Innovyze Software Key in Helping to Formulate Flood Risk Reduction Strategies
Project Background
Innovyze’s InfoWorks RS has been the key software in helping to formulate flood risk reduction strategies throughout the Northland Region of New Zealand, an area of approximately 14,000 km2 on the northern tip of New Zealand’s North Island.
The Northland Region has a predominately tropical climate. In recent years a number of tropical storms have affected the region, with rainfall intensities of up to 150 mm per hour, resulting in devastating flooding affecting local economy, infrastructure and life. It is anticipated that the results of Climate Change will increase the frequency, duration and size of these storms, seriously impacting the urban areas of the region.
The Northland Regional Council (NRC) identified 27 river catchments that had been significantly affected by flooding in recent years. Of these five currently had ongoing investigations.
The NRC recognised the benefits of a holistic approach to modeling an establish Manaaki Awa (River Care Group) to carry out study of the remaining 22 catchments. MWH were lead consultant in this venture and recognised that InfoWorks RS would provide the most suitable modeling software to address the client’s requirements and allow them to retain full ownership of the final models.
Innovation
MWH recognised that the easy to navigate InfoWorks RS GIS interface, coupled with the accurate modeling engine would provide the best for purpose solution to the client. This is considered a progressive approach as at the time InfoWorks RS was not being extensively used in New Zealand.
The selling points of InfoWorks RS were its easy integration of the modeling into the flood forecasting and civil defence systems and the ability to easily transfer the catchment databases once complete. With further development the models can be incorporated into real-time flood warning systems to provide as much warning to communities of potential hazards.
The application of 1D, 2D and quasi 2D flood compartments was used to ensure that the most efficient runtimes were achieved from the modeling, whilst presenting accurate results.
The outputs from InfoWorks RS also integrated into the detailed GIS based Risk Management work that was carried out to identify high risk areas within each of the catchments.
The InfoWorks RS models were constructed in detailed consultation with the client. This ensured that the client was involved throughout the model build process and developed an ownership of the final models, to allow them to develop them further as catchment conditions change.