Should we be looking at the cost or reflecting on the true value in obtaining data from high stage gaugings?

This paper focuses on the 2012 Culgoa River at Brenda flood and highlights the importance of aerial support when conducting large flood plain gaugings to obtain results not previously possible. The costs involved were significant, however the teams would not have gained confidence in the results that were collected and may have lost/damaged traditional vehicles whilst attempting access without air support.

With the advancement in technologies, such as Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), access to sites is a key limiting factor. The following paper uses the Culgoa River Flood of 2012 as a case study to highlight the value of data obtained during the gauging exercise with the use of aerial support from both rotary and fixed wing aircraft.