Flood warning network upgrades
Find out how we're improving infrastructure that supports flood forecasts and warnings
Flood Warning Infrastructure Network (FWIN) Program
Australians rely on us to provide flood forecasts and warnings. We are improving this vital service through the National Flood Warning Infrastructure Network Program.
The Australian Government is investing up to $236 million for this national 10-year program. It enables the Bureau to acquire and upgrade flood infrastructure, including:
- high-priority rain and river gauges
- supporting communications equipment.
The focus is on critical catchments in each state and territory.
Video: Improving Australia's flood warning infrastructure network
A major upgrade of Australia’s flood warning network is underway, led by the Bureau of Meteorology.
Currently, there are more than 8,000 gauging sites across Australia and the Bureau owns about one-third of these gauges that it relies on to deliver flood forecasts and warnings. Over the next 10 years, the Bureau will acquire, upgrade, and maintain more than 1,500 more flood warning sites located in high-priority catchments across the country.
The work will lead to a modernised and well-maintained network that will enhance flood forecasts and warnings and improve community preparedness for flooding.
The national Flood Warning Infrastructure Network Program, known as FWIN, began in Queensland, where around 1,000 gauges will be upgraded by June 2029. In 2024, the FWIN team consulted with 64 Queensland councils about the flood warning sites to be included in the program.
The first site to be acquired and upgraded was the Cairns Kamerunga Bridge gauge in July 2024. The program will expand to all states and territories, starting next in New South Wales.
Funded by the Australian Government, ongoing maintenance will be shared between the Bureau and state governments and reduce the financial burden on local councils to maintain flood warning sites.
Program aims, benefits and process
Aims
The program aims to improve the long-term resilience of Australia's flood warning network.
Current ownership and maintenance of flood warning infrastructure in Australia is complex.
More than 8,000 rain and river level sites provide the data we use to produce flood forecasts and warnings. The Bureau only owns about one third of these.
Simplifying ownership and maintenance arrangements will help ensure national consistency, data resilience and quality control.
Benefits
For communities and emergency management, benefits include improved:
- rain and river level observations
- data supporting flood forecasts and warnings
- support for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
For current asset owners, it will reduce the maintenance and improvement costs.
Process overview
Steps in the process include:
- Consult local and state/territory governments.
- Prioritise catchments in each state and territory based on condition of the network, flood risk and population.
- Identify key flood warning sites.
- Consult site owners on key sites.
- Assess sites for acquisition and upgrade. This includes site visits and site assessment reports to capture the current condition of the assets and determine scope of remediation works where required, as well as cultural heritage and native title reviews.
- Acquire sites.
- Upgrade sites, where required.
- Add sites to Bureau systems and establish a maintenance program.
Schedule and progress
This is an initial map of priority catchments. We work closely with state and territory government partners to confirm the prioritisation of catchments.
Schedule
- Planning: July 2023 to June 2024
- Upgrade work: July 2024 to June 2029
- Maintenance: from July 2025
Progress
Work on the program began in Queensland the country's most flood-prone state, in late 2023. The full Queensland program will include about 1,100 sites across 42 Queensland flood watch catchments, with 200 sites in scope for acquisition in the 24/25 financial year.
Between February to August 2024, we contacted the 52 local governments that own flood warning sites in prioritised catchments. The Bureau and local councils have agreed on an initial list of about 770 flood assets to acquire and, where required, upgrade. Not all sites require upgrades as they are fit-for-purpose.
Work is ongoing to confirm the remainder of the program. The Bureau is working through a list of around 180 additional sites requested by councils for consideration under the program. The team is progressively reviewing these requests and will notify councils of the outcome once determined.
Site upgrade work started in July 2024 and is expected to be completed by June 2029.
200 sites are in scope for acquisition in the 24/25 financial year. As of early December 2024, 7 sites have been acquired, and a further 58 have been initiated with the FWIN team working closely with existing council asset owners.
The bulk of the site remediation for this financial year will commence after the higher risk weather season.
Number of FWIN program sites by flood watch catchment
- Balonne River – 10
- Barron River – 22
- Belyando and Suttor Rivers to Burdekin Falls Dam – 13
- Black River – 10
- Bulloo River (Qld) – 8
- Burdekin River downstream of Burdekin Falls Dam – 21
- Burdekin River to Burdekin Falls Dam – 24
- Burnett River – 40
- Burrum and Cherwell Rivers – 12
- Cape River – 1
- Cloncurry River – 9
- Comet and Nagoa Rivers – 1
- Condamine Rivers – 83
- Cooper Creek – 11
- Dawson and Don Rivers – 47
- Diamantina River – 14
- Don and Proserpine Rivers – 21
- Georgina River and Eyre Creek – 11
- Gilbert River – 1
- Haughton River – 16
- Johnstone River – 23
- Leichhardt River – 3
- Logan and Albert Rivers – 23
- Lower Brisbane River – 56
- Lower Flinders River – 7
- Macintyre River – 27
- Mackenzie and Fitzroy Rivers and Shoalwater and Water Park Creeks – 5
- Mary River – 27
- Mitchell River – 2
- Mossman River – 4
- Mulgrave and Russell Rivers – 15
- Murray River – 6
- Nicholson River – 12
- Norman River – 15
- Paroo River (Qld) – 6
- Pioneer River – 24
- Ross and Bohle Rivers – 33
- Tully River – 12
- Upper Brisbane River – 7
- Upper Flinders River – 11
- Warrego River (Qld) – 27
- Weir River – 16
Schedule
- Detailed planning: July 2024 to June 2025
- Site acquisition and upgrade work: July 2025 to June 2030
- Site maintenance: from July 2026
Progress
Consultation and planning with state and local governments is underway. Regional network understanding workshops have been completed in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast regions. Workshops will commence for the remaining five regions in February 2025.
The full NSW program will include about 258 sites with 30 sites in the Northern Rivers region scheduled for acquisition and where required, remediation, in the 2025/26 financial year.
- Detailed planning: July 2025 to June 2026
- Site acquisition and upgrade work: July 2026 to June 2030
- Site maintenance: from June 2027
- The full Vic program will include about 25 sites.
- Detailed planning: July 2026 to June 2027
- Site acquisition and upgrade work: July 2027 to June 2030
- Site maintenance: from June 2028
- The full Tas program will include about 36 sites.
- Detailed planning: July 2026 to June 2027
- Site acquisition and upgrade work: July 2027 to June 2030
- Site maintenance: from June 2028
- The full SA program will include about 17 sites.
- Detailed planning: July 2026 to June 2027
- Site acquisition and upgrade work: July 2027 to June 2030
- Site maintenance: from June 2028
- The full WA program will include about 147 sites.
- Detailed planning: July 2026 to June 2027
- Site acquisition and upgrade work: July 2027 to June 2030
- Site maintenance: from June 2028
- The full NT program will include about 17 sites.
- Detailed planning: July 2026 to June 2027
- Site acquisition and upgrade work: July 2027 to June 2030
- Site maintenance: from June 2028
Flood Warning Services
For the latest flood watches and warnings, view the National warnings summary. You'll find an overview of flood warning services in our Flood Knowledge Centre.