Surface water
Municipal flood monitoring with IoT measures the level of rivers and streams, in other words surface water, around the clock using self-sufficient sensors. Municipalities and operators detect floods earlier and gain time for protective measures.
Surface water at a glance
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Solution examples featuring Surface water
Detect floods earlier with connected water level sensors and AI
Continuous control of water levels in inland waters using robust sensors via LoRaWAN and web services
Municipal flood monitoring: measure river levels and alert early
In Bad Münstereifel, Endress+Hauser water level sensors measure every minute, and transmission depends on the water level. At non-critical levels, data is sent every 12 hours; above a threshold, every hour or even every five minutes. This saves energy at measuring points without a power supply. The sensor also records its tilt angle to detect tampering or a shifted position. The Okeanos.VIVID alert system combines the water levels with river gauge readings and radar precipitation data and analyses them with AI. At a fish ladder, LoRaWAN sensors send their data to the IoT connctd platform, which combines it with weather data, provides it via API and exports it to open data portals.
The examples come from the public sector and from energy and environment, with use cases such as real-time damage prevention and remote reading. After the 2021 floods, the town of Bad Münstereifel installed 13 self-sufficient water level sensors with Endress+Hauser and Okeanos Smart Data Solutions. Low energy demand, minimal maintenance and ease of use were the deciding factors. For level measurement at the fish ladder, Thomas-Krenn.AG handles installation and LoRaWAN operation. In podcast episode #209, Felix Brühl of Endress+Hauser explains what matters for self-sufficient water level and soil moisture sensors.
Podcast episodes featuring Surface water
Municipal flood monitoring: frequently asked questions
How does a municipal flood warning system with connected sensors work?
Self-sufficient sensors measure the water level continuously and send the values to an alert system, which evaluates them together with other data and sends notifications at critical levels. In Bad Münstereifel, Okeanos.VIVID analyses river gauge readings, radar precipitation and the sensor data using AI algorithms. Notifications can be configured on a PC or mobile device. In future, soil moisture data is to enable a forecast before the first rain falls.
How often should river level telemetry transmit data during a flood?
During a flood, the sensor transmits much more often than in normal operation, while measuring every minute in any case. In Bad Münstereifel, data is sent every 12 hours when the water level is not critical. As soon as a defined threshold is exceeded, the interval adjusts automatically to hourly or every five minutes. This keeps the data current in an emergency while sparing the battery during normal operation.
What does hydrological monitoring at remote sites require?
At remote waters, battery-powered sensors with radio transmission take over level measurement, without any power connection. A few measurements a day are often enough, but the sites are widely distributed. What counts are low costs per sensor, long radio range and low power consumption. At the fish ladder run by Thomas-Krenn.AG and IoT connctd, the level readings flow into a web service with a dashboard and data history.
What should municipalities look for in water level telemetry?
Municipalities should look for long battery life, stable data transmission despite fluctuating network coverage and valid readings even in frost, vegetation growth or vandalism. These are the points discussed in podcast episode #209 with Felix Brühl of Endress+Hauser. Diagnostic data such as battery status, tilt angle and sensor status safeguard measurement quality. The data should be easy to integrate into existing systems via API, webhooks or OPC UA.
More assets in “Fluids & Gases”
Compressed air
Compressed air leak detection with IoT continuously measures flow, pressure and compressor load, revealing leaks and unused running times. This cuts the cost of one of the most expensive forms of energy in manufacturing.
Indoor air
Indoor air quality monitoring with IoT means sensors continuously record CO₂, fine dust, particles, temperature and humidity and report limit violations immediately. Operators protect employees, safeguard product quality and heat and ventilate according to demand.
Drinking water
Water network leak detection for drinking water continuously measures pressure, flow and consumption with IoT and reports deviations immediately. Utilities find leaks, pipe bursts and water theft sooner and lose less drinking water.
Groundwater
Groundwater monitoring with IoT measures levels automatically and transmits them by radio to a platform. Authorities, utilities, construction sites and businesses with their own well replace manual measurements and are alerted to critical water levels or pump faults.
Wastewater
Wastewater flow measurement, levels and water quality can be recorded with IoT directly at pipes, basins and discharge points. Operators see wastewater volumes in real time, respond faster to faults and meet reporting obligations without daily sampling.
Molten metal
In foundry melting and vacuum metallurgy, IoT continuously records the melt pool, fill level, temperature and pressure of molten metal. Deviations show up before a batch becomes unusable or a furnace runs empty.
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