In the Bergisches Land region, a new digital tool for flood protection is being developed: the “Bergisches Flood Warning System 4.0” (HWS 4.0). The aim is to predict rising water levels and, consequently, flood risks along the Wupper River and its tributaries more accurately using Artificial Intelligence (AI). This enables municipalities, disaster relief organizations, emergency services, and the public to be informed earlier.
Since the project started in 2023, significant progress has already been made.
HWS 4.0 collects measurement data from the region and presents it in a clear and accessible way.
For more precise predictions, extensive data is required: water levels in rivers, retention basins, and canals, rainfall amounts, and the fill levels of reservoirs.
Therefore, an important aspect is expanding the measurement network in the Wupper area, which improves the data basis. New sensor technology is being used and optimized for water management.
The Wupperverband’s measurement network now includes 60 gauges and 100 sensors. They record water levels and rainfall in real time. New flood warning gauges for the Wupper were recently installed in Wipperfürth and Solingen. Another warning gauge will be built in Leichlingen starting in October. Numerous climate and rainfall stations, including seven new ones installed over the past two years, are also part of the network.
A key focus of the project is the use of AI. The AI is trained with the collected data to recognize typical patterns—for example, when water levels rise rapidly. The goal is to enable predictions several hours in advance, showing how conditions in the waterways might develop.
Prototype of the Dashboard is online
All this data flows into the new online dashboard, which is already available as a prototype. Here, interested parties can follow the current development of water levels in the Wupper region. Measurement points are displayed on an interactive map. The more you zoom in, the more stations become visible. There is also a list of all measurement points—from rainfall stations to river gauges and reservoirs. Each entry shows the current measurement and its trend: rising, stable, or falling. Clicking on a measurement point opens a chart showing the development of values over different time periods—from three hours to two weeks.
The prototype of the dashboard is freely accessible at: https://www.hws.nrw/dashboard/start
The next step is to develop an app that will make alerts mobile and even easier to access. It is expected to be available from mid-2026.
Information about HWS 4.0
The research project “Bergisches Flood Warning System 4.0 (HWS 4.0)” started in June 2023 and is planned for three years.
Research partners include: Heinz Berger Maschinenfabrik, Wupperverband, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Bergische Struktur- und Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft, Wuppertaler Stadtwerke, and Bergische Industrie- und Handelskammer Wuppertal-Remscheid-Solingen.
The project is funded with €2.8 million by the Ministry of Economy, Industry, Climate Protection, and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
HWS 4.0 is part of the initiative “Flagships powered by KI.NRW,” the state of North Rhine-Westphalia’s AI competence platform. In developing these new technologies, the project partners are also collaborating with the State Office for Nature, Environment, and Climate of North Rhine-Westphalia (LANUV) and other regions of North Rhine-Westphalia.
