Science Centres: Pacific Rim

NIWA has been assisting the Water Authority of Fiji to upgrade flood warning systems in two vulnerable catchments. Our role was to provide new data-measurement and telemetry technology, and train local staff in data collection and interpretation, to enable an improved flood warning service.

Over the past three years, we have been working with SOPAC (the South Pacific Applied Geosciences Commission) as part of a HYCOS (Hydrological Cycle Observing System) project to strengthen hydrological capabilities in a number of Pacific Island states, including the Fiji Islands.

The focus was initially on the Rewa river catchment, close to Suva, where Fiji’s only flood warning system was located. The original system was over 20 years old, and we have now helped install new river-level and rainfall-monitoring technology.

The new technology means data is being collected every few minutes. As a result, better flood modelling and warnings are now possible. Staff at the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) have also been trained in data collection methods and interpretation. The Rewa project was expanded to include a second catchment, the Navua river, and flood warning systems are now in place in both catchments.

Apart from potentially saving lives, better hydrological information will help the Fijians plan infrastructure such as roads and bridges; also assist agricultural producers in the river catchments. Long-run data sets will gradually be built up, and forecasting capability will continually improve as a result. 

Other hydrology and climate work in Fiji

NIWA has a long history of hydrological and climate work in Fiji. Most recently we have been assisting the Fiji Meteorological Service upgrade their nationwide climate monitoring network; we are also about to begin work to establish the monitoring and communications infrastructure for a flood warning system for the Nadi catchment as part of a pilot integrated water resource management (IRWM) project. This will involve installing six rainfall-monitoring stations and six river-level stations. The project is being led by the Fiji Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Water Authority of Fiji, the Fiji Meteorological Service and SOPAC.

Contact: Graham Elley