View our Environmental Data
During weather events such as heavy rain or river flooding, our monitoring network is vital for collecting near real-time data about what’s happening on the ground. This information is key for us to coordinate an emergency response, which we manage as the Manawatū Whanganui Civil Defence Emergency Management Group. We also use this data to help us help you stay informed during an emergency. Find out more about being prepared for emergencies and follow the Civil Defence Manawatū Whanganui Facebook page for emergency updates.
An example of a monitored groundwater bore. The grey sensor (close to the right side of the pipe) with the white cylinder above it monitors water use for water take consent compliance.
An example of a newly installed rainfall monitoring site. It includes solar power capability and backup battery power in case of power failure.
Following Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, a review of the network clarified how we could improve our monitoring network. Some parts of our region did not have as good coverage as others. The network also relied on external telecommunications infrastructure, such as cell towers, which can become vulnerable during weather events. In 2024 and 2025, we upgraded a significant number of our river and rainfall monitoring sites. These upgrades, done completely in-house by Horizons staff, gave sites more methods of data transfer, faster transfer times, and backup power generation – all helping to increase the network’s resilience and reliability in flood events.
All sites now have a minimum of five days’ backup power available, and solar and voltage monitoring. We also increased the automatic data transfer timing (the time it takes data to get from site to office) to every 5 minutes, giving us an even clearer picture of what is happening as it happens. Along with upgrades to physcial infrastructure, we’re also updating the internal software systems we use which bring in, store and process raw data for us to use, which is then put on our Envirodata website. We were able to complete this work through funding from the Local Government Flood Resilience Co-Investment Fund, administered by the Cyclone Recovery Unit. You can read more about the funding specifics of this work here.
Newly installed equipment in a cabinet at one of our sites.
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