In our region, the Takatsu River, a first-class river, and the Masuda River, a second-class river, flow through the area and are connected to numerous tributaries and main drainage channels. Monitoring water levels, especially during rainfall, is crucial in this area. City hall staff spend considerable time patrolling these rivers and drainage channels under hazardous conditions to check for rising water levels. However, during heavy rains or typhoons, rapid flooding can make these monitoring tasks extremely difficult, and in the worst case, there is a risk of staff slipping and causing secondary disasters. As a result, there have been urgent calls for solutions to reduce the burden of frequent patrols under dangerous conditions. There is a growing need for a way to improve work efficiency while ensuring safety in such challenging circumstances.

As a result, the water level assessment, which was previously dependent on human judgment, can now be made using numerical data. This has been especially useful in making decisions regarding the opening and closing of sluice gates in the main drainage channels.

Additionally, with a reduction in the frequency of patrols, the safety of staff, especially during nighttime or hazardous conditions, has greatly improved. There have been positive feedbacks from the field, expressing relief at the reduced need for frequent patrols. Moreover, the ability to collect data on river water level fluctuations opens up opportunities for use in disaster prevention, contributing to the strengthening of the region’s disaster response capabilities.