Bridging the Gaps in Flood Monitoring: How LiXiA Supports and Enhances Bureau Spec Gauges

Severe weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, and this week in Townsville was no exception. With heavy rainfall forecasted, particularly in the northern suburbs, I made a quick decision to deploy a LiXiA water level sensor in a friend’s backyard along Bluewater Creek.

Within an hour, the sensor was installed and transmitting live data—no complex setup, no costly infrastructure, just instant situational awareness.

This wasn’t about replacing a formal river gauge but filling in the gaps—capturing real-time rate of rise and providing hyper-local flood intelligence when it matters most.

Data Blackouts in Bureau Spec Gauges

While monitoring the event, a concerning issue emerged: the nearest Bureau Spec gauge, 5km downstream, showed significant gaps in reporting, especially during peak rainfall. Some data was missing for over 30 minutes—a critical failure in a fast-rising flood.

By the next day, that missing data had been backfilled into the records, creating a false perception that live information was always available. In reality, during the flood's critical moments, emergency managers and the public were operating blind.

To everyone's relief, Bluewater Creek peaked at moderate flood levels and this time Lives and Property were not impacted severely.

Another River another issue

Along the Bohle River critical data from a gauge at Mt Bohle was also not available while the river was in a major flood.

This is a common issue, with up to about 1/4 of River Gauges not being operational at present, in Queensland.

Instant, High-Frequency Data from LiXiA

In contrast, our sensor—starting on dry ground—recorded water levels in real-time, every five minutes. The data revealed the rate of rise was 10 cm every 5 minutes—1.2 metres per hour.

Surviving the Flood – and Resuming Transmission

As the water levels surged, the sensor was submerged due to its temporary installation. But the moment it resurfaced, it automatically resumed transmission - just as planned!

Why This Matters for Emergency Management

Australia’s flood warning systems heavily rely on Bureau Spec gauges, but these are fixed, expensive, and sparse. When they drop out—whether due to network congestion, transmission failure, or system limitations—emergency managers lose crucial data in real-time decision-making.

LiXiA’s sensors are not a replacement, but an enhancement, closing the gaps in coverage, frequency, and resilience.

With a rapid-deploy design, they can be positioned ahead of major weather events—on riverbanks, roads, bridges, and urban creeks—providing redundancy where traditional networks fall short.

More Sensors, More Coverage, Smarter Decisions

More Data, More Often – Traditional gauges are limited in number and distribution. LiXiA sensors provide updates every 5 minutes, from more places.

Faster, Earlier Warnings – Real-time tracking of rising waters enables earlier decisions.

Increased Network Redundancy – If Bureau Spec gauges fail, LiXiA sensors keep transmitting.

Affordable, Scalable Coverage – More sensors without the need for costly infrastructure upgrades.

Another Flash Flooding Event – the following morning

This is not just theory. The next, some residents of inner Townsville suburbs woke up to a foot of water through their homes after intense overnight rainfall caused unexpected flash flooding.

Hyper-local data like this could have helped authorities detect the risk sooner and issue more precise warnings to the affected suburbs.

We’re Ready to Help

This real-world example in Bluewater Creek reinforces the urgent need for more granular, real-time flood data from more locations.

We’re ready to work with QRA, NEMA, and other stakeholders to deploy this capability where it’s needed most.

If you’re involved in flood management, emergency response, or infrastructure resilience, let’s talk.

Together, we can ensure that every critical decision is backed by real-time data—because when lives and property are at stake, minutes matter.

Email us at [email protected]