NEWS

Central Alliance recently completed a flow monitoring installation at Lustrum Beck in a tidally influenced stream in North East England, in a bid to improve flood predictions and controls in the area. The device, a StarFlow QSD, measures water depth, both acoustically and pressure, and calculate flow rate and direction using acoustic doppler principles.

The installation presented safety challenges to overcome, having to place a device securely on the bottom of the beck’s channel. After several site visits and a comprehensive risk assessment, the agreed upon method was to mount the instrument on a flagstone and lower it from a bridge using rope pulleys. Additional precautions were also taken including a diver rescue team on standby, provided by Northeast Safety Boats and lifejackets worn by the team. A solar-powered gateway was installed alongside the beck to continuously upload data to the portal every 2 minutes.

Following the successful flow monitoring installation, the data presentation also offered a challenge, having to average water flow through the uneven channel required calculations that considered the varying water depth profile and factoring in friction on the channel bed and walls. Sight Automation is now hosting the data with customisable visualisation to suit our client’s needs.

The positioning of the gateway was carefully considered to ensure its integrity during flood events. This placement was to put in practice on the 8th of April 2024, as around the time of the Solar Eclipse there was a solar spring tide, the highest tide on the calendar. The combination of the high tide and a period of heavy rain caused the Beck’s water level to rise to 3.10m, over 2.5m higher than its usual level.