More frequent floods need to be met with better monitoring
Flash floods can be dangerous and severe, and projections indicate they will become more frequent as a warming climate fuels stronger storms. The devastating central Texas flood of 2025 illustrates this growing risk — more than 6.5 inches of rain fell in just three hours, causing river levels to surge 37 feet in just 45 minutes. Events like this show just how fast and serious the effects of flash flooding can be, highlighting the need for rapid and reliable monitoring systems to support public safety.
Facing these challenges, states are increasingly seeking out ways to better protect their citizens, infrastructure, and economies. One such state, North Dakota, has experienced an increase in extreme precipitation events and related infrastructure stress. To address these newfound challenges, the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) has partnered with the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to design and deploy a series of 12 stream sensors at locations with elevated flood-related risks, particularly bridge crossings vulnerable to scour. The sensors will provide real-time information that supports flood awareness and infrastructure management.
IFC—a leader in hydrologic monitoring since the start
The IFC has been at the forefront of hydrologic monitoring innovation in Iowa since its founding in 2009, operating one of the country’s most extensive flood monitoring networks. Drawing on this expertise, IFC researchers are helping North Dakota develop a hydrologic monitoring network modeled after Iowa’s own system, laying the groundwork for improved flood awareness and response.
“At the Iowa Flood Center, we have leveraged our unique expertise to develop one of the most robust and reliable flood monitoring networks in the country,” said Larry Weber, IFC director. “As an academic research center committed to public service, we have a responsibility to partner with other states to support their efforts in strengthening flood resilience and reducing risk.”
Infrastructure risk develops with repeated flooding
Flooding presents immediate threats to life and property, but it also introduces longer-term risks to infrastructure such as bridges. High flows can cause scour, or the erosion of sediment around bridge foundations, which can compromise structural stability over time. In North Dakota, repeated flooding has increased concern over scour-related bridge damage, making monitoring a priority for infrastructure management.
Bridges serve as critical connections for the movement of people and goods, making their protection essential. The installation of IFC stream sensors will provide real-time water level data, improving the state’s ability to issue timely flood alerts and respond to rapidly changing conditions as well as determine when a bridge may have experienced scour damage.
In addition to real-time monitoring, NDDOT will integrate these data into a Geographic Information System (GIS), allowing for analysis of infrastructural risk. With access to more flood data, the state can identify vulnerable bridges and crossings more effectively without sending employees to survey each location. This enables a statewide shift toward proactive risk management, helping the NDDOT act earlier to address potential damage.
Modeling a better, scalable approach
This project builds on IFC’s long history of hydrologic monitoring in Iowa. Since deploying its first generation of stream sensors in 2011, IFC has worked to expand coverage to nearly 300 sensors beyond the existing U.S. Geological Survey network, which primarily monitors larger rivers. In a state characterized by numerous smaller streams and tributaries, this expansion was critical. The IFC-designed sensors are low cost and provide real-time data to users. As a trusted and expert organization in flood monitoring, the IFC team brings considerable flood resilience expertise, creating a scalable monitoring model.
Monte Deis, preliminary engineering and hydraulics engineer at the North Dakota Department of Transportation, says that although his team evaluated different approaches, what stood out for them was seeing the real-time data, alerts, and overall functionality of IFC’s existing monitoring network.
“The IFC’s experience designing and operating a successful statewide network, along with the flexibility of the system, made it a natural fit for what we were trying to accomplish,” said Deis.
The initial 12 sensors in the North Dakota network can be easily expanded to meet future monitoring needs. By designing and installing its own sensors in previously unmonitored areas, IFC helps close gaps and improve flood prediction and modeling capabilities statewide. Additionally, staff will be able to check a dashboard to see potential impacts instead of having to travel to those locations themselves, which frees up both time and manpower.
Over time, however, maintaining the original network in Iowa has become increasingly challenging due to aging technology. Many sensors are operating well beyond their intended lifespan. These newer models are designed to be more self-sustaining and resilient, particularly in extreme weather conditions. Improvements include increased battery capacity and reliability, reducing the need for frequent maintenance trips and enabling more consistent data collection.
Knowing what’s happening in water systems leads to better outcomes
Together, these advancements expand river level monitoring and improve the ability to identify scour risk on critical bridges, moving North Dakota toward a more proactive approach to both flood risk mitigation and infrastructure management. With greater access to timely and accurate data, the state is better equipped to make informed decisions that protect lives, property, and economic activity.
The IFC is proud to support North Dakota’s efforts, demonstrating how hydrologic innovations developed in-house can have meaningful impact beyond state borders, and showcases why IFC has become a model of interstate flood resilience.