ECOMSNet - An edge computing-based sensory network for real-time water level prediction and correction

Abstract

Water level monitoring and forecasting are essential tasks in flood emergency response. This study proposes an Edge COMputing-based Sensory NETwork (ECOMSNet), an innovative decentralized early warning system (EWS), for water level monitoring and prediction. A sensor-embedded algorithm integrates the direct step method (DSM) with a microgenetic algorithm (MGA). This algorithm predicts the water surface profile and corrects it once water level observations are available. It also meets efficiency requirements to accommodate sensor computation limitations. The errors in the predicted water surface profiles in channels with gradually varied flows are 5% in a laboratory flume experiment and below 10% in a field experiment. The ECOMSNet is an achievement of edge computing-based Internet of Things. It shows potential to increase emergency response efficiency. However, the system requires further refinement and testing if it is to adequately address rapidly varied unsteady flow in a scaled-up implementation.