Flood management enhanced by remote cameras

Schaffhausen, a municipality in the north of Switzerland, in the foothills of the Jura mountains, is exposed to significant flood risk. A network of five remote cameras has therefore been installed to help monitor key flood infrastructure. With real-time visibility of remote assets, flood defence staff are provided with fast, accurate information so that they can respond quickly and appropriately.

Background

The energy and water networks in Schaffhausen, which include the hydro-electric power station on the River Rhine, are managed by SH POWER. It is therefore necessary for the organisation to monitor and maintain the area’s flood defence infrastructure. Endress and Hauser water level monitors were already in place, but during flood risk situations it is vital that managers have access to detailed information on the factors affecting water level. The challenge at Schaffhausen was therefore to not just verify water level readings at key locations, but to also provide flood managers with more comprehensive site information and advance warning of potential flooding.

Remote Cameras

As a specialist provider of remote monitoring equipment, including robust, field-use cameras, Meteor Communications worked with the team from SH POWER to evaluate the potential monitoring sites. This led to the deployment of Meteor’s MRC-RPS-C Pillar system cameras at key locations.

The MRC-RPS-C Pillar system is a complete, self-contained camera housed in a stainless-steel enclosure and powered by a small solar panel. This enables carbon-neutral, autonomous operation with no requirement for ongoing maintenance.

All five cameras were installed and commissioned by Meteor and SH POWER engineers during a single day in March 2024. Each camera was pre-configured and equipped with a roaming SIM for reliable network connectivity. The cameras were set to provide images every hour. In addition, images can be gathered on demand or when triggered by local flood conditions. Collected images are compressed to ensure reliable transmission, even when cellular coverage is poor - during storm events for example. Communication is via 4G, 3G or GPRS and image visualisation is provided by the MeteorCloud® platform - a secure web portal for viewing camera images, diagnostics and historic imagery.

Advantages of remote cameras

Remote visibility of critical structures provides a wide range of benefits because cameras can verify water level readings and also provide insights into the causes of water levels rising. For example, a camera may show a blocked drainage channel, or that a level monitor is damaged, which allows flood prevention managers to quickly deploy appropriate staff and equipment.

By providing visibility of site conditions, the cameras help SH POWER to detect potential flooding incidents at an early stage. They also enable the remote assessment of risk so that staff can determine whether a site visit is necessary and safe. This remote visibility of site conditions also enables managers to determine when a site visit is necessary, how many people should go and what equipment will be required. This helps to avoid unnecessary site visits, leaving staff and resources available for the most urgent requirements. It also reduces costs and lowers the carbon footprint of operations.

The cameras also provide a complete overview of the river system, allowing SH POWER to assess potential risks faster and more easily.

The bigger picture

In the UK 1,800 Meteor MRC camera systems have been in service for over 8 years with Government departments such as the Environment Agency, helping to monitor vital flood defence structures. Across Europe, over 3,500 cameras are currently in operation monitoring critical remote infrastructure such as flood defence structures, rail networks and water treatment works.