A small network of five remote cameras has been installed to enhance the monitoring of key flood infrastructure at Schaffhausen, a municipality in the north of Switzerland. Located in the foothills of the Jura mountains, the area is exposed to flood risk so it is important that flood defence staff are provided with fast, accurate information so that they can respond quickly and appropriately. (Words: Meteor Communications).
The challenge
SH POWER maintain the energy and water networks for Schaffhausen, including the hydro-electric power station on the River Rhine in the city. Part of their remit is to monitor and maintain the area’s flood defence infrastructure. Endress and Hauser water level monitors had already been installed, but during flood risk situations it is vital that managers have access to detailed information on the factors affecting water level readings. The challenge at Schaffhausen was therefore to not just verify water level readings at key locations, but to also provide flood managers with better site-specific information and advance knowledge of potential flood situations.
The solution
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 locations. This led to the deployment of Meteor’s MRC-RPS-C Pillar system cameras at the selected 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 ongoing maintenance requirement.
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 for site and equipped with a roaming SIM for reliable network connectivity. The cameras were set to provide scheduled images every hour, with the ability to deliver additional images on demand or when triggered by local flood conditions. 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.
The benefits
Remote visibility of critical structures provides a wide range of benefits because cameras can verify water level readings and often show the causes of water rising. For example, a camera may show that a drainage channel is blocked, 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, and if so, when that should be, how many people will go and what equipment will be required. This helps 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 better and faster.
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.
