After seeing a lot of high water throughout the Netherlands for a long time, the water level is finally starting to drop and the dikes are becoming visible again. The damage caused to dikes is being investigated, but this is only possible when there is no high water. The use of an ROV allows earlier damage investigation, which can help prevent problems. How can we at H2O Drones contribute to this with our ROVs?
Due to the heavy rain that has fallen in recent weeks, the water level in the Netherlands has risen enormously. Partly due to high water from the rivers in Germany, storm Pia and rain that has fallen, the Dutch soil has become so saturated that it can no longer absorb water. The earth acts like a kind of sponge. It can absorb a lot of water, but once it is full, it will not absorb any more water. When no more water is absorbed, the water level rises with each additional drop.
Dike damage
As a result of the high water, a lot of waste and debris was carried along by the water. This can get caught on something and cause damage. Any dike weakening that animals may cause while digging is investigated. This can happen, for example, when moles start digging a little higher than they normally do. Moles do this when dikes are completely saturated, which in turn causes the lower corridors to fill with water. Now that the high tide is falling again, the dikes can slide, which can result in parts of the dike falling down.
Investigating flood damage
Since the water level is dropping again, inspectors can now investigate the damage caused. Research is normally done by the Union of Water Boards. They do this by measuring the height and width of the dike, checking the condition of the soil, checking the level of the groundwater and measuring and drilling pieces of soil. They now investigate the damage caused by animals with a heat detector. This allows them to see where in the dike animals last dug. Using the method currently used, research cannot be carried out when there is high water. Because the surveys take place on land: checking the bottom, measuring the width and height, etc., the surveys can only take place when the water level is lower again.
To be able to investigate the damage during high tide, a good option is to use underwater drones. These can already be deployed during high tide, because these drones work well underwater. You can see everything underwater, because these underwater drones have a lowlight 4K camera and sonar. Sonar detects every crack and subsidence at a distance of forty meters, regardless of the water quality.
Why use an underwater drone?
Using an underwater drone can provide greater clarity and precision during the investigation. Thanks to further developed technology specially designed for underwater inspections, damage investigation is already possible while the Netherlands is still affected by high water. The drone records images and broadcasts them live, so everyone can watch. Monitoring provides a lot of clarity, because several people can watch an inspection at the same time, allowing inspectors to make immediate decisions. An underwater drone could therefore help enormously in detecting dangers and preventing any problems. The ROV gives a clear picture of what everything looks like underwater. It is the best option for an accurate and fast investigation.
See below how an ROV works underwater:
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