Horizons upgrades river and rainfall monitoring network

Horizons Regional Council has completed a significant upgrade of its environmental data monitoring network, expanding coverage and making it more resilient against weather events.

Horizons group manager regional services and information Ged Shirley says Horizons has delivered a wide suite of work, made possible thanks to receiving more than $4.2 million from central government’s Cyclone Recovery Flood Resilience Co-investment Fund, to build resilience to the impacts of climate change and recover from Cyclone Gabrielle.
 
“A large portion of this went towards upgrading flood forecasting and communications resilience across the region, with this work delivered by our Environmental Data team,” says Mr Shirley.
 
“The significant spikes in traffic we get to our Envirodata website during severe weather events shows people value the data we collect and how it helps them to keep themselves, loved ones, property and stock safe from flooding.
 
“The co-investment from central government means we have delivered this upgrade work, which we had planned to do over eight years, in two years. This gives people the benefits of an upgraded network sooner than we had planned.
 
“Monitoring stations now have five-day standby power as a minimum, our telecommunications network between sites and our servers have been enhanced, and we are now able to receive data from sites at more frequent intervals than before.”
 
While upgrades were made across the region, there was a specific focus on improving coverage in Tararua after Cyclone Gabrielle, says Mr Shirley.
 
“This included new and improved data monitoring sites, all river sites being made more resilient against floods, and updates to the forecasting models for three major rivers along the Tararua coast. 
 
“Ultimately, this work provides better situational awareness and foresight during severe weather events.”
 
Horizons’ environmental data network is not just used during severe rainfall events, says Mr Shirley.
 
“Our network is relied on by water take consent holders to ensure they know their relevant minimum flow and water use volumes during drier months.
 
“Various other people and groups, including researchers, schools and other councils, access our environmental data for a range of reasons.”
 
This upgrade work comes after Horizons updated its flood alert system in 2024, making that system more effective in providing automated alerts in flood situations, says Mr Shirley. 
 
“We are committed to continually making improvements to our systems, giving people improved tools to manage risk during severe weather events.”
 
Horizons group manager catchment operations Dr Jon Roygard says this project also involved improving some flood management assets.
 
“Pump stations, especially those across the Taonui Basin, had their standby power upgraded and telecommunications equipment improved.”
 
Other projects supported by the $4.2 million of co-investment from central government are ongoing, says Dr Roygard. 
 
“We have been working on options to reduce flood risk to people and houses in the Pohangina-Ōroua Catchment. This includes various resilience upgrades through the area, including support for work at a number of locations where communities have been at risk.
 
“We are also well advanced on a regional flood vulnerability study. We hope to present the findings of the study later this year.”
 
To learn more about the upgrade work, and sign up for Horizons’ river alert system, see https://www.horizons.govt.nz/flood-emergency-management/environmental-data-(1). 
 
To view rainfall, river flow and other data collected by Horizons, see envirodata.horizons.govt.nz.

Image: Members of Horizons Regional Council's Environmental Data team with one of the upgraded monitoring sites in the Whanganui District