The DANA storm in Valencia was the catalyst for Toni Bolufer, head of Meteoxàbia, to implement an idea he had been planning for some time: the comprehensive monitoring of the Gorgos River basin to prevent flooding. Given the lack of official sensors from the Júcar River Basin Authority to measure the river's flow, Bolufer designed an early warning system based on the amount of rainfall recorded from the river's source to its mouth.
An interactive map with real-time data
The project, accessible from the Meteoxàbia website in the 'Gorgos River Basin Monitor' section, consists of a map of the basin that integrates data from various existing Meteoxàbia and AVAMET weather stations. These stations are located in towns that contribute water to the river and its ravines, covering the area from Facheca and Castell de Castells, through Benigembla, Murla, Alcalalí, Xaló, Gata de Gorgos, Senija, and Teulada, all the way to Xàbia.
Bolufer's system does not directly measure the liters of water in the riverbed, but rather adds up the amount of rain that falls at each of these stations to calculate and predict the river's rise, "if X liters fall at that weather station, those liters end up in the river," he explains.
Color-coded alerts based on risk
To facilitate data interpretation, the web panel has a light system that illuminates in different colors (green, yellow, orange or red) depending on the intensity of the rain and how long it has been raining:
- Orange Alert (Local Caution)It is activated by intense, short-lived rainfall, such as 40 liters in one hour. Although this is not enough to cause the main river to swell significantly, it warns of the danger of flash flooding in the ravines that cross rural roads, where a car could become stranded or be swept away.
- Red Alert (Risk of flooding)This warning is activated when there is an episode of continuous rainfall over several days that accumulates between 200 and 250 liters. At this point, it is announced that the river may run very high and there is a real risk of flooding.
Prevention tool for authorities
The system was first tested during a period of heavy rain during Holy Week with positive results. Currently, this initiative is already considered a very valuable tool by the Town Hall and the CECOPAL (Municipal Operational Coordination Center). As it is an open portal, the police can access it to check the levels, although Bolufer himself, as a member of CECOPAL, monitors the thresholds to warn the authorities when it is necessary to close roads for safety.
As a result of this project, Bolufer has taken the opportunity to revamp its website and progressively incorporate more weather stations from across the Marina Alta region. In doing so, it addresses a common demand from residents: to offer much more localized and accurate forecasts and data, overcoming the inaccuracy of general weather alerts that often cover overly large areas.
