Forbes Shire Council
Forbes Shire Council
03/31/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/30/2026 22:29
Smart Flood Warning System Installed at Pinnacle Road Floodway
A new flooded road smart warning system at the Pinnacle Road floodway is set to improve safety for motorists and enhance Council's ability to respond quickly during flood events.
The new system uses a water level sensor installed at the floodway to automatically detect rising floodwaters. In the instance of a flood event, the sensor will trigger a digital "Road Closed" sign at the floodway and a "Road Closed Ahead" warning sign at the start of Pinnacle Road, providing an immediate and highly visible warning to motorists.
The sensor also sends an automated SMS alert to Council staff when flooding occurs, prompting the installation of physical road closed signs and enabling a faster, more coordinated response.
Pinnacle Road was identified as a high-risk location due to its history of flood-related rescues.
By clearly warning road users and triggering rapid responses, the system will help prevent people from driving into floodwaters and is expected to reduce the number of flood-related rescue incidents.
Forbes Shire Council Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM said the new system was a necessary measure.
"Flooded roads pose a serious risk to motorists and emergency responders. This smart warning system provides an early alert that can prevent dangerous situations before they occur," the Mayor said.
"The technology also supports more efficient deployment of Council staff during emergencies and reduces the need for them to physically inspect roads to confirm flooding."
The system automatically reports flood conditions to Council, including water depth and duration, allowing for faster and more informed decision-making. Council staff will be able to update road closures through Transport for NSW's OneRoad platform, ensuring information is published in real time to Live Traffic NSW and Google Maps.
If the Pinnacle Road project proves successful, Council will investigate installing similar smart warning systems at other flood and rescue-prone locations.
The project has been co-funded by Forbes Shire Council and the NSW Government through the NSW Reconstruction Authority's Disaster Ready Fund - Round 2.
The new system uses a water level sensor installed at the floodway to automatically detect rising floodwaters. In the instance of a flood event, the sensor will trigger a digital "Road Closed" sign at the floodway and a "Road Closed Ahead" warning sign at the start of Pinnacle Road, providing an immediate and highly visible warning to motorists.
The sensor also sends an automated SMS alert to Council staff when flooding occurs, prompting the installation of physical road closed signs and enabling a faster, more coordinated response.
Pinnacle Road was identified as a high-risk location due to its history of flood-related rescues.
By clearly warning road users and triggering rapid responses, the system will help prevent people from driving into floodwaters and is expected to reduce the number of flood-related rescue incidents.
Forbes Shire Council Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM said the new system was a necessary measure.
"Flooded roads pose a serious risk to motorists and emergency responders. This smart warning system provides an early alert that can prevent dangerous situations before they occur," the Mayor said.
"The technology also supports more efficient deployment of Council staff during emergencies and reduces the need for them to physically inspect roads to confirm flooding."
The system automatically reports flood conditions to Council, including water depth and duration, allowing for faster and more informed decision-making. Council staff will be able to update road closures through Transport for NSW's OneRoad platform, ensuring information is published in real time to Live Traffic NSW and Google Maps.
If the Pinnacle Road project proves successful, Council will investigate installing similar smart warning systems at other flood and rescue-prone locations.
The project has been co-funded by Forbes Shire Council and the NSW Government through the NSW Reconstruction Authority's Disaster Ready Fund - Round 2.
Forbes Shire Council published this content on March 31, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 31, 2026 at 04:29 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]