A team of volunteers from IIT-Madras (IIT-M) recently collected data to measure the flow in the Cooum river during rainy days. This was done as part of a study to develop flood-warning systems.
The students used the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler — a device used to measure the velocity of a river — in locations including Greams Road. The project was jointly undertaken by the IIT-M, Anna University and the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), to monitor flow in waterways and collate data on rainfall.
Balaji Narasimhan, associate professor, Civil Engineering, IIT-M, said the data was collected to determine the increase in water flow. However, there were insufficient rains during the past few days for better flow in the river. Similar data was being collated in other waterways such as Buckingham Canal and the Adyar river.
Early warning
This is being done as part of improving C-FLOWS or the Chennai Flood Warning System — a web-based system integrated with TN-Smart, an application for flood mitigation measures. The data collection will help improve validation of the model and used to predict how much water will flow in the river depending on the rainfall. The forecast system would help agencies take decisions regarding evacuation and foresee inundation by three days, Mr. Narasimhan added.
The Meteorological Department has forecast that the low pressure area has weakened into a cyclonic circulation and lies over interior Tamil Nadu. Rainfall over Chennai will reduce to light showers on Saturday.
