THE MAGAZINE FOR THE DRAINAGE, WATER & WASTEWATER INDUSTRIES
FLOODS & SUDS
large hydraulic systems, optimising decision-making and resource allocation according to the magnitude of the event.
In this context, “rapid response is essential to minimise damage” points out the specialist. Early Warning Systems therefore not only predict floods, but also automatically activate warning systems that restrict access, initiate evacuations and protect key infrastructure. In the opinion of the expert from Xylem Vue, “without automation, response capacity to rapidly evolving meteorological phenomena would be severely limited”. These systems are based on thresholds for precipitation, flow rates and water levels, which are established by experts in the different management units, such as flash-flood basins, reservoir watersheds and basins classified by time of concentration, and are fed by data and predictive models in real time.
Alert levels can be established by intelligently grouping these warnings, linking them to specific emergency plans. Authorities can activate or deactivate the corresponding protocols, depending on the severity and extent of the event, ensuring a coordinated and efficient response.
Implementing EWS enables flood maps to be generated, specific actions to be recommended for key infrastructures such as dams and storm tanks, and personalised alerts to be issued to the relevant authorities. These systems provide advance information on the magnitude of the event, facilitating more efficient emergency management and preventing response breakdowns. Furthermore, an integrated approach to these technologies improves coordination between organisations and reinforces the resilience of critical infrastructures. “Investing in EWS is essential, especially in regions with a history of flooding and in those affected by climate change, as the benefits in terms of safety and protection far outweigh implementation costs, making them key tools for modern flood risk management” highlights Sergio Morant.
In Spain, organizations such as the Ebro Water Authority, the Government of Navarre, and the utility Aguas de Calpe have already deployed these types of digital systems and platforms.
Solutions such as Xylem Vue (XV), developed as a result of the partnership between Idrica and Xylem, already feature hydrometeorological sensors and the results of hydrological and hydraulic models in river and urban areas, including the simulation of reservoir inflows, to trigger warnings and alarms in real time. The solution incorporates specific modules and algorithms that identify and manage alerts for extreme events in real time.
These types of EWS combine detailed information on topography and terrain characteristics, cadastral and demographic data, together with advanced hydrological models, to represent the hydrological- hydraulic behaviour of basins and drainage networks in the event of heavy rainfall. This means they can anticipate which areas are prone to flooding and the severity of the
linkedin.com/company/draintrader April 2025 | 45
possible impacts. According to Morant, they enable monitoring and also “transform data into action, which is key in flood management”.
The Ebro Water Authority and Aguas De Calpe, examples of anticipation
The implementation of the Xylem Vue platform's Early Warning System (EWS) solution in the Ebro Water Authority (CHE) has provided an early flood warning system for a range of scenarios.
The application uses cloud computing and big data analytics for real-time, deterministic, and probabilistic hydrometeorological prediction models. It also applies advanced geo-statistics (kriging) and machine-learning techniques (Kalman filtering algorithms) to improve data quality and uses its AI inference engine and heuristics to generate management recommendations. The system runs every ten minutes for advanced preemption.
In addition, the application known as “VIGILAEbro” at the CHE uses preliminary calculations, such as Areas at Risk of Significant Flooding (ARPSis), associated with different return periods to quickly identify areas that may be affected by current and predicted hydrometeorological conditions. This significantly reduces computational processing times, enabling immediate recommendations for dam operations to minimize risks and damage. It also helps to disseminate warnings and alerts to mobile phones and websites according to the type of users and their location. The application provides early, automatic, real- time information on potentially affected infrastructures and facilities.
Another example is the implementation of the Xylem Vue Real- Time What-If Scenarios digital twin in the Aguas de Calpe network to predict urban flooding events, identifying the areas affected, the levels of flooding and how they evolve over time. The system also helps to detect and predict spillways, simulate rainfall scenarios (what-if ) with real-time network information, and provide a decision support system. These solutions have enabled the company to detect 26 early warnings of urban flooding in one year.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
