River monitoring for early warning systems using lidar sensors

Practical Action has been working with Imperial College London (ICL) to test light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors in Nepal, Peru, and Bolivia. These sensors can be used to improve river level monitoring and provide more localized, timely, and accurate forecast information for flood early warnings. This effort came in response to insights from the Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities' process suggesting that there was a gap in monitoring and warning in many contexts. This resulted in early warning systems being unable to provide localized warning information for communities at risk.

The pilot studies demonstrate that there is promising potential for lidar sensors in locations with low data spatial resolution, in mountainous or remote areas, and in areas where people are most in need of locally relevant and timely flood early warning information. More timely and improved warning information can inform planning and preparedness, which can help people take early action to protect their lives and assets.