Innovative flood monitoring system could save lives
A Texas A&M Engineering team created a low-cost system that provides real-time, accessible alerts to support safer decision making for drivers and emergency responders.
(From left) Parker Williamson, Robert Beal, Logan Sawyer, David Soto, Evelyn Beck-Davis and Aduke Pommells display the RIPPLE system at the Engineering Project Showcase.
Flood-related fatalities, particularly in rural areas, often occur because drivers underestimate water depth or encounter flooded roads with little warning.
A student team from Texas A&M University’s Electronic Systems Engineering Technology (ESET) program developed an affordable system that provides automated roadside alerts and delivers real-time data to drivers through a mobile app and to first responders through a centralized dashboard. This intelligent technology reduces reliance on manual reporting and enables faster, data-driven decisions, improving both driver safety and emergency service coordination.
Addressing a life-threatening problem
While flood risk has been well understood for decades, many communities lack dependable warnings or protection. Existing systems are often expensive, require manual monitoring and are not widely deployed in rural or low-resource areas. Many lack real-time communication to drivers and do not provide predictive insights, limiting their effectiveness in rapidly developing high-water conditions.
The students’ system, Rapid Inundation Prevention and Prediction for Localized Emergencies (RIPPLE), addresses this issue with pole-mounted water level sensors, immediate roadside alerts and live data delivered to both the app and dashboard. By transforming known flood dangers into timely, actionable warnings, the solution helps protect drivers, support first responders and prevent loss of life.
How it works
RIPPLE uses sensor poles to continuously monitor roadside water levels in real time. Each unit processes sensor data locally and evaluates threshold conditions using an embedded microcontroller. When hazardous levels are detected, the system immediately
transmits alerts through long-range wireless communication.
A connected warning pole activates dynamic roadside signals while data is simultaneously sent to a centralized server, enabling live monitoring. The system architecture prioritizes low-power operation, long-range communication and modular design to ensure reliable, scalable deployment in remote environments.
How drivers interact
Drivers are warned by roadside signs that include highly visible, dynamic LED alerts designed for immediate recognition. When water is present but has not reached a critical level, perimeter lights around the “Road May Flood” sign illuminate to signal caution. Once the level reaches a critical threshold of approximately six inches, the system escalates the warning with flashing red lights at the top and bottom of the sign accompanied by perimeter lights on a secondary “Turn Around On Red” sign. This layered, intuitive progression allows drivers to quickly understand road conditions and act within seconds.
The app was designed for easy and accessible use with simple and clear messaging. It focuses on presenting only the most important risk information in a straightforward manner and minimizes complexity by requiring no setup or technical knowledge. Users merely open the app and immediately understand the situation.
The RIPPLE system aims to prevent drowning during floods.
How emergency services are supported
The dashboard allows first responders to identify and respond to high-water events more quickly, especially in rural areas. Without this system, emergency personnel may not be aware of a flooded roadway until the hazard is manually reported, such as through a 911 call. With RIPPLE’s sensor poles and dashboard, emergency services can receive immediate alerts when water levels reach warning or critical thresholds in covered areas. Additionally, the dashboard enables EMS to verify the state of the flood with the live water level readings and onboard camera attached to the sensor poles.
The student experience
The team undertook the project as their senior capstone and was awarded first place in major at the Texas A&M Engineering Project Showcase. Team members were project manager Evelyn Beck-Davis, hardware engineer Aduke Pommells, database engineer Robert Beal, embedded systems engineer Logan Sawyer, test engineer David Soto, app software engineer Rhea Kaithal and dashboard software engineer Parker Williamson. Team sponsor Dr. Logan Porter, faculty advisor Dr. Lee Hudson and capstone instructor Mike Willey provided invaluable guidance at every step.
The students reported that the project became more than a classroom assignment when they grasped the responsibility behind the problem they were solving.
“Flooded roadways are not just an engineering challenge; they are a public safety issue that can affect real people in moments of uncertainty,” said Beck-Davis. “Winning first place was an incredible honor, but the greatest accomplishment was seeing our team build something purposeful, practical and capable of making a difference beyond the classroom.”
The result and the future
RIPPLE transforms flood response by delivering real-time detection, predictive insights and immediate warnings. The prototype achieved full functionality with an estimated material cost 95% lower than existing systems. Overall, RIPPLE provides a scalable foundation for intelligent high-water monitoring, with the ability to enhance both emergency response and public safety.
Future work could expand the system’s capabilities beyond flood detection. The modular design allows for adaptation to other environmental monitoring applications, such as wildfire alerts.
