Australians Set to Deliver
Cutting-Edge Flood Technology to China
September 06, 2005 — By Coastal CRC
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — Australia’s SAGRIC International is delivering
revolutionary technology designed to improve lead-time flood warnings and
ultimately protect those living along the banks of China’s Yangtze River.
The cutting-edge technology has been developed for the Yangtze River Flood
Control and Management Project in response to the devastating Yangtze River
floods of 1998.
The floods killed an estimated 3000 people, destroyed 5 million homes and
rendered 15 million people homeless. An area of 22 million hectares was flooded
and 1.8 million hectares of crops were totally destroyed, resulting in an
estimated damage bill exceeding $26.5 billion.
The project will be discussed at the 8th International Riversymposium
being held in Brisbane this week. Haydn Betts, SAGRIC International’s team
leader of the Yangtze River Flood Control and Management Project, said the
project was unique.
“What has been developed is cutting-edge technology which will facilitate
greater management of flooding along the Yangtze River,” Mr Betts said.
The project is funded by the Australian government through the Australian Agency
for International Development (AusAID) and the People’s Republic of China. It is
a significant AusAID project which has cost $15 million and has taken five years
to complete.
AusAID selected SAGRIC International Pty Ltd., a member of the Coffey group of
companies, to manage Australia’s input into this important project.
SAGRIC International has supplied equipment and technical advice to the new
flood forecasting system which provides real-time, accurate forecasting of
complex flood behaviour of the upper and middle reaches of the river.
Based on forecasts of up to seven days in advance, the system provides
decision-makers with management options for flood mitigation measures.
Yangtze River Flood Control and Management Project
The flooding situation on the Yangtze River is complex and relies on tracking
the flood crest as it moves down stream to ensure that it does not breach the
levees protecting the lowlands.
Flood waters can rise up to 15 metres and flows can exceed more than 60,000
cubic metres per second. To assist in managing the peaks, water from the river
can be retained in or released from reservoirs or detention basins developed for
that purpose.
Part of the development is a Flood Forecasting System which is made up of 120
hydrologic and 3 hydraulic numerical models. The automated system provides a
high degree of accuracy and meets high Chinese standards.
The real-time computer based system interacts with project developed databases
and data acquisition systems, many of which utilise satellite and microwave
transmission. These provide information to a Decision Support System which is a
web-based visual display system that interprets the data and maps the
information.
The new system will assist decision makers with their operation of seven
reservoirs and the 35 detention basins that may be deliberately flooded during a
major flood and will considerably extend the forecast lead-time available.
This computerised system is a first for the Yangtze basin which has
traditionally relied on manual observations that often needed to be taken in
difficult and dangerous conditions.
This technology will be used by Yangtze Flood Control headquarters and the State
Office for Flood Control and Drought Relief.
About SAGRIC International Pty Ltd
SAGRIC, a subsidiary of Coffey International Ltd, is an international project
implementation and technology transfer company specialising in providing
development solutions to emerging nations.
SAGRIC offers management and administration expertise in the areas of Water
Supply and Sanitation, Education and Training, Governance, Health, Community
Development, Gender, Land Services, Tourism, Procurement, Agriculture and
Environment.
SAGRIC employs more than 500 professionals in over 20 countries and has a long
history (since the early 1970s) of working throughout the Middle East, on dry
land farming, rain-fed agriculture and irrigation systems.
SAGRIC International's Head Office is in Adelaide, South Australia, and the
company has other offices in Manila, Jakarta, Port Moresby, Dili, Vientiane,
Hanoi, Phnom Penh and Wuhan.
SAGRIC International has worked in over 70 countries on approximately 900
projects. For more information, please visit
www.sagric.com.au.
About International Riversymposium
The International Riversymposium, which Australia hosts each year in
Brisbane, is a wake up call to better preserve and manage water resources. This
year’s theme, "Water and Food Security – Rivers in a Global Context," looks at
the challenge of meeting human needs for water while keeping our river systems
healthy.
The International Riversymposium is an integral part of Brisbane’s
annual broad-based cultural event, the Riverfestival. Now in its 8th year, the
symposium provides a global forum which aims to make a difference to the
declining state of rivers and waterways globally.
Contact
www.riversymposium.com
Haydn Betts
Phone: 0405 799 434 (mobile)
Brigitte Claney
Phone: 61 3 9827 0422
brigitte@mendleson.com.au