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Climate change is causing different issues in different countries. In India, the biggest problems are floods, cyclones, droughts and rise in temperatures. Flash floods have been occurring in different parts of India every year, inundating entire states for weeks on end. The erratic rainfall patterns and fluctuating water levels in reservoirs are also leading to uncoordinated water management in dams across the country, leading to massive floods in many states.
In September 2023, a massive amount of water was released from the Sardar Sarovar Dam inundating numerous villages, causing immense loss in property and crops. While the Dam was shut for two weeks due to low water levels, a sudden downpour left the dam management authorities with no option but to open the floodgates. This is not the only instance where efficient dam management could have prevented flooding. Such instances were witnessed in Maharashtra, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and other states in India. On average, floods claim 1,654 humans and 618,248 cattle annually. Around 1.2 million homes are damaged and the average annual losses in monetary terms amount to an average of Rs 5649 crore. Preventing such disasters from occurring is top of mind for the Indian government and it launched the Dam Management and Improvement Programme to implement short and long-term measures. However, dam management systems need to become smarter to handle the spontaneous bouts of heavy rainfall.
IoT for efficient dam management
In India, the 5,200 dams require continuous monitoring to achieve disaster prevention capabilities. However, fluctuating weather conditions can make this a challenging prospect. Manually observing all dams 24/7 is a Herculean task, requiring vast amounts of time and resources and can cause loss of real-time data. A sure way of minimizing the damage and preventing floods due to inefficient dam management is IoT adoption.
IoT sensors across dams in India offer real-time data on water pressure, monitor dam civil infrastructure, and volumetric discharge. Coupled with data on rainfall forecasts, dam management authorities can easily predict water flow and prevent flooding. In the current system, dam management falls under the responsibility of individual state governments. Further fragmenting the management is that different teams are responsible for different functions like water level management and canal management. A lot of crucial information is lost in departmental silos as the current SCADA-based local system monitors dams individually. IoT devices can solve these problems as they can provide real-time information across functions.
Water level monitoring and management of dams using IoT can improve efficiency as it uses ultrasonic, vibration, and pressure sensors to help monitor dam function. From monitoring civil infrastructure to remote deterioration diagnoses, predictive maintenance and performance analysis, IoT devices make dam management more efficient, improving maintenance and management practices.
IoT enables predictive analysis using ensuring dam operators get early warnings and can watch over availability in each reservoir. Dam operators can remotely control the movement of gates, eliminating the need to send staff to the site in severe weather conditions like floods or storms. If the water reaches a certain level, depending on the rainfall forecast, the system can decide to open or close the gate accordingly.
Large-scale IoT deployments need smart communications technology
Implementing large-scale IoT projects poses challenges in terms of security, complexity, and demonstrating a proven ROI. This is why India needs wireless mesh technology that is suited to outdoor IoT networks as it offers a good range and the ability to support dense networks. Traditionally locating leaks in an aging infrastructure is costly and time consuming. Field Area Networks using wireless mesh technology are ideal as they are based on open standards, ensuring reliability, robustness, and security. Such solutions are tailor-made for large-scale outdoor networks and support a plethora of IoT devices. A mesh network provides better coverage over wider spaces and performance regardless of a disruption in communication routes such as adding or removing devices to the network.
State governments in India can deploy their own dedicated network, or share communications infrastructure. For example, environment monitoring sensors using wireless mesh FAN can also provide connectivity for IoT devices used for monitoring and managing water flow in and out of dams. This enables impressive collaborations with meteorological agencies and dam management organizations, thereby reducing capital expenditures.
An IoT network built using wireless mesh FAN technology will ensure the network's reliability, resilience and security, ensuring proper rainfall management and avoiding flash floods and water loss.
A new system for dam water monitoring and management can provide water-level assessments in real time and allow for quick conclusions regarding the safety operations of the dams. This is the way forward for adequate dam management as continuous modernization is key to stopping disasters that can be prevented.
