What is a Flood Dog?
A Flood Dog is an environmental monitor specifically designed to measure lake, ground and surface water levels in meaningful ways. The Flood Dog pilot project is deploying 42 devices across the Toronto Islands to monitor water levels in real time for three years. Data from strategic locations across the Islands every 15 minutes 24/7 provides a detailed granular view. This data will be freely available to government, businesses, educators, researchers, and home owners.
Lake and Lagoon Water Levels
Around the Toronto Islands and throughout the lagoon, Flood Dogs measure the height and movement of the water.
Ground Water
Across sites in key locations, Flood Dogs measure the water table.
Surface Water
Throughout the community surface water early warning systems provide valuable data.
We know the past.
During the spring and summer of 2017 and then again in 2019 the Toronto Islands, along with everyone who lived along the Great Lakes, experienced severe flooding. Homes, businesses, schools, community and city facilities were threatened and lives up ended.
The Toronto Islands is a unique ecosystem, and through its diversity represents so many of the varied environments found along the Great Lakes. The location features a variety of spaces including parkland, schools, residential, and light industrial. The Islands offer wetland habitats for many species of birds, as well as other wildlife. This normally tranquil setting, a destination for millions of tourists and city visitors, was virtually closed for two years.
Let's prepare for the future.
While you can't stop the water from rising - water will do what water wants to do - you can make defences if you know where the water is and where it's likely to go next. Knowing how fast the lake is rising and how the weather impacts flooding were key components in managing the placement of sandbag walls and pumping locations - information became essential to our lives.
Flood Dog Co.
Flood Dog Co. is a not for profit organization dedicated to designing, building, deploying, and monitoring smart devices to collect ground, surface and lake water levels along the Great Lakes.
