Imagine a devastating flood, and the warning system fails. This is the reality that hit Queensland, Australia, leaving residents wondering: Why did the flood warning gauges, meant to protect them, malfunction during a critical moment?
The story begins with John Wharton, a former mayor in Queensland's North West. In the early days, the flood warning system was rudimentary, relying on phone calls and local radio. Wharton recalls how he would receive calls from people downstream, seeking river level updates, and he'd personally reach out to landowners and broadcast the information on ABC Radio.
Fast forward nearly three decades, and Wharton laments that despite technological advancements, they were back to making phone calls during a recent flood emergency. The reason? Many of the crucial gauges were not functioning.
But here's where it gets controversial: As politicians played the blame game, the real issue remained unresolved. The failure of these gauges is a complex matter, and understanding why they malfunctioned is the first step towards a solution.
Ben Caddis, a seasoned flood engineer, sheds light on the different types of gauges. Some transmit rainfall data, others monitor river height, and some do both. Queensland's diverse landscape demands a careful selection of gauges, balancing various factors.
Gauges can be automatic or manual. While automatic gauges use mobile networks, radio, or satellites to transmit data, manual ones require someone to read them in person, a challenging task during severe weather.
An ABC analysis revealed that out of 1,322 automatic gauges, 168 had no readings on the Bureau of Meteorology website. Caddis explains that gauge failures can be caused by various factors, from ants disrupting telemetry to power outages and equipment damage during extreme floods.
And this is the part most people miss: While gauges are designed to be durable, some failures are inevitable. The key is to ensure redundancy by having multiple gauges upstream and downstream.
However, Carpentaria Shire Mayor Jack Bawden raises a valid concern: the gauges might not be suitable for his region. Despite recent servicing, they still failed.
The issue of gauge maintenance is a complex one. In McKinlay Shire, cattle producers suffered significant losses during the monsoon and Cyclone Koji. Many believe that functional gauges could have prevented these losses. Mayor Janene Fegan highlights the confusion over gauge ownership and maintenance responsibilities, especially when ownership changes hands.
The ownership and maintenance of these gauges are shared among councils, state agencies, pastoral companies, and mining operators, with the Bureau of Meteorology owning only a third of them. A federal project aims to acquire 1,600 local government-owned gauges, but the need for more automated ones remains.
As Burke Mayor Ernie Camp emphasizes, the job is only half done until all necessary gauges are in place and functioning. The project is progressing, but the question remains: How can we ensure these warning systems are reliable when they are needed the most?
