to depend on drivers’ caution, local governments and councils are now turning instead to Qteq’s Smart Inundation Gauge (SmIG) to forewarn drivers of potentially unsafe road conditions, before they even start their journey. These early warning systems are therefore vital sources of information in effective Journey Management Planning.

All SmIG systems incorporate a redundant water level sensor. They also make use of a modular, freely-configurable, architecture that enables them to be customised to suit end user requirements, and incorporate a wide range of other Smart sensors, alarms and traffic diversion measures.

The architecture also facilitates upgrade pathways (future proofing) to extend useful operating life and expand sensory capabilities.

Once installed, SmIG systems provide real-time hydrographic data analysis, using cloud-hosted advanced data analytics software. Actionable intelligence derived from these analyses is used to broadcast early warning alerts to the public through mass notification solutions. These include local smart signs through to driver notification apps.

SmIG pods are intended to be installed at strategic locations prone to the effects of extreme weather events; doing so reduces driver risk. When lives are at stake, you can’t afford to compromise.

Applications

• Early notification systems

• Road warning system