The result has been very successful in the Badger area such that it has now been extended into other rivers as well. Firstly, the improved warnings are allowing citizens of the town to better prepare themselves against the future floods by moving vehicles onto higher ground and moving furniture and other property / valuables into safer locations. Secondly the direct savings to the Water Resources Management Division is significant with the use of satellite data replacing helicopter flights and the need to send people to gather the information. The cost and the frequent updates required rendered this method almost impossible in any case. Each helicopter flight costs around $5k and with around 35 flights (one flight for each image) needed each year the total cost would be over $100k. Thirdly, the value gained by the community in having access to better information. Fourthly, the emergency services which are placed on stand-by as soon as a warning is given are able to operate more efficiently with fewer false alarms and better targeted information when it is needed. Fifthly, the operators of a hydro-electric dam upstream on the Exploit river are able to use the same products to achieve better management of water levels in the winter since they are able to observe the ice-build-up more directly and frequently; using the information to provide real-time feedback. Sixthly, the engineers designing a new hydro-electric project on the Churchill River in Labrador are able to take advantage of the ice information directly during the design process as well as planning for it once the project becomes operational. Overall the economic value of the application is significant and the use in a number of other rivers in Canada, USA and Russia provide even more economic value to this application. |