In the UK, there is a tool that tweets you river level information. Developed by Shoothill, GaugeMap is a flood prevention measure that sprung into being after England experienced the worst flooding it had seen in 250 years. Researchers predict the cost of damages due to flooding will reach $30 billion annually in Europe by 2050, so a timely solution is a pressing priority.
GaugeMap offers river level information in terms of the possibility of flooding, if one of the 2400 rivers in Wales and Great Britain is within typical range or is lower than usual. Individual sensors update the site every 15 minutes so affected parties (such as farmers and fishermen) can inform themselves. They can also subscribe to twice daily tweets from particular rivers.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Real-time Flood Monitoring
- Developing tools to provide minute-to-minute flood level information that can help people anticipate and prevent flood damages.
- Social Media Alert Systems
- Creation of social media-based flood alert and warning systems that warn people about possible and current flooding.
- Cross-functional Partnerships
- Collaboration among government agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations to develop efficient measures to tackle the challenges posed by flooding.
Sectors Adopting This
- Environmental Monitoring
- Companies that provide sensor technology to collect real-time data on flooding and other environmental hazards.
- Social Media Networks
- Building platforms that use social media to provide real-time updates and alerts that can help people prevent or mitigate flood damages.
- Insurance and Risk Management
- Offering new insurance products that use real-time flood data to accurately priced flood risk and rewards those with early warning systems in place.
