Harnessing Electrical Innovation for Flood and Overflow Preparedness:

Water Level Alarm System: Float Switch

Chap 1
INTRODUCTION

INTERNATIONAL
As global climate change intensifies, extreme rainfall events are occurring more frequently,
posing greater threats to people's lives and properties from flooding disasters. To tackle this
issue, China has been increasing its investment in water level monitoring stations, which serve as
a crucial foundation for monitoring water level changes and providing timely warnings of
potential flood risks. From just over 300 stations in the early years of the founding of the
People's Republic of China, the network has now grown to over 3000 stations that are spatially
distributed relatively reasonably, with well-developed functions, covering the ten major river
basins and major lakes and reservoirs in China. The water level data obtained from these
monitoring stations serve as basic information for reflecting water level changes. Timely
detection of abnormal data during the monitoring process is of vital importance for predicting
and warning of imminent flood disasters [1]. In water level monitoring work, timely detection of
abnormal data and early warning are essential safeguards for ensuring high-quality economic and
social development and the safety of people's lives and properties [2]. Numerous scholars have
conducted various research on flood forecasting and warning, and many warning methods and
techniques based on different principles have emerged. Currently, research on flood prediction
and warning can be roughly divided into two types [3]. One is flood prediction and warning
research based on numerical models. This type of research started earlier, has been studied more
extensively, and can be more maturely applied [4]. With frequent extreme rainfall events caused
by rapid changes in the global climate, many cities are threatened by urban flooding. Timely
issuance of flood warnings can help prepare for disasters and minimize losses caused by floods

NATIONAL
In the Philippines, flooding, which is typically produced by excessive rainfall and strong seas, is
one of the most prevalent natural occurrences. This natural calamity cannot be avoided but the
good thing is, we can practice ourselves to be prepared for it. After conducting an analysis
regarding the needs of people residing in Barangay Frances, Calumpit, Bulacan, it was then
decided to develop a project that can help lessen the difficulty they are experiencing when they
evacuate. The system uses image processing as its flood detection method. It also uses several
sensors for different purposes to make it more reliable to the users. These sensors used are the
rain gauge, float switch, and flow rate meter sensor. It measures two of the important parameters
in flood detection namely precipitation rate (mm/hr), flood level (ft), and the flow rate (L/hr).
The data accumulated by the sensors are sent immediately to the Android application so it can be
used by people living in the area to monitor the flood levels in real time. To measure the
reliability of the system, the flood level taken from the automated system and conventional
method were compared. A small mean squared error (MSE) of these 2 data which is 0.125 was
achieved.

LOCAL
Forecasting flooding hazards is a very effective non-engineering measure for flood control.
Presently, the commonly used forecasting method in simulating flash flood events is through a
watershed hydrological model. Many Asia-Pacific countries like the Philippines are prone to
frequent hydrometeorological hazards such as tropical cyclones, resulting in frequent heavy
rainfall events. However, most rivers in the many basins lack water flow observation data, which
makes it challenging to use lumped and data-driven models for flash flood forecasting. With the
continuous progress of remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS)
techniques, the physically-based distributed hydrological model (PBDHMs) has rapidly
advanced. PBDHMs can directly determine the model parameters according to the underlying
surface characteristics from remotely-sensed data, which makes it possible for flood forecasting
in areas with little to virtually no data. In the southern Philippine region called the Matina river
basin, herein referred to as MRB, is a small watershed located in Davao City which experiences
frequent flooding and even flash floods (Cabrera and Lee 2018). The MRB was chosen as a
representative basin because it has the following characteristics: (1) the basin is small and not
much attention is given to it. Hence, the river basin is ungauged. (2) Due to its climate and
topography, it is prone to flooding. Moreover, flood event frequency is observed to be increasing.
(3) It is along the periphery of a highly urbanized city (Davao City)(CLUP,2013) and is
vulnerable to urban sprawl. Finally, (4) climate change projection shows more intense flooding is
expected in the future (Cabrera and Lee 2020). Many small towns in the Philippines have these
similar characteristics. The increasing occurrences of river flooding in the MRB suggest the need
for a flood forecasting system in a region with such data-poor or ungauged basins.

RESEARCH GAP
Floods can occur due to natural factors and the influence of community treatment of nature and
the environment (Irnawati et al., 2023). In the diagram of the mechanism of floods and disasters,
it can be seen that the main natural factor is rainfall (Sambas, 2017). Other natural factors are
erosion and sedimentation of river capacity, inadequate drainage capacity, tidal flooding, changes
in watershed conditions (Hutauruk et al., 2020). Meanwhile, non-natural factors that cause
flooding are the construction of housing complexes or the opening of an area for even well-
intentioned business land, without being based on the right arrangements will cause large surface
flows or erosion that causes silting of river flows (Adina 2022). As a result, the river drainage
discharge that occurs will be greater than the capacity of river water drainage so that flooding
occurs (Fadillah et al., 2023). Thus, float switches are good for this role. Float switches are
commonly used to manage the liquid levels in storage tanks. For some, it might be to manage the
high level, in others it might be to manage low levels and maintain a critical level of the liquid.
In many cases, multiple float switches are used to manage high levels and low levels of water.

IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

The primary goal of this study is to investigate the potential and importance of float
switches for overflow and flood prevention and prediction. This research has the potential to be
environmentally beneficial, as it intends to help prevent and predict the possibility of having a
flood in a river or canal, specially at rural areas. Float switches are convenient to install and
essential for rivers and canals with little to virtually no data. Furthermore, the findings of this
study can be used as a reference material and a guide for future researchers who intend to carry
out the same experimental inquiry or any other study related to this topic. Finally, this research
may help to advance the use of float switches in rivers and canals especially at rural areas to
alarm people from incoming flash floods.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The primary goal of this study is to investigate the potential and importance of float switches for
overflow and flood prevention and prediction. This research has the potential to be
environmentally beneficial, as it intends to help prevent and predict the possibility of having a
flood in a river or canal, specially at rural areas. Float switches are convenient to install and
essential for rivers and canals with little to virtually no data. Furthermore, the findings of this
study can be used as a reference material and a guide for future researchers who intend to carry
out the same experimental inquiry or any other study related to this topic. Finally, this research
may help to advance the use of float switches in rivers and canals especially at rural areas to
alarm people from incoming flash floods.
SCOPE AND DELIMITATION
This research solely investigates the effectiveness of float switches installed in [geographical
area/river system] for predicting flash floods. It will evaluate various float switch types in
measuring water levels and data transmission, analyze data through established hydrological
models for flood prediction based on real-time changes, assess the prediction lead time compared
to existing methods, and identify factors influencing accuracy and reliability.