At an expo of emergent technology solutions for state and local governments, NBC 4
Washington D.C. highlighted the AWARE Flood System from Intellisense and its low-
cost, flood-monitoring capabilities for communities of all sizes.
Hosted by the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), the inaugural Virginia Smart Community
Testbed in Stafford, Virginia featured new and emergent technologies that could serve the diverse
needs of communities in Northern Virginia. The technologies on display at the Testbed included
Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, virtual reality, UAS/drone applications, and 5G broadband
expansion. The CIT hopes that the Testbed will accelerate the proliferation of smart technology
throughout the state.
One of the innovations featured at the Testbed was the AWARE Flood System, an IoT-based flood-
monitoring solution that can send alerts in almost real time. The system was previously installed in
Roanoke, Virginia because it has been proven effective in deployments across the country. In a case
study published by the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (DHS
S&T), the AWARE Flood System met and in some cases exceeded the needs of the local storm-
weather services in Charlotte, North Carolina, a major metropolis that is highly prone to flooding. In
that circumstance, the system not only added 100 sensors to the city’s flood monitoring efforts, but
the water level measurements captured by the AWARE Flood System nearly matched the existing and
more expensive flood gauges.
Thanks to its affordability and IoT capabilities, this innovation caught the eye of NBC 4 in
Washington, D.C., who highlighted the technology in their report on the Testbed.
The report notes that the low cost and versatility of the AWARE Flood System means that it can
accommodate small and rural communities that may not have the resources to implement a large
network of flood sensors. Users can attach up to four water level sensors or peripherals to receive a
complete picture of any flood-prone area. And because the AWARE Flood system is software agnostic,
it can report data to a variety of platforms.
The report also mentions that AWARE Flood nodes and sensors are already in use in Stafford, VA for
monitoring water levels around storm-water ponds. The AWARE Flood System is currently being
used in parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, Utah, and California.